Kouri Richins, a mother from Utah and the author of a kid's book about grief, is suing the estate of her allegedly murdered husband, arguing that she is entitled to the monetary and material assets specified in their prenuptial agreement.
Prenup vs. Lawsuit
The 33-year-old murder suspect filed a civil complaint on June 9 against Eric Richins' estate, demanding half of the equity in the couple's property, which is valued at at least $1.9 million, according to a document obtained by CNN.
Based on the complaint, Eric has legal title to the $400,000 property he and his wife purchased in 2012, but they paid the mortgage out of their shared bank account.
The lawsuit states that regardless of the accusations she is facing, "Kouri is entitled to half of all equity in that Family Home."
Notably, the Richins signed a prenuptial agreement outlining their financial expectations for their marriage on June 15, 2013.
Kouri wants $2 million from the sale of Eric's part of a stone masonry firm that will be liquidated after his death.
Even though the agreement says that co-mingled marital money may sometimes be used for the business, this does not give Kouri the right to buy Eric's share of the company, C&E Stone Masonry, as reported by ABC4.
The lawsuit reportedly states, however, that Kouri would only be able to claim ownership of or rights to the business if Eric were to pass away before her while the two were still legally married.
The prenup stipulates that Kouri would inherit Eric's partnership stake in C&E Stone Masonry in the case of his passing. Nonetheless, Eric apparently transferred his ownership of the company to the Eric Richins Living Trust before his death.
Courts have allegedly frozen roughly $2 million in profits from the sale of this stake to Eric's business associate Cody Wright. Kouri asserts that she retains all of her rights to the company stake, regardless of Eric's transfer of it to the trust.
Kouri also claims she has a right to Eric's trust funds to support her and their three children.
ABC4 reported that the assets placed in the trust were $10 in cash, the couple's house, C&E Stone Masonry, Eric's investment in Fox Lake Investments, and all of his tangible personal belongings.
Accused of Killing Husband
A year after she reportedly poisoned Eric Richins, 39, with a Moscow Mule containing fentanyl, Kouri penned the sorrowful book "Are You With Me?"
In a report by the New York Post, family lawyer Greg Skordassaid Eric had suspicions that his wife was having an extramarital affair. Moreover, Eric had previously confided in a friend that he blamed Kouri for his illness after the Valentine's Day meal a month before his death.
He passed on the day before she was to close on a $2 million purchase of a 22,000-square-foot property he had reportedly refused to pay for.
Kouri is facing numerous charges of possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute at the second degree, as well as one case of first-degree aggravated murder.
