CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — An inmate was sentenced to more than four years Thursday for his role in the 2018 fatal bludgeoning of notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger in a troubled West Virginia federal prison.
Massachusetts gangster Paul J. DeCologero was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to an assault charge. He could have faced up to 10 years in prison. DeCologero was already serving a 25-year sentence handed down in 2006 after he was convicted of buying heroin used to try to kill a teenage girl.
Prosecutors initially had said DeCologero and inmate Fotios “Freddy” Geas used a lock attached to a belt to repeatedly hit the 89-year-old Bulger in the head hours after he arrived at USP Hazelton from another lockup in Florida.
Paul J. DeCologero was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to an assault charge for the fatal bludgeoning of notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger. Paul Decologero / Facebook
But on Thursday, both prosecutors and the defense said DeCologero only served as a lookout and had not physically assaulted Bulger.
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US District Judge Thomas Kleeh said the sentence was “fair, just and appropriate” and “strikes the balance the court is trying to seek.”
DeCologero, 50, declined to speak when given the opportunity to address the court. Defense attorney Patrick Nash began by conveying an apology from DeCologero to Bulger’s family as well as the inmate’s own relatives.
Nash described DeCologero as the victim of an “abusive and neglectful” upbringing.
“Paul has had an incredibly difficult life,” Nash said. “As a result of that, Paul is a person who is easily led. Anyone who shows him attention, he’s easily led.”
The FBI holds a news conference sharing the arrest of Boston crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger and his companion, Catherine Greig at the Los Angeles Federal Building on June 23, 2011, in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images
An uncle eventually took in DeCologero and made him part of a criminal organization, Nash said.
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In Bulger’s killing, “Paul was involved,” Nash said. “He is guilty. But his role was limited.”
Assistant US Attorney Brandon Flower declined to comment after the sentencing.
According to court records, inmates found out ahead of time that Bulger would be arriving at Hazelton. An inmate previously told a grand jury that DeCologero said to him that Bulger was a snitch and they planned to kill him as soon as he came into their unit.
James “Whitey” Bulger is escorted from a Coast Guard helicopter to a waiting vehicle at an airport in Plymouth, Mass., after attending hearings in federal court in Boston on June 30, 2011. APBulger, who ran the largely Irish mob in Boston in the 1970s and ’80s, was also an FBI informant who provided the agency with information on the main rival to his gang. Reuters
Prosecutors have said DeCologero and Geas spent about seven minutes in Bulger’s cell. Geas hit Bulger, while DeCologero served as a lookout and helped cover Bulger’s body, Flower said Thursday. DeCologero’s DNA was found on two blankets, the prosecutor said.
Geas has been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, which carries up to a life sentence. His hearing is scheduled for Sept. 6. Last year, the Justice Department said it would not seek the death penalty.
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Another inmate, Sean McKinnon, pleaded guilty in June to lying to FBI special agents. McKinnon got credit for spending 22 months in custody after his 2022 indictment, was given no additional prison time and was returned to Florida to finish his supervised release. McKinnon had served out a sentence for stealing guns from a firearms dealer.
Sean McKinnon, an inmate charged in connection with Bulger’s jailhouse killing, appears in a booking photograph at the Marion County Jail in Ocala, Florida, on Aug. 18, 2022. via REUTERS
Plea deals for the three men were disclosed May 13. Geas and DeCologero were identified as suspects shortly after Bulger’s death, but they remained uncharged for years as the investigation dragged on.
Prior to Bulger’s death, employees at Hazelton had been sounding the alarm about violence and understaffing. After Bulger was killed, prison officials were criticized for placing him in the general population instead of more protective housing.
A Justice Department inspector general investigation found in 2022 that the killing was the result of multiple layers of management failures, widespread incompetence and flawed policies at the federal Bureau of Prisons.
Bulger and his long-time girlfriend, Catherine Greig are shown during a publicity campaign to locate the fugitive mobster. AP
The inspector general found no evidence of “malicious intent” by any bureau employees but said a series of bureaucratic blunders left Bulger at the mercy of rival gangsters.
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In July, the US Senate passed legislation to overhaul oversight and bring greater transparency to the Bureau of Prisons following reporting from The Associated Press that exposed systemic corruption in the federal prison system and increased congressional scrutiny.
Bulger, who ran the largely Irish mob in Boston in the 1970s and ’80s, was also an FBI informant who provided the agency with information on the main rival to his gang.
FBI agents stand in the ground floor parking garage of the apartment building in Santa Monica, Calif., where fugitive crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger. APThe media stand outside the apartment where fugitive crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger on June 23, 2011. AP
He became one of the nation’s most wanted fugitives after fleeing Boston in 1994, thanks to a tip from his FBI handler that he was about to be indicted. He was captured at age 81 after more than 16 years on the run.
Bulger was convicted in 2013 in a string of 11 killings and dozens of other gangland crimes, many of them committed while he was said to be an FBI informant.
DeCologero, who was in a gang led by his uncle, was convicted of buying heroin that was used to try to kill a teenage girl because his uncle feared she would betray the crew to police. After the heroin did not kill her, another man broke her neck, dismembered her body and buried her remains in the woods, court records say.
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Geas was a close associate of the Mafia and acted as an enforcer but was not an official “made” member because he is Greek, not Italian.
He and his brother were sentenced to life in 2011 for their roles in several violent crimes, including the 2003 killing of Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno, a Genovese crime family boss in Springfield, Massachusetts. Another mobster ordered Bruno’s killing because he was upset that he had talked to the FBI, prosecutors said.
Boston Archbishop Richard Henning participated in a Good Friday walk through the city’s Dorchester neighborhood, emphasizing themes of sacrifice, solidarity and service.The Good Friday walk began around 9 a.m., starting and ending at Boston College High School.BC High students, along with faculty, alumni and community members, arrived at St. Peter’s Friday morning, joined by the archbishop.”They’re not the ‘future’ of the church. They’re the ‘now’ of the church in Boston. So, it delights me to join with these young men as they lead us in prayer,” Henning said.The morning began with a brief program inside the school. In addition to St. Peter’s, the Good Friday walk also included stops at two other churches in Dorchester: St. Christopher’s Church on Mount Vernon Street and St. Teresa of Calcutta Church on Columbia Road.Organizers said the prayerful procession emphasizes themes of sacrifice, solidarity and service.Good Friday is the solemn day on the Christian calendar marking the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.
BOSTON —
Boston Archbishop Richard Henning participated in a Good Friday walk through the city’s Dorchester neighborhood, emphasizing themes of sacrifice, solidarity and service.
The Good Friday walk began around 9 a.m., starting and ending at Boston College High School.
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BC High students, along with faculty, alumni and community members, arrived at St. Peter’s Friday morning, joined by the archbishop.
“They’re not the ‘future’ of the church. They’re the ‘now’ of the church in Boston. So, it delights me to join with these young men as they lead us in prayer,” Henning said.
The morning began with a brief program inside the school. In addition to St. Peter’s, the Good Friday walk also included stops at two other churches in Dorchester: St. Christopher’s Church on Mount Vernon Street and St. Teresa of Calcutta Church on Columbia Road.
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Organizers said the prayerful procession emphasizes themes of sacrifice, solidarity and service.
Good Friday is the solemn day on the Christian calendar marking the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.
Still Sizzling: Chef Lydia Shire’s enduring legacy in Boston cuisine
With a career rooted in hustle and heart, the Boston legend remains one of America’s most influential chefs
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NO. ON THE BOSTON RESTAURANT SCENE, THERE ARE CHEFS. WATCH THIS. AND THERE ARE ICONS. SEE HOW THE SKIN IS SEPARATING A LITTLE. LYDIA SHIRE MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST WOMAN TO WIN A PRESTIGIOUS JAMES BEARD AWARD, AND HAS MENTORED GENERATIONS OF BOSTON CHEFS. AT 77, LYDIA IS STILL COOKING, STILL CREATING, AND MAKING IT LOOK OH SO EASY. GETTING A LITTLE SIZZLE ACTION THERE. ON THIS DAY, LYDIA IS TAKING ME WHERE SHE FINDS INSPIRATION. SO HOW OFTEN ARE YOU HERE IN CHINATOWN? EVERY WEEK. I’M HERE ALL THE TIME. FIRST UP, CHINATOWN’S PEACH FARM IS HANDS DOWN MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT. TRUE AUTHENTIC CHINESE FOOD THAT I’VE BEEN EATING HERE FOR 30 YEARS. 30 YEARS, 30 YEARS. WHAT DO THEY HAVE YOUR PICTURE ON THE WALL OR SOMETHING? THEY DO, DO THEY? A QUICK HELLO TO THE OWNER, TOM LYNN. HI GUYS. LYDIA HANDLED THE ORDER, OBVIOUSLY, AND I ORDER IT EXTRA FATTY. THAT’S WHY MY SKIN IS SO BEAUTIFUL. BECAUSE ALL THAT FAT I EAT. THIS DISH IS ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITES. THIS IS GAO WANG, YELLOW LEEKS. IT’S DONE WITH ROAST DUCK. REMEMBER THAT ONE WILL DO. LYDIA’S FOOD JOURNEY HAS TAKEN HER ALL OVER THE WORLD AND CONNECTED HER WITH SO MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS COOKS OF ALL TIME. YOU HAD A GOOD BUDDY THAT USED TO COME AND DINE HERE. YES, JULIA. AS IN JULIA CHILD. JULIA CHILD. YES. SHE LOVED CHINESE FOOD. WELL, ESPECIALLY. SHE LOVED DUCK. JULIA CHILD WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN PUTTING LYDIA IN THE CHEF’S SEAT AT HARVEST AND CAMBRIDGE, A CAREER MAKING KITCHEN. ONE DAY I COOKED DINNER FOR HER AND I SAT DOWN NEXT TO HER AND SHE LEANED OVER TO ME AND SHE SAID, SO, LYDIA, WHAT’S THE GOSSIP? JULIA WANTING THE TEA. LOVE IT. FULL AND HAPPY. WE HEAD TO OUR NEXT STOP. JIA HOW TO GRAB GOODS FOR DINNER. THEY HAVE EVERYTHING. AND THIS IS THE FOOD THAT YOU’RE SERVING IN YOUR RESTAURANT YOU’RE BUYING HERE? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. SIX RESTAURANTS OVER THE YEARS, TO BE EXACT, EACH LEAVING ITS OWN SPECIAL MARK. SCAMPO SHIRES RESTAURANT AT BOSTON’S LIBERTY HOTEL, HAS BEEN GOING STRONG SINCE 2008. THERE IS NO FINER SESAME OIL IN THE WORLD THAN KADOYA SESAME OIL, SO REMEMBER THAT I WILL. I’M GOING TO BUY YOU A LITTLE ONE FOR YOUR HOUSE. YEAH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT. WE’RE GOING TO GET SOME LEAKS BECAUSE I’M COOKING THE YELLOW CHIVES FOR YOU. OH, YUMMY. THE CHINESE ARE AMAZING. THE WAY THEY RESPECT FOOD AND HOW THEY COOK IT. AND IT HAS TO BE RIGHT. LOOK AT ALL THESE MUSHROOMS. PEOPLE COME HERE AND THEY BUY A LIVE FISH AND THEN GO HOME AND COOK IT. TO ME, THERE’S NOTHING BETTER THAN THIS. IT’S TRUE. MEANING OF FRESH. NOW WE COOK, NOW WE COOK. WE CHECK OUT AND ROLL OUT TO CAMBRIDGE. INSIDE THE CHARLES HOTEL IS BAR ENZA SHIRE’S LATEST PROJECT. SHE’S CHEF PARTNER AND THE MIND BEHIND EVERY MENU, SKETCHING OUT EACH DISH FOR HER TEAM BEFORE THEY HIT THE PLATE. I HAVE NEVER PUT IN A NEW MENU THAT I HAVEN’T DRAWN. PICTURES. LYDIA’S CAREER CAME FROM HUSTLE, GRIT AND SACRIFICE. YOU SOLD YOUR ENGAGEMENT RING TO GO TO CULINARY SCHOOL? YEAH. YOU KNOW, I WAS MARRIED AND HAD MY FIRST BABY AT 17. MY HUSBAND DROPPED ME FOR ANOTHER WOMAN. I NEEDED A JOB, AND THAT’S WHEN I APPLIED TO THE MAISON ROBERT AND THEY HIRED ME. SHE CREDITS HER PARENTS FOR HER FAMOUS FLAIR. MY PARENTS WERE ARTISTS. THEY WERE FASHION ILLUSTRATORS. I HAD GREAT PARENTS AS TEACHERS. I REALLY GOT MY DOGGEDNESS FROM MY MOTHER. MY MOTHER ONLY WORE RED SHOES AND THAT’S WHY I LOVE COLOR. WAS COOKING ALWAYS IN YOU? DID YOU KNOW? YES. OH, I KNEW MY FATHER WAS THE ONE WHO TAUGHT ME. I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD AND I WAS PEELING FRESH GARLIC. WHAT KEEPS YOU HUNGRY FOR IT? MY BRAIN IS 21 YEARS OLD, 100%. AS LONG AS MY BRAIN NEVER FAILS ME AND IT WON’T, I CAN TELL. I GET UP IN THE MORNING AND I RIGHT AWAY. I THINK OF PHONE NUMBERS OR WHATEVER TO KEEP MY BRAIN ACTIVE ON THIS NIGHT. IT’S CRISPY ROAST PORK BELLY. THAT’S A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF PORK BELLY WITH YELLOW CHIVES BOUGHT AT THE MARKET ALONG WITH LEMONGRASS OIL THAT I MADE YESTERDAY FOR SHAYNA AND NANTUCKET SCALLOPS. HERE, I’VE RECONSTRUCTED A CHINESE DISH, BUT NOW I’M ADDING AMERICAN INFLUENCES TO IT. THESE BEAUTIFUL SCALLOPS FROM NANTUCKET. OH, LYDIA. THANK YOU. YOUR FOOD IS ALMOST, ALMOST AS DELIGHTFUL AS YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM SO HUNGRY, SO GOOD. THAT’S UNBELIEVABLE. YOU KNOW, LYDIA TALKED A LOT ABOUT COLORS BEING IMPORTANT. OR SAYS ORANGE IS HER FAVORITE COLOR BECAUSE IT’S LIKE FIRE. I LOVE THAT. AND WHEN SHE COOKS A SPECIAL MEAL, SHE DOESN’T JUST BRING THE FOOD, SHE BRINGS THE DISHES AND THE SETTINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MEAL TRULY REFLECTS HER, AS SHE DID WITH US, WHICH WAS FANTASTIC. AND BACK TO PEACH FARM. THE OWNERS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY ARE RETIRING. THE RESTAURANT WILL CLOSE TEMPORARILY, BUT THE NEW OWNERS
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Still Sizzling: Chef Lydia Shire’s enduring legacy in Boston cuisine
With a career rooted in hustle and heart, the Boston legend remains one of America’s most influential chefs
Updated: 8:04 PM EDT Apr 2, 2026
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Editorial Standards ⓘ
In Boston’s culinary world, Lydia Shire is a legend. The first woman to win a James Beard Award in the Northeast, Shire has mentored generations of chefs and helped shape the city’s food scene for 50 years.At 77, she’s still a creative force. Her latest project, Bar Enza at The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, is a testament to her energy—she still hand-sketches every dish before it hits the plate. She also continues to find inspiration in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood, frequenting markets and restaurants such as Peach Farm Restaurant, where she says she has dined for 30 years. Shire’s path to culinary success was paved with grit. Married and a mother at the age of 17, she sold her engagement ring to attend culinary school after her marriage ended. She drew support from Julia Child, who loved her cooking and helped launch her into the chef’s seat at Harvest in Cambridge.Today, Shire is best known for restaurants including Scampo at the Liberty Hotel, as well as for her bold, personal style—driven by her artist parents and relentless curiosity. “My brain is 21,” she says. “As long as it stays that way, I’ll keep going.”Lydia Shire’s food is deeply personal, endlessly creative—and still, unmistakably hers.
In Boston’s culinary world, Lydia Shire is a legend. The first woman to win a James Beard Award in the Northeast, Shire has mentored generations of chefs and helped shape the city’s food scene for 50 years.
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At 77, she’s still a creative force. Her latest project, Bar Enza at The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, is a testament to her energy—she still hand-sketches every dish before it hits the plate. She also continues to find inspiration in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood, frequenting markets and restaurants such as Peach Farm Restaurant, where she says she has dined for 30 years.
Shire’s path to culinary success was paved with grit. Married and a mother at the age of 17, she sold her engagement ring to attend culinary school after her marriage ended. She drew support from Julia Child, who loved her cooking and helped launch her into the chef’s seat at Harvest in Cambridge.
Today, Shire is best known for restaurants including Scampo at the Liberty Hotel, as well as for her bold, personal style—driven by her artist parents and relentless curiosity. “My brain is 21,” she says. “As long as it stays that way, I’ll keep going.”
I hope to honor my grandfather’s memory and help ensure a future where fewer families must face this devastating disease.
By Kelly Chan
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1 minute to read
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.
Name: Abigail Zerbey Age: 24 City: North Andover
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I am honored and excited to be running the 2026 Boston Marathon in memory of my grandfather and in support of Massachusetts General Hospital — a place that means the world to me. MGH is where my grandfather received amazing care during his fight with pancreatic cancer, and it’s also where I’ve recently begun my career as a registered nurse on Bigelow 7.
After my grandfather’s diagnosis, our family made countless trips to MGH for chemotherapy and other treatments. Though I was young at the time, I vividly remember the compassion, dedication, and strength shown by his care team. The nurses didn’t just care for my grandfather — they supported our entire family with empathy and hope, never giving up even during the hardest moments.
Now, as a new registered nurse at MGH, I strive every day to provide that same level of care to my patients and their loved ones. Running these 26.2 miles is my way of saying thank you to the medical team who cared for my grandfather, and to the hospital that has become such a meaningful part of my life.
I am raising money to support the exceptional care MGH provides to patients around the world, as well as pediatric cancer research and the home base program. Through these 26.2 miles, I hope to honor my grandfather’s memory and help ensure a future where fewer families must face this devastating disease.
Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
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Kelly Chan
Content Producer
Kelly Chan is a content producer at Boston.com. She designs multimedia content on site and across social media platforms, and experiments with new ways to engage readers.
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