Camuti Gets Life Without Parole For Cyanide-Laced Coffee Murder

SUDBURY, MA—A Sudbury man convicted of killing another man by poisoning his coffee has been sentenced to life without possibility of parole.

William Camuti, 72, was sentenced by Judge Bruce Henry on Thursday to life without the possibility of parole for the 2013 murder of Stephen Rakes, 59, of Quincy. Judge Henry also sentenced the defendant to five to seven years on the two counts of misleading a police officer to run concurrently and one year on the charge of improper disposal of human remains was placed on file.

On Wednesday, a Middlesex Superior Court Jury found Camuti guilty of first degree murder, of improper disposal of human remains and two counts of misleading a police officer yesterday. Camuti had laced the victim’s coffee with potassium cyanide in order to prevent the victim from collecting on a $100,000 debt the defendant owed. The jury also found the defendant guilty of improper disposal of human remains and two counts of misleading a police officer. Judge Bruce Henry scheduled sentencing for Thursday, April 27 at 10:00 a.m.

“Deeply in debt to his long-time business partner Stephen Rakes, William Camuti offered to meet the victim to discuss financial matters over coffee,” said District Attorney Ryan in a statement. “Unbeknownst to the victim, the defendant had laced the victim’s coffee with potassium cyanide to avoid paying the $100,000 he owed the victim. The defendant then waited for his so-called friend to die before leaving the victim in the woods in Lincoln. When questioned by authorities, the defendant made a concerted and deliberate effort to mislead Massachusetts State Police and Lincoln Police. Thanks to the diligent work of these two law enforcement agencies and the prosecutors assigned to this case, today the jury found the defendant guilty of his crimes.”

Lincoln Chief of Police Kennedy, in a statement, added, “Thank you to my officers in the Lincoln Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police and the prosecutors who worked tirelessly to investigate and prosecute this case. Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of Stephen Rakes and we hope that today’s verdict will bring them closure.”

A jogger running past a wooded area on Mill Street in Lincoln discovered the body of Stephen Rakes in the early afternoon of Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Lincoln Police and Massachusetts State Police responded and immediately began an investigation.

Surveillance video showed Rakes leaving the Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse, where he had been regularly attending the trial of Whitey Bulger, on the afternoon of July 16, 2013. He was wearing the same clothing when his body was discovered, however the victim did not have a phone, keys or identification on his person, said the announcement.

Camuti had, according to authorities, arranged to meet Rakes around 1:45 p.m. at McDonald’s in Waltham on July 16, telling Rakes he wanted to discuss a real estate deal in Wilmington. Camuti bought two iced coffees, one of which he mixed with two teaspoons of potassium cyanide. He gave the laced drink to Rakes, who drank it.

Camuti drove around Waltham, Woburn, Burlington and Lincoln for several hours with the victim in the vehicle. He later dumped the body of Rakes in the wooded area in Lincoln where it was found the next day.

In the course of the investigation authorities discovered internet searches on the defendant’s computer including ways to purchase cyanide and queries such as, “Will the taste of coffee change if it is mixed with sodium or potassium cyanide?” Authorities also learned that the defendant was deeply in debt to the victim at the time of the murder.

Camuti was arrested on August 2, 2013.

Photo Credit: Lisa Redmond