Jay and Kristen Ruskey, a married couple known for building a Central Coast farm that helped launch a California-grown coffee movement, were found dead at a residence in Cambria, authorities said, prompting an investigation and an outpouring of grief from growers, chefs and customers across Santa Barbara County.
The deaths of the Good Land Organics and Frinj Coffee founders spread quickly through the region’s tight-knit food community, where the couple’s work had become a point of pride. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating and that the deaths did not appear suspicious based on early information, while autopsies and additional testing were expected to help clarify what happened.
Deputies were called to a home in Cambria on Sun., Feb. 8, 2026, where Jay Ruskey and Kristen Ruskey were found dead, sheriff’s officials said in public statements. The couple lived in the Goleta area near Santa Barbara and were visiting in San Luis Obispo County when they died, according to reporting that cited the sheriff’s office. Investigators have not released the address of the residence, described who found the couple, or said how long they had been there before deputies arrived. The sheriff’s office has also not released a cause of death, saying the investigation remains active and that medical examiner work is part of the process.
The limited official details have left the community filling the quiet space between what is known and what is still unknown. Friends and colleagues said they learned of the deaths through calls and messages before any formal public announcement reached wider audiences. Some described the news as impossible to absorb, while others focused on the couple’s three children and the sudden change to their lives. A fundraising campaign circulated online in the days after the deaths, and supporters shared memories of the couple as mentors and builders who welcomed visitors to their farm and encouraged new growers.
San Luis Obispo County sheriff’s spokesman Tony Cipolla said autopsies were scheduled and that investigators were waiting on results, according to local coverage. Cipolla also said the case did not appear suspicious at the time of the initial updates, but that investigators still needed to complete standard steps that include medical examiner findings and follow-up interviews. In deaths that occur away from a person’s home county, investigators often work to establish a clear timeline and confirm who was present, what activities took place in the hours before death, and whether environmental factors played any role.
Jay Ruskey was widely known in the Santa Barbara area for building Good Land Organics, an exotic fruit farm in the hills above Goleta. Over the years, the farm became a destination for customers looking for unusual produce and for chefs seeking ingredients that were hard to find elsewhere. The farm is associated with crops such as dragon fruit and caviar limes, and it became a testing ground for other tropical plants that typically do not appear in the Central Coast climate. The Ruskeys also founded Frinj Coffee, which helped promote coffee grown in Southern California and supported growers experimenting with coffee plants in coastal microclimates.
Those efforts placed the couple at the center of an emerging local industry. Coffee is usually associated with countries closer to the equator, and California is not a traditional coffee-growing state. Supporters of the Ruskeys’ work say they helped prove that small-scale California coffee could be grown, processed and sold as a specialty product. Local food writers and growers credited the couple with sharing knowledge and encouraging experimentation, sometimes helping new farms understand how to plant, shade and harvest coffee plants in a region where the crop is still uncommon.
The Santa Barbara Independent described the couple as pioneers of California’s coffee-growing movement and said they had helped develop dozens of coffee farms across Southern California by sharing what they learned at their own operation. The farm and coffee brand also gained attention for drawing visitors to tastings and events, where customers could sample coffee and see exotic fruit growing on steep hillsides above the coast. Supporters said the couple’s style was hands-on, with Jay Ruskey often explaining the plants and the process, and Kristen Ruskey building relationships with customers and collaborators.
In Cambria, a small coastal community known for ocean views and tourism, authorities said only that the couple was found dead at a residence and that the investigation was continuing. Deputies did not describe any signs of forced entry or violence. Officials have not said whether they are treating the deaths as an accident, a medical event or something else. In cases like this, investigators may review the scene for hazards, check for carbon monoxide risks, examine medications and look at recent travel and activities. Authorities have not said which of those steps are being taken here, and they have not discussed any possible contributing factors.
The absence of a public cause has not slowed the wave of tributes. Friends posted photos from farm days and coffee gatherings, describing the couple as generous and driven. Several messages shared online described the couple’s relationship as a partnership built around farming and family, with their children often present during farm operations and events. Community members said the couple’s work was not simply a business, but part of a broader effort to shape what local agriculture could become on the Central Coast.
Good Land Organics sits in the Goleta foothills, where narrow roads wind above the coastal plain west of Santa Barbara. The area’s mild temperatures and coastal fog can create conditions that allow certain tropical plants to survive, even if they require careful protection during colder nights. The farm’s reputation grew over time as customers learned they could buy unusual fruits directly from growers and taste coffee tied to a California origin story. The Ruskeys’ work fit into a larger regional trend toward farm-to-table food, small-batch production and agricultural tourism, but supporters said the couple stood out for tackling plants that others did not think would work.
Local coverage said the Ruskeys leave behind three children, and much of the public response has centered on helping the family manage immediate needs. Donations and shared messages described an effort to support the children as they face both grief and practical changes tied to the farm and family life. Friends also said the farm has employees and collaborators who are now trying to determine how to keep operations stable while the family mourns.
The deaths have also raised questions about succession and continuity for businesses so closely tied to their founders. Good Land Organics is known for seasonal harvests and direct sales, which often depend on planning and labor tied to particular times of year. Frinj Coffee, meanwhile, is tied to a network of growers and relationships built through years of outreach. Supporters said the couple’s influence extends beyond their own products because they helped others start coffee projects and encouraged experimentation at farms from Santa Barbara County southward. That means the loss is felt not only by customers but also by growers who viewed the Ruskeys as a source of guidance.
Sheriff’s officials did not say when autopsy findings might be released. In many cases, an autopsy can provide early clues within days, but toxicology testing can take weeks, depending on lab workload and the type of analysis requested. Authorities have not said whether toxicology is part of this case, and they have not said what information might be made public once findings are complete. Investigators sometimes share broad conclusions while holding back certain details, especially when privacy concerns involve surviving family members.
As the investigation continues, law enforcement agencies in different counties may coordinate on records and interviews. The sheriff’s office in San Luis Obispo County is leading because the deaths occurred there. Santa Barbara County contacts may also be part of background information, including family notifications and any follow-up tied to the couple’s home community. Authorities have not said whether detectives have interviewed friends who were with the couple in Cambria or whether the couple had planned events or meetings in the days ahead.
The timing added to the shock for some in the local food scene, coming during a stretch when the region’s winter harvests and planning for spring crops are underway. Growers and chefs often use this season to plan menus and planting schedules. Several people who shared tributes described the couple as already looking forward, talking about new crops, new plantings and future coffee work. The suddenness of the deaths, with few public details, created a sense of disbelief even among those familiar with the unpredictability of farming and travel.
In addition to their farm and coffee work, supporters said the Ruskeys were deeply tied to place. Their projects were built around the idea that the Central Coast could grow more than traditional crops and could develop new specialties. The couple’s story is often told as one of persistence and experimentation, with failures along the way and small breakthroughs that gradually became something bigger. That narrative helped make their farm a symbol for some locals, proof that a small operation could influence a wider conversation about what the region can produce.
For now, authorities have offered few specifics beyond confirming the deaths, describing the investigation and saying there is no sign of suspicious circumstances at this stage. The next expected milestone is the completion of autopsies and any additional testing, followed by the sheriff’s office deciding what it can release publicly. Until then, friends and supporters say their focus is on mourning and helping the Ruskeys’ children, while the businesses and the broader farm network try to navigate a future without the couple who built it.
Author note: Last updated Feb. 15, 2026.