A prominent downtown Santa Monica nonprofit director and his wife were found dead Tuesday inside their Venice home in what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide, according to law enforcement officials.
Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 600 block of Superba Avenue at approximately 10:50 a.m. Tuesday. Inside the residence, officers discovered Jeremy Ferguson, Director of Operations for Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., and his wife, Mandy Zelinka, 49, both suffering from fatal gunshot wounds.
According to KTLA, Ferguson left behind a suicide note that included directions on how to access the couple’s property. Police officials told the outlet that investigators have not yet determined who wielded the firearm.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Zelinka died April 21, 2026, at the residence. Her exact cause of death was not immediately released.
Debbie Lee, chief executive of Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., released a statement Wednesday expressing the organization’s sorrow. “Jeremy was a cherished member of our team and a true champion for Downtown Santa Monica,” she said. “His passion for placemaking and the dedication he brought to his work each day made a lasting impact. He will be deeply missed.”
Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that partners with the city to promote economic development and community events in the downtown business district. The organization is funded through property assessments, business license taxes, city contracts, and event revenue.
Ferguson brought more than 25 years of public-sector experience to his role with the organization. He oversaw a redesign of the city’s annual holiday ice-skating rink and helped launch the city’s first outdoor seasonal roller-skating rink, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press.
Before joining the Santa Monica nonprofit, Ferguson served as deputy director of public works for the city of Davis and as road services operations administrator for King County, Washington. He also served as mayor of Milwaukie, Oregon, from 2009 until his resignation in February 2015.
Ferguson also served on the board of the Santa Monica History Museum.
The LAPD investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis in California, help is available 24 hours a day by calling or texting 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or by calling 911 in an emergency. Anyone who needs to talk can call 800-273-8255 no matter the time of day.
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