282: Phil Torsney and Tommy MacDonald – Whitey Bulger Fugitive Hunt (Part 1)

FBI Retired Case File Review

Jerri Williams

True Crime, Interviews, Fiction, History, Fbi, Government, Truecrime

4.6 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 22 February 2023

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Retired agents Phil Torsney and Tommy MacDonald review how they were selected for a special assignment in Boston to work the unresolved fugitive investigation for James “Whitey” Bulger, a long-time FBI Top Ten Fugitive and Boston organized crime boss who had been in hiding for sixteen years with his girlfriend Catherine Greig.

Bulger had served as an informant for the FBI for several years. His FBI agent handler, John Connelly, was charged and convicted for revealing to Bulger that he was about to be indicted for RICO by the Massachusetts State Police and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Torsney and MacDonald gathered the evidence that finally led to the captured of Bulger and Greig.

Phil Torsney served in the FBI for over 29 years. Tommy MacDonald served for twenty-five years.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to episode 282 of FBI Retired Case File Review with Jerry Williams.
0:12.8	I am a retired agent on a mission to show you who the FBI is and what the FBI does through
0:19.0	my books, my blog and my podcast case reviews with former colleagues.
0:23.8	Today we get to speak to retired agents Phil, Torzny and Tommy McDonald.
0:29.7	In this episode, part one of a two-part episode, they review how they were selected nationwide
0:36.1	for a special assignment in the Boston Division to work the unresolved fugitive investigation
0:42.0	for James Whitey Bulger, a longtime FBI top 10 fugitive and Boston organized crime boss
0:50.0	who hid for 16 years with his girlfriend Catherine Grig before he was captured.
0:56.6	Bulger had served as an informant for the FBI.
0:59.7	His FBI agent handler, John Connolly, was charged and convicted for revealing to Bulger that
1:06.7	he was about to be indicted for Rico by the Massachusetts State Police and the Drug Enforcement
1:12.6	Agency, DEA.
1:14.6	Federal prosecutors later filed a superseding indictment and in addition to the initial
1:20.1	racketeering charges charged him with 19 murders.
1:24.4	Phil Torzny and Tommy McDonald gathered the evidence that finally led to the capture
1:30.2	of Bulger and Grig by agent Scott Garriola in the Los Angeles Division.
1:36.5	Phil Torzny served in the FBI for 29 years.
1:40.2	Most of his career was dedicated to investigating domestic and international violent criminal
1:46.2	activity.
1:47.4	As the coordinator of a multi-agency violent crime fugitive task force in Cleveland, Ohio,
1:54.4	this team worked to apprehend violent fugitives, many who had fled the United States.
2:01.1	Torzny was also an FBI SWAT operator and twice served on FBI tactical deployments to
	...

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