Kouri Richins will be in the Third District Court this week for a preliminary hearing to decide whether there’s enough evidence for her case to go to trial.

The courtroom was full when the second day of the hearing began around 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

The Park Record is providing live updates:

12:25 p.m.

Court is in recess.

12:15 p.m.

Lewis anticipates a four-week trial. It could be set during the last week in April and run through May. Jury selection would take one week and the other three would be reserved for the trial.

An initial pretrial conference will be held at 3 p.m. on Sept. 23 to discuss additional details of the case, including submittal deadlines and jury selection.

12:08 p.m.

Mrazik determined there is enough evidence to go to trial for the aggravated murder and attempted homicide charges. The financial crimes were also bound over.

Kouri entered pleas of not guilty for all 11 felony charges.

11:30 a.m.

Bloodworth is back with the last word. He addressed questions about merging some of the financial charges. He also said the speed at which Eric eats his eggs and if he went shopping before he felt ill doesn’t apply to the probable cause standard of the preliminary hearing.

The court has sufficient evidence for probable cause, the chief prosecutor said. He argued the standard is similar to whether a charge could be filed or a search warrant issued. In this case, Bloodworth said a judge would grant either.

The court is in recess until 11:50 a.m.

11:10 a.m.

Kathryn Nester, another defense attorney, said there is no evidence to support the attempted murder charge. She argued it’s critical to understand the timeline of Valentine’s Day.

Nester said it’s a fair assumption Eric would have eaten the sandwich before Kouri left for the day because it contained eggs. He didn’t text her that he felt sick until 11:30 a.m., which Nester said would have been too late for fentanyl poisoning. She also said there was no indication from Eric that he believed his life was in danger.

Nester said texts about wanting Eric gone could have been about divorce. “This was not a perfect couple. They did not have a perfect relationship,” she said.

10:55 a.m.

Defense attorney Wendy Lewis responds to the argument from the Summit County Attorney’s Office. 

Lewis said she thinks there needs to be more evidence, particularly for the distribution charges. The attorney argued the housekeeper believed she sold fentanyl, but the pills haven’t been found so they haven’t been tested. 

Mrazik rebutted that the housekeeper, who is a drug court participant, and likely knows the difference.

10:45 a.m.

Judge Richard Mrazik had questions about some of the felony financial charges against Kouri. Bloodworth explained the insurance fraud charge was a scheme to get money from a $100,000 life insurance policy on Eric. 

It started with a signed application in January 2022, which listed Kouri’s business address and email as well as an incorrect phone number for Eric. The policy took effect on Feb. 4, about 10 days before the alleged attempted homicide.

“Submitting that application begins the scheme, and the scheme continues through the false claim for the money,” Bloodworth said.

10:30 a.m.

Chief Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth argues there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial. He’s detailing what prosecutors say was an attempt on Eric Richins’ life in February 2022. 

Bloodworth alleged Kouri laced a breakfast sandwich with fentanyl in an effort to kill Eric. He said all of the motives that existed for his death the next month also existed during the attempt on Valentine’s Day. When it didn’t work, prosecutors say Kouri asked her housekeeper for something stronger about two weeks later.

“The defendant learned from the attempt,” Bloodworth said.