SANTA MONICA—Shortly before 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21, several officers from the Los Angeles Police Department arrived at a residence located in the 600 block of Superba Avenue in Venice in response to reports of a suicide.
Inside the residence, they found two bodies from gunshot wounds. A man, who is believed to be Jeremy Ferguson, a prominent figure in Santa Monica, and the body of a woman, later identified as Mandy Zelinka, 49, his wife, the Los Angeles Medical Examiner indicated.
Ferguson works for Downtown Santa Monica Inc, a local non-profit, as its director of operations, and was also a member of the board of the Santa Monica History Museum.
Before dying, Jeremy Ferguson wrote a suicide note that included directions on how to access the couple’s home. The investigation is ongoing. An exact motive for the shooting has not been released to the public.
The cause of the death for Zelinka has not been released by the Los Angeles Medical Examiner.
Jeremy was elected mayor of Milwaukie, Oregon, early in his career, serving from 2009 until he resigned in February 2015.
“Our hearts are broken as we process the news of the passing of Jeremy Ferguson,” said Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. CEO Debbie Lee. “Jeremy was a cherished member of our team and a true champion for Downtown Santa Monica. His passion for placemaking and the dedication he brought to his work each day made a lasting impact. He will be deeply missed.”
By Daniel Diquinzio