Whitey Bulger Court Foe Was Poisoned

Business partner allegedly laced his McDonald's coffee
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 2, 2013 3:44 PM CDT
Whitey Bulger Court Foe Was Poisoned
A file photo of the late Stephen Rakes.   (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

Remember that victim of Whitey Bulger who dropped dead suspiciously last month as the mob boss' trial was underway? Turns out, Stephen Rakes was murdered, say authorities in Boston. But, surprise, they don't think Bulger had anything to do with it. Instead, the local DA says a business partner who owed Rakes lots of money poisoned his iced coffee at a McDonald's, reports the Boston Globe. The suspect is 69-year-old William Camuti, and he is under arrest, reports CNN. He allegedly lured Rakes to a local McDonald's to talk about a fake business deal, then dropped two teaspoons of potassium cyanide into Rakes' drink.

Authorities say he drove around with Rakes in his vehicle for several hours afterward—as Rakes died from the poisoning—then dumped his body in the woods. The Middlesex DA says Camuti acted alone, and her office sees no connection to Bulger. Rakes had hoped to testify at Bulger's trial to allege that Bulger and one of his henchmen essentially stole his liquor store through strong-arm tactics decades ago. (Meanwhile, Bulger today angrily told the judge that he would not be taking the stand in his own defense in his murder and racketeering trial.)

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