Aaron Goodwin

Summary

True Crime All The Time – Episode 505: Aaron Goodwin
Hosts: Mike Ferguson & Mike "Gibby" Gibson
Date: June 11, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into the shocking murder-for-hire plot involving Aaron Goodwin, best known as the cameraman and ghost hunter from the television series Ghost Adventures. The hosts, Mike and Gibby, explore the disturbing details of how Aaron’s wife, Victoria Goodwin, attempted to arrange his murder by conspiring with imprisoned family killer Grant Amato—previously profiled on the podcast. The discussion unpacks the psychology behind these crimes, the intersection of true crime notoriety and personal relationships, and the aftermath for Aaron as a victim.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Aaron Goodwin: The Public Persona and Private Life

• Aaron’s Career and Marriage

  • Known for traveling to haunted locations for Ghost Adventures since 2008 ([04:06]).
  • Married Victoria in 2022 after a long courtship that faced pandemic delays.
  • Quote: “I'm so lucky to have her in my life...I always feel safe when she's next to me holding my hand.” – Aaron Goodwin, Instagram ([07:27]).
  • Wedding took place at Disney’s Haunted Mansion, reflecting Aaron’s interests ([08:37]).

• Social Media vs. Reality

  • On social media, the couple appeared loving and private, but as Mike observed:
    “What do people put out for others to see versus what's really going on at home?” ([09:22])
  • Gibby suggests: “A big percentage of that is not true to who they really are in their life.” ([09:53])

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The Descent: Victoria Goodwin’s Connection with Grant Amato

• Victoria’s Background

  • Former collegiate golfer whose career was sidelined by a rare swallowing disorder ([05:21]).
  • Marriage began showing strain in 2024.

• Obsession with True Crime

  • Victoria watched the documentary Control Alt Desire about Grant Amato—a man who killed his family after draining $200,000 to pay a cam model ([10:19], [11:07]).
  • The hosts recall previously covering Amato’s case:
    “He really took the bait on that.” – Gibby ([11:28])
    “It’s a transaction, but he didn't see it that way.” – Mike ([13:17])

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The Murder-for-Hire Plot Unfolds

• Secret Correspondence

  • Victoria begins communicating with Amato, using a contraband cell phone he has in prison ([15:36]).
  • Quote: “So, one, I find it strange that prisoners can have a Facebook account.” – Gibby ([15:59])

• Escalation to Murder Plot

  • The relationship intensifies; Victoria discusses marital troubles and fantasies of being with Amato ([19:59]).
  • She doesn’t believe Aaron would agree to a divorce. The hosts debate the psychology behind women who fall for inmates ([20:35]).
  • Prosecutors note Victoria and Amato discussed hiring a hitman, with Amato as the go-between:
    “At one point, Victoria texted Amato: ‘Am I a bad person?’” ([23:43])
  • Victoria provides Aaron’s schedule and details to facilitate the planned murder during his work travel ([24:22]).
  • Ultimately, the murder was not carried out—officers confiscated Amato’s phone before the act ([25:19]).

• Social Media Facade Maintained

  • Even after the foiled plan, Victoria continues posting affectionate photos with Aaron:
    “This is so surreal to me...she is going through the motions...all the while working with a serial killer to have her husband killed.” – Mike ([26:12])

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Investigation, Arrest, and Legal Outcome

• Discovery & Arrest

  • Authorities link Victoria’s messages to murder-for-hire discussions and payment plans ([27:44]).
  • Las Vegas police arrest her in March 2025 ([28:53]).

• Excuses & Denial

  • Victoria claims the talk was fantasy, not reality; says money sent to Amato was for his cell phone ([29:50], [30:41]).
  • Mike remarks on the implausibility of conveniently forgetting to plot a murder via text:
    “Talking about hiring a hitman to kill your husband...that's a line of text that would kind of stay with you.” ([31:16])

• Aaron Learns the Truth

  • Police inform Aaron while he’s filming Ghost Adventures ([31:59]).
  • The betrayal devastates him: “You can get a lot of strange phone calls...But a call that your wife is trying to hire a hitman to kill you?” – Mike ([32:18])

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Legal Resolution and Emotional Aftermath

• Plea Deal and Sentencing

  • Victoria pleads guilty to conspiracy and receives a sentence of 36 to 90 months ([40:57]).
  • Mike and Gibby debate whether this is adequate: “If she gets out early, three years would be a real slap in the face, I think.” – Mike ([41:00])

• Courtroom Statements

  • Victoria apologizes in court, calling her actions “my rock bottom,” though hosts question her sincerity ([42:21]).
  • Aaron, in his victim impact statement, details the lasting trauma and the betrayal’s impact on his ability to trust, even hiring armed security after the plot ([45:15]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Social Media Facades:
  “Things that you and I talk about quite a bit...what do people put out for others to see versus what's really going on at home?” – Mike ([09:22])

• Mike on the Absurdity of Prisoner Facebook Accounts:
  “So, one, I find it strange that prisoners can have a Facebook account.” – Gibby ([15:59])

• On the Dangers of Contraband Phones in Prison:
  “How dangerous is a phone in prison? You think about the ability to contact someone on the outside...it's a big deal.” – Mike ([17:46])

• Victoria Texting Amato:
  “Am I a bad person? ...Because I chose to end his existence, not divorce.” – Victoria ([23:51])

• On Learning About the Plot:
  “You can get a lot of strange phone calls...but if the police, you know, get ahold of you and say, hey, you might want to sit down for this one. Your wife is trying to hire a hitman to kill you.” – Mike ([32:18])

• Aaron’s Pain:
  “For seven years, I thought I was in the most loving relationship...Now discovering she put a hit out to kill me more than once, got blackmailed and spent almost all of our savings to keep it quiet. This has led me to fear for my life.” – Aaron (victim impact statement) ([44:06], [45:15])

• On Why People Don’t Just Divorce:
  “Do it the right way...do it the way that millions and millions of people have done it.” – Mike ([50:55]) “Person up and make it happen.” – Gibby ([50:58])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Aaron’s Career and Marriage: [04:06] – [08:37]
• Victoria’s Health and Social Life: [05:21] – [09:22]
• Cracks in the Marriage & Connection to Grant Amato: [10:19] – [13:17]
• Description of Amato’s Family Murders: [11:07] – [13:48]
• Victoria-Amato Secret Correspondence: [15:36] – [18:12]
• Murder Plot Discussed: [19:59] – [25:19]
• Aftermath – Social Media, Facade, & Discovery: [25:48] – [27:44]
• Arrest and Interviews: [28:53] – [31:16]
• Aaron Receives the News: [31:59] – [32:18]
• Sentencing and Emotional Fallout: [39:38] – [46:51]
• Aaron’s Victim Statement: [43:01] – [46:51]
• Conclusion & Final Reflections: [50:14] – [51:52]

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Final Reflections

Both hosts underscore the chilling reality of murder-for-hire plots—how easily the facade of a happy marriage can mask betrayal, and the psychological fallout for survivors. Gibby notes, “This is scarier than any episode that Aaron probably did, you know, with his show.” ([51:20])

They end with a timeless plea: If you desperately want out of a marriage, divorce—“person up”—rather than destroy lives irreparably.

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For listeners or those new to the case, this episode is a sobering exploration of double lives, the dangers of obsession, and the lasting impact of intimate betrayal.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month. Required intro rate first 3 months only,

[A]

then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] hello everyone and welcome to episode 505 of the True Crime all the Time podcast. I'm Mike Ferguson and with me, as always, is my partner in true crime, Mike Gibson. Gibby, how are you man?

[B]

I'm good. 505. That's like my IQ score.

[A]

Yeah. Divided by seven. Divided by seven. I think you're in the ballpark somewhere. So you and I are back from Crimecon.

[B]

We are.

[A]

We had a good time and you know, we're done with the Long Island Serial Killer and we're on to other things. Other things. And so are you ready to get into this episode of True Crime all the Time?

[B]

I am ready.

[A]

Aaron Goodwin is best known for his role as cameraman slash ghost Hunter on the popular show Ghost Adventures. You ever watched that?

[B]

I think I have.

[A]

I'm assuming it's probably the same format as most of them, which is. Did you hear that? Did you feel the. The coldness sweep over me? You know, in the Bigfoot ones, it's always like, did you hear that?

[B]

Right?

[A]

I didn't hear anything. But hey, you know, I'm not there.

[B]

So did you see that move real really quick over there?

[A]

It always makes me think of, you know, I've talked about it, but I love the Conjuring series.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

And actually just started watching them again.

[B]

Yeah, I just.

[A]

I just rewatch the same stuff over and over, but I. I like it now. I did try to watch some of those ghost shows back in the day because they had a bunch of them on. Sure did there for a while. Just couldn't get into them because you're not showing me anything that is tangible.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. You're. You're a non believer. Yeah.

[A]

But in 2024, Goodwin's wife Victoria began plotting to kill her husband with Florida inmates Grant Amato, who was sentenced to life in prison for killing his family. And this is kind of why this case jumped out at me. Number one, you got a, you know, murder for higher plot. But it also involves someone who we have previously profiled on True crime all the time, and that's Grand Amado.

[B]

Yeah, I remember that.

[A]

Aaron Goodwin has been a core part of the show Ghost Adventures since 2008. Although he has an unusual career, traveling around the country to allegedly haunted locations in search of ghosts, Aaron seemed to have a pretty normal life right outside of work. On social media, he shared bits of his personal life in Las Vegas with his wife Victoria. They got married in 2018. So we just got back from Las Vegas. Not my scene, as I kind of said on Patreon, but I know a lot of people love it. I'm just not a big gambler.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Not a big drinker either. So.

[B]

I mean, there's definitely ghost out there because I'm telling you, I don't know what happened, but. So I would take my money and I would put it into the machine

[A]

and the ghost would just steal it.

[B]

Yeah, it just disappeared, man. I'm like, what? What the. Where did it go?

[A]

Very quickly. Yeah, I gambled $5.

[B]

Did you?

[A]

And I did it at the airport.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Just to say that I did. Didn't win anything, but.

[B]

Hey, was that like one button? Boom, done.

[A]

One button. And I just went back to my seat and I was fulfilled.

[B]

You're like, yep, yep, I did. That's what I thought would happen. I'm glad I only spent $5 to find that out.

[A]

Yep. According to people, Victoria was a collegiate golfer. She said in December 2024 podcast interview that she dreamed of going pro, but that was put on hold when she was diagnosed with a laser. I. I hope I'm saying that right, but it's a very rare condition that makes it difficult to swallow.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

I never heard of it before. I do. I do know people who have difficulty swallowing things like pills and.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, they're a little more susceptible to that. But you think about having trouble swallowing. Okay. That is going to change your life dramatically.

[B]

Yeah. I know somebody that had some issues with that, and they had to buy this. It's like a chemical that you mix into everything that you drink because. Thickens it up.

[A]

Why would you want to thicken up? Doesn't it seem like it'd be the reverse? If you have difficulty swallowing, you'd want it as liquid as possible.

[B]

I didn't ask questions.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

They just. The doctor said, buy this stuff. You put it in your drinks, and it's supposed to make it better for them to swallow, I guess.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

I got you.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So Aaron and Victoria got engaged in 2019, but they had to postpone their wedding several times due to the pandemic. And. We know, right? The pandemic affected everything. Not to. To minimize it because obviously a lot of people lost their lives, but it affected so many things. Right. Trials. We. Every time we cover a case from that period, the trial just kept getting pushed back and pushed back. And I'm sure a lot of people who had weddings planned had to push those back. Aaron wrote in a 2019 Inter Instagram post, I'm so lucky to have her in my life. She helps me when I'm down, and she always makes me laugh. I always feel safe when she's next to me holding my hand.

[B]

It's the way you should feel when you're with your significant other.

[A]

Well, it's a good sentiment, especially when you're still in that kind of state of bliss. Right.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You're not yet married, you know. Do a lot of married people say this? 20, 30 years in maybe.

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

Your 30th, not too long ago.

[A]

I did. I did. And, you know, my wife and I held hands walking through Vegas in the airport.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Mostly, I think, because she didn't want to fall down the escalator. But it was still a very touching moment.

[B]

Did it bring you comfort?

[A]

No, I think it brought her comfort because she has a. A slight fear of escalators.

[B]

Can you be honest though? The reason you held her hand in the forum where the mall was because you were draggin out of there. So she didn't stop at any more stores.

[A]

Dude, I don't have enough money to be buying things at all. Those. Those were the most expensive stores in the world.

[B]

I don't know who shops there. Man, that was crazy. Some of those.

[A]

Some people have a lot of money, I guess in Vegas. I guess.

[B]

Spend it, I guess, if you got it.

[A]

Hey, YOLO. They eventually got married in August 2022. According to a post on Aaron's Instagram account, they had their wedding ceremony at Disney's Haunted Mansion.

[B]

Okay, well, it makes sense, right? Because he's into haunted stuff.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, it is Disney. So I'm sure it's kind of. Kind of cool because you're at Disney doing it.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Right?

[A]

Yeah, I guess. I guess my wife and I had our honeymoon at Disney.

[B]

Did you?

[A]

Yeah, because she loves Disney.

[B]

Oh, the honeymoon. I thought you, 30 years ago thought you're doing the honeymoon. And I'm like, isn't that weird for kids to.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Around.

[A]

Not, not that part.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

But just in Orlando. We had our honeymoon, but we went to Disney a bunch.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

On social media, Aaron and Victoria appeared to be an affectionate but private couple. Aaron sometimes posted photos of their travels or their home life. And again, a couple of things there. Things that you and I talk about quite a bit. You know, what do people put out for others to see versus what's really going on at home.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Behind closed doors. Right. And I think a lot of times those can be two very different things.

[B]

I believe that there's a big percentage of that is not true to who they really are in their life.

[A]

Yeah. But maybe they want to project to everybody else that they have this kind of picture perfect life.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, I think there is some. That what you see is what they are. It's what you get. And I. I love that. I wish everybody could be like that, but I don't know if that's.

[A]

I don't know what the percentage is.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I really don't. According to later investigative reports, their marriage became strained in 2024. That year, Victoria watched the true crime docu series Control Alt Desire, which covers the case of Gran Amato. And like I said, we did cover this case. I think it was back in late 2024, maybe November, December. I forget exactly when, but. Amato is serving life in prison for the 2019 murders of his parents and brother. He plotted the murders after his father kicked him out for continuing to communicate with the webcam model. And he was obsessed with. And I know you remember this case. It was so fascinating.

[B]

It was. It really was.

[A]

I mean, there were reports that he was spending hundreds of thousands of dollars.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And stealing some of that from his, you know, his family and stuff. Hundreds of thousands of dollars. Because I think he really felt like this cam model was his girlfriend. She was in love with him.

[B]

He really took the bait on that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Now, obviously, she wasn't. No, she was playing a role very well, apparently, but, you know, to try to get him to spend money on her. Amato, a former nurse, used up to $200,000 of his father and brother's money to pay the model and attend her webcam sessions. His family attempted to provide therapy and treatment by forcing him to go to rehab, which he left early. Amato argued with his father and was given an ultimatum. When his family discovered that he was still in contact with the model, he was ordered to leave his family's home in Chalota, Florida.

[B]

Well, I think at that point, they had enough. Wow.

[A]

$200,000, Gibbs, is a lot of money. It is for your child to steal from you.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, how is this person going to pay that money back? And do they even want to. Do they even care? Obviously, they're showing you that they don't really care about you if they're willing to do that. But I remember, you know, that case and specifically the documentary, there was one time when he was either filming a video for this chat model, I think, and sending it to her, but it was basically like begging and pleading her with her to make a video for him because he just didn't have any money at that point.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And even if he'd already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, I. I don't think she was gonna do it.

[B]

She had her principles, I guess.

[A]

Well, it's a transaction.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

It really is. But like you said, he didn't see it that way. No, he had a much different take on it and didn't realize, or maybe didn't want to realize that she was just performing a service for money, which is what that is. There's no emotional attachment for them. Right. On the other side of the camera, a job, man. But the people paying all this money, they can form, they.

[B]

And they. And a lot of times they do. Yeah.

[A]

And I think he did for sure. On January 24, 2019, Amato shot his mother, then waited for his father and brother to return home and killed them both. He attempted to stage the crime scene as a murder suicide committed by his brother before he fled. He was later captured and found guilty of the murders. So, you know, let's talk about this kind of staging of the crime scene. Yeah, this comes up in a lot of the True Crime all the Time episodes that we do. I just don't know what the success rate of it is because, number one, most people are not, you know, in that forensic science or that police world, so, you know, they may not exactly know what they're doing. Okay. Yeah, you can watch CSI and you can watch movies, and you can get some. Some tips, some ideas. But is it really going to, you know, pass the smell test when investigators start digging in?

[B]

I think it's hard to really create it, you know, artificially wise, because it's such a natural thing that's going to happen. And either you're gonna overcompensate when you're trying to fake it or under. Right. You're gonna miss something that's critical that you didn't think that you needed to do that you should have done.

[A]

Yeah. And it could be gsr, Right. It could be their gunshot residue. There's none on the victims. Okay. Pretty hard to shoot yourself and others if there's no. And I'm not saying that was the case here, but that's just one of the types of things that, you know, somebody might not think about.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So he was captured, found guilty. Amato was incarcerated at the Okeechobee Correctional Institution in Florida. When Victoria Goodwin contacted him via Facebook In May 2004, they began communicating regularly via a contraband cell phone Amato had in prison.

[B]

So, one, I find it strange that prisoners can have a Facebook account.

[A]

Me, too.

[B]

I just don't understand why they would have access to that.

[A]

Yeah, I don't either.

[B]

So you have that. And then how did he get his hands on this contra brand? Contraband bandit phone.

[A]

Branded? Well, I think it's probably branded is a brand. Yeah, I guess.

[B]

Yeah, I'm sure it was keystered in maybe, or maybe brought in out in the open, I think.

[A]

Think it's more common than we think. Yeah, you know, I. I watch some of those shows where they send in those people for, like, 90 days and they're kind of undercover.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But they're put in, like, jails or whatever, and they're, you know, later report back to The. The sheriff. And you see people with cell phones, you see drugs, and you just always wonder, like, how do you get that in?

[B]

Someone's paying somebody. Because, you know, if you watch that mayor of Kingstown, they got cell phones, they got drugs coming in and out.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Well, they have a network.

[A]

Well, let's face it, right. If you have a. A dirty guard.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. You're gonna be able to get more in. Probably they're not checked. Probably quite as hard as inmates.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But the. The. The thing where, let's say the wife or the girlfriend brings something in and is somehow able to slip it to their significant other during, you know, like, their visit. Yeah, that one always amazes me.

[B]

But people want something bad enough, they're find a way to get it.

[A]

Oh, absolutely.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But how dangerous is a phone? In prison? You think about the ability to contact someone on the outside in real time and potentially set up an escape, a getaway, something like that. It's a big deal.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, some of these guys run their. Their whole. Their previous organization. Right. They're still running.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Just from the prison.

[A]

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[B]

I don't either. But you know, clearly there's a lot of them that just really. Maybe it's maybe because they think they can fix them.

[A]

Maybe. Could be that or they know they're not going anywhere. They're not going to be cheating.

[B]

Well, there's that.

[A]

You know, now we might find out here that she's just using this guy. Right. To get what. What she wants. But I mean, what, what kind of relationship can you really have other than talking on the phone, writing letters?

[B]

I mean, I get it. These guys, because they, they, they have nothing else that they're doing while they're in there. They can devote a bunch of attention.

[A]

Oh, they're super grateful.

[B]

Yeah. So they're going to give you all this attention and if you.

[A]

Yeah, absolutely.

[B]

If you don't get a lot of attention at home, now you're getting all this attention, it probably makes you feel really good.

[A]

Yeah, I could see the draw from that angle.

[B]

Yeah. Right.

[A]

Not getting what you need at home. But this person is showering you with so much attention that it's just kind of blowing you away.

[B]

Maybe they look good, too, from doing that prison workout every day in that, in that small cell.

[A]

That could be. And maybe she watched a trial. Some people get enamored with these individuals because they're on tv, they're good looking. Maybe in the trial setting, I don't know what it is. Prosecutors later noted that while Aaron was on the road filming, Victoria was cultivating a secret relationship with a convicted murderer and discussing ways to get rid of her husband. So double betrayal.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Not only are you plotting to murder me, you're doing it by kind of having this quasi affair with a convicted murderer. I'm not happy.

[B]

That's made for TV stuff right there.

[A]

If I'm the husband, I'm not Happy?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You shouldn't be at either one of them, to be honest with you. So Victoria and Amato began discussing the possibility of hiring a hitman to kill Aaron, with Amato acting as the intermediary. He told Victoria he would be in contact with someone who will be taking care of the situation, per 3News.

[B]

Well, he is in prison. Probably has a pretty good network right there of, hey, anybody here know where I can get somebody in this area to knock somebody off at?

[A]

And maybe you got some people who are being released or they just have somebody on the outside who they know for X amount of dollars would be willing to do this. Probably an easier place to find that than just on the outside in the real world. I mean, you think about me in the neighborhood, I'm not going up and down the street and knocking on neighbors doors saying, hey, do you know anybody who will kill somebody? But you could probably have those conversations in prison.

[B]

Probably. It's about the only easier thing than that one episode we did with the ww.hitman.com or whatever it was.

[A]

Oh, yeah, that's true. At one point, Victoria texted a motto. Am I a bad person? Just think about that for a minute. Yeah, you are texting a convicted family killer. Am I a bad person?

[B]

Probably the wrong person to ask, get advice from.

[A]

When Amato asked why she felt that way, she responded, because I chose to end his existence, not divorce. She said in one text, I'm so anxious lo l o l I just can't believe it's happening. How did I get to this point? I mean, she's on the one hand she's wondering if she's a bad person. On the other hand, she sounds almost giddy.

[B]

Yeah, that.

[A]

That they're going to go through with this.

[B]

She's a little bit excited about it.

[A]

The plan was to have the hitman kill Aaron while he was filming in California on October 3, 2024. Victoria gave information about her husband's location and schedule, which Amato passed along to the hitman. Later that day, Amato contacted the alleged hitman. He and asked whether the murder had been completed. He wrote, he's asleep right now in the hotel room. I need to know what's going on. Can I get an update? Was it done now? The murder never took place, but it remains unclear as to why it didn't occur. According to NBC, that same Friday, corrections officers obtained Amato's contraband phone. I hope they wipe that off with a disinfectant.

[B]

I, I would, yeah, I would have doubled up on the Gloves. And. Yeah.

[A]

According to a report, the contents of the phone were searched. At an unspecified date in early 2025, Victoria and Aaron Goodwin continued sharing photos of their seemingly normal, happy life on social media. On January 22, she posted a photo of them kissing for their anniversary.

[B]

Hey, babe, I love you so much. I'm gonna post this picture so everybody can see how much we're in love.

[A]

On 14 February, she posted a selfie with Aaron at a mini golf course. Aaron commented, I love you even though you crushed me in many golf. And this is so surreal to me. Obviously, Aaron has no idea, but she does. And she is going through the motions of, you know, posting all these things to make it look like they're doing great, all the while working with a serial killer to have her husband killed.

[B]

Yeah, she's crushing his mini golf game, also crushing his heart, because she's betraying him, and then she's trying to, you know, crush them to death.

[A]

Yeah. Eventually, officials reviewed the contents of Gran Amato's phone and found messages with a woman in Nevada whom they identified as Victoria Goodwin, dating back to October 2024. On March 4th of 2025, Florida officials contacted authorities in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department decided to arrest and charge Victoria because her messages referenced hiring a hitman, as well as payment plans, location anticipation, and her not doing anything to stop the plan once it was in motion.

[B]

Guilty, guilty, guilty.

[A]

Well, and that's the thing about kind of the murder for hire plot. You know, you can't wait until it occurs to then go and arrest the person. Right, Right. You got to spring into action once you have enough evidence, but before the murder actually occurs.

[B]

Probably like a really tight line right there.

[A]

I think it can be, and I'm sure it. It doesn't always happen that way. Yeah, they find out afterwards or, you know, whatever. Victoria planned to set aside $11,515 to hire the hitman with 2500 paid up front.

[B]

So 1. It's a strange, odd number and very specific. Yeah, not 11, 11, 5, 11, 5, 15. And then only. Who only takes 2500 up front? I mean, like half 2500 now, half on the day I do it, or, you know, another 25 on the day I do it, and then the rest of it afterward.

[A]

I thought it was half now, half on completion.

[B]

That'd be the minimal that I would do something for.

[A]

And, you know, maybe it was, again, kind of a horrible boss's thing where they spent a little bit money on the briefcase. Remember that?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

He said, well, I spend some on the briefcase. And we mentioned it. Right. She discussed her husband's location and the details of his vehicle.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

On March 6, 2025, the Las Vegas police served a search warrant at the Goodwins home and arrested Victoria. She told investigators she became aware of Gran Amato through a documentary and then began became pen pals with him from May to November 2024. Around that time, she and Aaron were having marital problems and she began connecting with Amado. Okay, vague. You could take it a bunch of different ways. According to the arrest report, she described herself as sometimes daydreaming of being in a different situation. Victoria expressed her feelings of what? Wanting to be without Aaron and with a motto to a motto, which she described as fantasy or daydream.

[B]

That's because he's given her nothing but all his attention. Because he's not working. He doesn't have anything to do all day besides look at your Facebook account, see things that interest you, and then tell you, oh, I like this. And this. Do you like this? Oh, you do. Look, we're so similar.

[A]

But the whole part about, yeah, you know, it was just fantasy. It was just daydream. I mean, what else are you going to say when police kind of confront you with this evidence that you're working with this convicted killer to try to kill your husband? She denied wanting her husband dead and claimed that she couldn't recall sending certain messages about hiring a hitman. She believed the money she was sending Amato was for his cell phone.

[B]

Oh, $2,500 for a cell phone.

[A]

Yeah. Or 11,000. Or 11,000, whatever it's going to be. But here's the thing. You know, we. We. We all send a lot of text messages, emails, call. We make calls, whatever it is. Most of that stuff you're not going to remember.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Because it's benign. It doesn't really mean anything in the grand scheme of things. But talking about hiring a hitman to kill your husband, I feel like that's a line of text that would kind of stay with you.

[B]

You're not going to forget that.

[A]

No, no way. And again, I know I'm cynical, but I just don't believe what many people say after they're caught.

[B]

Oh, yeah. I mean, they're all lies.

[A]

Well, they have a vested interest. Right, in lying. They're trying to protect themselves. Prosecutors would argue that the volume and nature of the text showed clear intent. Aaron Goodwin was away from home filming an episode of Ghost Adventures when he received a call from police informing him he. He Was the target of a murder for hire plot orchestrated by his wife.

[B]

Man. How hard would that hit?

[A]

Well, my, my thought is you can get a lot of strange phone calls.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You can get phone calls that, you know a loved one has passed or someone you love was in an accident. They're hurt, but they're at the hospital. Those are all going to be really tough.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Phone calls to handle. I don't know what the phone call would be like if the police, you know, get ahold of you and say, hey, you might want to sit down for this one. Your wife is trying to hire a hitman to kill you. Yeah.

[B]

I mean, if you got a call from the police saying, hey, Gibby is trying to kill you, or you get the one that says, hey, your wife was trying to kill you, one would hit harder than the other.

[A]

Yeah, the gimme one. I'd be like, what else is new? Yeah, I mean, he's been trying to kill me since 1989 again. He's just so bad at it. He hasn't hadn't been able to pull it off.

[B]

Just find them, give him, make him pay 500 bucks.

[A]

You know, that's the worst that can you can do to give. You don't put him in jail. Just make him pay a big ass fine.

[B]

Yeah. Ouch.

[A]

Because he hates giving up his money. You know folks, it's summertime and that changes how I get dressed. I want pieces that are breathable, easy, but still make me look put together. And that's why I just keep coming back to Quint. Quint's has high quality pieces that feel and look amazing. And the prices are unbelievable. Everything at Quint's is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. This is because they work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middlemen. So what you're paying for is quality and not brand markup. They have European linen pants and shirts starting at just $34. I love everything I've bought from Quint, but my absolute favorite is their Flowknit activewear. Joggers, tops. It's my go to. But Quint goes beyond clothing. They have everything from sofas to ceramic cookware. And my daughter loves their premium bedding. Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to quint.com teacat for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q U I n c e.com tcatt for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com tcat as a small business owner Sometimes it feels like no matter how much planning you do, there's always surprises like an urgent, expensive repair. But here's a surprise you will like with Progressive. Small business owners save 13% on their commercial auto insurance when they pay in full. So enjoy a surprise for once. Get a quote in as little as 8 [e-mail] progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates. Discounts not available in all states or situations. Now we joke about it, but obviously it's a very serious thing. But at the same time, I find some of these things humorous in a way, especially when they don't come to fruition. Right. The person is not killed. Well then you can laugh about it a little bit more. But just the brazenness or the thought that some of these people really think they're going to get away with it. And some of my favorite, Gibbs, are the videos where, you know, they're speaking to an undercover agent and they got the undercover agent who's got all the tattoos and the beard and he looks, you know, rough and tumble but yet he's, he's still an agent. Right. Of something. And you know, they're just talking as though they would to a friend about what they did yesterday or the day before, laughing about wanting to have their significant other killed. It's shocking to me to watch the video ones especially.

[B]

I just don't know what people are thinking.

[A]

I think a lot of times they're not or if they are thinking they're only thinking about one thing and that is what they want. You're not thinking about, well, what's this going to do to my in laws? Children if, if there are children in the picture. I think that is what people fail to think about because they're just so wrapped up in whatever it is greed or wanting to be with someone else that they're not really thinking about much else.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, they're narcissistic, they're very selfish people. And a lot of us have a hard time, you know, kind of figuring out how that could be because we don't operate like that right now. We can be, everybody can be selfish.

[B]

Oh, of course.

[A]

But to that degree where you don't care if a person lives or dies because you want what you want, that's, that's ultimate selfishness right there.

[B]

I just think, you know, and we would never know. Right. Most of the time we always say, you know, people say the grass is not greener on the other side. So I wonder how many of these people that actually have pulled off successful hits on their spouses.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

To be with somebody else, only to be like, well, that was stupid for me to do this, because this is no better or it's worse.

[A]

But did they get a bunch of money, too? I mean, it's, you know, who knows? And again, I don't think some of these people have the same, you know, thoughts kind of looking back on things and. And that the rest of us would.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And. And thinking about it as a bad decision.

[B]

And how would you feel if knowing that somebody that you had somebody killed for to be with them? I mean, wouldn't that person be like, I don't know. He killed to be with me. If I don't make him happy, is he going to kill me? You know, that's. That's a lot of expectations to meet, you know, through that relationship.

[A]

Yeah. Now, this is a different situation. Right. He's in jail. He's never getting out. So I don't know what the relationship is going to be anyway. But, I mean, needless to say.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Aaron Goodwin, I'm sure, was shocked. And when they told him, his reaction was actually captured on camera. He told his crew, the police are at my house. Before walking outside the filming location, Aaron was told that his wife had been arrested and charged with solicitation and conspiracy to commit murder. A week after Victoria was arrested, Aaron filed for divorce. Citing irreconcilable differences.

[B]

I would say so, yeah.

[A]

Yeah. If there. If there ever were irreconcilable differences, it's when one person tries to hire hitman to kill the other.

[B]

I want to stay alive. She does not want me to stay alive.

[A]

We. We do not agree. We differ on that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

In court appearances, prosecutors laid out the evidence collected from Grana Moto's phone. On April 8, 2025, facing a lengthy prison sentence, Victoria agreed to a plea deal. Prosecutors agreed to drop the solicitation to commit murder charges, and Victoria agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit murder. But she still faced up to 10 years in prison.

[B]

You know, it's a serious charge.

[A]

It is now. Would she have faced a lot more years with the other charge? Yeah, probably so. But we talk about it all the time, right? Plea deals are made for a number of reasons. You know, how strong is the evidence? Is it possible that a juror, just one juror, could see it a little differently or whatever? And then the other thing is, you just. It's kind of all wrapped up with a bow. You don't have to go through or worry about all the different appeals that are you Know, could come down, down the line. And it could also be the family.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Sometimes the family is all in on a plea deal because they don't have to listen to this person talk in court or listen to this person's defense team kind of try to maybe defame their loved one and say a bunch of bad things about them. So Victoria made her plea in court on April 22, 2025. On June 5, she was sentenced to a minimum of 36 months and a maximum of 90 months in prison. A little bit of leeway there.

[B]

Yeah. Kind of light. If she gets out early, three years

[A]

would be a real slap in the face, I think.

[B]

This is where I think, like, when they. People get out, they should have, like, a little QR code on their. On their wrist that are. On their. Maybe top of their hand that you can take a picture of, open it up. The Tells them, like, hey, I was in prison for this. That. Because I think, you know, her next soul mate might want to know.

[A]

Yeah. You know, or maybe you just have to get a tattoo on your forehead that says murder for hire or something like that. Something like that.

[B]

Yeah. I. I'd still get that one that says no regrets and spell.

[A]

You have no regrets. Not a single regret.

[B]

Awesome movie, man.

[A]

That was a good movie, too. During her hearing, she apologized to Aaron, her parents, and the court, saying, per Fox 5. I want to apologize to the court. I recognize my stupidity, the terrible crime against Aaron. This is my rock bottom, and I couldn't forgive myself. She told Aaron she would always hold love for him and promised he would never be in danger of her again. So, first of all. Okay, stupidity is kind of. You're making light of it, I think.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

With that. But I will always hold love for you, and I'll never hurt you. You'll never be in danger from me. Yes, I did try to have someone kill you.

[B]

Yeah. I had somebody else trying to put you in danger, but that's.

[A]

That's in the past.

[B]

Yeah. And I learned my lesson.

[A]

I. I just don't know what victims or victims families really take from some of these kind of, you know, courtroom speeches by defendants, you know? Yeah, I. I don't know how much of it is heartfelt, dictated by their attorneys. I just don't put much into it.

[B]

I mean, she said. She says she hits rock bottom, but. And she apologizes. But if she didn't get caught, I don't think she would have thought that she was just caught up in a stupid moment and she hit rock bottom, she'd be like, all right, got the

[A]

insurance money worked out exactly the way

[B]

I got a man in prison that can't bug me. Can only write me when I want to talk to him. Yeah.

[A]

In his victim impact statement, Aaron described the ordeal as devastating and said he no longer felt safe knowing how close the plot had come to being carried out. The betrayal left him struggling to trust again.

[B]

I believe that would be very difficult.

[A]

It's going to make it tough.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Aaron described the pain of discovering Victoria was unfaithful. He said he offered to reconcile with her until he learned the affair continued and she plotted to have him killed. He will always wonder why she did it.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, that's tough, man. You know, here's a guy that just poured his heart out into.

[A]

To her and, and the relationship.

[B]

And the relationship, and she betrayed him not once but twice. Right. She betrayed him with, you know, having an affair with another person, but then she betrayed killer and then she betrayed, you know, the ultimate trust that she tried to had him killed.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, yeah.

[A]

So are you going to go out to a bar and meet someone and feel real comfortable about starting a new relationship? Yeah, I don't think so.

[B]

No. It's going to be. It's going to be a tough go.

[A]

According to people. Aaron continued in his statement. For seven years, I thought I was in the most loving relationship of marriage with my best friend, someone I trusted with my whole heart and laughed with every day, someone who made me feel like I was. Like I was her one and only. Now discovering she put a hit out to kill me more than once, got blackmailed and spent almost all of our savings to keep it quiet. This has led me to fear for my life. I've hired armed security for weeks not knowing whether it was over or not.

[B]

Well, yeah, I mean, if there's, you know, she's made several attempts over the years to have him removed, you know, is that message out there to whoever she has talked to in the past, like, you know, has it all been shut down? Somebody like getting seen an old article somewhere, a classified oh hit. Oh, well, I think I'll go ahead and do this one. You know, it's only fifteen hundred dollars. I can do it.

[A]

I understand why he would be struggling. He said since he found out about the plot, he's been looking over his shoulder and going to therapy to understand what has happened. He described the feeling as a heartbreak no one should have to go through in life. The fact that this person did all this to me with no worry, no care or love in her heart, for me, I will never feel the same.

[B]

Yeah, that's. That hurts, man. The fact is, she didn't care at all.

[A]

He said, I'll never feel safe or be the same because of what she did. Especially when she gets out one day, whether she gets the minimum or maximum time, I still won't feel safe whenever she's released. I feel like this deserves prison time.

[B]

I agree with him. I. I think the fact that it didn't happen is a blessing for him. But she wanted to happen. She didn't, like, stop it herself.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, to me, the minimum. If she were out in three years, I would consider that a slap in the face. I really would.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

As to what she wanted to happen, what she put in motion. In October 2025, Ghost Adventures aired the episode that shows Aaron receiving news of his wife's arrest. At the time, the crew was filming at Hollydale Asylum in Downey, California.

[B]

Seems Ricky.

[A]

It does, but I'm assuming if you're on a show called Ghost Adventures, you're taping in some very weird spots.

[B]

Yeah. I think you're kind of used to that stuff.

[A]

Yeah. You can't be afraid of the creepiness factor. Aaron addressed the premiere in an Instagram post, writing, the police were in my house and told me what she did, and she was arrested. I won't be watching this episode because I don't want to relive that night again and what happened before the call. He also made an Instagram post specifically addressed to the press, writing that he was still struggling and he just wasn't ready to talk yet. He said, just know I'm not doing good at all, and every day is worse with all I'm learning all the time. They say in time everything gets better, but I just want the divorce to be over so I can move on with my life. Honestly, I probably couldn't make it through an interview without being in tears, and I'm just not ready yet. This has been the worst year of my life.

[B]

Well, he's being honest, and I appreciate that because it has to be rough. It has to be now.

[A]

You can't blame media outlets for wanting to get an interview.

[B]

No.

[A]

But I think at the same time, if somebody says no, I need my space. Well, okay, you need to honor that.

[B]

Yeah. Respect that.

[A]

Not saying that. They always do. Ultimately, prosecutors didn't identify any additional co conspirators by name. The identity of the hitman remains unknown to the public, and the investigation into Victoria's communications with Gran Amato is formally closed. So you talk about, you know, him being scared. They don't even know who the hitman was, was to be.

[B]

Right.

[A]

So to your point, now, I don't know what reason he would have to finish the job. I don't think he would be getting paid at this point. But still, you're not going to be able to lay your head down on the pillow every night and just have absolute serenity. Yeah.

[B]

Because maybe this guy is like, I never finished that job, and I always finished my jobs.

[A]

Maybe he's like Ben Affleck in the Accountant. He literally has to finish the job.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Or it would just, you know, eat away at him. I don't know. As he said in his victim impact statement, Aaron Goodwin was betrayed by the person he thought he could trust more than anyone else. Victoria initially claimed she didn't remember trying to hire a hitman, but her incriminating messages showed that at one point, she was seriously planning to have her husband killed because she wanted out of the marriage. And you and I, as we wrap this one up, we talk about this all the time. Reasons for one spouse to want the other one dead. Money. Greed.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Lust. Wanting to be with somebody else, but just wanting to be out of the marriage. Okay, I. I get it. People don't want to go through divorce. It's not pleasant.

[B]

No.

[A]

It's not great to have to split up assets and do all that, but that versus taking someone's life. I mean, it's just. I can't even fathom how people can come up with that as being the best course of action. I really can't.

[B]

If you want out, get out.

[A]

Just get out. But do it the right way.

[B]

Right, Right.

[A]

Do it the way that millions and millions of people have done it.

[B]

Yeah. Person up and make it happen.

[A]

I like that. Person up.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

You've grown a lot. But that's it for our episode on Aaron Goodwin. Yeah, it's a scary one. I think Murder for Hire is scary. Thinking that you have this great life while your wife is plotting to have you killed. That's very scary.

[B]

Scarier there. This is more scary than any episode that Aaron probably did, you know, with his show.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Again, I don't want to get too into the weeds on that. People get mad at me. But the. Did you hear that? Did you see that? Did you smell that? I mean, we. I could play that game here, right here in the studio.

[B]

I think late tonight, you will be haunted by something.

[A]

You know, that. That stuff doesn't scare me.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Now, if you caught on camera. An actual ghost. Okay. Yeah, I might need to change my underwear because I would be very, very

[B]

scared, but shite yourself might. Yeah, sometimes you do that just out of the blue anyway.

[A]

Well, yeah, I'm getting older, man. Yeah, it happens.

[B]

Depends on what food you have for dinner.

[A]

All right, that is it for another episode of True Crime all the Time. So for Mike and Gibby, stay safe and keep your own time ticking. Ever notice how life's best stories don't happen in your living room? They happen on the open road, out on the water, or parked under the stars. At Progressive, they get that you want to focus on experience, not worry about the what ifs. That's why they offer quality insurance designed

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