It's a wealthy California beachside enclave where many dream to settle once they've 'made it,' and has the motto 'happy people in a happy city' emblazoned on its seal.
Yet this year Santa Monica has been shaken by a mysterious cluster of murder-suicides – all perpetrated by men against their partners.
Three couples have been found dead inside their city residences since February, two of which were found less than three weeks apart in September and October. Another murder-suicide this year in nearby Venice involved a nonprofit official with close ties to Santa Monica.
It is a stark break from the recent past: there were no reported murder-suicides in Santa Monica from 2020 to 2025.
Across LA and LA County, there have been at least 10 cases that have been ruled or are being investigated as murder-suicide, compared to just two last year.
The tragic incidents this year highlight the possibility of an underlying mental health crisis affecting 'well-to-do highfliers' struggling with 'keeping up appearances' in the largely affluent community, mental health experts said.
Forensic psychologists told the Daily Mail that while there is no one single explanation for the occurrences of murder-suicides, finances are often at the root of the issue.
'We can see Santa Monica probably being one of those places where economic strains are guiding the violent acts,' said Dr John De La Torre, a forensic psychologist.
Santa Monica is known for it's pristine ocean views and relaxed beach lifestyle but recent murder-suicide cases in the small city has raised concerns on residents' mental health
Sunset views over the historic Santa Monica State Beach
'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, told the Daily Mail that Santa Monica has been the site of many challenges within the last decade, including rising housing costs, rampant homelessness and more businesses 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 said.
One of those people who focused on revitalizing struggling areas in the beachside community was Jeremy Ferguson, who was 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, while he was focused on raising millions of dollars to bring businesses and tourism back to the historic downtown area.
Prior to moving to California, Ferguson served as mayor in Milwaukie, Oregon, from 2009 to 2015 and worked in the public sector and Portland's transit agency. Zelinka was a co-owner of a successful salon and ran 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 enclave in Westwood, about five miles from Santa Monica
Camdeviren fatally shot his wife in the head before turning the gun on himself, police said
Both were often seen together working and volunteering in the community, so it was a shock to many when police discovered the couple dead inside their $1.5 million home on a quiet Venice residential street, just walking distance from the bustling tourist hotspot of Abbot Kinney Boulevard.
On the morning of April 21, Ferguson sent an ominous email to a friend with their door code and instructions to enter their Venice home on Superba Avenue, according to a report recently released by the LA County Medical Examiner's Office.
The report did not provide details as to what Ferguson wrote in the email, but police who responded to the scene described a chilling scene in which both Zelinka and Ferguson's naked bodies were next to each other on their blood-soaked bed.
Police noted gunshot wounds on each of their heads, with a .22 caliber rifle and shell casings on the bed and on the floor.
Toxicology results showed there were no signs of drugs or alcohol in Zelinka or Ferguson's bodies, the report said.
Officials determined Ferguson shot his wife with the unregistered rifle before turning the weapon on himself. According to the autopsy report, Ferguson's son told police his father had 'mental health issues' and that he had 'previous suicidal ideations over several years.'
In her obituary, Zelinka's family asked mourners to send donations to a nonprofit called NAYA, which works to 'end silence around issues of domestic and sexual violence.'
Experts who spoke to the Daily Mail said it is crucial to consider domestic violence as a 'precursor' to a murder-suicide.
Jeremy Ferguson was a fixture in Santa Monica in his role as the director of operations for a nonprofit focusing on boosting business, community and safety in the city's downtown core
Ferguson's wife, Mandy Zelinka, was an entrepreneur and an award-winning hairstylist
Ferguson and Zalinka was found dead in their Venice, California home at around 10:50 am, police said
'Domestic violence, which can rise to murder, has become more common. People are taking out the frustrations they have within themselves onto their loved ones,' Lieberman said.
Mental health experts said the pressure to keep up with a certain standard of living are often at the root of the issue in more affluent communities like Santa Monica and surrounding areas.
'Sometimes there's a need to keep up with the Joneses,' said De La Torre. '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.'
Dr Joe Scroppo, a forensic psychologist and attorney in New York, said these financial burdens could create a feeling of hopelessness as a provider or a 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.
Financial strain didn't seem like an issue for Gul Erdogan, 45, and her husband, Aytac Camdeviren, 43, who lived in a multimillion-dollar home in nearby Westwood, just west of the LA Country Club.
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 that were sold under brands like MegaGear and Londo.
Camdeviren was listed as the president of a company called Auction Shipper, LLC in 2010, which is no longer in business.
According to neighbors, the couple was expecting their first child and celebrated with family and friends at their baby shower on the Fourth of July as Erdogan was eight-and-a-half months pregnant.
Six days later, they were at their home when Camdeviren fatally shot Erdogan in the head before turning the gun on himself, police said.
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
The case is still under investigation.
Neighbors said they seemed like a 'pretty happy couple' and were often seen walking hand-in-hand in the area.
The 2,480sq ft home on the 1300 block of Holmby Avenue where they lived has since been listed for rent at $15,995 per month.
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 but were often seen traveling the world.
Their social media is filled with smiling pictures in Las Vegas, strolling the beach or sailing on a cruise.
According to her LinkedIn, 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.
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 due to the access to firearms, even in a state with relatively strict gun laws, means a one-off argument could turn deadly.
According to a study released by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) in April, more than 1,000 died in murder-suicides in the US in 2025, with 85 percent of the killers using a gun.
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, which was located above a yoga studio
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 their intimate partner, while 90 percent of the cases occurred in the home, the study said.
'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.'
'These murder-suicides are usually desperate acts that are spurred by some really traumatic event, like the dissolution of the relationship, a person leaving. The higher the divorce rate, the more there's likely to be conflict,' he said.
Scroppo added: 'There are perpetrators who simply cannot tolerate the idea of losing a relationship with someone that they feel they must have in their lives.'
Additionally, he said there can be a stigma surrounding mental health in areas filled with 'well-to-do highfliers' who feel the need to keep up with appearances, suggesting Santa Monica was one of those areas.
Nicole Rabitzsch was 47-years-old
A firearm was recovered at the Rabitzschs' home, police said
'The unwillingness to seek out care because of the stigma of mental health intervention is higher in places where mental illness is really stigmatized,' Scroppo said. 'Things that stress interpersonal relationships, those kinds of mental stressors would be the most powerful factors.'
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.
'These cases represent heartbreaking losses for the families and loved ones affected,' said Santa Monica Police Lt Lewis Gilmour.
'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.'
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