Families feel relief, anger at Bulger's capture

BOSTON -- The families of victims allegedly killed at the hands of James "Whitey" Bulger are responding to his capture with mixed emotions.

The families say they look forward to seeing the 81-year-old Bulger in federal court in Boston, where he faces 19 murder indictments.

The bodies of Whitey’s alleged victims became unearthed in neighborhoods in Dorchester and Quincy about 10 years ago. The families of those victims said Bulger's capture on Wednesday in Santa Monica, Calif. after 16 years on the lam, doesn't provide closure.

Patricia Donohue says she never thought she'd live to see Bulger in custody.

“I never thought this day would come. Ever,” said Patricia Donahue.

The 66-year-old Dorchester woman is the widow of Michael Donahue. Bulger allegedly killed him in 1982. Donahue was not Bulger's target, but happened to be giving a ride to a man who was.

“I would like to see Bulger rot in jail because I think he should sit there by himself and suffer like we did for all these years,” said Patricia Donahue.

Tommy Donahue was 8 years-old when his father died. He finds it hard to stomach that Bulger was hiding in sunny California for all these years.

“He’s walking the beach, got tons of money on him. That makes me sick. Ya know, and he’s hiding in plain sight,” said Tommy Donahue.

While Patricia wants Bulger to rot behind bars, Tommy has other ideas.

“I want him to go to jail for a little while and then I want him to fry,” said Tommy. “I want him to get either the needle, the chair, whatever it takes. I do want to see him do that.”

The Davis family is also experiencing mixed emotions after Bulger was arrested.

“I wish I was the one that got him,” said Stephen Davis.

He and his brother are glad Whitey Bugler’s been caught, but want more from the man who allegedly killed their sister, Debra Davis, and then cut off her fingers and pulled her teeth to block identification of her body.

“I’m an eye for an eye type of guy,” said Stephen. “I would have been more glad if I found him. I would have done the same thing to him as he’d done to my sister.”

Davis’ body was found in Dorchester 11 years ago - five years after Bulger went on the run.

Debra Davis had been Steven Fleming’s girlfriend. Bulger and his partner in crime, Steve Fleming allegedly strangled Davis in 1981 because she knew too much.

“We’re just happy that they caught up with him,” said Robert Davis. “We think it should have happened a long time ago.”

The Davis family filed suit against the federal government for protecting Bulger. It’s unclear how the Bulger arrest will affect that suit.

“It’s all important to me. It’s all important to our family just to be able to move on and put this behind us,” said Robert Davis.

“I still want revenge,” said Stephen Davis.

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