Tragedy hits coastal community as victims identified in second grisly murder-suicide this year

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Santa Monica is reeling from another apparent murder-suicide — just months after a similar tragedy claimed the lives of another local couple.

Nicole Rabitzsch, 47, and her husband, Hendrick Rabitzsch, 48, were found dead inside their home in the 3100 block of Pico Boulevard Saturday night.

Both had suffered gunshot wounds to the head, and investigators believe Hendrick fatally shot his wife before turning the gun on himself.

“A firearm was recovered at the scene. No other individuals are believed to have been involved. This was an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the public,” the Santa Monica Police Department said.

“The identities of the deceased are being withheld pending formal identification and notification of next of kin by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner,” police added.

Investigators believe the shooting happened at around 6:42 a.m. — but the couple’s bodies weren’t discovered until roughly 9:40 p.m., when officers arrived at the home for a welfare check.

Rabitzsch had worked for nearly 13 years at an Audi dealership in downtown Los Angeles and previously spent more than five years working for the automaker in Germany, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Santa Monica Police Department Watch Commander at 310-458-8427.

The grisly discovery comes just five months after another Santa Monica-area couple was found dead in an apparent murder-suicide.

Jeremy Ferguson, a senior nonprofit executive involved in downtown Santa Monica’s business and placemaking efforts, and his wife were found dead from gunshot wounds in April.

Ferguson served as director of operations for the city and previously was mayor of Milwaukie, Oregon, from 2009 to 2015.

The couple were both found dead with gunshot wounds in April.

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