Cincinnati man sentenced in 1997 cold case killing of victim found naked, missing his head and hands
06/20/2025 1:04 pm PDT
BLISSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (TCN) -- A 53-year-old Cincinnati man will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing a man whose dismembered and naked body was discovered in a Michigan cornfield nearly three decades ago.
In a news release, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office announced that a judge sentenced Richardo Sepulveda on June 20 to life behind bars. A jury convicted the defendant in April of 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.
On Nov. 19, 1997, a farmer found human remains in a cornfield and called law enforcement. Responding officers reportedly discovered the body of an "unidentified, unclothed male that was missing the head and both hands." Investigators determined someone had cut the victim’s hands off above the wrist and noticed apparent "saw striations on the ends of the bones."
Investigators suspected the slaying was connected to international drug trafficking.
The attorney general’s office charged Richardo Sepulveda and his co-defendant, Michael Sepulveda, in January 2023. Michael Sepulveda pleaded guilty in August 2024 to second-degree murder and received 10 to 30 years in prison.
According to prosecutors, the victim’s identity remains unknown, but authorities believe he was a 32-year-old Hispanic man from Texas.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said, "Every victim deserves to have their case thoroughly investigated and pursued. Thanks to the tireless efforts of prosecutors in my office and local, state, and federal law enforcement, justice has finally been served nearly three decades after this horrific murder. My office will continue to stand up for crime victims and ensure offenders are held accountable."
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