A California tech executive faces grave allegations of murder after his estranged wife’s body was found at the base of a cliff more than two months ago.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office announced on January 25 that they have filed murder charges against 66-year-old Gordon Abas Goodarzi, a resident of Rolling Hills, in connection with the death of his wife, 58-year-old Aryan Papoli from Newport Beach. The announcement was made in an official press release.
Goodarzi is the CEO of Magmotor Technologies, a manufacturing company.
Papoli’s body was found on November 18, lying 75 feet down a steep embankment near Crestline Road and Highway 138, several days after she was reported missing. Authorities confirmed her identity on December 1.
“It’s hard—it’s really hard,” Papoli’s son, Navid Goodarzi, expressed to ABC 7 on December 3. “This is like a nightmare scenario. I was sort of, morbidly joking that like, I understand now when someone says, ‘At least they passed in their sleep’…there’s a reason why people say that.”
Reflecting on his mother, Navid shared with the outlet, “She was amazing. She loved people, she loved animals, she loved art.”
It is alleged that the crime may have “involved great violence, great bodily harm, threat of great bodily harm, or other acts disclosing a high degree of cruelty, viciousness, or callousness,” according to a felony complaint reviewed by Oxygen. It’s also alleged in the complaint that “The manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning, sophistication, or professionalism.”
Gordon, who was arrested on Jan. 23, is currently housed at the San Bernardino County West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.
He appeared in court on Jan. 26 in San Bernardino Superior Court and his bail is ineligible, according to documents reviewed by Oxygen. The DA’s press release lists Gordon’s arraignment date as Jan. 27, while a spokesperson from the Office of the District Attorney County of San Bernardino told Oxygen that a bail hearing will also take place at that time. It is unclear if Gordon has yet entered a plea. An attorney for Gordon did not return a request for comment from Oxygen.
