283: Phil Torsney and Tommy MacDonald – Whitey Bulger Fugitive Hunt (Part 2)
FBI Retired Case File Review
Jerri Williams
4.6 • 2.1K Ratings
🗓️ 9 March 2023
⏱️ 64 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In part two of this two-part episode, retired agents Phil Torsney and Tommy MacDonald review how, during the unresolved fugitive investigation of James “Whitey” Bulger, they altered their investigative strategy by focusing a public media campaign, including a national 30-second Public Service Announcement, on photos they had acquired of Bulger's female companion, 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). Federal prosecutors later filed a superseding indictment and, in addition to the initial racketeering charges, tried and convicted Bulger for nineteen murders. Torsney and MacDonald gathered the evidence that finally led to the dramatic capture of Bulger and Greig by agent Scott Garriola in the LA Division. 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 283 of FBI Retired Case File Review with Jerry Williams. |
| 0:14.4 | I'm a retired agent on a mission to show you who the FBI is and what the FBI does through |
| 0:21.7 | my books, my blog and my podcast case reviews with former colleagues. |
| 0:26.5 | Today, we get to speak to, once again, retired agents Phil Torsney and Tommy McDonald, |
| 0:34.1 | who, in part two of this two-part episode, review how during the unresolved fugitive investigation |
| 0:42.8 | of James Whitey Bulger, they altered their investigative strategy by focusing a national |
| 0:50.1 | media campaign, including a 30-second public service announcement, on photos they had |
| 0:55.8 | acquired a Bulger's female companion, Catherine Gregg. Bulger had served as an informant for |
| 1:02.9 | the FBI for several years. His FBI agent, Hanler John Connolly, was charged and convicted |
| 1:10.4 | for revealing to Bulger that he was about to be indicted for Rico by the Massachusetts state police |
| 1:17.3 | and the Drug Enforcement Agency, DEA. Federal prosecutors later filed a super-seating indictment |
| 1:24.3 | and, in addition to the initial racketeering charges, tried and convicted Bulger for 19 murders. |
| 1:32.4 | Phil and Tommy gathered the evidence that finally led to the dramatic capture of Bulger and Gregg |
| 1:39.2 | by agent Scott Garriola in the LA division. Now, I'm not going to read Tommy and Phil's bio again, |
| 1:46.8 | but I want to remind you that after working the Bulger case as a special assignment during the |
| 1:52.7 | last two years of his FBI career, Phil Torzny was actually transferred from the Cleveland division |
| 1:59.8 | to the Boston field office to coordinate the investigative efforts that resulted in the apprehension |
| 2:06.0 | of Whitey Bulger. And Tommy, after working in Boston on the fugitive case as a special assignment |
| 2:13.0 | from the New York office, later accepted a transfer to the Boston division. Throughout both |
| 2:18.8 | episodes, Phil and Tommy have acknowledged the many agents and FBI staff as well as other law |
| 2:25.7 | enforcement agencies who worked for many years trying to find Whitey Bulger. Phil and Tommy were |
| 2:32.6 | the fortunate ones who found the lead that cracked the case. Now, I've heard from several listeners |
... |
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