he family of a North Dakota man who was fatally poisoned by his girlfriend says he fell victim to an online scam believing he inherited $30 million.
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As previously reported, Steven Edward Riley Jr. became ill on September 3 at the Minot Airport to collect his hefty inheritance. However, his girlfriend, Ina Thea Kenoyer had poisoned him after learning he planned to break up with her once he received the money. In an exclusive with the New York Post, Riley’s son, Ryan, said that the inheritance does not exist because the couple fell for an online scam.
He said his father received an email from a person who claimed to be a lawyer of an unknown “distant relative” and agreed to meet with Riley at the airport to sign off on the money. “He was convinced he had inherited the money and was going to receive it when the supposed lawyer landed. He planned on getting acres of land, giving me and some of my brothers a chunk. Then opening his own auto shop,” Ryan said to the outlet.
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The “lawyer” didn’t show up at the airport, and Ryan added that a stranger managed to trick his dad into falling for the online scam. As for his relationship with Kenoyer, Riley wanted to break up with her for a while because they weren’t happy.
“She just never worked and was leeching off of him. She was extremely lazy and never did anything. [He] was a very caring person and would go out of his way to help those around him.”
Ryan said he had to leave his base in Texas to rush to North Dakota after learning that his dad was in the hospital and visited his home after his death. He noted that the house was filthy since it was covered in dog feces, trash, and dirty clothes. Kenoyer felt entitled to the “inheritance” because she thought she was Riley’s common-law wife, but the state doesn’t recognize these relationship circumstances. The couple reportedly dated for four to five years.
She initially told investigators that Riley suffered from heat stroke when he became sick. Still, autopsy reports revealed that he ingested antifreeze, and police found a Windex bottle containing the chemical. A beer bottle and a plastic mug in the garage were also suspected of having antifreeze.
Kenoyer is held at bond at the Ward County Detention Center, and court records said she will represent herself. She faces a maximum sentence of life without parole, and her next court date is scheduled for December 7.