Cincinnati man convicted in 1997 cold case killing of victim found naked, missing his hands and head
04/29/2025 12:02 pm PDT
BLISSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (TCN) -- A 53-year-old Cincinnati man has been convicted of killing another man whose dismembered and unclothed body was found in a Michigan cornfield nearly three decades ago.
The Michigan Attorney General's Office announced that on Friday, April 25, a jury found Richardo Sepulveda guilty of multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, assault with intent to maim, conspiracy to commit assault with intent to maim, tampering with evidence, and conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence. Sepulveda is set to be sentenced on June 13 and faces a life sentence without the possibility for parole for the conspiracy to commit first-degree murder conviction.
According to prosecutors, on Nov. 19, 1997, authorities responded to a report of human remains found in a cornfield. Responding officers located a deceased unidentified man who was naked and missing his head and both hands. Investigators suspect the hands had been cut from just above the wrists with a saw. The attorney general's office said the victim's slaying was likely connected to international drug trafficking.
The defendant and his co-defendant, 51-year-old Michael Sepulveda, were charged nearly 26 years later, in January 2023. Michael Sepulveda pleaded guilty in August 2024 to second-degree murder and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15.
The victim's identity is still unknown. Prosecutors said they believe him to be a 32-year-old Hispanic man from Texas.
In a statement, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said, "Because of the relentless efforts of the Michigan State Police, the multiple local and federal law enforcement agencies who never gave up, and the dedicated prosecutors in my office, we have brought a measure of accountability in this tragic case. I am grateful to the jury for their careful consideration of the evidence. This verdict serves as a reminder that every crime victim deserves justice, no matter how much time has passed."
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