Date of Sentence: 02/13/92
Circumstances of the Offense:
A decomposing body, later
identified as David Staker, was found on 09/13/90, in the woods of
Charlotte County.
The employer of David Staker had previously notified
authorities in Lee County that Staker had not retrieved his paycheck and
had also missed several workdays. When Staker’s employer went to his
house, she found the front door open, and the disarray of the house
suggested that it may have been robbed.
Gary Sigelmier contacted the Lee
County Sheriff’s office and reported that he believed he might have
purchased items stolen from Staker’s residence.
Anton Krawczuk and his
codefendant, Billy Poirier, were identified as the individuals who sold
Sigelmier the stolen property. Deputies from both Lee and Charlotte
Counties went to a Lee County house shared by Krawczuk and Poirier.
The
deputies found the suspects at their residence and brought them back to
the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Krawczuk waived his Miranda rights and
confessed to Staker’s murder.
As stated by Krawczuk in his
confession, Krawczuk and Poirier both had a casual homosexual
relationship with Staker for a six-month duration. Krawczuk and Poirier
had decided about a week before the crime to murder and rob Staker.
Krawczuk set up a time with Staker when both he and Poirier would visit
the victim at his home. Krawczuk drove to Poirier’s workplace to pick
him up and Poirier changed clothes at home before Krawczuk parked the
car in a shopping center within walking distance of Staker’s house.
The
pair walked to Staker’s house and proceeded to spend the next half hour
watching television. Per Krawczuk’s suggestion, they all proceeded to
the bedroom.
While the three men were naked on the bed, Krawczuk began
acting aggressively and began to choke Staker. Poirier held Staker’s
mouth and nose shut to cut off the victim’s oxygen.
Staker fought his
attackers and attempted to assault Krawczuk with a lamp, but Poirier
took the lamp away from Staker. Krawczuk continued choking him for
approximately ten minutes.
After this time, Krawczuk poured drain
cleaner and water twice down his throat. Poirier then put a washcloth
in Staker’s mouth and taped it in. Before putting Staker in the
bathtub, Krawczuk tied the victim’s ankles together.
Krawczuk and Poirier loaded up Staker’s pickup truck with stolen goods that included the following
items: stereo equipment, two television sets, five rifles, a video
recorder and a pistol. The pair also put the victim’s body in the truck
before driving to Sigelmier’s house. It was at this point that
Sigelmier bought some of the stolen items and agreed to store the other
items.
Krawczuk and Poirier drove back to their car, moved the victim’s
body into it, then proceeded to abandon Staker’s vehicle. Krawczuk
drove to a rural place that he had previously scouted out, and they
abandoned the victim’s body.
Codefendant Information:
William Andrew Poirier
