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Ex-Bulger Associate Arraigned In Armored Truck Guard Killing

WORCESTER (AP/CBS) — An 80-year-old former associate of ex-Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger has pleaded not guilty in the 1991 fatal shooting of an armored truck guard in Massachusetts.

Ralph DeMasi, of Amesbury, also was ordered held without bail during his arraignment Wednesday on murder and robbery charges in Worcester Superior Court.

Edward Morlock was shot while carrying bags of money from a Worcester supermarket. Prosecutors say DeMasi and three other men who have since died robbed Morlock and escaped in a waiting car.

Worcsester Police Chief Steve Sargent was a young officer at the time and responded to the scene. "I went to the hospital to speak to the victim, there I watched him die, this has always been a personal case for me," Sargent said.

Al Towle was Morlock's co-worker and swapped shifts with him that day. "I would like to be able to go up to (DeMasi) and ask him 'Why did you have to kill him? Why did you have to pull that trigger?' I want to know why," Towle said Wednesday.

DeMasi's daughter does not think her father was capable of murder. "He's always been very loving, good father, good grandfather," Susan DeMasi said. "I can't even comprehend it, it's unbelievable."

DeMasi served more than 21 years in prison for a different armored car robbery and later testified during Bulger's 2013 racketeering trial. Bulger is now serving a life prison sentence.

DeMasi's lawyer said Wednesday that he didn't have information about evidence in the 1991 killing.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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