A North Dakota woman has been sentenced to more than two decades in prison after poisoning her boyfriend in a failed attempt to claim a $30 million inheritance that turned out to be a scam.

On Wednesday, 48-year-old Ina Thea Kenoyer received a 25-year prison sentence for the 2023 murder of her boyfriend, Steven Edward Riley Jr., 51. Kenoyer pleaded guilty to intentional murder after Riley died in September last year. An autopsy confirmed that his death was a homicide caused by ethylene glycol poisoning, a chemical commonly found in antifreeze.

Financial motive drives murder

Authorities said Kenoyer poisoned Riley’s sweet tea with antifreeze, driven by a financial motive to claim what she believed was a $30 million inheritance left to Riley by a distant relative. However, the supposed inheritance turned out to be a scam. Friends and family had reported to police that Kenoyer had previously spoken about poisoning Riley with antifreeze. After hearing about the fake inheritance, Riley reportedly told friends he planned to leave Kenoyer and split the fortune between himself and his sons. Kenoyer claimed to police that she was entitled to part of the inheritance as Riley’s common-law wife at the time of his death. During the investigation, authorities recovered a glass mug and a plastic beer container from the couple’s home, both of which tested positive for antifreeze.

A confession and a tragic loss

Kenoyer later admitted to lacing Riley’s sweet tea with antifreeze, intending to kill him. The poisoning led to Riley’s untimely death, leaving his family devastated. In court, Riley’s sister, Stephanie Gonzalez, delivered an emotional statement: “You stole more than a human life. You stole a son from his mother and stepfather. You stole a father from five sons, a brother from two sisters, an uncle from 12 nieces and nephews, and a great-uncle to eight, and many friends.” Kenoyer’s actions, driven by greed for a fortune that never existed, have shattered a family and left lasting emotional scars.