BLISSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A 53-year-old Cincinnati man will serve the rest of his life in prison for murdering a man whose dismembered and naked body was discovered in a Michigan cornfield nearly 30 years ago.
According to a news release from the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, a judge sentenced Richardo Sepulveda to life in prison on June 20. In April, a jury found the defendant guilty 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 November 19, 1997, a farmer discovered human remains in a cornfield and contacted law enforcement.
Responding officers discovered the body of a “unidentified, unclothed male that was missing the head and both hands.” Investigators determined that someone had severed the victim’s hands above the wrist and discovered visible “saw striations on the ends of the bones.”
Investigators suspected the killing was linked to international drug trafficking.
The attorney general’s office filed charges against Richardo Sepulveda and his co-defendant, Michael Sepulveda, in January 2023. In August 2024, Michael Sepulveda pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 to 30 years in prison.
According to prosecutors, the victim’s identity is unknown, but authorities believe he is a 32-year-old Hispanic man from Texas.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel stated that “every victim deserves to have their case thoroughly investigated and pursued.” Nearly three decades after this horrific murder, justice was finally served thanks to the tireless efforts of prosecutors in my office as well as local, state, and federal law enforcement officials. “My office will continue to advocate for crime victims and hold offenders accountable.”
