The ‘Moscow Mule Murder’: Inside the Trial of Kouri Richins

Summary

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The Trial: USA

Episode: The ‘Moscow Mule Murder’: Inside the Trial of Kouri Richins
Date: March 4, 2026
Host: Kayla Brantley
Guest: Rachel Sharp, Daily Mail Crime Correspondent

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Episode Overview

This episode explores the dramatic trial of Kouri (Corey) Richins, the Utah real estate agent accused of murdering her husband, Eric Richins, with a fentanyl-laced Moscow Mule. The podcast takes listeners inside the Park City courtroom, breaking down key prosecution and defense arguments, witness testimony—including from a pivotal housekeeper—and the emotional atmosphere among witnesses and family members. Award-winning crime reporter Rachel Sharp provides exclusive insights from her front-row seat at the trial.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background of the Case

• Victim: Eric Richins, millionaire stonemason, died in March 2022.
• Defendant: Corey (Kouri) Richins, Eric’s wife and a real estate agent.
• Circumstances: Initially ruled unexplained, but an autopsy revealed Eric had five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his system ([04:40]).
• Alleged Motive: Prosecutors allege Corey stood to gain from nearly $2 million in life insurance, and had attempted to access Eric’s safe 48 hours after his death.
• Previous Incident: Eric fell violently ill on Valentine’s Day 2022, reportedly after eating a sandwich Corey provided. Prosecutors allege this was the first murder attempt ([04:40]).
• Financial Disputes: The couple argued about Corey’s plan to purchase and flip a $2 million property, a deal Eric did not support. Corey closed on the deal the day before Eric’s death and hosted a celebration that night ([04:40]).

2. The Public and Family in the Courtroom

• High Interest: Approximately 15 spectators line up daily. Eric’s family fills an entire courtroom row; Corey’s mother and a few relatives present ([07:58]).
• Eric’s Family: Have remained mostly composed, though testified early about strange behavior by Corey and financial matters ([15:53]).

3. Corey Richins’s Courtroom Behavior

• Very Engaged: Intently watches witnesses, actively converses with legal team, passes notes.
• Visible Reactions: Became animated and rattled during testimony from friend Alison Wright about feeling “trapped” in her marriage and financial concerns if divorced ([08:43]).

  "She was very much staring down the witness and the defense was objecting... Corey was seen kind of pulling a face." – Rachel Sharp ([08:43])

4. Key Witness: Housekeeper Carmen Lauber

• Star Prosecution Witness: Testified to having supplied Corey with fentanyl used to kill Eric ([10:17]).
• Drug Sourcing Timeline:
  • First sale: late Jan/early Feb 2022—Corey claims it’s for an “investor”.
  • Subsequent sales escalated to more potent fentanyl, referred to as “Michael Jackson stuff”.
  • Fentanyl allegedly used for Valentine’s sandwich attempt and fatal Moscow Mule ([10:17]).
• Post-murder Allegation: After Eric’s death, Lauber asked Corey if pills were used on him—Corey denied it, and they conducted one further drug deal.
• Defense Challenge: Defense attacked her credibility due to criminal record/drug use, and that she received immunity for truthful testimony. Despite this, Rachel describes her as “quite credible”, especially corroborated by cell phone evidence ([12:32]).

  "She showed regret for her involvement… but the cell phone evidence did seem to support what she said." – Rachel Sharp ([12:32])

5. Other Witnesses & Notable Testimony

• Alison Wright (Friend): Testified to Corey feeling “trapped” financially in the marriage (2019 conversation), and alleged that Corey worried about prenup and financial deterioration if she left ([08:43], [16:26]).
• Eric’s Alleged Affair: Defense raised a new allegation of Eric’s possible affair with a woman from work, information not previously public ([16:26]).
• Corey’s Alleged Affair: Corey was reportedly having a long-term affair with a man named Robert Josh Grossman, with “constant streams of messages” and even a separate cell phone dedicated to communication ([19:15]).

6. Evidence and Contradictions

• Digital Trail: Cell phone records support Carmen’s timeline of drug deals ([12:32]).
• Conflicting Accounts: Some contradictions between Carmen’s testimony and statements by drug dealer Robert Crozier.
• No Fentanyl Found in Home: Still, Eric’s autopsy confirmed fatal fentanyl dose ([18:06]).

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Timestamps for Crucial Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |--------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:40 | Case overview, background, initial investigation recapped | | 07:58 | Rachel Sharp on courtroom atmosphere and public interest | | 08:43 | Corey Richins’s demeanor and reaction to testimony | | 10:17 | Housekeeper Carmen Lauber's damning testimony | | 12:32 | Defense cross-examination of Lauber, corroboration with evidence | | 15:53 | Testimony from Eric’s family and forensic aspects | | 16:26 | Shocking moments: allegations of affairs, courtroom revelations | | 18:06 | Jury’s key questions moving forward, defense's alternate narrative | | 19:15 | Details of Corey’s affair and marital problems |

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "She told the court she had sold Corey drugs four times... Corey wanted something stronger, and that’s when Carmen enlisted the help of a drug dealer named Robert Crozier. She allegedly told Corey that she could get her some fentanyl pills, and Corey greenlit that purchase."
  — Rachel Sharp ([10:17])

• "During that, she was very much staring down the witness... you could tell she really didn't want to have this person's testimony being heard on the stand."
  — Rachel Sharp on Corey Richins’s reaction ([08:43])

• "She showed regret for her involvement in Eric's death, but there was contradictory statements between her and some of the comments that she'd made in previous interviews... But... the cell phone evidence did seem to support what she said."
  — Rachel Sharp on Carmen Lauber’s credibility ([12:32])

• "One of the other quite shocking moments came...when we heard about an alleged affair that Eric had actually had. Now, that's the first time we've ever heard about this."
  — Rachel Sharp ([16:26])

• "The jury needs to be sure beyond reasonable doubt that it was Corey who bought the drugs and that she did intentionally poison him... The defense has already suggested that he himself may have bought the drugs when he went on a trip to Mexico..."
  — Rachel Sharp ([18:06])

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Looking Ahead: What’s Next in the Trial

• Key Issues for the Jury:

  • Whether Corey intentionally purchased and used the fentanyl to kill Eric.
  • Considering the defense’s claim that Eric could have self-administered the drugs.
  • Evaluation of electronic evidence vs. testimony credibility.

• Expected Testimony:

  • Possible appearance of Corey’s mother, Lisa Darden.
  • It remains to be seen if Corey’s alleged lover, Robert Josh Grossman, will testify—reports indicate prosecutors have struggled to locate him ([16:26]).

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Conclusion

The episode offers a vivid, insightful tour through one of America’s most sensational recent murder trials. With compelling witness drama, marital secrets, and damning digital evidence, the trial of Kouri Richins is testing the boundaries of reasonable doubt for the Park City jury. Listeners are left anticipating further courtroom twists, including possible testimony from key figures tied to Corey’s motive and alleged affairs.

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Transcript

[Stephen]

The Crime desk arresting podcasts

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[Stephen]

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[Corey Richards]

You don't say.

[Stephen]

Yeah, they're even picking it up tomorrow. Talk about fast.

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[Stephen]

So about that picture frame. Ah, forget about it. Until Carvana makes one, I'm not interested.

[Rachel Sharp]

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[Kayla Brantley]

Pick up.

[Rachel Sharp]

These may apply.

[Corey Richards]

So my husband passed away unexpectedly last year. So it's March 4, was a one year anniversary for us and he was 39. It completely took us all by shock. And we have three little boys, 10, nine and six. And you know, we kind of, my kids and I kind of wrote this book on the different emotions and grieving processes that we've experienced last year and you know, you know, hoping that it can kind of help other kids, you know, deal with this and kind of, you know, find happiness some, some way or another and to make sense and process. I'm sure, and I'm sure you felt that going through and trying to Explain it and articulate it for you and your boys. Yes, exactly. Exactly. And so I've done, you know, I'm new to all of this, so kind of doing all, you know, research and reading books and things to try and understand, you know, not only how to grieve as a widow, as a wife, but also, you know, with my kids, how to help them, how to help them understand what just happened. And what I have kind of found is, as I mentioned, it's kind of the three Cs is how I visualize it. And it's, you know, connection, continuity and care. And it's, you know, making sure connection is the one major one in making sure that their spirit is always alive in your home, you know, and memories are always brought up and doing things that your loved ones love to do, whether it's riding bikes or their favorite dinner and just constantly, you know, talking about them and, and Corey, do you mention at dinner, here's dad or dad would like this meal or dad would, let's bring dad on a bike ride? Yeah, exactly. And it's, yeah, you know, explaining it to my kid. Just because he's not present here with us physically, that doesn't mean his presence isn't here with us and he's doing these things with us. And he's here for birthdays and he's here for Christmas and, you know, and it's just comforting to them to know that, you know, they're not living this life alone. Like dad is still here. It's just in a different way.

[Kayla Brantley]

That's the voice of former real estate agent Corey Richards in that interview with ABC affiliate ktvx. She's promoting a children's book that she says she wrote to help her three young sons process the sudden death of their father, her husband, Eric Richards. But just weeks after that TV interview, Corey Richards was arrested for his murder. On this week's episode of the Trial usa, we take you inside the courtroom in Park City, Utah, where, where the trial of the woman dubbed the Moscow Mule Killer is now underway. The reason for the nickname Richins is accused of murdering her millionaire husband of nine years by serving him a fentanyl laced Moscow Mule cocktail. Inside their Utah home, Eric Richens was found dead in his bed in March of 2022. At first, his death appeared sudden but unexplained. Then the autopsy reports came back showing that Eric had five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his system. Prosecutors say his wife deliberately poisoned him and they allege it wasn't the first attempt. According to investigators, Eric had previously fallen violently ill on Valentine's Day, 2022, after eating a sandwich his wife had left for him in his truck. Placed beside a handwritten love note, Eric broke out in hives. Prosecutors now believe that sandwich may also have been laced with drugs. They say Richen stood to gain financially, too, allegedly taking out multiple life insurance policies worth nearly $2 million. And Eric's family claimed that just 48 hours after his death, Richins attempted to drill into his safe. In the days leading up to Eric's death, the couple had also been arguing about money, specifically, Richens plans to purchase and flip a $2 million property, a deal Eric reportedly opposed. Then on March 3, the day before he died, Richins signed the closing papers on the 10 acre property. That same night, according to investigators, she invited friends over to celebrate drinking and hosting a party at the family home. The next day, Eric Richins was dead. Now, more than two years later to the day, a jury in Park City, Utah is hearing the evidence. Inside the courtroom. Witnesses are describing a troubled marriage, alleged affairs on both sides, and and testimony from a housekeeper who says she helped obtain the drugs prosecutors believe were used in the killings. Daily Mail crime correspondent Rachel Sharp has been inside the courtroom as the trial unfolds. In this episode, she walks us through the testimony jurors have heard so far, the key witnesses, the dramatic moments inside court, and the revelations that could ultimately decide whether Corey Richards is guilty of murder. I'm Kayla Brantley and this is the Trial usa. I'm joined now by Rachel Sharp, our crime correspondent. Rachel, you have been inside of the courtroom in Park City, Utah for this trial. You've just stepped out to do this interview. Thank you so much for joining us.

[Rachel Sharp]

Thanks for having me.

[Kayla Brantley]

So you've been inside the courtroom throughout the case. What has the mood been like so far? Can you paint a picture for us? Who's inside? What have you seen?

[Rachel Sharp]

Yeah. So as you mentioned, the case is taking place in Park City. And you know, it's cold, it's snow season, but even so, there's been quite an interest from the public. Each morning there's been around 15 people lining up to make sure they get a seat inside the courtroom. And also Eric and Corey's family members have also been there as well. They family of Eric has filled an entire row in the five row courtroom. So there's a lot of support for him and his family members there. And a couple of Corey Richards family members are also here as well, including her mom.

[Kayla Brantley]

How has Corey behaved during these proceedings? What Is her demeanor been like when witnesses come on the stand and speak? What have you noticed?

[Rachel Sharp]

Yeah, so it's been interesting. She's very engaged. She's constantly watching the witnesses intently, chatting to her attorney, passing them notes and, you know, really kind of watching what is happening on the witness stand and sort of seems very, very involved in her defense. There's been a couple of witnesses the last couple of days where, you know, she's grown increasingly animated and seems a little bit rattled by them and their testimony. So one of those came yesterday when a friend of the Richens, Alison Wright, took the stand and she testified to a conversation that she remembers having with Corey back in 2019. So that's three years before Eric's death. And she remembers Corey telling her that she felt, quote, trapped in their marriage. She mentioned the prenup and that, you know, if they were to part ways, she would really struggle financially and that, you know, her financial situation would deteriorate, whereas Eric's would be fine as he ran a successful stonemasonry business. During that, she was very much staring down the witness and the defence was objecting to the testimony. When the testimony was allowed, Koori was seen kind of pulling a face. So you could tell she really didn't want to have this person's testimony being heard on the stand.

[Kayla Brantley]

I want to turn to the housekeeper's testimony. She is now the key prosecution witness. Her name is Carmen Lauber. What did she tell the jury about allegedly sourcing drugs for Corey Richards?

[Rachel Sharp]

She's very much been probably the star witness so far in this case. She was a housekeeper for the Richens, and she testified that she gave Corey the fentanyl that was actually used to kill Eric. So pretty damning information there. She told the court that she had sold Corey drugs four times in total around the time of Eric's death. The first time was around late January, early February, where Corey told her she wanted drugs for. For an investor, and that was the first time she bought the drugs. After that, Corey wanted something stronger. And that was when Carmen enlisted the help of a drug dealer named Robert Crozier. She allegedly told Corey that she could get her some fentanyl pills, and she alleges that Corey greenlit that purchase. So there was a couple of purchases of fentanyl pills during that time. According to Lauba, one of the purchases was on February 11, which is significant because as well as the murder charge, Corrie is also charged with attempted murder for an attempt on Eric's life on Valentine's Day 2022. And on Valentine's Day, Corey is alleged to have laced his sandwich with drugs. After that attempt didn't work, she allegedly contacted, asking for more powerful fentanyl in this time referring to it as the Michael Jackson stuff. So very interesting testimony from Carmen inside the courtroom.

[Kayla Brantley]

And did Carmen Lober say what she thought Cory was going to use it for, or did Cory say what she wanted the fentanyl for?

[Rachel Sharp]

She told the court that she was told that it was for an investor, so she was never given the name of who it was for. However, a few days after Eric died, Carmen said she called Corey and said, please tell me those pills were not for him. Corey insisted they weren't and they actually had a fourth alleged drug deal afterwards, and then no more after that.

[Kayla Brantley]

And I can only imagine that the defense is going after Carmen Lober's credibility. You know, if this is a person who's buying, selling, potentially doing drugs, how did Lober stand up for herself during cross examination?

[Rachel Sharp]

Yeah, I mean, it was a very lengthy cross examination. She admitted that she did used to use drugs. She's now been clean for a couple of years. And also that she had several drug distribution and possession charges. And one of the aspects that the defence really picked holes in is that the fact that for her truthful testimony, she is being granted immunity in the case and on several other charges that she's facing. So the defence really tried to land that. That, you know, can this person really be believed? I think overall, though, she, you know, she kind of did hold her own. She did seem quite credible. She showed regret for her involvement in Eric's death, but there was contradictory statements between her and some of the comments that she'd made in previous interviews, as well as contradictions with the drug dealer, Robert Crozier, when he took the stand. But I think overall, to me, she came across quite credible and her testimony was actually supported yesterday when we were actually shown a ton of cell phone evidence. And that really lined up very well with everything Carmen had said in terms of the deals, how she had arranged them for Corey, involving Robert Clozier. And the cell phone evidence did seem to support what she said.

[Kayla Brantley]

We're taking a quick break after this.

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[Stephen]

Did I talk too much? Can't I just let it go?

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[Kayla Brantley]

Who else has testified so far, and have there been any particularly emotional or powerful moments throughout the trial, especially from Eric's family or any forensic experts?

[Rachel Sharp]

Yeah, so Eric's family testified in the first couple of days. They, you know, gave testimony about the finances and also about some of Cora's behavior that they found a little bit strange in the aftermath of her death. They have then been sat during the entire trial in the courtroom, and they've been pretty composed. They haven't really shown much emotion so far. Whether that will come later, we will

[Kayla Brantley]

see to you what has been the most shocking or really unexpected moment in this trial to date.

[Rachel Sharp]

I think for me, hearing from Carmen Lauber was one of the key moments. You know, she really is the star witness pinning everything together. One of the other quite shocking moments came in the courtroom yesterday, however, when we heard about an alleged affair that Eric had actually had. Now, that's the first time we've ever heard about this. This came during the friend Alison Wright's testimony where she was saying how Corey had confided in her about the state of their marriage in 2019. And under cross examination, that was when the defense brought up an allegation that at that time, Corey believed Eric was actually having an affair with a woman from work. So we don't know a lot of details about that. We don't even know if the affair was genuine. But it was definitely a revealing moment in the courtroom and something that we haven't heard before going ahead as well. We will also probably be hearing from Lisa Darden, who is Corey's mom. And there's also speculation as to whether Corey's lover, Robert Josh Grossman, who was key part of this case, her motive as well as finances, is allegedly so that she could start a new life with him. So it'll be a case of seeing whether he ends up taking the stand. From what we know from our reporting is that prosecutors have struggled to locate him, that he ended up homeless after they parted ways after Eric's alleged murder. So it'll be interesting to see whether he does make an appearance.

[Kayla Brantley]

So, Rachel, looking ahead, what are the key questions the jury will ultimately have to decide, and what should we be watching for as the trial continues?

[Rachel Sharp]

So, on the main charge of aggravated murder, the jury needs to be sure beyond reasonable doubt that it was Corey who bought the drugs and that she did intentionally poison him with those. The defence has already tried to sort out in that in openings suggesting that he himself will have. May have bought the drugs when he went on a trip to Mexico a couple of weeks earlier, and that, you know, his death was caused by those drugs that he could have purchased. Whether they have any evidence to support that, we don't know. That's something that we may or may not see when the defence picks up their case. But, you know, that is really a key thing that the jury will have to decide whether that has been proven. We already know that there was no fentanyl found inside the home, but obviously there was five times the lethal limit found in Eric's body when he died. So it had to come from somewhere. It's gonna be a case of where that came from and who the jury believes, really.

[Kayla Brantley]

And, Rachel, aside from this new allegation that Eric was having an affair, have they touched on the couple's relationship at all, the relationship between Cory and Eric?

[Rachel Sharp]

So what we've heard so far is that Cory was having an affair with a man called Robert Josh Gorsmouth, and that that affair had actually seems to have begun around September 2020. That is when messages, and we're talking constant streams of messages began between them. She even had a different cell phone that was predominantly used to contact him. So that means we're talking about almost 18 months that there was an alleged affair going on in their relationship. The defense has tried to lay out the possibility that, yes, there had been marriage troubles and, you know, the relationship was not perfect, but, you know, the couple had gone to counseling and she is the grieving widow Rachel.

[Kayla Brantley]

Thank you so much for joining us. I know you have to run back into court, but we will definitely have you on again with all insights from the courtroom. Thank you. That's all for this week. We'll be back next week, bringing you up to date on the Week in Crime. If you want to stay up to date on the the biggest cases unfolding across the country, make sure you're following the Trial usa. I'm Kayla Brantley. Thanks for being with us.

[Hayden]

Howdy, howdy ho, and welcome to Fantasy Fan Fellas. I'm Hayden, producer of the Fantasy Fangirls podcast and your resident lover of all things Sanderson.

[Stephen]

And I'm Stephen, your bookish Internet goofball, but you can call the Smash Daddy.

[Hayden]

And we are currently deep diving Brandon Sanderson's fantasy epic Mistborn. But here's the catch. Steven here has not read Mistborn before.

[Stephen]

That's right. Hey hey. So each week you'll get my unfiltered raw reactions to every single chapter.

[Hayden]

And along the way we'll do character deep dives, magic explainers, and Steven will even try to guess what's next. Spoiler alert. He'll be wrong.

[Stephen]

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