Santa Monica Shaken by Unprecedented Cluster of Murder-Suicides

Santa Monica is the kind of place people chase after they believe they have "made it." It’s a wealthy California beachside enclave, its seal proudly declaring "happy people in a happy city." But that image is cracking. This year, the city has been battered by a mysterious cluster of murder-suicides, every one committed by men against their partners.

Since February, three couples have been found dead inside their homes. Two of those discoveries came less than three weeks apart, in September and October. Then there was another case in nearby Venice involving a nonprofit official with deep ties to Santa Monica. It’s a violent break from the recent past. From 2020 to 2025, there were zero reported murder-suicides in Santa Monica.

The numbers are grim. Across Los Angeles and LA County, at least ten cases have been ruled or are being investigated as murder-suicide this year. Last year, that number was just two.

Mental health experts are warning that this could signal a deeper crisis among "well-to-do highfliers" who are desperate to keep up appearances in an affluent community. Forensic psychologists told the Daily Mail that while no single explanation covers all these incidents, financial pressure is often the root cause.

Dr. John De La Torre, a forensic psychologist, pointed to the economic squeeze. "We can see Santa Monica probably being one of those places where economic strains are guiding the violent acts," he said. "Just because it looks like you have a lot of money, it doesn't mean that you actually do. And times right now, especially in the economy, are very difficult for everyone, including those who appear as though they have money."

Dr. Carole Lieberman, a forensic psychiatrist in neighboring Beverly Hills, noted that Santa Monica has faced a decade of mounting challenges. Housing costs have spiked. Homelessness is rampant. More businesses are shuttering. "It has really upset the population who poured their life savings into buying homes in these areas that are now no longer safe, causing a lot of frustration," Lieberman explained.

One man deeply involved in trying to revitalize these struggling areas was Jeremy Ferguson. He served as the director of operations at the nonprofit Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. Ferguson, 53, and his wife Mandy Zelinka, 49, both had successful careers. She was an accomplished hair stylist and entrepreneur. He was focused on raising millions of dollars to bring businesses and tourism back to the historic downtown area.

Before moving to California, Ferguson served as mayor in Milwaukie, Oregon, from 2009 to 2015. He also worked in the public sector and for Portland's transit agency.

Mandy Zelinka was more than just an award-winning hairstylist. She co-owned a thriving salon and curated the widely read "Milwaukie Rules" blog. Her life in Santa Monica was defined by community engagement. She and her husband, Jeremy Ferguson, were fixtures in the downtown core. Ferguson served as director of operations for a nonprofit dedicated to business and safety. Zelinka was an entrepreneur. They volunteered together. They worked side by side.

Then, on April 21, that routine shattered. Ferguson sent an email to a friend. The message contained their door code and instructions to enter the Venice home. It was an ominous note. The couple lived in a multimillion-dollar enclave near Westwood, just five miles from Santa Monica. Their specific residence sat on a quiet Superba Avenue street. It was walking distance from the tourist-heavy Abbot Kinney Boulevard.

Police arrived at the $1.5 million home around 10:50 am. The scene was chilling. Zelinka and Ferguson lay naked next to each other on a blood-soaked bed. Gunshot wounds marked their heads. A .22 caliber rifle and shell casings littered the bed and floor. Toxicology reports later confirmed no drugs or alcohol were present in either body.

Ferguson’s son told investigators his father had "mental health issues." He also mentioned "previous suicidal ideations over several years." Officials determined Ferguson shot his wife with the unregistered rifle before turning the weapon on himself. The LA County Medical Examiner’s Office released a report detailing these findings. It did not reveal the exact words in that final email.

Zelinka’s obituary asked mourners to donate to NAYA. That nonprofit works to end silence around domestic and sexual violence. Experts told the Daily Mail that domestic violence often serves as a precursor to murder-suicide. Lieberman noted that such violence has become more common. "People are taking out the frustrations they have within themselves onto their loved ones," he said.

Affluence plays a role, too. Mental health experts point to the pressure of maintaining a specific standard of living. This is especially true in wealthy areas like Santa Monica. De La Torre offered a blunt observation. "Sometimes there's a need to keep up with the Joneses," he said. The shock in the community was profound. Neighbors rarely saw such darkness behind those quiet doors.

Gul Erdogan, 45, and her husband Aytac Camdeviren, 43, lived in a multimillion-dollar home in Westwood, just west of the LA Country Club. Financial strain did not appear to be an issue for the couple. Erdogan was an entrepreneur and founder of Mega West Enterprises, a company known for designing and manufacturing electronics accessories, camera cases, and other lifestyle products sold under brands like MegaGear and Londo. Camdeviren was listed as the president of Auction Shipper, LLC in 2010, a company no longer in business.

Neighbors described them as a "pretty happy couple," often seen walking hand-in-hand in the area. According to those neighbors, the couple was expecting their first child and celebrated with family and friends at a baby shower on the Fourth of July while Erdogan was eight-and-a-half months pregnant. Six days later, police said Camdeviren fatally shot Erdogan in the head before turning the gun on himself. The 2,480-square-foot home on the 1300 block of Holmby Avenue has since been listed for rent at $15,995 per month.

The case is still under investigation.

Hendrik Rabitzsch, 48, and his wife Nicole Rabitzsch, 47, were another Santa Monica couple who seemed to have it all. They lived in an apartment on the 3100 block of Pico Boulevard, located above a yoga studio. Their social media profiles are filled with smiling pictures in Las Vegas, strolling the beach, or sailing on a cruise. Nicole worked for nearly 13 years at an Audi dealership in downtown LA and previously spent more than five years working for Audi in Germany, according to her LinkedIn.

That all changed on September 26, when Rabitzsch shot his wife and then himself at their home. Police said there were no prior domestic violence calls involving the couple. An investigation into their deaths is ongoing.

Experts warn that access to firearms means a one-off argument could turn deadly, even in a state with relatively strict gun laws. A study released by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) in April found that more than 1,000 people died in murder-suicides in the US in 2025, with 85 percent of the killers using a gun. The study analyzed murder-suicides across the country in the first half of 2025 and found there were 237 incidents, or nine per week. About 65 percent of the murder-suicides involved an intimate partner, while 90 percent of the cases occurred in the home.

"The proliferation of guns only exacerbates the problem, escalating domestic abuse into domestic homicides," VPC Government Affairs Director Kristen Rand told the Daily Mail.

Dr Joe Scroppo, a forensic psychologist and attorney in New York, said a vital factor in murder-suicide cases is "a loss of hope." He noted that these financial burdens could create a feeling of hopelessness as a provider or caretaker. "The demands to take care of someone can be very, very stressful, and that is sometimes seen as a way out of that situation," he said.

"If they're no longer able to keep up that facade, to keep up that appearance, then that will tip them over the edge into wanting to engage in a violent act," Scroppo added. He explained that these murder-suicides are usually desperate acts spurred by some really traumatic event, like the dissolution of the relationship or a person leaving.

Zalinka, who grew up in Oregon, was also an accomplished writer and photographer. Before moving to California, Jeremy Ferguson served as the mayor of Milwaukie for six years before resigning in 2015 to pursue a career in the private sector.

It's a simple equation," Scroppo noted. "The higher the divorce rate, the more there's likely to be conflict."

He pointed out that some perpetrators just cannot tolerate the idea of losing a relationship with someone they feel they must have in their lives. That possessive mindset often drives the most volatile situations.

Then there is the pressure of image. Scroppo observed that stigma surrounds mental health in areas filled with "well-to-do highfliers" who feel the need to keep up with appearances. He suggested Santa Monica was one of those areas. The reluctance to seek care because of the stigma of mental health intervention is higher in places where mental illness is really stigmatized, he said.

"Things that stress interpersonal relationships, those kinds of mental stressors would be the most powerful factors," Scroppo explained.

Nicole Rabitzsch was 47-years-old. Police reported that a firearm was recovered at the Rabitzschs' home.

Santa Monica Police officials told the Daily Mail that supporting individuals experiencing mental health crises is an ongoing priority for the department and the city.

Lt Lewis Gilmour of the Santa Monica Police offered a somber perspective on the tragedy. "These cases represent heartbreaking losses for the families and loved ones affected," he said.

He emphasized the department's procedural limits. "Each investigation involves its own circumstances, and we would not want to speculate about broader causes or the mental health of the suspects/victims. Our focus remains on the individual investigations and those affected.