Murder Suspect in Cyanide-Laced Coffee Killing Allegedly Confessed to Poisoning

WOBURN, MA -- Admitted to a Boston hospital due to an alleged suicide attempt in July of 2013, William J. Camuti allegedly confessed to a Massachusetts State Trooper that he laced Stephen Rakes' McDonald's iced coffee with the lethal poison cyanide.

Trooper Michael Banks testified at Camuti's murder trial in Middlesex Superior Court on Tuesday that he confronted the then 69-year-old Camuti, of Sudbury, about the different stories he gave police regarding his final hours with Rakes. Camuti was the last person to see the 59-year-old South Boston man alive on July 16, 2013.

Rakes' body was found on the afternoon of July 17, 2013 by a jogger in a wooded area off Mill Street in Lincoln. There were no obvious signs of trauma, but there was also no ID or cell phone. Rakes was identified by his thumb print, suggesting a suspicious death.

An autopsy showed Rakes died of acute cyanide toxicity and the manner of death was homicide.

While Camuti was recovering at Massachusetts General Hospital, Banks told him that Rakes, who recorded all his phone calls, had a recording where Camuti is heard to ask Rakes to meet him at a McDonalds in Waltham with the promise of a check to repay his $100,000 debt to Rakes.

But Camuti allegedly confessed to Banks, "There was no check.''

When Rakes arrived at McDonalds in Waltham, Camuti handed him an iced coffee laced with two teaspoons of cyanide he had bought online, Banks testified. As Rakes drank his coffee he complained it tasted bitter and tossed it in the trash, Banks testified.

Camuti initially told police he and Rakes were meeting so they could drive to Wilmington in Camuti's car to check out 11 acres of land for a possible business deal. But Banks said he could find no such property.

Banks testified that Camuti allegedly admitted it took several hours for the poison to take affect forcing Camuti to drive from the McDonald's in Waltham to Woburn and Burlington before dragging the body into a wooded area off Mill Street in Lincoln.

"He (Camuti) said he drove around for several hours with the body in his car,'' Banks testified.

Camuti allegedly admitted the cyanide was delivered to his storage area on Main Street in Waltham where he collects to sell to supplement his meager Social Security check. Camuti allegedly admitted that he tossed the unused cyanide in the trash bin behind the building.

During one interview with Camuti, Banks testified that while talking about Rakes' death Camuti started to well up with tears in his eyes. Banks responded, "You're not sad about Stephen Rakes' death, you're sad because you got caught.''

Defense attorney Brad Bailey has argued that throughout the many interviews with police prior to Camuti's hospitalization, his client denied murdering his friend. At one point, Camuti told investigators that Rakes went to meet some sinister-looking men who scared Camuti.

Decades earlier, Rakes was an extortion victim of Boston gangster James "Whitey'' Bulger who stole Rakes' business. Rakes made headlines during Bulger's 2013 murder trial because he was disappointed that he wasn't going to be called by the prosecution to testify against Bulger. Investigators determined Rakes' death had no connection to Bulger.

Camuti told police he was helping Rakes and his ex-wife in trying sell the multi-million dollar settlement they received from Bulger and his cohorts. Camuti was also helping Rakes "shop around'' Rakes' life story for a movie deal.

Bailey has suggested that while Camuti was hospitalized, he was under the influence of powerful pain medications altering his thinking during his discussions with Banks. Bailey told the jury during his opening statement that investigators have no eyewitnesses nor DNA to link Camuti to the murder.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Camuti faces life in prison without parole. The trial is expected to continue into next week.

Photo of William J. Camuti by Lisa Redmond/lisa.redmond@patch.com.