Wrongful death suit in case of slain Calif. mayor

BELL GARDENS, Calif. - The mother of slain Bell Gardens Mayor Daniel Crespo has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against his wife, saying she shot him "with malice and in cold blood."

The suit demanding some $53 million was filed Monday on behalf of Crespo's mother, Otila Santos, and another of her sons, William Crespo, who is acting as her guardian. Santos is reportedly in a nursing home.

Los Angeles County sheriff's officials are still investigating the incident. They've said Lyvette Crespo shot her husband after he punched their 19-year-old son. In a 911 call, the son says his mother was defending herself.

But the lawsuit calls Lyvette Crespo a "cold-blooded killer" who picked a fight with her husband knowing their son would intervene.

During a press conference announcing the lawsuit Monday, William Crespo said, "I feel this murder was planned. That's all I can say. It was planned."

"Lyvette, you should not have killed my brother. You belong behind bars for killing my brother," he continued, according to CBS Los Angeles.

William Crespo went on to say that his family has obtained text messages that were sent by his brother to Lyvette Crespo earlier this year.

He says one of the messages from Daniel Crespo to his wife reads, "It better b d last time U threaten to shoot me in d head!!!"

Lyvette Crespo's attorney, Eber Bayona, tells the Los Angeles Times the lawsuit contains many factual inaccuracies, but declined to elaborate.