Kouri Darden Richins, the Kamas mother of three convicted of killing her husband, Eric Richins, was ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution to two life insurance companies that granted her funds from Eric’s policies after his death. Summit County prosecutors filed a motion in July requesting Third District Judge Richard Mrazik order Darden Richins to pay $1 million to Auto Owners Insurance and $350,000 to TruStage. Darden Richins was listed as her husband’s beneficiary and received the money from his life insurance policies when he died. However, prosecutors argued during her trial that Darden Richins killed Eric for financial gain. Darden Richins, who had a business flipping houses, was $7.5 million in debt at the time of Eric’s death in March 2022 and was paying $80,000 a month to her lenders, according to a forensic accountant who testified this spring. Defense attorney Wendy Lewis told Mrazik on Friday that the defense team was not contesting the restitution amount or requesting a full hearing on the issue. She asked Mrazik to pause restitution payments until Darden Richins’ pending appeal is settled. However, Mrazik said state law requires him to immediately send information to debt collectors if a defendant has been convicted. Darden Richins filed an appeal in late May, two weeks after Mrazik sentenced her to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole. Appellate cases do not focus on the crime or the evidence presented at trial, but on potential procedural errors and whether the trial was conducted correctly. Shortly after her sentencing, Darden Richins accused Mrazik of displaying bias throughout her case and asked for a new trial, as well as a new judge. But part of her request was denied after Third District Judge Kara Pettit, who has not been involved in Darden Richins’ case, said the motion to remove Mrazik was invalid because it failed to meet timelines established under state law. Pettit said Darden Richins additionally failed to demonstrate Mrazik’s perceived bias, writing that Mrazik’s actions did not show “the level of extreme behavior or conduct reflecting a deep-seated antagonism toward (the) defense, nor favoritism toward the prosecution, to warrant disqualification.” Prosecutors have until Sept. 4 to respond to the motion for a new trial, and a decision isn’t expected until October. Darden Richins was convicted of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, forgery and two counts of insurance fraud earlier this year. The post Kouri Darden Richins ordered to pay $1.3 million in restitution to life insurance companies appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less