Who was William Young? Drug dealer whose murder sent Larry Hoover to prison for 200 years
William ‘Pooky’ Young was killed in 1973, reportedly on Larry Hoover's orders. Hoover, serving 150-200 years
Long before Larry Hoover became so notorious as the leader of the Gangster Disciples, a young drug dealer, William ‘Pooky’ Young, was thriving in a Chicago neighbourhood, until it was cut short in a brutal alley killing.
William Young was just 19 years old when he was gunned down on 26 February 1973. Known locally as a small-time drug dealer.
Authorities said that “Mr. Larry Hoover and his associates had been looking for Mr. William Young because he robbed one of Mr. Larry Hoover’s drug spots, and for this, Mr. Larry Hoover wanted him killed.” Following the mere accusation, whether true or not, Hoover allegedly ordered the hit. Young shot and killed in an alley.
“Upon arrival at the alley, police officers observed the body of 25-year-old Mr. William “Pookey” Young, face down and in a pool of blood. He had sustained one gunshot wound to the right of the bridge of his nose, one to the center of the back of his head, and two to the upper inside of his right arm,” the
court document read.
Hoover was sentenced to 150 to 200 years in an Illinois state prison for ordering the hit. While already behind bars, his influence did not fade. Federal prosecutors would later argue that he continued to run the Gangster Disciples from inside prison, and a second conviction was slapped in 1997 that tacked on six life sentences for drug conspiracy, extortion, and continuing to lead a criminal enterprise.
“I’m a completely different person than the man who went to prison in 1997,” Hoover told the court in 2024. His family and legal team have echoed that claim, insisting that he no longer has ties to the gang and has reformed his life.
