Ghost Adventures star Aaron Goodwin is still grappling with the emotional fallout after his wife conspired to have him murdered, his close friend and co-star Zak Bagans has exclusively revealed.
Bagans, a renowned paranormal expert aged 48, told the Daily Mail that his friend of nearly two decades is still having a tough time processing the brutal betrayal, even as they film the show's 31st season in Idaho.
The Chilling Conspiracy Unveiled
Victoria Goodwin, Aaron's 32-year-old estranged wife, was sentenced just five months ago for her role in a sinister murder-for-hire plot. Court documents exposed how she contacted Florida inmate Grant Amato, who is currently serving a life sentence for murdering his own family, and offered him $11,500 to carry out the hit.
Authorities discovered that a $2,500 down payment had already been made before the scheme unravelled. Prison officials seized Amato's phone and uncovered disturbing communications between the pair, which revealed Victoria had provided detailed information about her husband's travel plans and routines.
She allegedly instructed the hitman to make Goodwin's death look like an accident. The murder plot was scheduled to unfold in October 2024 while the Ghost Adventures star was filming in California.
A Year Since the Planned Attack
In a chilling social media post marking the one-year anniversary of when a hitman was supposed to take his life, Goodwin shared his ongoing trauma. He posted a photo of the book Harleen with an emotional caption revealing detectives had informed him about the second assassination attempt.
'I can't believe I was supposed to die again a year ago today,' he wrote, adding that he had been completely unaware of the danger, thinking he and Victoria were 'so in love'.
The investigation also revealed that Victoria and Amato were allegedly having an affair, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. When questioned, Victoria claimed she first learned about Amato through a true crime documentary and described their relationship as 'pen pals'.
Support from a Longtime Friend
Zak Bagans, who has been friends with Goodwin since 2004, shared how he's supporting his colleague through this difficult period. 'I just let him know he's loved,' Bagans told the Daily Mail. 'We've been friends for a long time and I can notice it. I try not to let this pull at him too much when I notice it. I tell him he's loved and he's amazing and I hug him.'
The shocking news initially reached Goodwin while he was filming his paranormal investigation show. He was setting up equipment with co-host Jay Wasley in an abandoned medical facility in Southern California when he received the life-altering call from police.
Goodwin had ominously remarked 'I feel like something's happening' moments before learning officers were at his home. The show cut the footage at this point, sparing viewers from the gritty conversation where Goodwin discovered his wife had been arrested.
At her sentencing, Victoria apologized to Goodwin, saying she would 'always hold love for him' and promised he would 'never be in danger of her again.' Aaron wept as he described discovering that the 'love of his life' had not only cheated on him but had tried to have him killed.
Victoria pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in April and was sentenced two months later to a minimum of three to seven and a half years behind bars in Nevada after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors.
According to divorce documents obtained by Court TV, the couple married in May 2020. Goodwin filed for divorce on March 12 following his wife's arrest, stating their views had become 'incompatible to the extent that it has become impossible for them to live together as husband and wife.'
