Surviving the Fog: Love Bombing, Deleted Evidence, and How Eric Richins Never Saw It Coming

How did Eric Richins miss the signs? Prosecutors allege Kouri was millions in debt, had a boyfriend, and arranged fentanyl purchases—all while Eric believed he had a marriage. The answer isn't that he was naive. Research on coercive control and narcissistic abuse patterns suggests he was targeted.

Nobody marries a monster. They marry a mask. Love bombing—the overwhelming attention that feels like finally being seen—isn't love. It's a targeting strategy. The mirroring that makes someone seem like your soulmate, the speed that feels like passion but functions as entrapment, the intermittent reinforcement that creates trauma bonds. These are documented psychological mechanisms that trap intelligent people.

Digital forensic testimony showed what allegedly happened behind that mask. Analyst Chris Kotrodimos testified about deleted memes recovered from Kouri's phone—accessed moments after first responders left the home where Eric lay dead. One was captioned "I'm really rich." Another showed a woman crying into cash. Hundreds of messages and searches were scrubbed from her device. Eric's phone had zero mass deletions.

Kouri's phone was unlocked multiple times at 3:06 a.m. the night Eric died. She called 911 at 3:21. Google searches on her replacement device included how to wipe an iPhone remotely, whether police can force lie detectors, luxury prison information, and insurance payout timelines.

Cell tower data placed phones at the same Draper gas station on the three exact dates of alleged drug purchases. Valentine's Day texts showed Kouri messaging her alleged boyfriend "I love you" while Eric told her he felt sick—the day prosecutors allege she tried to poison him.

Family friend Allison Wright testified Kouri told her she felt "trapped" in her marriage years before Eric died.

If you ever felt chosen in a way you never had before—you weren't lucky. You may have been selected. The person you fell in love with may have never existed.

Kouri Richins is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

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