The body of a wealthy socialite has been recovered from the bottom of a 75-foot embankment, days after she vanished from her multi-million dollar California home.
Discovery and Investigation
Aryan Papoli, 58, was found down a steep slope off a road in Crestline, approximately 70 miles east of Los Angeles, on 18 November. Deputies from the San Bernadino County Sheriff's Department removed her fully clothed body from the mountainside and transported it to the coroner's office.
An autopsy later concluded that Papoli sustained injuries consistent with a fall, according to an official press release. Her death remains under active investigation, with police yet to indicate if foul play is suspected.
A Life of Art and Philanthropy
Papoli's remains were discovered roughly 96 miles from the 2.2-acre estate in the exclusive Rolling Hills enclave that she and her husband had owned since 2017. Originally from Iran, she moved to the United States with her family after living through the revolution and war.
She met her husband, Abas Goodzari, in California's South Bay region nearly thirty years ago, and the couple share two sons. In a Stroll Magazine article last year, Papoli praised the 'tranquility and natural beauty' of Rolling Hills, describing its winding roads as a 'peaceful oasis'.
A passionate patron of the arts, Papoli served as an executive board member for the South Coast Botanic Garden and the Palos Verdes Art Center, and was a Director's Council member at UCLA's Fowler Museum. She was deeply involved in painting, ceramics, and photography, and had recently taken up dance.
Before dedicating herself to philanthropy and art, she built a successful corporate career, holding positions as a CFO and VP of Operations after earning a degree in Business and Coaching.
A Family's Heartbreak
Her son, Navid Goodzari, who is pursuing a master's degree at Harvard University, described his mother's death as a 'nightmare scenario'. In an emotional interview with ABC7, he said, 'It's hard, it's really hard. When we got the news, it sort of feels like the wind gets knocked out of you.'
Navid revealed he had not spoken to his mother for several weeks due to graduate school demands when he learned she was missing. The family's search quickly turned from optimism to frantic effort. He has since established a memorial website to honour her legacy and accomplishments, encouraging those who knew her to share memories.
'She was so full of inspiration and optimism at this moment of her life,' he told the Los Angeles Times, vowing to keep her spirit alive.
