Boston Man Sentenced for Two Cold Case Killings Linked to 1980s, 1990s Violence
A Boston man has admitted to two long-unsolved killings, one of which prosecutors say may be connected to notorious mob boss Whitey Bulger.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office announced in a press release on Wednesday, Nov. 5, that 65-year-old Michael Lewis pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter for homicides committed in 1984 and 1993.
Lewis received two 15-year prison sentences, which will be served concurrently, according to the release.
Prosecutors said that in 1984, Lewis and another man were involved in the drug trade in South Boston and were attempting to prevent a rival dealer from selling in their territory.
They approached Brian Watson and asked him to guide them to the targeted dealer. Watson agreed and got into the backseat of their vehicle, the release said. Once he was inside the car, Lewis “suddenly turned, shot and killed Watson,” according to prosecutors.
The two men later dumped Watson’s body off I-93 in Manchester.
NBC 10 and WCVB reported that prosecutors believe Watson’s killing may be connected to Bulger — the feared leader of the Winter Hill Gang in the Boston area, who was later exposed as an FBI informant.
Bulger himself was killed in federal prison while serving a life sentence on racketeering charges. His life and crimes were dramatized in the 2015 film Black Mass, in which he was portrayed by Johnny Depp.
Lewis — whose attorney has denied any connection to Bulger, per WCVB — also pleaded guilty in the separate 1993 killing of 46-year-old William Villani, prosecutors said.
Villani, Lewis’ supervisor at the Boston Housing Authority Pest Control Unit, was found beaten, stabbed and shot in his office. A bag of pesticide had been placed on his body, according to the release, which alleges that Lewis became angry after being required to return to work following a “lengthy excused absence.”
“I’m grateful that family members of Brian Watson and William Villani finally have answers, after so many years with no answers, about what happened to their loved ones and who was responsible for what happened,” Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement.
