GPS Tracking Catches Murder Suspect in Lie

If you’re going to lie about poisoning someone, make sure you don’t have GPS tracking installed in your car. That’s the lesson learned by William J. Camuti of Sudbury, MA after his GPS tracking device revealed new evidence pinpointing his location at the scene where a dead man’s body was found. Camuti was charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Rakes, a man who figured prominently in the case against alleged extortionist James Bulger. While Rakes’ cause of death has not been positively identified, prosecutors are confident they can prove that Camuti slipped cyanide into his coffee the day before he was found dead in a wooded area of Lincoln.

Camuti had been convicted of practicing mail fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering in 1994 in connection with a real estate sale scam. According to prosecutors, Camuti owed Rakes a large amount of money and had the opportunity to lace his coffee with two teaspoons of potassium cyanide. On July 17, Rakes’ body was found in Lincoln and his wallet was missing. Camuti initially denied seeing Rakes the day of the murder, but that’s where GPS technology disagrees.

After finding Rakes’ body, investigators obtained a warrant to search Camuti’s cell phone, computer, home, car, and GPS tracking device. The data obtained from the GPS unit showed Camuti at the location where Rakes’ body was found–information that could lead to Camuti’s conviction.

GPS tracking in law enforcement has been used to assist in many different kinds of cases, including vehicle theft, bank robbery, and domestic violence infractions. The devices give police officers crucial data that they can use to track persons of interest, monitor parolees, and enforce restraining orders. In some cases, legal questions have arisen regarding the constitutionality of using the data or requiring a person to wear a GPS tracking device in a given circumstance. While these are important questions for the courts to consider and decide, the fact remains that when used in accordance with current legal stipulations, GPS tracking in law enforcement can provide essential facts that help officers perform their duty.

In Camuti’s case, there is no question that the information from his GPS tracking device was obtained legally with a warrant and that it poses serious problems for his defense. As laws about GPS tracking in law enforcement become more uniformly codified, cases like this one will undoubtedly become more common. And that’s good news for victims and for the police officers dedicated to making their communities a safer place.

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GPS Tracking Catches Murder Suspect in Lie