The San Bernardino County case bridges a November mountain discovery and a January arrest in Rolling Hills.
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — San Bernardino County prosecutors have charged Gordon Abas Goodarzi, 66, with murder in the death of his estranged wife, Aryan Papoli, 58, whose body was found Nov. 18, 2025, down a steep embankment off Highway 138 near Crestline. Goodarzi was arrested Jan. 23 and is held without bail.
The filing caps a two-month effort to identify the victim, retrace her movements and determine whether a fall in the mountains amounted to a crime. Papoli was reported missing from Newport Beach on Nov. 22, four days after deputies discovered a woman’s body about 75 feet below the roadside. The coroner later ruled the death a homicide, prompting homicide detectives to widen their search from San Bernardino County into Los Angeles and Orange counties. Prosecutors moved forward late last week, saying the evidence supported a single count of murder under California law and setting a first court date for this week.
Investigators said they confirmed Papoli’s identity on Dec. 1, weeks after releasing a forensic sketch asking for the public’s help. A district attorney’s release said the office had “filed murder charges” and that the investigation continues. Officials have not alleged a motive, have not described a weapon, and have not said whether they believe the fatal injuries occurred at the mountain site or elsewhere. Goodarzi’s booking lists the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino and shows no bail. Court records will detail the precise allegations once the complaint is unsealed in open court.
Goodarzi, a veteran technology executive who lived in Rolling Hills, was detained without incident at his residence, authorities said. Detectives mapped possible travel corridors from Newport Beach to the Crestline area around Nov. 18, reviewed electronic records and conducted interviews with friends and associates of the couple. Family members have described Papoli as accomplished and creative, active in business and community life. The two were estranged at the time of her death and had previously partnered on professional ventures, according to public statements and records referenced by authorities.
The mountain corridor where deputies found Papoli sits above the Inland Empire, a stretch of highway known for winter closures and sharp grades. Search crews worked the slope in November as traffic crawled past turnout points near Crestline Road. Early notes from responders referenced trauma compatible with a fall; the subsequent homicide ruling triggered a full-scale criminal probe. In the weeks that followed, sheriff’s teams executed search warrants, coordinated with Newport Beach police on the missing-person report and compared timelines built from phone, vehicle and witness data, according to officials.
Goodarzi is expected to appear in San Bernardino County Superior Court on Tuesday for arraignment. At that hearing, a judge will advise him of the charge, consider any defense request regarding bail and set a schedule for future proceedings. If the case advances, a preliminary hearing would be set to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial. Prosecutors said additional information may be released after the first appearance, including the assigned courtroom and dates for readiness conferences.
Outside Papoli’s Newport Beach neighborhood Monday, bouquets rested near a walkway as neighbors recalled a friendly greeting and quick laugh. In the mountains, small candles and a scarf clung to a narrow turnout where drivers sometimes stop to let faster cars pass. “It’s a tough road even in daylight,” said a delivery driver familiar with Highway 138. “One bad step and there’s nothing to catch you.” A family statement shared earlier remembered Papoli’s energy and artwork, describing a life that spanned countries and careers.
As of early Tuesday, Goodarzi remained in county custody without bail. The court’s calendar lists an arraignment today at the San Bernardino Justice Center, with subsequent dates to be set once counsel appears.
Author note: Last updated January 27, 2026.