A North Dakota woman has been arrested and charged with allegedly poisoning her boyfriend. The woman, Ina Thea Kenoyer, 47, was arrested on October 30. Her boyfriend, Steven Edward Riley, 51, died on September 5.
Police believe that Kenoyer's motive could've been financial, according to a news release from the Minot Police Department. Riley was set to receive a large inheritance of $30 million and reportedly had plans to break up with Kenoyer after he received it.
Riley reportedly started feeling sick on September 3, according to witnesses who spoke with investigators. Emergency responders were called the following day, and Riley was unresponsive. According to the news release from the police, he was first taken to Trinity Hospital and then was transferred to another hospital, where he later died.
Though Kenoyer had other explanations for Riley's death, an autopsy revealed that his death was caused by poisoning. Investigators shared that Riley’s friends and family believe Kenoyer used antifreeze to poison Riley.
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The New York Times reported that Kenoyer and Riley were together for 10 years, but Kenoyer was upset that Riley had plans to break up with her after receiving the inheritance.
Investigators think that she might've killed him in attempt to get at least some of the inheritance, because Riley had plans to leave her. She reportedly told investigators that she intended on splitting the inheritance with Riley's son.
Kenoyer reportedly believes that she is entitled to the inheritance as Riley's "common law" wife because the couple had been together for years. North Dakota, however, does not recognize "common law" marriages.
When she learned that North Dakota does not recognize "common law" marriages, she was reportedly angry. Kenoyer then reportedly listed various other ways Riley might've consumed antifreeze, according to the Minot Daily News.
Riley's friends also said that Kenoyer previously talked about poisoning her boyfriend with antifreeze. When Riley was sick, he reportedly was vomiting and couldn't walk, but Kenoyer claimed that he was dealing with heat stroke.
The woman was charged with AA felony murder. It's the most severe murder charge in North Dakota.
The day that Riley began feeling sick was also the same day that he was supposed to meet with a lawyer and receive his inheritance. His friends noticed that his health was declining, Fox 59 reported, but his girlfriend allegedly assured them Riley was fine.
