Estranged husband of Newport Beach woman found dead in San Bernardino Mountains charged with murder
The estranged husband of a Newport Beach woman who was found dead in the San Bernardino Mountains last November was charged with murder last week, prosecutors said.
Aryan Papoli, 58, was reported missing on Nov. 22, 2025, Newport Beach police told CBS LA in December. She was found dead approximately 75 feet down an embankment near Highway 138 and Crestline Road in the Crestline area on Nov. 18, 2025, but was not identified until Dec. 1, according to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office.
When her body was retrieved from the mountain and taken to the county's coroner, it was determined that her injuries were consistent with a fall.
At the time of her identification, friends and family remember her as being "super enthusiastic" and always having a smile on her face.
On Friday, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Specialized Investigation Division deputies arrested Gordon Abas Goodarzi, 66, at his Rolling Hills home for Papoli's death. The arrest came after "extensive and persistent investigation," a news release from San Bernardino County investigators said, without providing specific details on his alleged connection or motive.
He was booked at the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino and charged with murder, the DA's news release said. Court documents also said that the crime could have "involved great violence," the "attempted or actual taking of great monetary value," or that Papoli was "particularly vulnerable."
Papoli's death came just months after she filed for divorce from Goodarzi, the CEO of a tech company, after 28 years of marriage in June, according to court documents, in which she cited "irreconcilable differences."
The couple, who cherished Iranian-American traditions with their two sons, according to an article she penned on Stroll, owned five properties, the court documents showed. Including their home in Rolling Hills, they also owned land in Crestline, the mountain community where her body was found.
"Aryan Papoli spread light, love and joy wherever she went," said a tribute website that was created by Papoli's family. "A sister, mother, friend, wife, artist, business woman, philanthropist, environmentalist, and inspiration, Aryan's passion for creative expression was only matched by her care for those she loved."
When contacted for comment, Papoli's sons asked for privacy as they continue to mourn.
Despite the estrangement, CBS LA learned that Goodarzi was present at Papoli's memorial service in December. He is scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday.