歪歪漫画

RAPID CITY 鈥� The quest for justice in the heinous murder of a South Dakota woman a decade ago has come to a close.

Richard Hirth, 44, was sentenced to life Monday, July 7, for his involvement in a 2015 murder-for-hire plot, which resulted in the death of 22-year-old Jessica Rehfeld.

Hirth, who fatally stabbed Rehfeld multiple times before burying her in a shallow grave, pleaded guilty Monday to abetting first-degree manslaughter. As part of the plea agreement, the first-degree murder charge was dropped.

Despite dropping the first-degree murder charge, Hirth鈥檚 conviction results in South Dakota鈥檚 maximum sentence for abetting first-degree manslaughter.

鈥淢ake no mistake, this was a calculated and cold-blooded killing,鈥� Pennington County State鈥檚 Attorney Lara Roetzel said in a press release. 鈥淭his plea allowed us to finally resolve this case, something Jessica鈥檚 family desperately needed. We were optimistic that even under the lesser charge, the Court would impose a life sentence, and we鈥檙e grateful that it did.鈥�

Rehfeld鈥檚 family and friends have waited a decade to see Hirth, the last of five men involved in the murder-for-hire plot, convicted and sentenced.

Family members describe the 22-year-old as a strong and vibrant young woman who never stopped fighting.

鈥淲e will never forget Jessica鈥檚 courage in her final moments. She fought to live. She asked to speak to her father. She begged to see the stars. Her voice, even in her last breath, is what drives us to stand here today and affirm that her life mattered,鈥� Roetzel said in the press release, describing the scene before Rehfeld鈥檚 murder.

Photo courtesy of the Pennington County Attorney's Office

Rehfeld was first reported missing by family members and friends on May 22, 2015 鈥� 10 days after filing a restraining order against Jonathon Klinetobe, her ex-boyfriend.

She feared for her safety.

On May 18, 2015 鈥� days after the restraining order was filed, and days before she was reported missing 鈥� Rehfeld was seen leaving the ex-boyfriend鈥檚 home in Rapid City with two men: Hirth and David Schneider.

The two had been recruited by Klinetobe to kill Rehfeld.

In exchange, Klinetobe agreed to pay the men $80,000. He falsely told them the payment would come from the Hells Angels, who had a bounty on his ex-girlfriend.

Rehfeld willingly left with the two men after they offered her a ride to work. Instead, they took her to a service road outside of Rapid City, , a Forum Communications property.

For 20 minutes, Rehfeld fought while Schneider restrained her and Hirth repeatedly stabbed her. Klinetobe helped the two men bury her body, according to a Pennington County press release.

Not long after her death, Klinetobe brought two other men into the plot.

He hired Michael Fry and Garland Brown to dig up Rehfeld鈥檚 body 鈥� and take her to another location, where they buried her in a deeper grave near Rockerville.

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

Nearly one year later, a witness contacted authorities in Newcastle, Wyoming, with information about Rehfeld鈥檚 case.

The witness led investigators to an area outside of Rockerville, where they discovered Rehfeld鈥檚 body.

Brown was convicted that year 鈥� in 2016 鈥� to five years in prison for his role as an accessory.

Klinetobe pleaded guilty in 2017 to aiding and abetting first-degree manslaughter, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In 2020, Schneider was sentenced to 75 years in prison for aiding and abetting first-degree manslaughter.

Frye pleaded guilty to accessory to first-degree murder and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Hirth鈥檚 trial was initially scheduled for 2023, but was repeatedly delayed due to questioning of his defense team鈥檚 expert witnesses and concerns over his mental capacity to stand trial.

His sentencing marks the end of the 10-year quest for justice in Rehfeld鈥檚 murder.