- Black widow Ina Kenoyer was charged with her partner’s murder after she poisoned his coffee with antifreeze
- Her heinous actions were part of her wicked plan to steal Steven Riley’s cash after he learned of a $47 million inheritence
- Ina was sentenced to 25 years in prison for her wicked crimes
On September 3, 2023, Ina Kenoyer and her partner Steven Riley were meant to be celebrating. Steven was going to receive a substantial and unexpected inheritance that day.
To outsiders, 48-year-old Ina and 51-year-old Steven were just like any other couple, sharing their lives for the past 10 years.
But to friends and family, it was clear the couple had their ups and downs.
Publicising her disdain for Steven at times, Ina took to Facebook. In 2021, she uploaded a picture of him and wrote, I hope you all get what you deserve, followed by an insult.
And Steven had confided to mates that he planned to break up with Ina because they were so unhappy.
Yet despite this, that Wednesday in September, the pair were still together, and it was an exciting day.
Steven had recently been contacted by a lawyer acting on behalf of an unknown relative to say he was the lucky recipient of a $47 million inheritance from a distant relation.
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Of course Ina was stoked because, as Steven’s de facto wife, she figured she was entitled to a chunk of his loot.
Now, with a planned meeting at the local airport, Steven and the lawyer were to complete the transaction.
Steven’s intentions for his windfall were generous, selfless, and true. Working in construction, he’d done it tough financially but had a dream to own his auto shop.
He also planned to buy land and share his wealth with his grown-up sons.
With friends in tow, Steven and Ina went to the airport to sign off on the purported millions, but the big dollar deliverer didn’t show!
It was all very strange and disappointing, as Steven hadn’t questioned the authenticity of the individual.
When Steven started complaining about having stomach pains. He also said he felt drunk, despite not having had any alcohol, and was nearly falling over while trying to walk.
Fearful of this rapid decline, his mates urged Steven to seek medical help at the airport. But Ina insisted Steven had heatstroke so she’d look after him at home.
When a friend called by to check on Steven the next day, Ina said he was fine and had gone to a walk-in clinic, yet the friend couldn’t find him at any local doctor’s surgery or emergency room.
The truth was, Steven was far from fine. At home, his condition had worsened. When an ambulance was finally called later that day, ambos found Steven unconscious. Airlifted to hospital, he never woke up.
Steven’s son Ryan rushed to the hospital when he learned his dad was ill, but it was too late. Steven, 51, died on September 5, 2023.
With his sudden passing, Steven’s family were certain Ina was involved. They knew Steven had planned to end the relationship.
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He’d also made it clear he didn’t want Ina to get her mitts on his multi-million-dollar sum. Growing savvy to his intentions to cut her out of his windfall, in the lead-up to the meeting with the lawyer, Ina was ropeable.
Contacting police, the family reported their concerns and made a startling accusation… not only was Ina involved in Steven’s death, they knew exactly how she was responsible for it, convinced she’d poisoned him.
According to family and friends, Ina had made comments in the past about poisoning Steven with antifreeze.
An autopsy confirmed their suspicions.
Steven’s cause of death was ethylene glycol – a main ingredient used in antifreeze – with toxic levels found in his blood.
When a search warrant was issued, at the couple’s home officers discovered an old Windex bottle containing bright green liquid – which proved to be antifreeze – along with a glass beer bottle and plastic mug, both with traces of antifreeze in them.
Speaking with investigators, Ina said she’d made Steven cups of iced tea throughout the day of the airport meeting. She also said she believed she was entitled to a portion of his inheritance.
On October 30, 2023, Ina Kenoyer was arrested, and charged with the murder of Steven Riley Jr. Authorities claimed that on the day Steven was set to become a multi-millionaire, Kenoyer laced his iced teas with antifreeze, making it extra sugary to disguise the taste of the killer ingredient.
After bumping off her beau, Ina assumed she would get a portion of his new found wealth
After bumping off her beau she assumed, as his common law wife, she’d get a portion of his new-found wealth.
Much to her dismay, investigators told her that she wouldn’t have been entitled to any of Steven’s money because, in North Dakota where they lived, common law marriage wasn’t recognised.
In another twist, the fact the lawyer never turned up – and was never identified – made authorities certain there never was any inheritance in the first place!
Steven had simply fallen victim to an online scam, and was as broke as ever.
Kenoyer’s motive for murder was deemed to be financial, and that was confirmed when later she confessed to the crime, admitting she poisoned her long-term lover with antifreeze to get his inheritance.
She succeeded in killing Steven but there was no haul of cash.
In May 2024, Ina Thea Kenoyer pleaded guilty to murder. On October 16 in North Central District Court, Minot, Kenoyer, 48, was sentenced to 25 years in jail, followed by 10 years of supervised probation. She also had to pay $5400 in restitution to the family.
In a victim impact statement, Steven’s son Ryan addressed Kenoyer.
‘To have you take away someone so important it’s just hurtful.
‘I just wish none of this had ever happened. I never expected to lose my dad to something so selfish.’
