Malibu Suicide Victim Was Former Agoura Hills Student
Joshua A. Feinberg, a 21-year-old college student, reportedly sent a text message to a friend that he was upset about his grades before apparently jumping to his death.
The dead man found at the bottom of Rindge Dam in Malibu was identified Wednesday as Joshua A. Feinberg, 21, a former Agoura Hills student who was attending college at the time of his death.
As of Thursday, the official cause of death was yet to be determined by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. However, based on a note found in his car and a text sent to a friend, the death appears to have been a suicide, Sgt. Vivian May of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station told Patch on Wednesday.
"There was a text message to a friend and a note left in his car," May said. "He was upset about his grades."
The circumstances surrounding the death were under investigation, she said.
The recipient of the text, whose name was not released, went looking for his friend. He got lost and was later found uninjured on a ledge by the Malibu/Lost Hills search and rescue team, according to May.
Patch has been unable to confirm the college or university that Feinberg had been attending. However, many of his friends on Facebook attended UC Santa Barbara and other colleges, including one in Moorpark.
Following the story, Patch and other social media sites were inundated with messages of support and condolences from various people who knew Feinberg or were touched by what is known of the circumstances surrounding his death.
According to a report by L.A. Weekly, which cited note a left on Twitter, a candlelight vigil was held Wednesday night in remembrance of Feinberg.
The note read: Last night candle light vigil hit me hard... May you rest in paradise Joshua Feinberg.
Here is a compilation of some of the other messages left on Twitter:
Josh Feinberg, you are an amazing person and you touched everyone's heart. You will be forever missed and always loved.
Forever missed, forever loved, RIP Josh Feinberg †
RIP Josh Feinberg you were truly loved #truth
Forever missed, forever loved, RIP Josh Feinberg †
My fellow classmate, Joshua Feinberg, we celebrate your life, and the smile you gave to us all. Rest peacefully.
Gone but not forgotten RT @jonohill1: Last night candle light vigil hit me hard... May you rest in paradise Joshua Feinberg.
Did you know Josh Feinberg? Please share your thoughts below.
In This article
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LA County Sheriff's Department Malibu/Lost Hills Station
27050 Agoura Rd, Agoura Hills, CA
Angela Cutbill
3:25 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
Reporting from and about his Facebook page? Seriously? And a link to his friend's list?? Yes, this may all be accessible to those who go looking for it, but publishing this as "news" is a whole different thing. This crosses some serious boundaries of not just good taste and ethics but decency. Let the looky-loos get there on their own. Talk about gutter press. Very disappointed. Changes the way I view the Patch.
Susan Pascal
4:45 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
Actually, Angela, we received our information directly from the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station as well as from the coroner's office. Facebook was only mentioned once as a place where friends and family can leave their condolences. I appreciate your feedback and hope this has assuaged some of your concerns.
Guest User
4:46 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
He attended UC Santa Barbara and the candle light vigil was put on by his fellow brothers of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity he was part of. He is missed and loved by all.
Angela Cutbill
6:14 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
With all due respect, there is a link in the article to his friends list, unnecessary for the leaving of condolences and I'm sure friends and family know where to find the Facebook page. I think we'll just have to disagree on the insensitivity.
Nancy Minicozzi
6:23 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
I have to agree with Angela Cutbill. While Facebook may be a place where friends and family can leave their condolences, it is inappropriate for the Patch or any other site to post a link to his friends list. If Josh's Facebook page were public, which it isn't, perhaps a link to that page would be acceptable, assuming his family approved. However, who his Facebook friends were is nobody's business, and it was irresponsible and unethical to publish a link to it.
illece Buckley Weber
10:29 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
My heart goes out to Sharon, Rich and Jeff. I came to know the family through Agoura High basketball. They couldn't have been kinder and always supported and cheered for every boy on the team. This is a tragedy for our entire community.
Bob Feliciano
4:39 pm on Friday, October 28, 2011
As a dad who lost his son Sean a UCSB student my heart goes out to his parents and friends. I appreciate the article because it gets us talking about the silent killer of our college students. Suicide is the number two killer of our college students. We need this conversation to help us save lives.
Susan Pascal
5:41 pm on Friday, October 28, 2011
Thank you for your heart-felt comment, Bob.
Valerie Fox
4:48 pm on Friday, October 28, 2011
Heart breaking. Such a sad loss of a young life. There seems to be so much pressure on our high school and college students.
Ron
6:53 pm on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
To Joshua's Family: From Maryland Chapter AFSP...our condolences:
There are services available to you through local organizations to help you deal with your loss. You are not alone during this painful journey of losing Joshua.
Go to www.afsp.org. In LA area (call 818.687-4055), support group, Survivor Outreach Program depending on your area. Community & overnight walks, ISOS day Nov 19.
36,040 people die by suicide annually in the USA. It is the 2nd leading cause of death among college students. It is important for ALL of us to educate everyone about mental health. Mental illness is an illness that needs to be talked about like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc. We have to lift the stigma associated with this illness. 1 in 5 people have a mental health issue. In children and adolescents, it usually reveals itself prior to the age of 14.
In college students, signs of distress can be Academic, Physical and/or Emotional. The entire campus community needs to be educated about recognizing and responding to someone who may be in distress or crisis. Training such as QPR/ Gatekeeper for example. Showing the film "The Truth About Suicide: Real Stories of Depression in College" which meets the best practices registry during Freshman Orientation can "plant the seed" in students and save lives.
Go to: www.jedfoundation.org; www.activeminds.org
Place this # in your cell; If You or Someone You Know is ever in crisis dial 1.800.273.8255.
Support Josh's family/friends.