Woman Fatally Poisoned Boyfriend After Believing He Stood to Inherit $30 Million. But It Was All a Scam

Mar. 15, 2025

Ina Kenoyer; Steven Riley Jr.Photo:Charles Crane/Minot Daily News/AP; Steve Riley/Facebook

Defendant Ina Thea Kenoyer exits the courtroom with her attorney, Tyler Morrow sentenced to jail for the murder of Steve Riley

Charles Crane/Minot Daily News/AP; Steve Riley/Facebook

A North Dakota woman hasadmitted to fatally poisoningher boyfriend after believing he was going to inherit $30 million, according to multiple news outlets, citing authorities.

As the days passed, Riley’s condition worsened and authorities were eventually called to Riley’s home on a report of an unconscious person, the outlet reports, citing authorities. He was airlifted to a hospital, where he died on Sept. 5, 2023.

Ina Kenoyer.Charles Crane/Minot Daily News/AP

Defendant Ina Thea Kenoyer exits the courtroom with her attorney, Tyler Morrow,

Charles Crane/Minot Daily News/AP

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

The outlet further reported, citing court documents, that Kenoyer admitted to knowing about the inheritance, which she believed she was entitled to a portion of as his common-law wife. According to the outlet, the state doesn’t recognize such relationships.

After searching the home, authorities said they found several items, including a Windex bottle containing a green liquid suspected to be antifreeze, theMinot Daily News reports. Kenoyer later confessed to adding it to Riley’s sweet tea to disguise the taste, per the outlet.

Riley’s son, Ryan Riley, faced Kenoyer in court at her sentencing, sharing how hard the loss has been on him.

“To have you take away someone so important, it’s just hurtful,” he said, per theMinot Daily News. “I can’t even find the words to describe how I feel and how much it burdens everyone. I just wish none of this ever happened. I never expected to lose my dad to something so selfish.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

source: people.com