A current Utah sheriff and a former sheriff have been charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the high-profile murder case of Kouri Richins, according to newly unsealed court indictments. Kouri Richins was found guilty in March of fatally poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, with fentanyl and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby faces one count of obstruction of justice in a criminal proceeding, a second-degree felony, and one count of making a written false statement. The indictment alleges he used a knowingly false item in January with the intent to hinder prosecution. David Edmunds, who served as Summit County sheriff from 2003 to 2014, has been charged with a third-degree felony count of obstruction of justice in a criminal investigation. He is accused of providing false information on March 13 with the intent to hinder an investigation. Both indictments, filed last month, stem from an anonymous letter postmarked January 10, 2026. Defense motions indicate the charges allege interference regarding the letter and misconduct by a Summit County sheriff’s deputy, with Edmunds accused of making false statements to hide the author’s identity. Court records show both men have entered pleas of not guilty, while Rigby has previously maintained that he acted lawfully. Meanwhile, Kouri Richins is seeking a new criminal trial through the Utah Court of Appeals. In a separate civil matter, Judge Richard Mrazik recently ordered her to pay over $55 million in damages, encompassing economic, non-economic, and punitive damages, to the estate and family members of her late husband.
Source: abcnews.com
