‘Ongoing danger to women’: Repeat felon convicted of rape, stalking in Greenwood

(WXIN/WTTV) — A Greenwood man could potentially spend over 60 years in prison after being convicted of rape and other felonies in connection with a 2023 assault.

Tyler Klingensmith, 37, was convicted Thursday by a Johnson County jury on 13 felony charges, including rape, criminal confinement and intimidation. Prosecutors say he now faces a total of 62 years at sentencing, which is scheduled for Jan. 5, 2026.

The investigation into Klingensmith began on Dec. 28, 2023, when Greenwood Police Department officers were called to a domestic violence report. The victim accused Klingensmith of several acts of domestic and sexual violence, including rape.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecutors Bridget Foust and Ginny Kirk. Judge Douglas Cummins oversaw the trial.

“This significant victory serves to protect the victims harmed in this case, the Johnson County community as a whole, and as inspiration for other victims of intimate partner violence to know the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office will hold offenders accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Foust said after the verdict was read.

Court records show Klingensmith has a prior conviction in Arkansas, where he was previously sentenced to 10 years for stalking a former girlfriend. He was reportedly released early on probation for those charges, a probation he was still on when the Greenwood rape occurred.

“This is not Mr. Klingensmith’s first time being a danger to women,” Prosecutor Lance Hamner said. “He was let out early on probation and then came here and again committed crimes against a woman. He did not take his previous sentence seriously. Based on his repeated behavior, we believe he presents an ongoing danger to women.”

Hamner said his office will now be seeking the maximum sentences for Klingensmith in this case. A sentencing hearing is now scheduled for Jan. 5 in Johnson Superior Court 3.