Former Bell City Councilman Charged With Murdering His Wife

LOS ANGELES, CA — A murder charge was filed Thursday against a former Bell city councilman, who is accused of shooting his 81-year-old wife at their home.

Danny Lee Harber, 76, is set to appear Thursday in a Downey courtroom on the murder charge, which includes an allegation that he used a handgun, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Harber's wife was shot in the upper body about 6:40 a.m. Tuesday in the 4900 block of Weik Avenue in Bell and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez.

Donna Harber had suffered from mental health issues, including dementia, former Bell Councilwoman Violeta Alvarez told NBC4.

The victim's husband was arrested just after 7 a.m. Tuesday and has remained jailed since then in lieu of $2 million bail, jail records show.

Harber, a retired baker, served on the Bell City Council from 2011 to 2013. He was elected following a major scandal that saw eight Bell city officials, including four councilmembers, charged with corruption.

— City News Service contributed to this report.