Whitey Bulger had just been transferred to the West Virginia prison where he was found dead.
Notorious gangster James "Whitey" Bulger has been killed inside a West Virginia prison, according to reports.
The violent, 89-year-old Boston mobster had just arrived at the Hazelton penitentiary and was in deteriorating health. He reportedly was near death. On Friday, he was moved from a Florida prison to a facility in Oklahoma City before being transferred to Hazelton.
Federal officials acknowledged Tuesday they were investigating Bulger's death, but released no further information.
Bulger was serving a life term after being convicted of killing at least 11 people. No reason was given for his transfer to Hazelton.
Separately, the Boston Globe reported a fellow inmate with Mafia ties was being investigated for the slaying. Paul Weadick, a convicted killer tied to Bulger and Boston crime syndicates, is also serving a life sentence at Hazleton.
Bulger's dark life inspired several films, including "The Departed," which won a best picture Oscar in 2006. Johnny Depp played the killer in "Black Mass," a biopic released in 2015. Bulger was said to have hated Depp's portrayal of him.
Bulger was a notorious fugitive for 16 years and was arrested in Santa Monica, California, in 2011. The former head of the Winter Hill Gang fled Massachusetts in 1994, after being tipped by his former FBI handler about a pending indictment.
He eventually landed in the seaside city of Santa Monica, accompanied by girlfriend Catherine Grieg. There, the couple lived in a nondescript apartment building for at least 15 years. They were frequently seen at the local farmer's market and walking around town.
He had been featured on the fugitive reality series "America's Most Wanted" at least 16 times. A federal task force closed in on Bulger and Greig based on several tips about their location received from around the world.
Both were arrested without incident. Federal agents tore apart their rent-controlled apartment and discovered more than $800,000 cash stored in its walls, along with dozens of weapons and several fake IDs.
Bulger went on trial in South Boston in 2013. After two months, a federal jury convicted him on 31 racketeering counts and 11 killings.
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