James 'Whitey' Bulger Found Dead in Prison The notorious Boston gangster, 89, was found unresponsive Tuesday morning in a West Virginia prison. The former leader of the Winter Hill Gang had just been moved to the prison the night before. Statement, U.S. Justice Department, via NBC News The FBI has launched an investigation into his death. Having evaded capture for 16 years, Bulger was arrested in Santa Monica, CA, in 2011. In 2013, he was convicted of 31 counts including murder, racketeering, money laundering and extortion. An extremely feared and violent criminal, He was the inspiration for Jack Nicholson's character in Martin Scorsese's The Departed. Bulger had been serving two life sentences.