ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fla. — In our new segment Gone, Spectrum Bay News 9 Reporter Cait McVey and photojournalist Amanda Salvucci take a closer look at cases both past and present that have rocked the Bay Area.  In this latest edition,  the team focused on the murder of Sabine Musil-Buehler, an Anna Maria Island hotel owner murdered by her boyfriend, William Cumber.

In Part 1, we took a look at Musil-Buehler’s life and Cumber’s eventual confession.  Before that piece aired, we reached out to Cumber for a comment.  He agreed to an interview and our team traveled to Marion County Correctional Institution to hear what he had to say.

Above is the video link to that interview and we’ve also included a transcript below:

Cait McVey: “I want to begin with the letter you sent. There was a line in it that was really striking. You said ‘what I did bothers me every single day of my rotten life.’ That’s a very strong sentiment.”

William Cumber: “Yeah. I’m sorry. That sounds vulgar in a way. I’m sorry. If I could give her back I would. But I can’t.”

Cait McVey: “You chose to burry Sabine near the motel. And the theory is out there that you may have done that to point investigators to Tom [Buehler].”

William Cumber: “Yes, I was trying to pin it on him. Yes. I blamed him for a lot.”

Cait McVey: “Seven years she wasn’t found.  It can be said she may have never been found if you didn’t lead investigators to her body.”

William Cumber: “I believe if I wouldn’t have done the right thing, I would still be out there.”

Cait McVey: “I have to say this.  The right thing would’ve been not to kill her.”

William Cumber: “Not to kill her.”

Cait McVey: “It’s almost jarring to hear you say the right thing to do was to confess because you could’ve gotten away with it.”

William Cumber: “Look, I tried to explain to you that what happened, happened.  It just happened. I do not condone one iota of what I did. I suffer every day for it.”

Cait McVey: “But you do admit, in the grand scheme of things, you got a pretty good deal?”

William Cumber:  “I got a sweet deal, yes I did.  Which I shouldn’t have got.  I think there should’ve been maybe 10 more years added on or something like that.”

Cait McVey: “Or life perhaps.  Some people say life for a life.”

William Cumber: “Life for a life.”

Cait McVey: “Once you’re done serving your sentence and you’re released, will you ever go back to Anna Maria Island?”

William Cumber: “Yes.”

Cait McVey: “Do you think you’ll be welcome there?”

William Cumber: “Well yes and no.  If I’m shunned, yes I’ll leave.  But I have to be somewhere.”