A man reportedly suspected of playing a role in yesterday’s prison murder of infamous Boston mafia gangster, James “Whitey” Bulger, is believed to have participated because he considered the elderly man to be a snitch.

At approximately 8:20 a.m. on Tuesday, 89-year-old Bulger was discovered unresponsive in his cell at USP Hazelton in West Virginia, and was later pronounced dead by the Preston County Medical Examiner. He had been transferred to the penitentiary on Monday from a Florida prison, The New York Times reported.

According to TMZ, a source said Bulger, who previously served as an FBI informant, was attacked by three fellow prisoners in the general population section of the prison. The source reportedly told the outlet that one of the men had placed a lock inside of a sock and used it as a weapon to assault Bulger with, adding that the suspects “also attempted to gouge his eyes out with some type of shiv, but were unsuccessful.”

Although no suspects have been identified in the killing, the Boston Globe reports that 51-year-old Fotios “Freddy” Geas is suspected to have played a role in Bulger’s slaying.

Geas was handed down a life sentence and had been serving time at USP Hazelton since 2015. In 2011, he was convicted in the 2003 killing of mobster Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno, of Massachusetts. Geas’ brother, Ty Geas and Nigro Arthur “Artie” were also convicted, all with the help of a former friend who then became an informant to officials, as reported by Mass Live.

As to a motive, a private investigator who reportedly worked for Geas told the Globe that he believes the reported suspect probably knew that Bulger previously worked as an informant, and didn’t like “rats.”

“Freddy hated guys who abused women. Whitey was a rat who killed women. It’s probably that simple,” he said, adding that “Freddy hated rats.”

The two other reported suspects have not been identified.

Bulger had been on the run for 16 years before he was sentenced to life in prison after his 2011 capture in Santa Monica, California. In 2013, a jury ordered him to serve life in prison after being convicted of multiple crimes, including 11 murders.

This is a developing story. CrimeOnline will provide updates as information becomes available.

[Feature Photo: Whitey Bulger and Freddy Geas/Handout]