Operations director of Santa Monica nonprofit discovered lifeless alongside spouse

A famous Santa Monica determine in command of boosting enterprise, group and security within the metropolis’s downtown core was discovered lifeless inside his Venice dwelling alongside his spouse, authorities mentioned.

The Los Angeles Police Division responded to a taking pictures incident reported within the 600 block of Superba Avenue at 10:50 a.m. Tuesday, based on a division spokesperson.

Inside, they discovered Jeremy Ferguson, who served as director of operations for the nonprofit group Downtown Santa Monica Inc., and his spouse, Mandy Zelinka, with deadly gunshot wounds, a legislation enforcement supply conversant in the incident informed The Occasions.

The incident is being investigated as a attainable murder-suicide, the LAPD spokesperson mentioned.

Debbie Lee, the chief govt of DTSM, mentioned in a press release Wednesday that the group was heartbroken as staff processed the information of Ferguson’s loss of life.

“Jeremy was a cherished member of our group and a real champion for Downtown Santa Monica,” she mentioned. “His ardour for placemaking and the dedication he dropped at his work every day made an enduring impression. He shall be deeply missed.”

The L.A. County health worker confirmed that Zelinka, 49, died Tuesday at a residence.

DTSM is a nonprofit group that works with the town of Santa Monica to advertise financial growth and group occasions within the downtown enterprise district. It’s funded by a mixture of property assessments, enterprise license tax, metropolis contracts and occasion income.

Ferguson introduced greater than 25 years of public-sector expertise to his position with the group, the place he oversaw a redesign of the town’s annual vacation ice-skating rink and helped launch the town’s first out of doors seasonal roller-skating rink, based on reporting from the Santa Monica Each day Press.