ADRIAN — One of the brothers involved in the 1997 homicide of an unidentified man in Lenawee County has been sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
Richardo Sepulveda, 53, of Toledo, was also sentenced to 10-15 years in prison for two counts of assault with intent to maim and two counts of tampering with evidence.
Sepulveda and his brother, Michael, were both convicted in the murder of a yet-to-be identified man whose head and hands were removed. The crime is believed to have international drug trafficking origins.
Michael, 51, pled guilty to second-degree murder and testified against his older brother earlier this year. He was sentenced to 10-30 years in prison for his involvement.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office prosecuted both cases after the brothers were arrested in January 2023.
Sepulveda, represented by attorney Scott Grabel during sentencing June 20, declined to comment on the case.
Bonita Hoffman, representing the AG’s Office, called the homicide a “horribly gruesome crime” that included kidnapping the victim, dragging him across state lines, and dismembering his body to conceal his identity.
“The defendant’s conduct was clever. It was calculated, it was goal-oriented, it was plainly premeditated,” Hoffman said. “He scattered the evidence along with his brother in a way that made it impossible for law enforcement to identify who the victim was, and which successfully kept his involvement in the crime hidden for several decades.
“The savagery of the crime is just beyond explanation. To imagine being kidnapped, hit over the head, stabbed, taken into a field, stomped out, hit with a pistol and left for dead.”
Sepulveda indicated he would appeal prior to proceeding’s end.
Authorities continue their investigation in an attempt to identify the victim. He is believed to be a 32-year-old Hispanic male from Texas. Anyone with information is asked to contact Michigan State Police Detective Sergeant Larry Rothman at 313-407-9379.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: ‘Clever, calculated’: Richardo Sepulveda sentenced for ‘headless, handless’ homicide
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, The Daily Telegram / The Daily Telegram
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
