The family of a Westside nightclub owner strangled to death in Cancun during a vacation with her TV producer husband met with L.A. prosecutors, seeking their counsel on the homicide probe.
Bruce Beresford-Redman, a producer on CBS’ "Survivor" and MTV’s "Pimp My Ride," is considered a "person of interest" in his wife’s death but has not been arrested. Mexican prosecutors said they were awaiting toxicology results before deciding whether to arrest him.
Monica Beresford-Redman, a Westside nightclub owner, died of
strangulation but also suffered several blows to the head, authorities
She died some time on April 5, and her husband reported her missing the
next day. Her body was found Thursday, dumped in a sewer. Authorities
reportedly don’t believe she was killed there.
On Friday, Beresford-Redman, 38, was released by state police in
Mexico after being questioned. He is barred from leaving Mexico until
the investigation is completed. He has denied any role in the slaying of his wife.
Prosecutors said the timeline the producer provided about his
wife’s disappearance appeared to clash with those of some witnesses.
Monica Beresford-Redman’s friends and family held a vigil for her at her nightclub on Sunday.
Two of her sisters have now sought help from the L.A. County district attorney, according to a statement from their attorney. "We have asked the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office to assist in any way that they can in the ongoing investigation
into the murder of Monica Burgos," the statement read.
Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office, told the Associated Press that an office representative met with the family on Monday.
The couple had gone to Mexico for a romantic getaway that
family members said was designed to revive a strained marriage. Guests
at the Moon Palace Hotel in Cancun reported hearing a loud fight coming
from the room the couple shared with their children.
His father, David Beresford-Redman, said in a statement that
his son "loved [his wife] and would never have harmed her. He has our
full support as we try to do what’s best for him and our grandchildren
so they can be reunited soon."
The statement continued: "We urge Mexican law enforcement authorities to identify those responsible for this horrendous crime."
Monica Beresford-Redman, a native of Brazil, owned the Zabumba Restaurant on Venice Boulevard near Overland Avenue.
— Shelby Grad