Bell Gardens Mayor Daniel Crespo was shot and killed by his wife, Lyvette, a result of a domestic dispute, on Tuesday afternoon.

Mayor Daniel Crespo Shot By Wife

California state senator Ricardo Lara spoke highly of his colleague, saying his death is “shocking and a tremendous loss for our close-knit community. Mayor Crespo was a respected public servant who dedicated his life to protecting and helping others in southeast Los Angeles and throughout the region."

The 39 year old Crespo was a native of Brooklyn, New York, where he met and married his high school sweetheart, Lyvette. The family moved out to Bell Gardens where they had a daughter in 1987 and a son in 1994. They were married for 28 years.

Crespo was first elected to the Bell Gardens’ city council in 2001 and worked as a Los Angeles County probation officer for over a decade—a job he held on to even after becoming mayor last year.

"It's a horrible day," said Crespo’s neighbor. "He was such a nice man and was so important to the city."

Lyvette Shot Husband To Protect Son

Sometime between 2p.m. 2:30p.m. yesterday, residents of the Vinas la Campana condo heard three loud popping sounds, and found police cordoning off the area a short time later. Not long after that Crespo’s wife Lyvette was being taken away in handcuffs while her son, Daniel, Jr. and husband were being taken to the hospital. Crespo died en route.

His brother William Crespo commented to the press, "I couldn't believe it – I still can't believe it. I have a sick mom and now my brother is gone. He loved (his family) more than life. He loved his wife a lot, he always loved his wife."

According to investigators, Lyvette Crespo was having an altercation with her husband in their bedroom. Daniel interfered and his father started beating him. That’s when Lyvette took her husband’s service weapon and shot him three times, striking the mayor in the chest. Daniel was also questioned, and corroborated his mother’s story; the boy was also being treated for cuts and bruises on his face. Both Lyvette and her son were released with no charges filed against either of them.