Moscow mule in a copper mug with lime and mint beside dark chocolate truffles

The Kouri Richins Case

Moscow Mule & Chocolate Truffles

Name: Moscow Mule & Chocolate Truffles
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 120ml vodka; 300ml ginger beer, well chilled; 1 lime, juiced, plus wedges to garnish; Fresh mint sprigs; Crushed ice; 200g dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped; 120ml double cream; 20g unsalted butter; 2 tbsp cocoa powder, for dusting

“A wife's cocktail with a fatal twist.”

2022Kamas, Utah, USAEasy15 mins prep + Chill time 30 minsServes 2

The Case

In March 2022, Eric Richins died at his home in Kamas, Utah. A medical examiner later determined the cause to be a fatal dose of fentanyl.

In March 2026, a Utah jury convicted Kouri Richins of aggravated murder for killing her husband, Eric Richins, by administering fentanyl in a Moscow Mule. She was also convicted of attempted aggravated murder, insurance fraud and forgery. In May 2026, she was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

The case drew national attention in the United States after Richins published a children's book about grief in the year following her husband's death.

Richins has maintained her innocence, and her attorneys have said they will appeal her conviction and sentence. This article reflects the outcome of the March 2026 trial and May 2026 sentencing.

The Recipe

Ingredients

120ml vodka
300ml ginger beer, well chilled
1 lime, juiced, plus wedges to garnish
Fresh mint sprigs
Crushed ice
200g dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
120ml double cream
20g unsalted butter
2 tbsp cocoa powder, for dusting

Method

01
Heat the cream until just steaming, then pour over the chopped chocolate. Leave for 2 minutes, then stir slowly from the centre until smooth and glossy.
02
Stir in the butter until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm enough to scoop.
03
Roll teaspoons of the ganache into balls between cool hands, then dust generously in cocoa powder. Chill until serving.
04
Fill two copper mugs to the brim with crushed ice.
05
Add 60ml vodka and the juice of half a lime to each mug, then top with chilled ginger beer and stir once.
06
Garnish with a lime wedge and a sprig of mint, and serve with the truffles alongside.

Chef’s Note

Copper mugs matter here — they frost instantly and keep the drink colder than glass ever will.

Case Files