Jeremy Ferguson, director of operations for Downtown Santa Monica and former mayor of Milwaukie, Oregon, allegedly shot his wife Mandy Zelinka at their Venice home on April 21, 2026, before turning the gun on himself in a murder-suicide. Both were found dead with gunshot wounds. Ferguson had sent a suicide note to a friend with instructions to access the residence. The couple was active in the Santa Monica community and their deaths shocked friends and colleagues. Authorities have not disclosed a motive.
Country: United States
State/Province: California, United States
City/Region: Venice
Incident Type: Murder-Suicide
Relationship Status: Married
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Incident Date: April 21, 2026
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2026-04-21
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English labels are shown first. Original-language titles are preserved for source verification.
Original language: English
Santa Monica exec sent haunting note to friend before grisly murder-suicide — as first photo of slain wife revealed
Unknown
The incident involves a murder-suicide within a married couple, but no clear motive or contributing relationship dynamics such as jealousy or domestic violence were disclosed by authorities or sources. The case lacks explicit relationship-driven conflict details, making the pattern uncertain.
Police found both victims with gunshot wounds at their Venice home. Jeremy Ferguson sent a suicide note to a friend with instructions to access the residence, who then alerted authorities. No motive has been disclosed. The case is closed with the suspect deceased. Community and colleagues expressed shock and disbelief. No custody or divorce issues reported.
No confusion reported regarding suspect identity or incident nature. The murder-suicide scenario is supported by the suicide note and police findings.
Jeremy Ferguson allegedly shot his wife Mandy Zelinka at their home on April 21, 2026, then turned the gun on himself. He sent a suicide note to a friend with access instructions, who discovered the scene and notified police. Both were found dead with gunshot wounds. No motive or prior conflict was publicly disclosed. The couple was active in the community and appeared positive before the incident.
Risk indicators include the presence of a suicide note and the fatal outcome of both parties, but no prior signs of domestic conflict or violence were reported, suggesting a sudden or concealed escalation.
Sudden fatal domestic incidents can occur without prior visible signs. Suicide notes and friend involvement in discovery can be critical. Community shock highlights the importance of awareness of hidden distress. No clear motive or warning signs were reported, underscoring challenges in prevention.
No early signals were reported; friends and colleagues described the suspect as positive with no signs of distress.
The suicide note sent by Jeremy Ferguson to a friend was a key clue leading to discovery and confirmation of the murder-suicide.
The suicide note and police findings of gunshot wounds on both victims were the strongest evidence.
Friends and community members expressed shock and disbelief; no direct eyewitness accounts of the incident were reported.
No follow-up reports or motive disclosures were available at the time of publication.
The motive for the murder-suicide remains unclear and undisclosed by authorities.