Infamous Boston Mobster Whitey Bulger Killed in Federal Prison
James J. "Whitey" Bulger, an infamous Boston gang leader who spent years on the run from the FBI, has been killed in prison, according to WBZ, CBS Boston. Bulger was reportedly recently moved to a West Virginia facility where he was found dead in his cell this morning, the station reported.
Bulger was the boss of Somerville's Winter Hill Gang, and controlled organized crime syndicates throughout metro Boston and New England in the 1970s and '80s. At some point during the 1970s, it is believed that the FBI successfully turned Bulger into a federal informant, with information that he provided being used to investigate and convict other members of crime organizations. It's still unclear if that played any role in his death today.
After 16 years on the run and an ongoing nationwide search, Bulger and his girlfriend Catherine Greig were located in southern California and captured by the FBI in Santa Monica in 2011, according to CNN. He spent 12 years on the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted list.
Bulger was tried for the murder of 19 people, according to USA Today, and found guilty of 11 counts in federal court in 2011, according to He's been in prison since his conviction.
This story will be updated.