Police have arrested a 69-year-old man, William Camuti, in connection with the death of Stephen Rakes, a former liquor store owner who was planning to testify at mobster Whitey Bulger's trial.
At a press conference Friday afternoon, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan told reporters that the murder was motivated by money and not related to the Bulger trial.
Camuti allegedly set up a meeting with Rakes at a Waltham, Mass. McDonald's to talk about a business deal and then poisoned Rakes' iced coffee with cyanide.
Ryan said Camuti drove around for several hours with Rakes' body in his car before dumping it in a remote area in Lincoln, Mass. Authorities believe Camuti acted alone and suspect he may have acquired the cyanide online.
Rakes was eager to testify at Bulger's trial that in 1984, Bulger threatened Rakes' daughter and forced him to turn over his liquor store, which Bulger then used as his headquarters.
Bulger was found in California two years ago and is now standing trial for his crimes in Boston federal court.
Although Rakes was on the U.S. Attorney's witness list, he was reportedly told that prosecutors decided not to call him to the stand, according to The Globe. Longtime friend Steve Davis said the decision devastated Rakes.
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