John Rakes , 59 , is found dead in a Boston - area town . Rakes recently was dropped from a list of potential witnesses against James ` ` Whitey '' Bulger . Rakes `` showed up at court every day for this trial , '' Boston Globe columnist Kevin Cullen told `` CNN Newsroom . '' He had no obvious signs of violence ; police are investigating , Connolly 's office says . Rakes had claimed Bulger , a notorious former Boston mob boss , took his store from him .
John Rakes , 59 , is found dead in a Boston - area town . Rakes recently was dropped from a list of potential witnesses against James ` ` Whitey '' Bulger . He had no obvious signs of violence ; police are investigating , Connolly 's office says . Rakes had claimed Bulger , a notorious former Boston mob boss , took his store from him .