Life in prison for 2015 kidnapping, slaying of ex-girlfriend

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RAPID CITY (AP) – The Sturgis man who ordered and helped plan the kidnapping and murder of his ex-girlfriend has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison.

Jonathan Klinetobe, 30, was sentenced Thursday by Judge Heidi Linngren who said he posed a lifelong and “significant danger to society.”

Klinetobe pleaded guilty in September to aiding and abetting the first-degree manslaughter of Jessica Rehfeld, a 22-year-old from Rapid City. He was originally charged with first-degree murder and other crimes.

The sentencing came after four days of arguments and testimony at the state court in Rapid City from prosecutors and defense lawyers, a psychologist and psychiatrist hired by the defense, and Klinetobe and Rehfeld's family members, according to the Rapid City Journal.

Rehfeld's murder was "the very ultimate version of domestic violence," said Mark Vargo, Pennington County State's Attorney.

"It's a complete victory. He'll never be able to do this to another woman," Misty Rehfeld said after the sentencing while holding a framed photo collage of her sister.

Prosecutors said Klinetobe initially considered scaring or kidnapping Rehfeld after she broke up with him but decided she needed to be killed after he was served with a protection order.

In the weeks before the May 18, 2015, murder, Klinetobe subjected Rehfeld to "unspeakable" terror by threatening to kill her in texts, voicemails and social media, Linngren said.