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Bulger's Ex-Partner Testifies; Alleged Bulger Victim Found Dead

There were some major developments in the trial of James "Whitey" Bulger Thursday. The long anticipated testimony of close Bulger associate Stephen Flemmi finally got underway.

But also Thursday, overshadowing Flemmi's testimony, was the sudden and mysterious death of a key figure in the Bulger saga, a man who once owned a South Boston Liquor store Bulger allegedly tried to shake down.

Investigators are saying very little about the death of the Rakes who had hoped to testify against Bulger and whose body was discovered Wednesday in a wooded area of Lincoln.

"The deceased male has been identified as Stephen Rakes, 59, of Quincy. There were no obvious signs of trauma. The office of the chief medical examiner is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death," said Lincoln Police Sergeant Sean Kennedy.

WBUR's David Boeri joined All Things Considered from the federal courthouse in Boston with the latest on the Bulger trial.

This program aired on July 18, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.

Headshot of David Boeri

David Boeri Senior Reporter
Now retired, David Boeri was a senior reporter at WBUR.

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