DOC# 721842
DOB:  06/08/59

Twentieth Judicial Circuit, Lee County Case# 90-2007CFB
Sentencing Judge:  The Honorable James R. Thompson
Attorney, Trial:  Barbara LeGrande – Private
Attorney, Direct Appeal:  Jennifer Y. Fogle – Assistant Public Defender
Attorney, Collateral Appeals:  Melissa M. Donoho & Suzanne Keffer – CCRC-S

Date of Offense: 09/13/90

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 (DC# 718440)

Poirier was sentenced to 35 years for second-degree murder and 15 years for robbery (CC# 90-2007).

Trial Summary:

Count III:         Robbery – 15 years

Case Information:

Krawczuk filed a 3.850 motion to the Circuit Court on 10/03/95, which was amended on 03/15/02.  The motion is currently pending.

FloridaCapitalCases.state.fl.us

Anton J. Krawczuk

Anton J. Krawczuk