May 30, 2008 9:18 pm US/Central
Wife Files Lawsuit Over West Side Factory Murder
CHICAGO (STNG) ―
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Filberto Flores (left), 49, and his son Ermilo, 22, have been charged with the murder of Santos Rivera at a West Side factory.
CBS/Chicago Police
The wife of a man fatally shot in the head at a West Side factory in April has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, claiming her husband's employers did nothing to prevent the violence.
Cristina Fuentes, wife of Santos Rivera, filed suit Friday in Cook County Circuit Court against O and G Spring and Wire Form Specialty Co., claiming wrongful death in Rivera's April 30 murder at 4500 W. Division St.
Santos Rivera, a married father of three, was shot just before 2 p.m. at O and G. The suit says Rivera and another employee quarreled sometime earlier in the day on April 30.
Ermilo Flores, 22, of the 2500 block of West Palmer Street, and his father, Filberto Flores, 49, of the 3400 block of South Tripp Street, are each charged with first-degree murder in the killing.
Rivera, 28, of 2242 N. Laramie Ave., was pronounced dead on the scene at 4:30 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. An autopsy revealed he died from a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a homicide.
On April 30, Filberto Flores threatened and hit Rivera during an argument, the suit claims. Rivera then made a request for his employer to call police, but his requests were denied.
Soon after the fight, Filiberto Flores returned with his son, who shot and killed Rivera, the suit said.
Fuentes claims prior to April 30, Filberto Flores abused alcohol on a regular basis, sometimes arriving at work intoxicated. The suit alleges Filberto Flores was a violent man who often threatened other workers, and for several months prior to the incident had threatened Rivera and his family.
The suit also claims Rivera's employers should have known Filberto Flores was a violent man and posed a risk of great harm or death to those who came into contact with him.
Santos Rivera requested that his employer take precautions to protect him against Filiberto Flores, but they did nothing, the suit said.
O and G breached its duties and failed to take the proper precautions to keep Rivera safe, then negligently failed to contact police when specifically requested to do so, the suit claims.
It seeks more than $50,000, plus additional relief.
(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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