A North Dakota woman, Ina Thea Kenoyer, 48, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to poisoning her boyfriend, 51-year-old Steven Edward Riley Jr., with antifreeze. The incident occurred in Minot last October when Kenoyer allegedly used antifreeze to kill Riley, believing he was going to break up with her after receiving a large inheritance.
Authorities revealed that Kenoyer's motive was based on her belief in Riley's inheritance, which investigators later found to be doubtful. Kenoyer entered a guilty plea in May as part of a deal with prosecutors, leading to her sentencing this week.
State District Judge Richard Hagar approved the joint sentencing recommendation of 50 years in prison, with 25 years to be served and 25 years suspended. Additionally, Kenoyer will be under supervised probation for 10 years and has been ordered to pay $3,455 in restitution to Riley's family.
Riley fell ill during a meeting with a lawyer on September 3 and was later found unresponsive by paramedics the following day. He was initially taken to a local medical facility before being transferred to a Bismarck hospital, where he passed away on September 5 due to ethylene glycol poisoning, a substance found in antifreeze.
Kenoyer had initially claimed that Riley had been drinking excessively and suffered heat stroke before his death. She believed she was entitled to a portion of Riley's alleged inheritance, which she thought was over $30 million, as his common-law wife. However, North Dakota does not recognize common-law marriages, rendering her claim invalid.
Riley's sister, Stephanie Gonzalez, expressed her sentiments in a victim impact statement, stating that no sentence would be sufficient for Kenoyer's crime. She emphasized that the punishment should match the severity of the offense, highlighting the tragic consequences of Kenoyer's actions.
The case serves as a reminder of the legal consequences of criminal actions and the importance of justice in ensuring accountability for such heinous acts.
