Tyler man sentenced for kidnapping, sexually assaulting woman in woods

TYLER – A Tyler man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for kidnapping and raping a woman in March 2021. 50-year-old Michael Timmons pleaded guilty to three charges in court on Tuesday. According to a warrant obtained by our news partner KETK, Timmons and the victim had been living in a tent for at least three days at the end of a dead-end road in Tyler. She told investigators Timmons used quilts to partially cover up two tents that he set up just away from public view while she was held captive. The victim mentioned a fight, repeated beatings, threats, and allegedly being made to take meth. She finally got away after convincing Timmons to let her go to clean up and charge their phone in a Family Dollar, where she went inside and reportedly pleaded for help while Timmons ran away, according to the document.