SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — The attorney for the family of Eric Richins says he's shocked over a newly-discovered letter from Kouri Richins, written while she is incarcerated in a Summit County jail cell awaiting trial for the murder of her husband.
Prosecutors say the letter shows wrongdoing and witness tampering.
"What it looks like is an attempt to have someone make up a story for a trial," said Eric Richins' family spokesperson, attorney Greg Skordas. "Shocking! But that seems to be what we get every couple months in this case."
Kouri, wrote a book about grief after Eric's death, is accused of poisoning her husband him with fentanyl.
The six-page, handwritten note written by Kouri to her mother, Lisa Darden, seemingly instructs her to have Ronald Darden, Kouri's brother, to falsely testify that Eric received drugs and pills from Mexico causing his death.
"It’s like she’s decided that her best defense is this certain course and she’s telling people to say those things that fit into that defense even though apparently they’re not even true," said Skordas.
Alleged instructions in the note say things like “tell him I need him to do this, bring me home” and tell them to say “Eric always wanted Kouri to go down for him.”
The letter was found in a routine sweep of her cell by the sheriff's office and made public by Summit County Attorney's Office as evidence of alleged wrongdoing and possible witness tampering. It’s a letter Skordas claims could probably have been sealed but reveals some serious issues.
"You can’t coach a witness or tell a witness what to say, that’s classic witness tampering," he said.
A trial date set has yet to be set as evidence in the case, said to be over a million pages, is still being reviewed. But Skordas believes this new development involving the letter has been troubling.
"It’s almost like she has disassociated herself with the crime and trying to create a narrative that’s not true," he said. "You’d just expect a different attitude from someone under these circumstances."
FOX 13 News reached out to Kouri Richins' attorney, Sky Lazaro, regarding the letter but she has yet to respond.
