Woman found dead outside Paula Abdul's home

A woman who authorities said once tried to become a contestant on "American Idol" was found dead outside the Sherman Oaks home of "Idol" judge Paula Abdul in a case police are investigating as a possible suicide.

Authorities identified the woman as Paula Goodspeed, 30, from Thousand Oaks. (Police earlier had said her name was spelled "Goodespeed.")

Goodspeed was found dead in a car about 6 p.m. Tuesday outside the house in the 3800 block of Beverly Ridge Drive.

"We are investigating the case as a possible suicide," said Ed Winter, a spokesman for the coroner's office. The cause of death will not be determined until after toxicology tests are completed, he added.

A law enforcement source, who declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the case, said the woman was familiar to officials with the Los Angeles Police Department's threat management unit, which investigates stalking cases, but he declined to elaborate.

Abdul, a singer and former Laker girl, is best known in recent years as a judge on the popular "American Idol" TV show.

A video of Goodspeed’s appearance at an "Idol" tryout shows her singing "Proud Mary" in a pink dress. "Idol" panelist Simon Cowell remarked that Goodspeed looked a lot like Abdul.

Blankstein is a Times staff writer.

andrew.blankstein@latimes.com