Emotions ran high in a Utah courtroom as the former boyfriend of Kouri Richins—the woman accused of poisoning her husband—took the stand and described their relationship during a key hearing in the high-profile case.

According to reporting from NBC News, Robert Josh Grossman testified about his relationship with Richins, who is accused of killing her husband, Eric Richins, with a fatal dose of fentanyl in March 2022. Eric Richins was found dead at the couple’s home after reportedly sharing a drink with his wife to celebrate a real estate deal she had just closed.

During the evidentiary hearing, prosecutors presented numerous text messages exchanged between Richins and Grossman in the months leading up to Eric Richins’ death. As the messages were read in court, Grossman appeared visibly shaken. At one point he lowered his head and wiped away tears while shifting in his seat.

The emotional moment prompted Judge Richard Mrazik to ask whether Grossman needed a break. After a brief pause in the proceedings, testimony resumed.

Grossman told the court he first met Richins in South Carolina after responding to a job advertisement for help renovating a house she was flipping. Eventually, he moved to Utah to continue working with her. According to his testimony, their professional relationship eventually became romantic around early 2020.

He said Richins allowed him to stay in one of the homes she was renovating and financially supported him at times, even purchasing two trucks for him. When asked about their connection, Grossman said simply, “I liked her.”

Text messages introduced in court suggested the pair had discussed the possibility of a future together. In one message shown during the hearing, Richins asked Grossman whether he would marry her if she were divorced.

Grossman replied enthusiastically, saying he was “in love” with her and would accept.

Prosecutors also questioned Grossman about a conversation he had with Richins roughly two weeks after Eric Richins died. Grossman told the court that during the discussion, Richins asked him whether he had ever killed anyone—something he said surprised him.

According to Grossman, the question appeared related to his military service in Iraq. He said he interpreted the conversation as unusual but not necessarily suspicious at the time.

The relationship between Grossman and Richins reportedly ended a few months after Eric’s death.

During cross-examination, defense attorneys asked Grossman whether he ever believed Eric Richins was in danger or that Kouri Richins wanted him “out of the picture.” Grossman responded that he did not believe that at the time.

He also told the court that when he later learned of Richins’ arrest in connection with the death, he felt overwhelmed with guilt and sorrow over the affair.

Richins’ case has drawn national attention, in part because she later published a children’s book about coping with grief following her husband’s death. Prosecutors allege the book and other actions were part of an effort to conceal the crime, while the defense maintains her innocence.

The case continues to move forward as courts review evidence ahead of a potential trial.