Kouri Richins Update: $55M Judgment, Two Sheriffs Indicted, New-Trial Bid

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Kouri Richins update: what happened this week, and what the record says. A Utah judge ordered Richins to pay $55,120,516 to Eric Richins' estate. Separately, a court made public grand jury indictments of two sheriffs. Richins is seeking a new trial; the judge has not ruled.

What's confirmed

1. Mar. 16, 2026a jury convicted Kouri Richins of the murder of her husband, Eric Richins. May 13, 2026: sentenced to life without parole. The conviction and sentence stand. Ep. 06; court coverage
2. Oct. 6, 20263rd District Judge Richard Mrazik granted summary judgment for Eric Richins' estate in its wrongful death suit: $55,120,516 total (about $10.8M economic, $3M non-economic, $41.3M punitive). KUTV; FOX 13; ABC4
3. Oct. 7, 2026a court made public indictments a grand jury handed up Sept. 24. Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby is charged with obstruction of justice (second-degree felony) and making a written false statement (misdemeanor). Former Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds is charged with obstruction of justice (third-degree felony). Both pleaded not guilty. They are charged, not convicted, and presumed innocent. KPCW; TownLift; KSL
4. Prosecutors say it began with an anonymous letter received weeks before the trial about a detective on the case, and now say Rigby sought to discredit that detective, his election opponent. KPCW, Oct. 7
5. Ten of the 12 pages of Rigby's indictment, and most of Edmunds' three pages, are blank and marked redacted. KPCW
6. Rigby, through his lawyer, before the indictment: "I acted lawfully and I am confident of the outcome." His attorney told the court the indictment contains "uncharged, salacious, identifying, investigative and contested passages." KPCW
7. Richins' attorneys filed for a new trial July 1, citing alleged bias. Sept. 18 she asked the judge to delay deciding, citing the Rigby investigation; the judge denied the delay Oct. 1. She has until Oct. 16 to file more. An independent judge who reviewed separate bias allegations did not find evidence the judge was unfair. KSL; KPCW

What we don't know

• What the redacted pages say, or what the letter said.
• Whether the new-trial motion is granted. Her attorneys say it is unclear how the Rigby investigation may have affected her case.
• The detective in the letter is not charged, and nothing in the record we reviewed alleges wrongdoing by him.

What happens next

• Nov. 4: a judge hears arguments on whether the redactions stay.
• Richins' new-trial filings are due Oct. 16; a ruling follows.

Sources

1. KPCW (Oct. 2, Oct. 7)kpcw.org/state-regional/2026-10-07/grand-jury-indicts-wasatch-county-sheriff-former-summit-county-sheriff
2. KUTV (Oct. 6): judgment coverage
3. KSL (July 2): new-trial motion
4. TownLift (Oct. 7); FOX 13; ABC4; Deseret News; The Salt Lake Tribune

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