California Tech CEO Arrested for Wife’s Murder

Authorities have taken into custody Gordon Abbas Goodarge, a 66-year-old CEO from California, regarding the murder of his estranged wife, as stated by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

On November 18, 2025, law enforcement received notice about a body discovered around 75 feet down a steep slope in the San Bernardino area. The victim was later identified as 58-year-old Aryan Papoli. A medical examiner conducted an autopsy, which concluded that her death was a homicide. Recently, an update indicated that Goodarge was arrested at his residence in relation to Papoli’s murder.

Goodarge is known as the President and CEO of Magmotor Technologies Inc., a publicly traded company that focuses on providing cost-effective electromechanical motion control solutions for various high-tech industrial sectors including automation, robotics, and medical devices, among others. There’s even some detail on his LinkedIn profile about the company’s focus.

Interestingly, Goodarge previously worked for another tech firm, US Hybrid, which specialized in high-performance electric powertrain systems for commercial vehicles and military applications. He reportedly sold that company in 2021 for around $50 million.

Both Goodarge and Papoli have ties to Iran but moved to the Los Angeles County area. In June 2025, while in the process of divorcing, Papoli cited “irreconcilable differences.” The divorce proceedings included discussions about spousal support for her two children, while she owned significant real estate assets.

About six months before her death, Papoli had relocated to Newport Beach with her son, Navid Goodarji, seeking a peaceful environment to pursue creative growth after retirement, according to reports.