Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby, 49, and former Summit County Sheriff David Edmunds, 54, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday in Summit County's 3rd District Court to criminal charges involving the Kouri Richins murder investigation, according to a report published October 8.
A grand jury indicted Rigby on a second-degree felony count of obstruction of justice in a criminal proceeding and a class B misdemeanor count of making a written false statement. Edmunds faces a third-degree felony count of obstruction of justice in a criminal investigation.
The charges involve an anonymous letter postmarked January 10, 2026, that contained 13 allegations regarding Detective Eric Mainord, a key witness in the Richins trial. Mainord, a Summit County Sheriff's detective and former Heber City Police Department officer, had previously run for Wasatch County Sheriff against Rigby.
According to ABC News, Rigby's indictment alleges he used or presented a knowingly false item in January 2026 to hinder a prosecution. Edmunds' indictment alleges he provided false information on March 13, 2026, intended to hinder the identification of the author of the anonymous letter.
Kouri Richins was convicted by a Summit County jury in March 2026 of aggravated murder and attempted murder following the fatal fentanyl poisoning of her husband, Eric Richins. She was sentenced to life without parole on May 13.
Richins also faces financial charges including money laundering, insurance fraud, and mortgage fraud. A Summit County court ordered her to pay $55 million in damages to her late husband's estate following the criminal conviction.
Defense attorney Steve Burton noted that using a grand jury for such charges is unusual and suggested the case may be viewed as an attempt to interfere with the trial.
A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4 in Summit County's 3rd District Court to determine if redacted portions of the indictments should be made public, following motions by defense attorneys arguing that unredacted releases would threaten fair-trial rights.
