Toledo man sentenced for 1997 Lenawee County cold case murder
A Toledo, Ohio, man was sentenced Thursday to 10-30 years in prison in connection with a 1997 Lenawee County cold case murder.
Michael Sepulveda, 51, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in August 2024.
In November 1997, police responded to Blissfield Township after human remains were discovered in a cornfield that was owned by the caller. When officers arrived, they found the body of an unknown, unclothed man who was missing his head and both hands. Officials say the man's hands appeared to be cut above the wrist and noted saw striations on the ends of the bones.
In January 2023, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel charged Michael Sepulveda and his co-defendant, Richardo Sepulveda, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in connection with the homicide.
Richardo Sepulveda was found guilty in April on one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, one count of assault with intent to maim, one count of conspiracy to commit assault with intent to maim, one count of tampering with evidence and one count of conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence.
The identity of "John Doe" remains unknown. Officials believe he is a 32-year-old Hispanic man from the Corpus Christi/McAllen, Texas area.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Michigan State Police D/Sgt. Larry Rothman at 313-407-9379.
Richardo Sepulveda will be sentenced on June 13.
