Following an extensive investigation, authorities have detained the estranged husband of a Newport Beach woman, whose body was discovered on a steep slope in San Bernardino County, California.
Gordon Abbas Goodaj, 66, from Rolling Hills Estates, was arrested on Friday, under suspicion of murdering his long-time wife and business partner, Aryan Papoli, as reported by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Papoli, 58, was found deceased on November 18, approximately 75 feet below Highway 138 close to Crestline Road. While initial assessments suggested she may have fallen, the San Bernardino County coroner later classified her death as a homicide.
Law enforcement has not disclosed how Goodaj was connected to Papoli’s death or if a motive has been established. They did mention that he became a suspect after an extensive investigation into the situation. He is currently being held without bail at the Central Detention Center.
Court documents reveal that Papoli had initiated divorce proceedings just five months before her death, citing “irreconcilable differences.” This filing sought spousal support and a division of millions in shared assets.
Reports indicate that over $4.5 million in property was at stake, including their home in Rolling Hills Estates, a place in Chino Hills, an industrial property in Massachusetts, a vacant lot in Southern California, and another property in Crestline, the same area where Papoli’s body was found.
The couple had been married for 28 years. Goodaj, an engineer and tech executive, sold his clean energy business, US Hybrid, for $50 million in 2021. Papoli’s divorce filing requested that Goodaj cover the legal fees, but her response sought for each of them to bear their own costs.
According to Papoli’s attorney, the divorce proceedings were concluded on December 23 due to her passing.
The indictment from the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office alleges that Papoli was in a “particularly vulnerable” position and describes the killing as “premeditated, sophisticated, and professional.”
Goodaj’s arraignment was set for Tuesday morning but was postponed to Thursday, as confirmed by the prosecutor’s office.
Papoli’s body was not immediately identified upon discovery. A few days later, Newport Beach police validated that a missing person report had been filed for her, leading to her official identification on December 1st.
In a statement to the Los Angeles Times last month, Papoli’s son, Navid Gudarzi, reflected on his mother’s journey from Iran to the United States as a young woman, where she built a life focused on creativity, service, and entrepreneurship.
“My mother was like a ray of light, a ray of sunshine,” he shared. “She always gave 150% to herself and to everyone.”
He refrained from commenting on his parents’ marital dynamics but noted their long-standing collaboration on a clean energy venture.
