Detectives in San Bernardino County have arrested the estranged husband of a Newport Beach woman after an autopsy review reclassified her November death as a homicide.
Authorities took 66-year-old Rolling Hills resident Gordon Abas Goodarzi into custody at his home on Jan. 23. He was booked into the county jail and is being held without bail in connection with the death of 58-year-old Aryan Papoli, whose body was found down a steep embankment in Crestline on Nov. 18. Investigators described the arrest as the result of an extensive, months-long probe into how she died.
What the sheriff's office said
According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, detectives identified Goodarzi as a suspect after an "extensive and persistent investigation" and arrested him at his residence on Friday. The department categorized the case as PC 187 - murder and said detectives reviewed autopsy findings before making the arrest.
Where she was found and what the autopsy showed
As reported by CBS Los Angeles, Papoli's body was discovered on Nov. 18, about 75 feet down a steep embankment near Highway 138 and Crestline Road in Crestline. Initial examinations documented injuries that appeared consistent with a fall, but the coroner's review later classified the manner of death as a homicide.
Family background and timeline
As detailed by the Los Angeles Times, Papoli was reported missing in Newport Beach on Nov. 22. Her family described her as an artist and community volunteer. Her son has created a tribute website and asked for privacy while investigators continue to work the case.
Next steps in the investigation
As noted in the sheriff's release, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department says Goodarzi is being held without bail at the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino, and detectives with the Specialized Investigations Division are continuing their work on the case. Authorities have not released details about how Papoli is believed to have been killed or whether they have identified a possible motive.
