A 75-year-old Florida man’s confession to a hospital nurse during a suicide attempt unraveled a 17-month investigation into the disappearance of a young woman, revealing a chilling trail of digital evidence, forensic clues, and a claim of multiple victims that police cannot substantiate.
Story Snapshot
- Ronald Chester Racki arrested February 20, 2026, for second-degree murder of 24-year-old Laikyn Marie West, missing since September 2024
- Racki admitted chloroforming West during paid sexual encounter; phone contained bound photos, violent pornography; car showed suspicious stains
- Hospitalized suicide attempt led to nurse-documented confession: “I killed four women six weeks ago”—no evidence supports additional victims
- Investigation built on journal entries, phone records, vehicle forensics over 17 months; West’s body remains missing
- Racki held without bond in Sarasota County Jail; court hearing scheduled March 20, 2026
When a Suicide Confession Cracked Open a Cold Case
Ronald Chester Racki told detectives he owned chloroform for cleaning cars at his used dealership. He told them he dropped Laikyn Marie West off safely on September 13, 2024, after picking her up in Bradenton for lunch in Venice. Then his stories began to unravel. Phone records contradicted his timeline. West’s journal detailed a $925 payment for allowing chloroform use during sex. Racki admitted “red flags” in his account and acknowledged lying to protect his family. By December 2024, detectives seized his phone, finding timestamped photos of West bound and nude around 10 p.m. that September night.
The real breakthrough arrived not from forensic labs or witness interviews, but from a hospital bed. Racki attempted suicide in December 2024 and landed at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. A nurse documented his statement while he was alert and oriented: “I killed four women six weeks ago.” That confession, combined with mounting physical evidence, transformed a missing person case into a murder investigation. Venice Police Chief Andy Leisenring emphasized that months of careful work supported the arrest, committing his department to seeking justice for West despite the absence of her body.
The Digital Trail and Forensic Puzzle
West vanished on September 13, 2024, after phone contact with Racki around 8 a.m. Her roommate reported her missing three days later when West failed to return to their Bradenton home. Detectives traced phone records connecting the pair, leading them to the 75-year-old used car dealer in Venice. What they uncovered painted a disturbing picture: explicit photos on Racki’s phone, violent pornography, images of hypodermic needles, and West’s own journal entries documenting their arrangement. Racki initially denied using chloroform on her fully, then later admitted the act.
A car detailer provided another crucial piece. Interviewed in April 2025, the detailer recalled cleaning Racki’s blue pickup truck around September 13, 2024. He found a suspicious stain on the rear floor, an unusual odor permeating the cab, and discolored water in his steam cleaner after the job. These details, corroborated by Racki’s admissions and phone evidence, gave investigators probable cause for a second-degree murder charge even without recovering West’s remains. The 17-month gap between disappearance and arrest reflects the methodical assembly of digital and forensic proof required when a body cannot be located.
Four Victims or One Desperate Lie
Racki’s hospital confession about killing four women sent detectives scrambling to verify additional victims. They found nothing. No credible evidence, no independent corroboration, no missing persons matching a pattern. The claim remains a documented statement from a man in crisis, potentially seeking attention or expressing guilt in exaggerated terms. Venice Police confirmed they investigated the assertion thoroughly and dismissed it as unsupported. Whether Racki fabricated the claim during his suicidal episode or whether it hints at undiscovered crimes may never be fully resolved unless new evidence surfaces.
The disparity between Racki’s 75 years and West’s 24 underscores the power imbalance inherent in their transactional relationship. He wielded financial leverage, paying for sexual favors that escalated to dangerous practices involving chloroform and bondage. West’s vulnerability, living on the streets and engaging in survival sex work, made her an easy target for exploitation. Racki’s admission that he was the last person to see her alive, coupled with the physical and digital evidence, forms a compelling case. His shifting explanations, from outright denial to partial truths to self-acknowledged lies, reveal a man cornered by facts he could no longer escape.
What Happens Next in Sarasota County
Racki sits in Sarasota County Jail without bond, awaiting a March 20, 2026, court hearing. Venice Police continue searching for West’s body, urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 941-366-8477. Chief Leisenring’s public statements emphasize accountability and closure for West’s family, who endured 17 months of uncertainty before the arrest. The case highlights how persistence in missing persons investigations, leveraging digital forensics and witness interviews, can yield results even when physical evidence like a body remains elusive. The trial will test whether prosecutors can secure a conviction on circumstantial evidence, journal entries, phone photos, vehicle forensics, and Racki’s own admissions.
West’s disappearance and suspected murder spotlight the dangers facing individuals engaged in street-level sex work, where transactions occur in isolation with strangers wielding power and control. Racki’s access to chloroform through his car dealership raises questions about oversight of hazardous substances available to business owners. The investigation also demonstrates the value of medical professionals documenting patient statements; the nurse’s notation of Racki’s confession provided a critical evidentiary link. As the case moves through the courts, West’s family awaits answers and the possibility that her remains will be found, granting them the closure that has been denied since September 2024.
Sources:
‘I killed four women’: Man arrested for drugging, killing woman told nurse he had killed 4
Venice man accused of chloroforming, killing missing woman told nurse he killed 4 others: affidavit
