Lawyers for Utah grief author charged with fatally spiking husband's drink say key witness recanted

Attorneys for Kouri Richins, the Utah mom charged with spiking her husband’s drink with a lethal dose of fentanyl in 2022, accused prosecutors of failing to turn over evidence after a key witness recanted his statement.

Attorneys for Kouri Richins, the Utah mom charged with spiking her husband’s drink with a lethal dose of fentanyl in 2022, accused prosecutors of failing to turn over evidence after a key witness recanted his statement.

Prosecutors had alleged that Richins purchased the fentanyl used to kill Eric Richins from her housekeeper, Carmen Lauber, after Lauber said she procured the pills from a man named Robert Crozier.

But in court documents filed Thursday, Richins’ attorneys said members of the prosecution team interviewed Crozier in April, and he denied giving Lauber fentanyl. The filings state that prosecutors failed to notify the defense.

“The prosecution has been aware of this exculpatory evidence since April of this year. The prosecution did not inform the defense of this information,” the documents say. “No press release was issued. No reports. Nothing. The prosecution just kept quiet.”

The Summit County Attorney’s Office said it "does not comment on pending matters" and "will respond in the public record in 14 days as allowed" under court rules.