Her physique was present in a distant mountain city weeks in the past. Now, her husband has been accused of homicide

After weeks investigating the dying of a Newport Beach lady whose physique was discovered alongside a steep embankment in a San Bernardino County mountain city, officers have arrested her estranged husband.

Gordon Abas Goodarzi, 66, of Rolling Hills, was arrested Friday on suspicion of homicide within the dying of his longtime spouse and enterprise companion Aryan Papoli, in keeping with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s workplace didn’t share particulars of how Goodarzi was linked to Papoli’s dying or a potential motive, however stated Papoli’s post-mortem dominated her dying a murder and an “extensive and persistent investigation into the circumstances” led detectives to Goodarzi as a suspect.

Goodarzi is being held with out bail.

Papoli, 58, of Newport Beach, was discovered useless Nov. 18 about 75 toes down a steep embankment close to Highway 138 and Crestline Road, within the mountain city of Crestline, officers reported. Her physique wasn’t instantly recognized, however days after it was discovered, Newport Beach police confirmed a lacking particular person’s report was filed for Papoli.

The physique was confirmed to be Papoli on Dec. 1.

Aryan Papoli, seen with son Milad in an undated photograph. Papoli’s physique was discovered down an embankment within the city of Crestline, Calif., in November.

(Courtesy of Navid Goodarzi)

In an interview with The Times final month, Papoli’s son Navid Goodarzi stated his mom got here to the U.S. from Tehran as a younger lady and labored laborious to make a brand new life for herself and enhance the lives of others.

“My mom was a ray of light, sunshine manifested,” stated Goodarzi, 25. “She always gave 150% to herself and to everyone.”

At the time, he didn’t touch upon his dad and mom’ relationship, however stated that they had labored collectively for years and began a clear power firm.

He did say Papoli moved to Newport Beach about six months in the past, in search of a serene place to thrive creatively in her retirement.

Times employees author Sara Cardine contributed to this report.