GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A Grand Rapids man has been sentenced to 15 to 40 years in prison for his role in a deadly stabbing that occurred during an armed robbery near Plaster Creek. The crime, which took place in December 2023, led to the tragic death of 26-year-old Pacifique Uwimana.
On Wednesday, 35-year-old Eliutd Lazaro was sentenced to the lengthy prison term after being convicted of second-degree murder. His co-defendant, 48-year-old Omi Medina-Pagan, was sentenced in September 2024 to 26 to 60 years in prison for his involvement in the crime. Both men were charged with murder and armed robbery after an investigation into the fatal stabbing of Uwimana, which took place near Roosevelt Park off Godfrey Avenue SW.
According to investigators, Lazaro and Medina-Pagan approached Uwimana and robbed him at knifepoint. The situation quickly escalated, leading to a violent confrontation in which Uwimana was fatally stabbed. Police launched a search after the victim’s body was discovered near Plaster Creek, sparking a months-long investigation that ultimately led to the men’s arrests.
Lazaro is currently being held at the Kent County Jail, awaiting transfer to the Michigan Department of Corrections. Medina-Pagan is serving his sentence at a state prison in Ionia.
The tragic events serve as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with violent crime and the severe legal consequences faced by those involved in such acts. As both men begin their lengthy prison terms, the family and friends of Uwimana continue to mourn his loss.
