Crime & Safety
Sudbury Man Charged With Attempted Murder of Stephen Rakes
DA says William Camuti owed money and poisoned Rakes.
The Middlesex District Attorney announced today a Sudbury man has been arrested and charged in the death of Stephen Rakes, a witness in the Whitey Bulger trial.
In a press conference, DA Marian Ryan said William Camuti, 69, was charged with attempted murder, misleading the police and unlawful disposition of human remains.
He's being arraigned at Concord District Court. He was arrested earlier today in Boston.
A murder charge has not been filed because the medical examiner is still waiting on test results.
Rakes was a witness in the Whitey Bulger trials."Mr. Rakes and the defendant had known each other for many years," Ryan said. "They had been involved in a number of business transactions. We developed evidence that Mr. Camuti owed Mr. Rakes a significant amount of money."
Rakes’ body was discovered at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17 without ID, keys or cell phone. Lincoln Police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office immediately launched an investigation.
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According to Ryan, surveillance video showed Rakes leaving the Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse the afternoon of July 16, where he had been regularly attending the trial of Whitey Bulger. He appeared to be wearing the same clothing when his body was found.
The investigation revealed that Camuti and Rakes were in a business relationship in which the defendant was soliciting Rakes to invest in various real estate deals. Based on evidence gathered by investigators, Camuti and Rakes spoke by phone on Tuesday, July 16 and Camuti requested a meeting to discuss a potential investment property in Wilmington. The deal Camuti was offering to Rakes as an investment did not in fact exist.
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"We believe this was based on a land deal," Ryan said.
Camuti allegedly met the victim around 1:45 p.m. at McDonald’s in Waltham on July 16. The defendant purchased two iced coffees, one of which he had allegedly previously mixed with two teaspoons of potassium cyanide. He gave the laced drink to the victim, who drank from it.
It is alleged that the defendant drove around Waltham, Woburn, Burlington and Lincoln for several hours with the victim in the vehicle. It is further alleged the defendant dumped the body of Rakes in the wooded area in Lincoln where it was found the next day.
The case remains under investigation by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Lincoln Police.
According to WhitePages.com, Camuti lives at 55 Hudson Road, Apt. 3D, at Mesquiquid Village.
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