Ina Kenoyer Arrested for Murder in $30 Million Inheritance Scam

Woman Arrested for Allegedly Poisoning Boyfriend in $30 Million Inheritance Scam

MINOT – Tragedy struck the city of Minot as a man lost his life under suspicious circumstances, leading to the arrest of his longtime girlfriend. Ina Kenoyer, a 47-year-old resident of Minot, was taken into custody on October 31 for the alleged murder of Steven Riley Jr., her 51-year-old boyfriend. Authorities suspect that a $30 million inheritance scam may be the motive behind the shocking crime.

According to a sworn statement submitted to the court, Kenoyer is accused of poisoning Riley by adding lethal doses of antifreeze to his tea. It is believed that Riley consumed the fatal concoction on September 3, a day before his tragic demise.

Law enforcement officials have revealed that Riley and a group of friends gathered at Minot International Airport on the evening of September 3. Riley had arranged a meeting with an attorney to finalize legal paperwork for an unexpected $30 million inheritance from an undisclosed relative. Regrettably, the attorney never showed up, and subsequent investigations have suggested that there is no evidence to support the existence of such an inheritance.

Witnesses who were present at the airport informed the police that Riley’s health deteriorated rapidly throughout the evening. They noticed him struggling to maintain his balance, swaying unsteadily, and almost toppling over as he walked. Concerned about his well-being, they urged Kenoyer to seek medical assistance for him. However, Kenoyer dismissed their concerns, attributing Riley’s condition to heat stroke and advising him to rest.

The following day, shortly after noon, emergency services received a distress call reporting an unconscious male at a residence in northwest Minot. The unconscious individual was identified as Riley and was immediately transported to Trinity Hospital. Due to the severity of his condition, he was promptly airlifted to a hospital in Bismarck. Tragically, Riley never regained consciousness and passed away the following day.

During the subsequent investigation, several of Riley’s friends came forward to share their suspicions that Kenoyer had poisoned him with antifreeze. An autopsy was conducted, confirming the cause of death as ethylene glycol poisoning. Ethylene glycol is a primary component of antifreeze, lending credence to the allegations.

As the investigation unfolded, a search of the couple’s residence in northwest Minot uncovered containers of antifreeze, including a Windex bottle found in the living room. In police interviews, Kenoyer admitted to being aware of Riley’s anticipated $30 million inheritance and claimed that she believed she was entitled to half of the sum as his “common law” wife. However, her hopes were shattered when she learned that common law marriage is not legally recognized in North Dakota. Authorities describe Kenoyer as being “incensed” upon receiving this information.

Currently, Kenoyer is being held in custody at the Ward County Jail, with her bail set at an unprecedented $1 million, the highest among all current inmates. A bond hearing is scheduled to take place at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, presided over by North-Central District Judge Richard Hagar.