BLISSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Two Ohio men will face trial on murder charges in the death of a man found decapitated in Lenawee County nearly 26 years ago. The victim still hasn’t been identified.
Richardo Sepulveda, 51 of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Michael Sepulveda, 49 of Toledo, Ohio, were arrested on Jan. 24 by the United States Marshalls Service. They are facing several charges in the murder of the unidentified man.
The victim’s body was discovered by a farmer in their Blissfield Township cornfield on Nov. 19, 1997. The cornfield is located west of Corey Highway and north of Carroll Highway. There was a layer of snow covering most of the body.
The man was completely naked. He had been decapitated and his hands had been cut off from just above the wrist. Officers noted what appeared to be saw striations on the ends of the bones, meaning a saw may have been used to remove the body parts.
His hands and head were missing. He did not have any scars or tattoos. He is described as being a light-skinned Hispanic man. He stood an estimated 5′8′' tall and weighed an estimated 150 lbs.
While his identity is unknown, officials believe he was a 32-year-old man from the Corpus Christie, Texas area.
Richardo Sepulveda and Michael Sepulveda are both facing the following charges:
- First-degree premeditated murder
- Conspiracy to commit first-degree premeditated murder
- Assault with intent to maim
- Conspiracy to commit assault with intent to maim
- Tampering with evidence
- Conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence
If convicted on either of the first-degree premeditated murder charges, Richardo Sepulveda and Michael Sepulveda are facing a life sentence without the possibility of parole. The rest of the charges are 10-year felonies. The men are expected in court at 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 16, in Lenawee County.
Anyone with information about the case should contact Michigan State Police D/Sgt. Larry Rothman at 313-407-9379.
---> 2 face murder charges 25 years after unidentified man found decapitated in Lenawee County