TAVARES, Fla. — A Clermont man jailed on an aggravated assault charge is accused of offering another inmate $5,000 to kill a witness in the case that led to his incarceration, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
David John Butka, 69, was charged Thursday with solicitation to commit first-degree murder and is being held without bond at the Lake County Jail.
The investigation began Tuesday after an inmate who learned about the alleged plot reported it to a detention supervisor, LCSO Sgt. Jim Vachon said. The inmate provided physical evidence, and an LCSO major crimes detective responded to the jail.
According to the arrest affidavit, Butka approached a different inmate Sept. 7 or 8 and offered him $5,000 to kill a witness. Butka allegedly provided the intended victim’s first name, physical description, morning schedule and directions to the victim’s home.
Butka also allegedly provided his own address and telephone number and claimed he had approximately $1.3 million in the bank.
According to the affidavit, Butka authorized the release of a credit card to the wife of the inmate he allegedly solicited. Jail records showed the card was released and later used to deposit $300 into that inmate’s commissary account.
Evidence turned over to LCSO included a handwritten note containing Butka’s contact information, a description of the intended victim’s home and details about accessing the alleged $5,000 payment through Butka’s credit card.
Butka was originally arrested July 22 after witnesses accused him of throwing a rock at a passing truck on Royal Vista Avenue in Clermont.
The driver told deputies Butka pulled his arm back as if he was preparing to throw something as the truck passed. The driver said he feared the object would come through the open passenger-side window and strike him in the head, but it hit the side of the truck instead.
Two witnesses told deputies they saw Butka throw a rock at the truck, according to the aggravated assault affidavit. Butka denied throwing anything and accused the people involved of instigating him.
Butka was also arrested in March on charges of simple battery and criminal mischief after deputies said he confronted a 15-year-old riding a dirt bike, pushed him down and damaged the bike. A witness told deputies she saw Butka chase the juveniles, grab the bike’s cables and pull on the teen’s helmet, according to the arrest affidavit.
The solicitation affidavit states the alleged target was a witness in two prior cases involving Butka. Vachon identified the aggravated assault case as one of them, but authorities did not identify the second case or say whether it was the March battery case.
The intended victim was notified about the alleged plot Tuesday.
Butka was scheduled to appear in court and be released Thursday when detectives interviewed him at the jail.
Butka acknowledged discussing his pending case and credit card with the inmate he allegedly solicited but said that inmate was the one who brought up killing the witness, according to the affidavit. Butka denied providing the witness’s personal information or soliciting anyone to commit murder.
Butka told detectives he authorized the inmate to place $2,400 on his credit card to hire a different attorney. He denied authorizing the release of the card to the inmate’s wife and said he believed he was the victim of fraud.
After consulting with the State Attorney’s Office, detectives arrested Butka at the jail instead of seeking a warrant because of his pending release and concerns for the witness’s safety, according to the affidavit.
