Mayor of Bell Gardens, California, fatally shot in domestic quarrel

BELL GARDENS --The mayor of a Los Angeles suburb was shot to death Tuesday during an argument with his wife, who was taken into custody, authorities said.

Daniel Crespo, 45, was pronounced dead at a hospital, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Crystal Hernandez said. Paramedics were called to a Bell Gardens condominium shortly after 2:30 p.m.

Crespo and his wife, Levette Crespo, 43, had gotten into an argument, Hernandez said. Their son, Daniel Jr., 19, tried to intervene, and Crespo got into a struggle with him, she said.

Levette Crespo got a gun and shot her husband several times in the torso, and she was detained for questioning, Hernandez said.

Crespo and his wife were high school sweethearts who married in 1986. They met in New York, according to a biography on the city's website.

Bell Gardens, a suburb of about 43,000, is located about 18 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Crespo was elected to the City Council in 2001. The council is a part-time job and members take turns serving as mayor.

The city's website Tuesday night had an image of a black bow and a statement from Mayor Pro Tem Priscilla Flores and three council members that said the shooting doesn't appear to be related to Crespo's mayoral activities.

"Our thoughts and prayers should be with Mayor Crespo's family at this tragic time," the statement said.

Crespo has been a county deputy probation officer for 15 years, according to the website. However, county CEO Bill Fujioka stated in a Twitter posting that Crespo had more than 21 years with the probation department.