Santa Monica exec sent haunting note to friend before grisly murder-suicide — as first photo of slain wife revealed

A Santa Monica executive sent a disturbing letter to his friend before he shot his wife in a shocking murder-suicide, cops have revealed.

Jeremy Ferguson, who served as director of operations for Downtown Santa Monica, is believed to have shot dead Mandy Zelinka at their home in Venice Tuesday morning.

Police said both were found dead in the property suffering gunshot wounds, with officers probing the idea he shot her then turned the gun on himself.

NBC4 reports Ferguson sent a suicide note to his friend that included instructions about how to get into the residence. That friend called cops after discovering the scene.

The Santa Monica community has been rocked by the slaying, with friends reacting with shock and only positive words to say about the couple.

Jowanda Dziesinski with Green Goddess Pedicab Santa Monica said the couple were active in bringing art, culture, and business to the area after moving there around three years ago.

She told The Post: things don’t add up, saying: “I’m in total shock. It just doesn’t line up for me. He was just full of future projects.

“I feel shocked and am upset on a personal level. And I also feel disbelief about the scenario that’s being presented. It doesn’t make sense.

“The person I know is getting up early in the morning, all super positive, all super beneficial. There was no sign of this.” Dziesinski said their deaths were a huge loss to the city.

She continued: “He is the top person that really cared about the city…to lose him is we just lost the best person that was going to help bring Santa Monica back to its former state.”

Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. issued a statement mourning his death. “Our hearts are broken as we process the news of the passing of Jeremy Ferguson,” said DTSM CEO Debbie Lee.

“Jeremy was a cherished member of our team and a true champion for Downtown Santa Monica. His passion for placemaking and the dedication he brought to his work each day made a lasting impact. He will be deeply missed.”

Ferguson brought more than 25 years of experience in public service and transportation to his role. Earlier in his career, he was elected mayor of Milwaukie, Oregon, a suburb of Portland, from 2009 until 2015.

At Downtown Santa Monica, Ferguson oversaw several high-profile projects, including a redesign of the Ice at Santa Monica seasonal rink, which increased capacity by 25% and generated nearly $1.1 million in gross revenue during its 2023–24 Netflix-sponsored season, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press.

In August 2024, he helped launch Roll at Santa Monica, the city’s first outdoor seasonal roller rink. He also served on the board of the Santa Monica History Museum.

Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

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