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Dan Rea: Bulger Lived In Freedom He Never Deserved

BOSTON (CBS) – Word of Whitey's Bulger's arrest hit the WBZ NewsRadio 1030 news room just after midnight.

'Nightside' host Dan Rea went back on the air to announce the news with Steve Leveille around 12:15 a.m.

Both Rea and Leveille said they never believed Bulger would be arrested.

"It's wonderful that he's being brought to justice," said Rea, who has been following the Bulger case for decades.

"This guy lived 16-and-a-half years of freedom which he never deserved."

Read: Keller @ Large: Bulger Execution Can't Come Soon Enough

"It's interesting he's caught in Santa Monica, because early on there was a lot of speculation that he wanted to be near the Mexican border because he had some heart issues and that he could get medication in Mexico for heart issues without being tracked down."

The Scene: Whitey Bulger's Home In Santa Monica, California

Rea said Bulger should have been captured a long time ago, but he praised the FBI for its persistence.

"The reason he beat the system was because of the corruption that existed in the FBI office here in Boston throughout the 1960's, the 1970's, the 1980's and into the 1990's."

"The capture will bring some glory to the current FBI office, as it should," Rea said.

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