Joe McDonald (mobster)
Joseph Maurice "Joe Mac" McDonald (July 14, 1917 – August 6, 1997) was an Irish-American mobster and a charter member of the Winter Hill Gang.
Joe McDonald | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 14, 1917 |
| Died | August 6, 1997 (aged 80) |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Joe Mac |
| Occupation | Mobster |
| Allegiance | Winter Hill Gang |
| Criminal charge | Armed robbery |
Early life
McDonald was born in 1917 in Somerville, Massachusetts. He was of Scottish and Irish descent.
Winter Hill Gang
McDonald was one of the originators of the Irish/Italian Winter Hill Gang and was a close friend and mentor to mob bosses Buddy McLean and Howie Winter. A veteran of World War II, McDonald was a skilled contract killer. In 1963, he escaped from prison while serving a 12 to 18 year sentence for armed robbery. Along with twenty-one other associates, including Winter, McDonald was indicted on charges of fixing horse races in 1979. He was also responsible for bringing in the youngest associate James "Gentleman Jim" Mulvey.[1] He subsequently went on to be a fugitive in Florida. Later, while on the lam, McDonald and associate, Johnny Martorano, murdered businessman Roger Wheeler in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[2]
Personal life
Joe had one brother, Leo McDonald, who was also a criminal affiliated with the Winter Hill Gang. McDonald died of a stroke in 1997.
References
- McDonald, Danny (April 25, 2013). "My Cousin Joe Was a Hit Man for the Boston Mob". Vice. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
- Landsbaum, Claire (September 23, 2015). "Here's What's Fact and What's Fiction in Black Mass". Slate. Retrieved August 6, 2016.