Howie Winter
Howard Thomas Winter (March 17, 1929 – November 12, 2020) was an American mobster. He was a leader of the Winter Hill Gang. Early life. Winter was born in Boston, Massachusetts on March 17, 1929. He was of German and Irish descent. Winter died on November 12, 2020 at his home in Milbury, Massachusetts. Irish Mob. Winter was the right-hand man to the originator of the gang, James "Buddy" McLean and took over the rackets, along with Joe McDonald, when McLean was killed during the Irish Mob Wars in 1965. In 1979 Winter, McDonald and other members of  the Winter Hill Gang were arrested and indicted on federal "horse race fixing" charges. James "Whitey" Bulger then replaced Winter as boss of the gang. Winter was released from prison in 1987 and relocated to St. Louis, where he was in contact with gang associate James "Gentleman Jim" Mulvey, who was a close friend of Raymond L. S. Patriarca. In 1993, he was caught dealing cocaine. When the FBI informed him that Bulger had been an informant all those years and offered Winter a deal if he would inform on Bulger, Winter refused the deal telling the FBI that Mulvey  has already informed him of that and he was no "rat", despite facing another decade behind bars, which he would serve, being released from prison in July 2002. Later life. Following his release from prison, Winter worked out of his home in Millbury as a property manager. In 2012, Winter was arrested on charges of extorting money from two people. He pled guilty and was placed on probation. Personal life. He married Rosemary O'Brien and he had two sons, Howard E. Winter (1950–2012), Gary J Winter (1951–2001). Winter died of a heart attack, on November 12, 2020 in Millbury at  the age of 91.