Jeff O’Driscoll, a narcotics and major crimes detective with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, testified on Wednesday about his role in investigating Kouri Richins as the main suspect in her husband’s 2022 overdose death. O’Driscoll became the lead investigator in the case in March 202 3, almost one year after Eric Richins died from ingesting five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in the early morning of March 4. Having limited information beyond knowing the autopsy and toxicology results, the detective said he wanted to approach the case with a fresh set of eyes. “It was apparent to me that there were three likely possibilities of how Eric died,” O’Driscoll testified. He considered that Eric may have had an accidental overdose after taking a substance laced with fentanyl, intentionally ingested a high dose to end his life, or that someone else had secretly administered the drug to Eric. It was the detective’s first death investigation that became a homicide investigation. O’Driscoll explained the Sheriff’s Office had recently received phone downloads from Eric and Kouri’s phones, which were compared to billing records for the devices. Law enforcement noticed discrepancies in terms of call logs and text messages not matching up. They noted there was frequent contact with one number in particular, belonging to a housekeeper employed by Kouri, Carmen Lauber. Lauber is known to law enforcement because of her history of drug use, criminal charges related to drug distribution and participation in the Wasatch County Drug Court program.  O’Driscoll worked with Wasatch County investigators and listened to jail calls between a close friend of Lauber’s and other inmates in which the friend mentioned Lauber had recently been involved with buying or selling illicit street drugs. Summit County investigators started surveilling Lauber and collected trash from her home that showed evidence of drug usage.  That evidence was used as probable cause to acquire a search warrant for Lauber, which was executed on April 26, 2023. Law enforcement found THC products, drug paraphernalia and a firearm. They also noted Eric’s obituary in Lauber’s room as well as a hat with the logo of his business, CE Stone Masonry.  O’Driscoll interviewed Lauber with another detective, and they informed her that what they found in her home was a violation of her drug court and could lead to new charges. However, they told her they were investigating Eric’s death and wanted information she could provide. The detective said Lauber initially held back what she remembered and said she did not purchase drugs for Kouri, but her statements changed as the possible penalty she faced set in. Law enforcement offered to help reduce or eliminate charges against Lauber in exchange for her help. While the defense has argued Lauber was willing to say anything to avoid state prison, O’Driscoll said on Wednesday that investigators reiterated the information needed to be truthful and detailed, without guesses or speculation. Lauber’s recollection of events also improved as she was shown phone records and maps. The detective ultimately thought there was enough information for the probable cause standard to be met, and the Summit County Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against Kouri, including aggravated murder. She was arrested on May 8, 2023. Defense attorney Kathy Nester emphasized that law enforcement never found fentanyl in the Richins home after almost a dozen searches from Eric’s death to as recently as two months ago. Law enforcement also never located any cups, glasses or straws with traces of the drug. Prosecutors allege Kouri poisoned Eric through a Moscow Mule.  Another key piece of O’Driscoll’s testimony was the controversial “Walk the Dog” letter.  Prosecutors characterize the six-page letter as a request from Kouri to her mother, Lisa Darden, to ask Kouri’s brother to provide false testimony. Kouri’s defense has previously argued it’s an excerpt from a mystery book she’s writing about drugs and a Mexican prison. The letter was found during a search of Kouri’s jail cell in September 2023, though the jury wasn’t told the specifics, as they do not know about the status of her custody.  The letter starts, “Walk the dog, but take vague notes so you remember.” Portions of the letter were redacted, but the overall message was that Kouri’s brother and Eric were talking about a trip to Mexico, where Eric would regularly hunt. The letter advised Kouri’s brother to say that is where Eric would buy drugs such as pain pills and fentanyl, but that Eric didn’t want Kouri to know because she would be mad. The letter said Eric finally told Kouri and asked her if Lauber could purchase him some drugs. It continued that Eric would hide drugs in prescription pill bottles in his work truck, which were never found because his business partner retrieved the vehicle shortly after Eric’s death. The letter also stated that Kouri’s brother could reword the story however he needs to, but that there needs to be a connection made between Eric, Mexico and drugs. “Bring me home, and then we’ll get those damn bitches,” it concludes. Nester noted testimony provided by Ali Staking, one of Kouri’s friends, in which Staking said Eric once put THC gummies in Kouri’s suitcase as a joke. O’Driscoll said he was only familiar with that happening once. The letter also stated Kouri’s brother would have text messages about Eric using drugs as evidence, but O’Driscoll told Nester that her brother never agreed to be interviewed. Nester also asked if the letter was actually delivered, and O’Driscoll said not to his knowledge.  The defense addressed several faults they saw in O’Driscoll’s investigation in an effort to raise doubts in the jury. Prosecutors also spoke to O’Driscoll about the children’s book purportedly written by Kouri, “Are you with me?” which chronicles a young boy navigating life after the death of his father.  Kouri Richins appears on “Good Things Utah” in April 2023 to promote her children’s book, “Are you with me?” Credit: Court TV/Pool O’Driscoll testified that another investigator shared a link to an interview Kouri did with the lifestyle show, “Good Things Utah,” in April 2023. Records showed that Kouri filled out a standardized form requesting to be on the show to promote her book.  The month before, an anonymous Amazon delivery of the book arrived at the Summit County Sheriff’s Office with a note saying, “There are two sides to every story. This is the true Kouri, a devoted wife and adoring mother. Thought you should know. From Anonymous.” O’Driscoll said law enforcement determined Kouri’s mother was the sender. Detectives also found text messages in Kouri’s phone indicating she had hired a ghostwriter. In text messages with friends and family, Kouri explained she paid a company $2,500 to put it together. Kouri said she would make $5.35 a book on Amazon, but if she made her own website, she would make $10. She set a goal to sell 100,000 books by the end of 2023. Kouri also wrote to her brother that she wanted to hire a ghostwriter to write a larger manuscript with a cost of $5,000 for 130 pages, but she estimated it would be 250 pages, costing $10,000. She did not say what the subject was, but indicated she would have to change names and take other precautions to avoid a defamation lawsuit.  The defense did not finish the cross-examination of O’Driscoll on Wednesday. He will return to the stand on Thursday, and then the prosecution is expected to rest its case. The defense indicated they would have witnesses ready to take the stand to begin their own presentation. Kouri has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated murder, attempted murder and other financial crimes stemming from her husband. Her five-week trial is expected to end on March 27. The post Lead detective investigating Kouri Richins as a suspect in her husband’s death takes the stand appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less