LIVE: UT V. Kouri Richins - Day 7 | Grief Author Murder Trial
•March 3, 2026
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Why It Matters
The forensic accounting evidence may determine motive and asset misappropriation, while the court’s evidentiary rulings will dictate how much of that financial narrative the jury hears.
Key Takeaways
- •Judge outlines 404(b) objection strategy for forensic testimony.
- •Defense will use real‑time objections to curb irrelevant evidence.
- •Forensic accountant reviewed hundreds of thousands of financial documents.
- •Carrington’s methodology starts with bank statements to build narrative.
- •Trial schedule adjusted, giving attorneys extra preparation time.
Summary
The courtroom on Day 7 of the Utah murder trial of author Kouri Richins centered on the upcoming testimony of forensic accountant Brooke Carrington and a series of evidentiary rulings concerning 404(b) objections.
The judge and counsel debated how to handle Carrington’s expansive testimony, which will cover taxes, business transactions, assets, liabilities, and insurance matters. Defense counsel proposed real‑time, non‑speaking objections to keep the record clean, while the court considered a blanket 404(b) instruction that specifies which portions of her testimony are inadmissible. The discussion also noted that the judge has already ruled on unfair‑prejudice objections and will give a contemporaneous instruction to the jury.
Carrington, with 38 years of experience and hundreds of prior expert appearances, described her forensic process: starting with bank statements to identify sources and uses of funds, then constructing a narrative of typical versus atypical activity. She testified she examined over 100,000 documents, including loan agreements, credit‑union statements, emails, insurance policies, estate‑planning papers, and conducted interviews with accountants, realtors, lenders, and insurers.
The depth of financial analysis could be pivotal in establishing Richins’ motive and the flow of estate assets after Eric Richins’ death. Procedural choices on objections and jury instructions will shape how much of this evidence reaches the jury, potentially influencing the trial’s timeline and the ultimate verdict.
Original Description
The Utah mom accused of poisoning her husband and going on to write a children’s book about grieving the loss of a loved one is now on trial for murder. Prosecutors allege Kouri Richins spiked a Moscow mule and served the drink to her husband, Eric Richins. Investigators determined Eric died from a fentanyl overdose. Weeks later, Kouri was arrested and charged with murder. Kouri faces a total of 35 charges, including multiple counts of fraud and forgery.
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