A Lansing man has been found guilty following a brutal 2019 murder tied to the city's underbelly of narcotics trafficking. Julian Guadelupe Revilla, 31, faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole after an Eaton County jury convicted him of premeditated murder and various weapons charges.
Revilla's crimes included first-degree premeditated murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon. According to details from the trial, provided by WILX, the Lansing man executed Suzann "Suzy" Fedewa, a 23-year-old woman, in January 2019. Revilla had been instructed to kill Fedewa by a local methamphetamine dealer who wrongly believed she was cooperating with police in a narcotics investigation.
The conviction is the culmination of a case that has rocked the local community and laid bare the ruthless dynamics of its drug trade. Eaton County Prosecutor Douglas Lloyd described the murder as “a senseless tragedy,” adding that Revilla's loyalties to a drug dealer took precedence over any semblance of human decency. Revilla reportedly attempted to inject Fedewa with acetone before resorting to shooting her in the back of the head, as stated in court testimony and reported by WLNS.
After the killing, Revilla fled Michigan, resulting in his arrest in Ohio following a high-speed police chase and crash. Prior to facing charges for Fedewa’s murder, Revilla was serving time in Ohio for unrelated offenses. Lansing State Journal highlights that his arrest came after a severe vehicle crash, and subsequent interrogation by the police extended over many hours before he confessed to the crime.
Eaton County Detective Rick Buxton, now retired, received praise for his investigative work leading to Revilla's conviction. During the three-day trial, Revilla's defense argued that while he was present at the time of Fedewa's killing, he was not the shooter. Amanda Love, Revilla’s attorney, expressed doubt over the true identity of the triggerman and stated, "Regardless of the verdict, I hope the family of Suzy Fedewa feels some type of closure from that verdict," according to an interview with Lansing State Journal.
The sentencing for Julian Guadelupe Revilla has been scheduled for June 5, where he will face the mandatory life imprisonment stipulated for the premeditated murder charge. This case has left a lasting impact on the Eaton County community, still grappling with the loss of Suzann Fedewa, whom Lloyd remembered as a young woman with a bright spirit.
