William Camuti Pleads Not Guilty to Murdering Bulger Victim

Sudbury resident William Camuti pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to the murder of an extortion victim of Whitey Bulger.

According to a report on MyFoxBoston.com, Camuti was in Middlesex Superior Court on Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty to charges that he poisoned Stephen Rakes.

The news station reported that prosecutors are not arguing that Rakes' death was related to the Bulger case. Instead, they say it was a business dispute that caused the death, according to MyFoxBoston.com.

In November, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced that charges against Camuti were upgraded to murder when a Middlesex Grand Jury indicted him on Nov. 15. On October 3, Camuti was indicted on charges of attempted murder, misleading police, and unlawful disposition of human remains.

The body of Rakes, a Quincy resident, was found in a wooded area off of Mill Street in Lincoln. The medical examiner later ruled that the cause of death with cyanide poisoning.

Ryan said in September that Camuti and Banks met at a McDonald's in Waltham to discuss a real estate deal. While at McDonalds, Camuti allegedly bought two iced coffees, lacing one with cyanide. 

Rakes drank the coffee and was overcome by the poison while sitting in Camuti’s car. The pair drove north toward Woburn, then back south toward the Burlington Mall and Lincoln until Rakes finally died, according to the information provided September.

Following Wednesday's arraignment in Woburn, Camuti is being held without bail.