CRESTLINE, CA – A 66-year-old tech millionaire has been arrested and charged with murdering his estranged wife, whose body was discovered at the base of a steep embankment in the San Bernardino Mountains two months ago.
Gordon Abas Goodarzi was taken into custody on Friday, January 24, in connection with the November 18 death of Aryan Papoli, 58. He was formally charged with murder the following day and is being held without bail.
Papoli’s body was found at the bottom of a steep embankment near Crestline on November 18, 2025. She remained unidentified for approximately two weeks as investigators worked to determine who she was and what happened to her.
An autopsy revealed Papoli suffered fatal injuries consistent with a fall. However, authorities ruled her death a homicide rather than an accident after examining the evidence.
Court documents allege the killing involved “an attempted or actual taking or damage of great monetary value,” suggesting a financial motive may have been at play.
The couple had significant assets to fight over. Goodarzi and Papoli co-founded US Hybrid, a clean energy company that manufactured components for vehicles. They sold the business in 2021 for $50 million.
The couple was estranged at the time of Papoli’s death, though details about their separation and any divorce proceedings have not been released.
Goodarzi is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday, January 28. His attorneys have not publicly commented on the charges.
