Investigation confused, concerned neighbors
By Daily Press staff
WILSHIRE-MONTANA — Authorities on Monday confirmed that an FBI agent committed suicide in Santa Monica over the weekend by firing a single gunshot to her head.
An autopsy report completed Monday showed Wendy I. Woskoff, 55, shot herself with a handgun of an unknown caliber, said LA County Department of Coroner’s Lt. Fred Corral, who works in the investigations division.
The Santa Monica Police Department responded to a call at 11:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of 17th Street, between California Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. Officers found Woskoff lying in her apartment, SMPD Lt. Frank Fabrega said.
Unnerved residents witnessed authorities combing the streets throughout the day and evening Sunday, raising concerns that the area was a crime scene.
Nick James, 41, a filmmaker who grew up on 17th Street and has lived there nearly 30 years, said for some reason Woskoff’s car alarm had been set off frequently in recent days. He and his neighbors watched as several SMPD squad cars surrounded the scene, with uniformed officers, SMPD detectives and FBI investigators scouring the scene.
“They immediately came and taped it off,” said James, who lives with his wife and young son.
“There were two couples out on the street that were just crying...
“First of all, you’re thinking, ‘Did somebody get attacked?’” James added. “And a lot of the neighbors were concerned. Nobody expected anything like this [suicide] to happen. They think it was a robbery, and everybody’s speculating what it could be.
“There’s a lot of single moms around. It was frightening.”
FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller couldn’t confirm or deny the incident, and said the agency declined to comment.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 25, 2005. Read the original PDF.