An autopsy report of a California mayor shot dead by his wife reveals that she had suffered years of abuse.
Los Angeles County sheriff's officials say Lyvette Crespo shot her husband Daniel - who was the mayor of Bell Gardens - several times in October after he got into a physical altercation with their 19-year-old son.
Now, an autopsy report reveals that Lyvette's daughter Crystal told investigators that Daniel had been '“verbally and physically abusive to her mother over 20 years.'
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Shooting: Sheriff's officials say Lyvette Crespo (second from right) shot husband Daniel Crespo (far left), several times in October after he got into a physical altercation with their 19-year-old son (far right)
What happened? Mayor Daniel Crespo, pictured with daughter Chrystal, allegedly told his brother William there was another woman
Crystal also stated that the abuse had become worse over the past two years.
'The decedent and his wife were not sleeping in the same bedroom, and he was known to drag her by the hair to force her to do so,' said the report, according to the Los Angeles Times.
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Share 1.1k sharesThe coroner's investigator's notes also stated, 'The decedent had threatened to kill her and the children if she attempted to report the abuse.'
It was also noted that Daniel's mistress had begun making calls to the home.
Claudia Osuna, a lawyer for the Crespos' adult son and daughter, said her clients were standing by their mother. She stated that the son also was a victim of domestic violence.
A biography on the Bell Gardens website said the Crespos were high school sweethearts who married as teenagers in 1986.
The Crespos were reportedly high school sweethearts who married as teenagers in 1986
Domestic unrest: The Bell Gardens mayor was in an argument with his wife when his son reportedly interviewed. The two men then got into a physical fight
Authorities believe the two were fighting when their son, Daniel, tried to intervene and got into a struggle with his father, sheriff's Deputy Crystal Hernandez said. His mother then got a gun and opened fire, Hernandez said.
Bell Gardens, a city of about 43,000, is one of a series of nondescript suburbs southeast of Los Angeles. The 2.5-square mile city is bordered by several other small towns. One is the city of Bell, which became synonymous with municipal corruption after several former officials were convicted of fleecing millions from taxpayers and padding their salaries.
Bell Gardens City Council members serve part-time and rotate the mayor's position among themselves.
Crespo, first elected to the council in 2001, was a Los Angeles County deputy probation officer.
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