Tech Executive Jailed in Shocking Homicide Case

A bitter, multimillion-dollar divorce in California has now collided with a homicide ruling—and a tech executive is sitting in jail without bail as investigators say a “fall” off a mountain highway wasn’t an accident.

Story Snapshot

San Bernardino County investigators arrested Gordon Abas Goodarzi, 66, on suspicion of murder in the death of his estranged wife, Aryan Papoli, 58.
Papoli’s body was found about 75 feet below Highway 138 near Crestline Road in Crestline on Nov. 18, 2025, and the coroner later ruled the death a homicide.
Papoli filed for divorce on June 12, 2025, seeking spousal support and division of more than $4.5 million in assets across multiple properties.
Prosecutors described the alleged crime as involving “planning, sophistication, and professionalism,” while authorities have not publicly laid out a specific motive or key evidence.

From Divorce Court to a Mountain Ravine

Aryan Papoli and Gordon Abas Goodarzi were married for 28 years and built a life that mixed business and affluence in Southern California. Court filings show Papoli initiated divorce proceedings on June 12, 2025, citing irreconcilable differences and requesting spousal support and an even split of assets totaling more than $4.5 million, including homes and land in several locations. Those proceedings were later terminated after Papoli’s death.

Authorities say the case pivoted on what happened in the San Bernardino Mountains. Papoli’s body was discovered on Nov. 18, 2025, down an embankment roughly 75 feet below Highway 138 near Crestline Road in Crestline. Early observations suggested injuries consistent with a fall, but investigators continued working the case, and the coroner ultimately ruled the death a homicide. Papoli was not immediately identified, adding complexity to the early timeline.

What Investigators Have Confirmed—And What They Haven’t

San Bernardino County officials have kept key investigative details close. Public reporting indicates Newport Beach police confirmed a missing person report for Papoli in late November, with formal identification of her remains on Dec. 1, 2025. Those milestones helped move the case from a concerning disappearance to a death investigation with a clear victim. Officials have not publicly described the specific evidence linking Goodarzi to the scene or the events leading to Papoli’s death.

Goodarzi, a 66-year-old tech executive from Rolling Hills Estates, was arrested at his home after weeks of investigation and booked into the Central Detention Center, where he has been held without bail. His arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, then continued to Thursday, Jan. 29. That delay means the public still lacks the clearest window into the prosecution’s theory—an important reminder that formal charges and courtroom scrutiny are where claims must be tested.

Prosecutors Point to “Planning” While the Public Sees a System Under Strain

Charging language cited in reporting states the case involves “planning, sophistication, and professionalism,” a phrase that signals prosecutors may argue the death was staged to look like an accident. At the same time, the public record remains thin on specifics, including how investigators reconstructed Papoli’s final movements or why they concluded a fall narrative did not fit. Until those details surface in court, responsible analysis has to separate confirmed facts from insinuations.

Why High-Stakes Family Breakdowns Raise Bigger Questions

The known facts paint a grim and familiar picture: divorce, money, property, and a sudden death that ends legal proceedings and locks assets into uncertainty. Papoli sought support and division of property; Goodarzi sought his own legal-cost arrangements in response, according to reporting. Papoli’s son, Navid Goodarzi, described her publicly in positive terms while declining to comment on the relationship itself. For many Americans, this underscores how family breakdowns can spiral into life-altering tragedy.

Tech tycoon husband arrested after wife found dead below mountain highway in wealthy enclavehttps://t.co/WWKANwILOl

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For residents in places like Crestline and Rolling Hills Estates, the case also highlights a practical concern: even in wealthy enclaves, safety and accountability depend on competent investigations and transparent court proceedings. The coroner’s homicide ruling shows why early assumptions can’t be treated as final. As the case proceeds, the public will be watching for the evidentiary basis behind the prosecution’s claims—and for due process that protects everyone’s rights while pursuing justice for the victim.