Santa Monica is a prosperous California beach community where many people dream of settling after achieving success. Its city seal carries the motto: “Happy people in a happy city.”
But this year, the affluent enclave has been unsettled by a troubling series of suspected murder-suicides, all involving men killing their partners.
Three couples have been found dead inside Santa Monica-area residences since February. Two of those cases occurred less than three weeks apart, in September and October. A separate murder-suicide in nearby Venice involved a nonprofit official with close connections to Santa Monica.
The cases mark a sharp departure from recent years. No murder-suicides were reported in Santa Monica between 2020 and 2025.
Throughout Los Angeles and Los Angeles County, at least 10 cases have been classified or are being investigated as murder-suicides this year, compared with just two in 2025.
Mental health experts said the deaths raise questions about a possible crisis affecting affluent residents who feel pressure to maintain appearances and preserve a particular standard of living.
Forensic psychologists told Our News Outlet that murder-suicides rarely have a single cause, but financial pressure is frequently a contributing factor.
“Santa Monica may be one of those places where economic strain is contributing to violent acts,” said Dr. John De La Torre, a forensic psychologist.
Santa Monica is known for its pristine ocean views and relaxed beach lifestyle, but recent murder-suicide cases in the small city have raised concerns about residents’ mental health
Sunset views over the historic Santa Monica State Beach
“Having the appearance of wealth does not necessarily mean someone has substantial financial security. Economic conditions are difficult for everyone right now, including people who seem financially comfortable.”
Dr. Carole Lieberman, a forensic psychiatrist in neighboring Beverly Hills, said Santa Monica has faced numerous challenges over the past decade, including soaring housing costs, widespread homelessness and a growing number of shuttered businesses. “It has deeply frustrated residents who invested their life savings in homes in areas they now feel are no longer safe,” Lieberman said.
Jeremy Ferguson was among those who devoted himself to revitalizing struggling areas of the beachside community. He served as director of operations for the nonprofit Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
Ferguson, 53, and his wife, Mandy Zelinka, 49, both built successful careers. Zelinka was an accomplished hairstylist and entrepreneur, while Ferguson worked to raise millions of dollars to bring businesses and tourists back to the historic downtown district.
Before moving to California, Ferguson served as mayor of Milwaukie, Oregon, from 2009 to 2015. He also worked in the public sector and for Portland’s transit agency. Zelinka co-owned a successful salon and wrote the popular “Milwaukie Rules” blog.
Gul Erdogan was pregnant when she was shot to death by her husband, Aytac Camdeviren, police said
The couple lived in this multimillion-dollar home in a wealthy Westwood enclave, about five miles from Santa Monica
Camdeviren fatally shot his wife in the head before turning the gun on himself, police said
The couple were frequently seen working and volunteering together, making the discovery of their bodies inside their $1.5 million home especially shocking. The residence stood on a quiet Venice street within walking distance of the popular Abbot Kinney Boulevard.
On the morning of April 21, Ferguson sent a friend an ominous email containing the code to their Superba Avenue home and instructions for entering, according to a report recently released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The report did not disclose the contents of Ferguson’s message. However, officers who arrived at the scene described finding Zelinka and Ferguson’s naked bodies beside each other on a blood-soaked bed.
Both had suffered gunshot wounds to the head. A .22-caliber rifle and shell casings were found on the bed and floor.
Toxicology testing found no evidence of drugs or alcohol in either Zelinka’s or Ferguson’s system, the report said.
Authorities concluded that Ferguson shot his wife with the unregistered rifle before taking his own life. According to the autopsy report, Ferguson’s son told police that his father had “mental health issues” and had expressed “suicidal ideations over several years.”
In Zelinka’s obituary, her family asked mourners to donate to NAYA, a nonprofit that works to “end silence around issues of domestic and sexual violence.”
Experts who spoke with Our News Outlet stressed that domestic violence must be considered a potential precursor to a murder-suicide.
Jeremy Ferguson was a prominent figure in Santa Monica as director of operations for a nonprofit focused on business, community and safety in the city’s downtown core
Ferguson’s wife, Mandy Zelinka, was an entrepreneur and award-winning hairstylist
Ferguson and Zelinka were found dead in their Venice, California, home at about 10:50 a.m., police said
“Domestic violence, which can escalate to murder, has become more common. People are directing the frustrations they feel within themselves toward those closest to them,” Lieberman said.
Mental health professionals said pressure to maintain a certain lifestyle can be particularly intense in affluent communities such as Santa Monica and its surrounding areas.
“Sometimes people feel the need to keep up with the Joneses,” De La Torre said. “When they can no longer sustain that facade or maintain that appearance, it can push them toward a violent act.”
Dr. Joe Scroppo, a New York forensic psychologist and attorney, said financial burdens can leave someone feeling hopeless as a provider or caregiver.
“The responsibility of caring for another person can be extremely stressful, and in some cases it is perceived as a way out of that situation,” he said.
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Financial problems did not appear to be a factor for Gul Erdogan, 45, and her husband, Aytac Camdeviren, 43, who lived in a multimillion-dollar home in nearby Westwood, west of the Los Angeles Country Club.
Erdogan was an entrepreneur and the founder of Mega West Enterprises, a company that designed and manufactured electronics accessories, camera cases and other lifestyle products sold under brands including MegaGear and Londo.
Camdeviren was listed as president of Auction Shipper, LLC, in 2010. The company is no longer operating.
Neighbors said the couple were expecting their first child and had celebrated with family and friends at a baby shower on the Fourth of July, when Erdogan was eight and a half months pregnant.
Six days later, police said, Camdeviren shot Erdogan in the head at their home before turning the gun on himself.
Zelinka, who grew up in Oregon, was also an accomplished writer and photographer
Before moving to California, Jeremy Ferguson served as Milwaukie’s mayor for six years before resigning in 2015 to pursue a private-sector career
The case remains under investigation.
Neighbors described Erdogan and Camdeviren as a “pretty happy couple” who were often seen walking hand in hand.
Their 2,480-square-foot home on the 1300 block of Holmby Avenue has since been listed for rent at $15,995 a month.
Hendrik Rabitzsch, 48, and his wife, Nicole Rabitzsch, 47, were another Santa Monica couple who appeared to have an idyllic life.
They lived in an apartment on the 3100 block of Pico Boulevard and were frequently seen traveling internationally.
Their social media accounts featured smiling photographs from Las Vegas, beach outings and cruise trips.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Nicole worked for nearly 13 years at an Audi dealership in downtown Los Angeles. She had previously spent more than five years working for Audi in Germany.
That life changed on September 26, when police said Rabitzsch shot his wife and then himself in their home.
Police said there had been no previous domestic violence calls involving the couple. The investigation into their deaths is continuing.
Experts warn that firearm access can turn a single argument deadly, even in a state with comparatively strict gun laws.
A Violence Policy Center study released in April found that more than 1,000 people died in murder-suicides across the United States in 2025, with firearms used by 85 percent of perpetrators.
Happier times: Hendrik Rabitzsch with his wife, Nicole
Nicole Rabitzsch worked for nearly 13 years at an Audi dealership
The bodies of Hendrik Rabitzsch and his wife, Nicole, were found at their home above a yoga studio
The study examined murder-suicides across the country during the first half of 2025 and identified 237 incidents, an average of nine each week.
Intimate partners were involved in about 65 percent of the cases, while 90 percent occurred inside a home, according to the study.
“The widespread availability of guns only worsens the problem, turning domestic abuse into domestic homicide,” said Kristen Rand, the Violence Policy Center’s director of government affairs.
Scroppo said a central factor in many murder-suicides is “a loss of hope.”
“These are generally desperate acts prompted by a deeply traumatic event, such as the end of a relationship or a partner leaving. As divorce rates rise, conflict is also likely to increase,” he said.
Scroppo added that some perpetrators “simply cannot tolerate the possibility of losing a relationship with someone they believe must remain in their lives.”
He also pointed to the stigma surrounding mental health in communities populated by “well-to-do highfliers” who feel compelled to maintain an image of success, suggesting that Santa Monica could be one such place.
Nicole Rabitzsch was 47 years old
Police said a firearm was recovered at the Rabitzschs’ home
“People may be less willing to seek care because of the stigma attached to mental health treatment in places where mental illness is heavily stigmatized,” Scroppo said. “Stress affecting interpersonal relationships can be among the most powerful factors.”
Santa Monica Police officials told Our News Outlet that helping people experiencing mental health crises remains an ongoing priority for both the department and the city.
“These cases represent heartbreaking losses for the families and loved ones affected,” said Santa Monica Police Lt. Lewis Gilmour.
“Each investigation has its own circumstances, and we do not want to speculate about broader causes or the mental health of those involved. Our focus remains on the individual investigations and on supporting those affected.”
