Kouri Richins & The Mask: Why Everyone Loves Your Abuser | Surviving the Fog Part 4
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
True Crime Today
3.3 • 911 Ratings
🗓️ 5 March 2026
⏱️ 13 minutes
🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Everyone loves them. You know what they're really like at home. And you wonder if you're crazy.
This is Part 4 of "Surviving the Fog"—examining the psychology of the mask through the Kouri Richins case. We're not diagnosing anyone. We're exploring documented patterns.
After Eric died, Kouri wrote a children's book about grief called "Are You With Me?" Featured her sons. Promoted it. Did media appearances—grieving widow helping families heal.
All while under investigation for allegedly murdering her husband.
If the prosecution is right, this is the mask at its most extreme—public performance while truth sits underneath.
People with narcissistic patterns curate their public image obsessively. Building character witnesses. Creating shields for when they're needed.
When you finally speak, you hear: "They would never." The narrative was set before you opened your mouth. They told their version first.
Flying monkeys—people recruited without knowing—reinforce their reality. Friends distance. Family takes sides. You're isolated.
The mask doesn't crack under pressure. It becomes more elaborate. The worse the truth, the better the performance.
The public saint and private monster are the same person. The private one is real. Trust what you see at home.
Kouri Richins is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/
Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod
X Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePod
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.
#KouriRichins #HiddenKillers #TheMask #SurvivingTheFog #NarcissisticAbuse #PublicPersona #EricRichins #FlyingMonkeys #CoerciveControl #AreYouWithMe
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This is Hidden Killers with Tony Brewski. Here now, Tony Brucey. |
| 0:06.4 | Your friends think they're charming. Your family thinks you're lucky. Their coworkers talk about what a |
| 0:13.1 | great person they are. They're the first to volunteer, the first to help when someone needs |
| 0:18.2 | something, the one who always remembers birthdays and shows up with |
| 0:21.9 | the perfect gift. |
| 0:23.9 | And you're standing there watching this performance, knowing what they're really like at home, |
| 0:28.8 | and wondering if you're the one who's crazy. |
| 0:32.1 | Because if everyone sees this wonderful person and you see |
| 0:37.5 | something completely different, maybe you're |
| 0:39.4 | the problem. Maybe you're |
| 0:41.4 | too demanding. |
| 0:43.7 | Maybe you don't appreciate what you |
| 0:45.4 | have. Maybe there's |
| 0:47.5 | something wrong with you. |
| 0:49.7 | That's one of the loneliest places a human |
| 0:51.5 | can be, surrounded by people |
| 0:53.3 | who adore your abuser. |
| 0:58.2 | The Corey Richens case has an image that I can't stop thinking about. |
| 1:04.2 | After Eric Richens died, Corey wrote a children's book called Are You With Me? |
| 1:09.5 | About coping with the loss of a parent. She featured her own |
| 1:13.4 | sons in it. She published it. She promoted it. She did media appearances, local news, podcast, |
| 1:19.7 | community events. The grieving widow helping other families heal. And while under investigation for |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from True Crime Today, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of True Crime Today and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.