The wrongful-death battle over an alleged ambush killing in the Outer Sunset is now playing out on two fronts: criminal court and civil court. The son of 58-year-old Eric Bigone has filed a lawsuit accusing his father's landlord and the landlord’s wife of conspiring to murder him so they could sell the house. The complaint, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, seeks general and punitive damages and asks a judge to bar the couple from transferring or selling the property. Authorities arrested 68-year-old landlord Philippe Chagniot on May 27, and prosecutors say Bigone was ambushed on the morning of May 17.
According to a press release from the San Francisco Police Department, officers responded to a shooting in the 2500 block of 46th Avenue on May 17 at about 5:21 AM. First responders found Bigone suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators say they later identified a suspect and arrested him on May 27, executing a search warrant at the suspect’s home that produced evidence connected to the case. The department listed the investigation as SFPD case #260-276-332 and asked anyone with information to contact the tip line.
What prosecutors say
Prosecutors describe the killing as a carefully staged ambush. They say surveillance video shows someone spray-painting nearby security cameras, then setting a small fire on the roof of Bigone’s car to draw him outside. The shooter allegedly approached from behind and opened fire with a silenced, fully automatic MAC-10, then rode away on a bicycle. According to the district attorney's account, the shooter fired again after Bigone fell to the ground, a detail authorities say was captured on video during the investigation. These allegations were detailed by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Bigone’s son, Dino, filed the civil complaint this week, alleging the Chagniots began harassing his father in January by sending unlawful notices to enter, threatening eviction and refusing to accept his $3,200 monthly rent payments in an effort to force him out so the property could be sold. The complaint claims the couple conspired to lure Bigone outside on May 17 by setting his car on fire and then ambushing him, and it cites texts and calls the family says were made after the killing. The suit brings ten claims - including wrongful death, survivorship, battery, breach of contract and negligence - and asks a court to prevent any sale of the house while the case proceeds, according to Courthouse News Service.
Legal fallout
Chagniot has pleaded not guilty to murder, arson and multiple weapons counts and remains in custody after prosecutors moved to detain him. Court filings show his defense did not immediately seek bail. Prosecutors allege he possessed an automatic firearm, a silencer and a high-capacity magazine, and they have charged the special circumstance of lying in wait, which can elevate punishment if proven at trial. The criminal case carries potential life-in-prison exposure if a jury convicts on first-degree murder with special circumstances, and the civil suit gives the family a parallel route to seek damages and block a sale, as reported by KTVU.
Neighbors and friends described Bigone as a longtime Outer Sunset resident who worked for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and helped organize community boxing events. After the shooting, flowers, candles and an SFPUC vest were left at his gate. Friends told reporters the tenant had complained about disputes with his landlord and that the owner had sought to sell the property without paying relocation, a detail echoed in local coverage. As the San Francisco Chronicle reported, Bigone was remembered by neighbors and friends for his presence in the neighborhood.
Police say the homicide probe remains active and have again asked anyone with information to contact the SFPD tip line. The criminal case is slated to return to court on Aug. 24, and the wrongful-death suit remains pending in San Francisco Superior Court as the family seeks damages and an order to block any sale of the property, according to Mission Local.
