Winter Hill hitman John Martorano's testimony has spellbound the region as he has recounted in James "Whitey" Bulger's trial his life of crime, but to Martorano's neighbor in Milford, he's just "John," a quiet older man with two little dogs who keeps to himself.
"Very quiet," said Richard Vayo, who lives in the condo next door to Martorano. "Just says ‘Hi' and that's about it. He doesn't appear to be the type of neighbor that goes around and having coffee with the rest of the neighbors, and that's the way I like it too."
Martorano, who admitted killing 20 people, testified Wednesday in Bulger's racketeering trial in Boston.
Bulger's lawyer branded Martorano as a chronic liar, repeatedly pointing out inconsistencies between what he told investigators in the late `90s and what he told jurors this week.
Martorano wrapped up three days of testimony after prosecutor Fred Wyshak tried to rehabilitate him in the eyes of jurors. Wyshak went through 11 murders and asked him if he and Bulger were involved in each. "Correct," Martorano replied each time.
Martorano bought the condo, located just off the green of the first hole of a golf course at the complex, through a realty trust in May 2011 for $202,000, and is up to date on his water and tax bills, town records show. He lives there with a woman and two small dogs, described by Vayo as "yappers."
"I didn't know anything about the man before all this went down, and I certainly don't expect any trouble now," Vayo said.
Martorano's front and center role in Bulger's trial has helped spread the word through Milford, population about 30,000, about perhaps their most infamous resident.
"What do you think, hearing that he lives here?" FOX Undercover reporter Mike Beaudet asked one resident.
"I'd go up and say, ‘How you doing, what's up. I'd like to hear your side of the story.' And then I'd run like hell," the woman replied.
Milford Police Chief Thomas O'Loughlin is well aware that Martorano lives there.
"Is he on your radar screen?" Beaudet asked him.
"No more than anyone else that lives in Milford," O'Loughlin said.
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