American woman of North Dakota charged after poisoning her boyfriend hours after he received an inheritance

Ina Thea Kenoyer, 47, was charged with the Sept. 5 murder of Steven Edward Riley Jr.

By Edward Era Barbacena 

A North Dakota woman has been charged with murder after allegedly poisoning her boyfriend due to "financial motives," police say

Ina Thea Kenoyer, 47, was arrested by Minot police Monday. She is accused of using antifreeze to kill 51-year-old Steven Edward Riley Jr. after learning that he planned to break up with her after receiving a large inheritance. 

Riley reportedly became ill while meeting with a lawyer Sept. 3 to get the money. Kenoyer called 911 the next day, and paramedics found Riley unresponsive. He was originally taken to a local medical facility before being transferred to a Bismarck hospital where he died Sept. 5, police said on Facebook. 

Following an autopsy, Riley's cause of death was determined to be poisoning.

"Investigators said they found a glass cleaner bottle without a cap, as well as a beer bottle and mug, containing suspected antifreeze, in the couple’s residence," KMOT-TV states. The media outlet says Kenoyer claimed her innocence during a court appearance Tuesday.

Kenoyer is charged with murder as a class AA felony, the most severe homicide charge in North Dakota, and is being held at the Ward County Jail on a $1 million bond, according to online records. She is representing herself, court records obtained by the Associated Press state. 

She told investigators that she was entitled to some of Riley's inheritance as his common-law wife and planned to split the money, which she estimated to be about $30 million, with his son, the records show. According to the New York Post, North Dakota does not recognize common-law marriages. 

"This case was extremely complex," Investigations Commander Capt. Dale Plessas said. "Thank you to everyone who provided us with information that helped our investigators piece this together."

Kenoyer's next court appearance is slated for Dec. 7. She faces a maximum sentence of life without parole.