Richins trial live: House cleaner testifies about obtaining fentanyl for Kouri Richins

PARK CITY — After listening to about Eric Richins’ demise, Carmen Lauber mentioned in a cellphone name with Kouri Richins that she questioned whether or not the fentanyl capsules she obtained on behalf of Kouri Richins contributed to his demise.

She mentioned, “Please tell me these pills were not for him,” and Kouri Richins’ response was, “No, they were not. Eric passed away from a brain aneurysm,” in keeping with Lauber’s testimony Thursday.

Lauber testified about obtaining medication 4 occasions for Kouri Richins, a Kamas mom on trial for homicide within the demise of her husband, Eric Richins. He died of a deadly dose of fentanyl on March 4, 2022. Kouri Richins can be charged with tried homicide and accused of slipping medication into his meals, making him sick, on Valentine’s Day of 2022.

Lauber, who admitted to a legal historical past of drug possession and distribution however mentioned she has been sober for 4 years, mentioned it “hit hard” when she discovered that Eric Richins had really died from an overdose. She used a tissue to wipe her eyes and she or he spoke about it.

“If that’s what happened, I needed to step up and take accountability for my part in this, what happened and what I was asked for,” she mentioned.

Four drug offers

She mentioned she had identified Kouri Richins from working for her aunt’s home cleansing enterprise for 9 years. She cleaned Kouri Richins’ house each different Friday and met each her and Eric Richins. By early 2022, nevertheless, she was now not working for that firm.

Lauber testified that in early February 2022, she obtained some ache capsules for Kouri Richins at her request. The second time Kouri Richins requested for “something stronger” and Lauber requested a pal in the event that they knew anybody with opiate capsules and was advised some fentanyl was out there.

She mentioned she picked up $1,000 from a house Kouri Richins owned in Midway, obtained a experience from a pal to buy the fentanyl after which buried the capsules within the hearth pit at that house.

The third time she obtained medication that very same month was an identical scenario. Lauber mentioned Kouri Richins advised her the investor she was reaching out on behalf of wanted one thing stronger and requested for “the Michael Jackson stuff.” This time, she mentioned Richins picked up the capsules on Lauber’s driveway in Heber City.

Watch the trial stay right here:

Lauber mentioned Kouri Richins helped her get pretend neighborhood service letters for drug courtroom as a result of she was spending this time obtaining medication for her, however the pretend letters did not work and she or he ended up spending a day in jail.

During her cross-examination of Lauber, protection legal professional Wendy Lewis introduced three binders with transcripts of interviews Lauber did in 2023 whereas in jail. She went over Lauber’s drug courtroom historical past, significantly taking a look at drug exams accomplished in February and March of 2022.

“You were high that whole time, February and March?” Lewis requested. “You were using very regularly.”

Lauber responded, “I guess so, yes.”

morning testimony

Brianna Peterson, a forensic toxicologist, testified Thursday about exams performed on fluids from Eric Richins’ physique. She mentioned initially on March 8, 2022, a take a look at discovered fentanyl had already been processed by the physique.

Just a few months later she mentioned a second take a look at discovered a small quantity of ethanol, which might have come from a drink or decomposed; lower than a traditional dose of quetiapine, a drugs prescribed to Kouri Richins, in keeping with earlier testimony; 20,000 nanograms per milliliter of fentanyl, which is 5 occasions a deadly dosage, and smaller quantities of norfentanyl and acitolfentanyl which is usually present in illegally-made fentanyl.

Kouri Richins, 35, is charged with aggravated homicide and tried aggravated homicide, first-degree felonies, two counts of insurance coverage fraud, a second-degree felony, and forgery, a third-degree felony. She additionally has a separate case with further monetary fees that this jury is not going to think about.