Woman Gets Life in Prison for Killing Husband

May 13, 2026, 21:12
USSociety

Introduction

A court in Utah sent Kouri Richins to prison for life. She killed her husband and stole money.

Main Body

Kouri Richins gave a dangerous drug to her husband, Eric, in 2022. He died. She wanted his insurance money and his house because she had a lot of debt. After he died, Kouri wrote a children's book about death. The lawyers said she did this to trick people. She also bought a new house on the day her husband died. Their three sons spoke to the court. They said they are afraid of their mother. The jury decided Kouri is guilty of murder and fraud.

Conclusion

Kouri Richins will stay in prison forever. Her lawyers want a new trial.

Learning

🔍 The 'Past Action' Pattern

To reach A2, you must describe things that already happened. Look at how this story uses Regular and Irregular words to show the past.

1. The Easy Pattern (Add -ed) Some words just need an 'ed' at the end to move from today to yesterday:

  • Want →\rightarrow Wanted*
  • Decide →\rightarrow Decided*

2. The Change Pattern (New Word) Some words are 'rebels' and change completely. You must memorize these:

  • Give →\rightarrow Gave*
  • Speak →\rightarrow Spoke*
  • Write →\rightarrow Wrote*
  • Die →\rightarrow Died* (Note: This one looks regular, but the root is 'die')

3. The 'Be' Pattern When talking about a state or a person in the past, use Was (for one person) or Were (for many):

  • Kouri was guilty.
  • The sons were afraid.

Pro Tip: If you see these words, the story is not happening now—it is a memory or a report.

Vocabulary Learning

prison (n.)
A place where people are kept as punishment for breaking the law.
Example:The judge decided that Kouri Richins would spend the rest of her life in prison.
life (n.)
The period of being alive.
Example:The court gave Kouri Richins a life sentence.
husband (n.)
A married man.
Example:Kouri Richins killed her husband, Eric.
money (n.)
Cash or other forms of currency.
Example:She wanted his insurance money and his house.
debt (n.)
An amount of money that someone owes.
Example:She had a lot of debt, so she stole the money.
death (n.)
The end of life.
Example:After he died, Kouri wrote a children's book about death.
book (n.)
A written work made of pages.
Example:Kouri wrote a children's book about death.
lawyer (n.)
A person who helps people with legal matters.
Example:Her lawyers want a new trial.
court (n.)
A place where judges decide legal cases.
Example:The court in Utah sent Kouri Richins to prison.
jury (n.)
A group of people who decide if someone is guilty or not.
Example:The jury decided Kouri is guilty of murder and fraud.