VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — The family of a Maltese investigative journalist killed by a car bomb blast wants a top police official removed from the murder probe.

Therese Comodini-Cachia, a lawyer for Daphne Caruana Galizia's family, said a first hearing was set Thursday for Dec. 12 as part of the family's legal efforts aimed at getting Deputy Police Chief Silvio Valletta off the case. Valletta and his wife, Justyne Caruana, minister for Gozo island, were targets of the journalist's criticism.

Caruana isn't related to Caruana Galizia, who was slain on Oct. 16, when a bomb destroyed her car as she drove near home. Maltese police are investigating with the help of the FBI, Europol and Dutch forensic experts.

Valletta was appointed to a government anti-money-laundering agency, which the reporter criticized. Her work probed Maltese tax havens.