Dark Past of Kouri Richins’ Lover Exposed: Iraq Veteran’s Testimony and Explicit Texts Key to Convicting Utah Mom in Husband’s Poisoning Murder

The conviction of Kouri Richins for the 2022 murder of her husband, Eric Richins, has brought renewed focus to the role played by her secret lover, Robert Josh Grossman, an Iraq War veteran whose emotional testimony and the couple’s intimate text messages proved pivotal in securing the guilty verdict. On March 16, 2026, after just three hours of deliberation, a Utah jury found the 35-year-old mother of three guilty of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, forgery, and insurance fraud in the poisoning death of her 39-year-old husband. Prosecutors argued Richins laced Eric’s Moscow Mule with a lethal dose of fentanyl—five times the fatal limit—to collect millions in life insurance and start a new life with Grossman, revealing a web of deception, financial desperation, and chilling conversations that unraveled during the high-profile trial in Park City.

Richins, once known as a real estate investor and author of a children’s book on grief titled “Are You With Me?”, claimed Eric died accidentally from a fentanyl overdose. But evidence painted a different picture: she allegedly attempted to poison him earlier with a drug-laced sandwich on Valentine’s Day 2022, forging signatures on life insurance policies worth over $4 million, and amassing nearly $5 million in debt through risky real estate flips and undisclosed loans. Her internet searches for poisoning methods, life insurance payouts, and message recovery further undermined her defense.

Central to the prosecution’s case was Grossman, 43, the handyman who worked on properties Richins bought for flipping. Their affair began around early 2020, evolving into a passionate, on-and-off relationship marked by financial support from Richins—she bought him trucks, gave him money, and let him live in one of her homes—and explicit messages envisioning a future together. Grossman took the stand in early March 2026, breaking down in tears as prosecutors displayed their texts, wiping his eyes and lowering his head in visible distress. The judge even offered breaks when Grossman struggled to continue.

The messages, read aloud in court, were damning. Weeks before Eric’s death on March 4, 2022, Richins texted: “If I was divorced right now and ask you to marry me tomorrow, you would?” Grossman replied, “Yes. In Love with Y O U! Of course I would.” Days later, she wrote, “If he could just go away and you could just be here! Life would be so perfect!!!” Another exchange captured her saying, “I do want a future together. I do want you. Figure life out together.” After Eric’s death, she sent a Caribbean resort link with “Are we there yet?” and later, “I think I want you to be my husband one day.”

The most unsettling revelation came from Grossman’s testimony about a conversation shortly after Eric died. Richins asked if he had ever killed anyone. As an Iraq War veteran, Grossman confirmed he had taken lives in combat and described how it felt. Richins probed further, asking about the emotional aftermath. Grossman testified he answered honestly but never suspected foul play at the time. He only began questioning events after Richins appeared on television promoting her grief book and when others raised doubts. “Never for a moment did I have a clue… that something intentionally might have happened to him,” he said, adding that learning of the allegations left him “blown away,” forcing him to reexamine their relationship “through different lenses.”

Grossman’s dark past as a combat veteran added complexity to his testimony. He spoke openly about his military service, including killing in Iraq, which prosecutors used to highlight the chilling nature of Richins’ question. His emotional breakdown—head in hands, tears flowing—humanized him while underscoring the affair’s intensity and his eventual cooperation with investigators. Grossman described Richins as manipulative at times, noting their relationship ended months after Eric’s death amid arguments and changing dynamics.

The texts also exposed Richins’ financial motives. Prosecutors presented evidence of her debt, forged policies naming her as beneficiary, and unauthorized home equity lines. Eric’s death would have provided a windfall, aligning with her messages dreaming of freedom from him.

Richins’ defense argued Eric’s overdose was accidental or self-inflicted, pointing to his alleged drug use and even suggesting an open relationship scandal involving Eric and a friend (though evidence showed no proof of infidelity on his part). But the jury rejected this, convicting her on all major counts after reviewing the texts, Grossman’s testimony, toxicology reports, and financial records.

The case shocked the upscale Kamas community near Park City, where the Richins family lived in luxury. Eric, a successful businessman, left behind three young sons. Richins’ book, meant to help children cope with loss, became ironic evidence of her calculated deception. Grossman, despite his role in the affair, emerged as a key witness whose heartbreak and military background lent credibility to the prosecution’s narrative.

As Richins faces at least 25 years to life (with additional fraud charges pending), the revelations about her lover’s past and their explicit exchanges serve as a stark reminder of how personal betrayals and hidden desires can intersect with tragedy. Grossman’s tearful account and the “toe-curling” texts not only helped convict Richins but also exposed the raw human cost of the affair—guilt, sorrow, and shattered illusions amid a murder plot fueled by greed and longing for a different life.