"American Idol" judge Paula Abdul said that she is "shocked and saddened" by the death of a fan and former contestant on the reality show, who was found dead in a car near Abdul's home in Los Angeles Tuesday night.

Authorities Wednesday identified the woman as 30-year-old Paula Goodspeed, who had appeared on the season 5 of the show in 2006.

"I am deeply shocked and saddened at what transpired yesterday," Abdul said in a statement released by her publicist, Jeff Ballard, Wednesday. "My heart and prayers go out to her family."

Relatives of the 30-year-old reported her missing Tuesday afternoon. Police suspect her death was a suicide, though no official cause of death has been determined.

During her performance on "American Idol," judge Simon Cowell criticized Goodspeed's rendition of the classic rock song "Proud Mary." She was also rejected by Abdul and fellow judge Randy Jackson.

According to celebrity gossip site TMZ.com, "American Idol" produced a three-minute, 40-second featurette on Goodspeed and her passion for Abdul. But when the singer failed to make the cut, show host Ryan Seacrest proclaimed, "And the love affair is over."

"American Idol" producer Fremantle Media North America declined comment on the news of Goodspeed's death.