Dead Fan Found Outside Paula Abdul's Home

Parents told police she "had an unnatural obsession" with the "American Idol" judge

By SCOTT ROSS

Updated 6:02 PM CST, Wed, Nov 12, 2008

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The body of Paula Goodspeed was found in a car parked near a home belonging to "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul. Goodspeed's parents say their daughter had an "unnatural obsession" with the former po

Police say a fan who had an "unnatural obsession" with Paula Abdul has been found dead in a car parked near a home belonging to the "American Idol" judge.

The death appeared to be a suicide, Los Angeles Police Capt. Jim Miller told KTTV-TV. He said the woman, identified as Paula Goodspeed by TMZ, was in her 30s and had an infatuation with Abdul.

“I am deeply shocked and saddened about what transpired yesterday,” Abdul said in a statement to Access Hollywood. “My heart and prayers go out to her family.”

The self-identified "really big fan" of Abdul got to meet the former pop star when she auditioned for "American Idol" in 2006. Goodspeed's rendition of "Proud Mary" and the drawings she's been doing of Abdul since childhood made her the focus of a nearly 4-minute feature on the hit show.

Police received a call from Goodspeed's parents saying their daughter was missing and adding that as she "had an unnatural obsession" with Abdul, they might want to look for her at the star's home. Police sources told TMZ that they have been called to Abdul's home "numerous times before" to deal with Goodspeed.

Police spokeswoman Julianne Sohn says officers responded to a call about 6 p.m. Tuesday and arrived in the Sherman Oaks area to find the body. The car in which she was found bears the license plate "ABL LV" and a photo of Abdul hung from the rearview mirror, reported TMZ.

"Paula was at the studios when this happened," Rob Bailey, a publicist for Abdul, told PEOPLE. "She was completely unaware of it until the FOX people were notified."