Elite Divorce Ends in Cliffside Homicide

Handcuffed person in orange jumpsuit being escorted.

A tech tycoon allegedly pushed his estranged wife off a 75-foot cliff to dodge a multimillion-dollar divorce payout, turning their elite California dream into a homicide nightmare.

Story Snapshot

Gordon Goodarzi, 66, arrested for murdering wife Aryan Papoli, 58, after bitter divorce battle over $4.5 million assets.
Papoli’s body found November 18, 2025, below Highway 138 in Crestline; coroner ruled homicide, not accidental fall.
Couple co-founded clean-energy firm sold for $50 million in 2021; divorce filed June 12, 2025, halted by her death.
Goodarzi held without bail; charges cite planning and sophistication in San Bernardino County case.
Son Navid mourns mother as “ray of light,” amid family assets frozen in wealthy enclaves.

Tech Power Couple’s Rise and Fall

Gordon Abas Goodarzi and Aryan Papoli married for 28 years and co-founded US Hybrid, a clean-energy company they sold for $50 million in 2021. Goodarzi engineered the firm’s success as a tech executive. Papoli, an Iranian immigrant turned entrepreneur, contributed creativity and service focus, according to their son Navid. They amassed properties in Rolling Hills Estates, Chino Hills, Massachusetts, Southern California land, and Crestline. Their shared ventures built substantial wealth in affluent California circles.

Divorce Ignites Financial Firestorm

Papoli filed for divorce on June 12, 2025, citing irreconcilable differences. She sought spousal support and equal division of over $4.5 million in assets. Goodarzi countered, requesting separate payment of her legal fees. Disputes centered on luxury homes and vacant land. The battle exposed tensions in their once-collaborative marriage. Papoli aimed for financial security post-split. Goodarzi faced potential loss of significant holdings from their business empire.

Body Discovery Shatters Initial Assumptions

Rescuers found Papoli’s body on November 18, 2025, 75 feet below Highway 138 near Crestline Road in Crestline, a remote San Bernardino mountain enclave. Initial reports suggested fatal injuries from a fall. Newport Beach police confirmed a missing person report in late November. Authorities identified remains on December 1. The divorce court terminated proceedings on December 23 due to her death. Crestline’s isolated terrain raised questions about the scene.

Arrest Exposes Alleged Murder Plot

Sheriff’s detectives conducted weeks of extensive investigation. They arrested Goodarzi at his Rolling Hills Estates home on a Friday in late January 2026. Authorities booked him into Central Detention Center without bail on murder suspicion. Charging documents from the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office describe the killing as involving vulnerability, planning, sophistication, and professionalism. Coroner ruled homicide after detailed autopsy. Arraignment set for January 27 continued to January 29.

Tech tycoon husband arrested after wife found dead below mountain highway in wealthy enclave https://t.co/igzjBJmUTo

— ConservativeLibrarian (@ConserLibrarian) January 28, 2026

Family Grief and Legal Ramifications

Navid Goodarzi described his mother as a “ray of light” in a December 2025 LA Times interview, highlighting her positive traits while declining comment on his parents’ relationship. Papoli’s attorney confirmed divorce termination. Short-term impacts freeze family assets and bring grief. Long-term, conviction could mean forfeiture. Crestline residents question local safety; Rolling Hills Estates faces media glare. The case spotlights domestic violence patterns in high-wealth divorces, echoing precedents like farming tycoon Michael Abatti’s Arizona charges.

Prosecutors emphasize premeditation based on evidence strength, aligning with common-sense scrutiny of motives in asset-heavy splits. Facts support aggressive pursuit of justice over leniency for elite status. Clean-energy networks face minor questions, but individual accountability prevails.