ADRIAN — Richardo Sepulveda was sentenced Friday to life in prison for his role in a gruesome 1997 murder in Lenawee County. The sentence follows his conviction for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the decades-old cold case.
Sepulveda, now 53 and residing in Cincinnati, was arrested in early 2023 and tried in Lenawee County Circuit Court earlier this year. Prosecutors said the murder was connected to cartel drug trafficking in southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio. The victim was kidnapped, mutilated, and discarded in a cornfield near Blissfield Township in November 1997. The case remained unsolved for more than 25 years.
In April, a jury found Sepulveda guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence, and assault with intent to maim. He was acquitted of premeditated murder but held accountable as a co-conspirator in the plot.
During Friday’s sentencing hearing, Judge Michael Olsaver imposed a life sentence for the conspiracy conviction with parole eligibility under Michigan’s 1997 sentencing laws.
The judge also imposed 10-to-15-year concurrent sentences for four lesser counts, citing the crime’s brutality as justification for exceeding sentencing guidelines. Sepulveda had already served 878 days of credit.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office described the crime as savage and meticulously concealed. Despite an extensive investigation, the victim has never been identified.
Sepulveda may appeal the sentence. He plans to represent himself pro se while awaiting the appointment of appellate counsel. His brother, Michael Sepulveda, previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10–30 years in May.