A noted Santa Monica figure in charge of boosting business, community and safety in the city’s downtown core was found dead inside his Venice home alongside his wife, authorities said.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to a shooting incident reported in the 600 block of Superba Avenue at 10:50 a.m. Tuesday, according to a department spokesperson.
Inside, they found Jeremy Ferguson, who served as director of operations for the nonprofit organization Downtown Santa Monica Inc., and his wife, Mandy Zelinka, with fatal gunshot wounds, a law enforcement source familiar with the incident told The Times.
The incident is being investigated as a possible murder-suicide, the LAPD spokesperson said.
Debbie Lee, the chief executive of DTSM, said in a statement Wednesday that the organization was heartbroken as employees processed the news of Ferguson’s death.
“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.”
The L.A. County medical examiner confirmed that Zelinka, 49, died Tuesday at a residence.
DTSM is a nonprofit organization that works with the city of Santa Monica to promote economic development and community events in the downtown business district. It is funded through a combination of property assessments, business license tax, city contracts and event revenue.
Ferguson brought more than 25 years of public-sector experience to his role with the organization, where 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 reporting from the Santa Monica Daily Press.
