Racki Faces Murder Trial in Venice | Tampa News

Seventy-six-year-old Ronald Racki, a man from Venice, Florida, is set to stand trial on May 3, 2027, for the murder of 24-year-old Laikyn West — the woman he allegedly chloroformed after meeting her for sexual favors. Despite claiming he dropped her off in Bradenton, evidence like phone records and surveillance contradicted his story, while explicit photos of West taken in his office on the day she vanished surfaced. After initially denying everything, Racki eventually confessed — leading to his arrest in February 2026. With West’s body still missing, prosecutors are moving forward under Florida’s homicide statute, backed by mounting evidence tying Racki to the crime. The case now involves multiple agencies including the FBI and Homeland Security as Racki awaits trial behind bars in Sarasota County. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/a73e39547a92d074