Accused husband killer Kouri Richins had a secret lover, according to testimony heard Monday during her preliminary hearing at the Summit County court in Utah.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Richins was arrested in May 2023, accused of poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, with fentanyl-laced Moscow Mule drunk. Later, she self-published a children’s book titled “Are You with Me?” about a father, depicted with angel wings, watching over his young son after his death.

The preliminary hearing will determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial.

Digital forensic expert Chris Kotrodimos took the stand Monday and testified that Kouri Richins sent text messages to Robert Grossman, her alleged secret boyfriend, days before her husband died. One of the messaged said, “love you,” according to Kotrodimos, New York Post reports.

Kouri Richins and Grossmann started exchanging messages in November 2021 and continued their communication even after Eric Richins’ death, Kotrodimos added.

Kotrodimos additionally verified that on February 14, 2022, Kouri Richins kept Grossmann updated on her expected time of arrival while heading to meet up. It’s a day that prosecutors claim she attempted to poison Eric Richins by giving him a sandwich laced with fentanyl.

“She said she was on her way to see him,” Kotrodimos said. “He asked if she was about an hour away and she said yes and sent him a screenshot.”

Kotrodimos testified that a significant amount of data was then erased from Kouri Richins’ cell phone between January and March 2022, including call logs, text messages, and internet search history.

Detective Jeff O’Driscoll also took the stand and testified about his interviews with Richins’ housekeeper, Carmen Lauber, who is accused of supplying Richins with illicit substances, including fentanyl.

O’Driscoll stated that he believed Lauber was “downplaying her role” but after four interviews, investigators determined that she allegedly obtained prescription or non-prescription opiates for Richins, along with counterfeit fentanyl pills.

The detective testified that while each transaction likely involved “15 to 30 pills,” investigators have not recovered any pills and could not test them, ABC 4 reports. O’Driscoll said he couldn’t definitively state that Richins gave fentanyl to her husband.

On Tuesday, the defense intends to call two witnesses, while the prosecution will call four witnesses, KUTV reports.