In a shocking turn of events, Ina Thea Kenoyer, 48, of North Dakota, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder of her boyfriend, 51-year-old Steven Riley Jr. Kenoyer poisoned Riley after falsely believing he was about to inherit $30 million and planned to end their relationship. The incident occurred in September 2023, leading to Riley’s tragic death from ethylene glycol poisoning, a substance found in antifreeze.
The crime unfolded after Riley received an email claiming he would inherit a substantial sum, which authorities later discovered to be part of an online scam. Kenoyer, under the mistaken impression that she was entitled to a portion of the inheritance as Riley’s common-law wife (a relationship not recognized in North Dakota), laced his sweet tea with antifreeze on September 3, 2023. Riley fell ill shortly after meeting with the supposed estate lawyer and died two days later in the hospital.

During the trial, it was revealed that Riley’s friends and family had suspected Kenoyer, especially after she made prior comments about poisoning him with antifreeze. An autopsy confirmed the presence of toxic levels of ethylene glycol in Riley’s blood, solidifying the case against Kenoyer. In May, Kenoyer pleaded guilty to the murder charge, leading to her sentencing on Wednesday by State District Judge Richard Hagar.
At the sentencing, Riley’s sister, Stephanie Gonzalez, expressed her grief and confronted Kenoyer, stating that the prison sentence should have involved antifreeze in her iced tea. Kenoyer received 25 years, with an additional 25 years suspended, along with 10 years of supervised probation and ordered to pay $3,455 in restitution to Riley’s family. The tragic case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of greed and deception.
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