Victoria Goodwin, wife of Ghost Adventures TV personality Aaron Goodwin, entered into a long-distance romantic relationship with convicted Florida murderer Grant Amato starting in March 2024 after watching a documentary about him. In October 2024, Victoria and Amato conspired to hire a hitman to murder Aaron Goodwin for $11,515, with Victoria supplying photographs, vehicle details, and real-time location information about her husband while she transferred approximately $60,000 to Amato's associates. Florida prison officials discovered the plot on Amato's contraband cell phone on October 3, 2024, leading Nevada authorities to arrest Victoria in March 2025. In April 2025, Victoria pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and was sentenced to 3 to 7.5 years in prison.
Country: United States
State/Province: Nevada, United States
City/Region: Las Vegas
Incident Type: Attempted Murder
Relationship Status: Married
Relationship Duration: Approximately 6 years
Incident Date: Oct. 2, 2024
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How the relationship or connection began.
Approximately 6 years
Important relationship phases recorded for this case.
Reported red flags or early concern points.
Contributing factors and possible motives from the available sources.
2024-10-02
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Dr. Grande · Original language: English
'Ghost Adventures' Star Haunted by Wife's Deal with World's Creepiest Killer | Goodwin Case Analysis
Infidelity
The case exhibits a severe escalation from marital dissatisfaction and extramarital infidelity to a solicitation and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. Victoria Goodwin formed a parasocial and romantic attachment to a convicted murderer, Grant Amato, after viewing a true-crime documentary. Rather than seeking a legal divorce, she chose to eliminate her spouse by funding and providing intelligence for a contract killer, while siphoning marital savings under secrecy and deception.
The investigation commenced when Florida Department of Corrections officers confiscated a contraband cell phone from inmate Grant Amato on October 3, 2024. Text messages and digital evidence revealed a contract murder scheme targeting Aaron Goodwin in Nevada. Nevada police were notified on March 4, 2025, leading to Victoria Goodwin's arrest on March 6, 2025. Victoria was charged with solicitation and conspiracy to commit murder, ultimately pleading guilty to conspiracy on April 22, 2025, and receiving a sentence of 3 to 7.5 years in prison on June 5, 2025. Aaron Goodwin filed for divorce on March 12, 2025.
During initial interrogation, Victoria Goodwin minimized her actions as 'daydreams and fantasy', claiming she did not remember sending murder-for-hire messages and asserting that $60,000 sent to Amato's associates was intended for cell phones or influenced by blackmail.
Victoria Goodwin contacted inmate Grant Amato in March 2024 after watching the documentary 'Control Alt Desire'. Their long-distance relationship escalated to financial transfers totaling $60,000. In September 2024, marital conflicts between Victoria and Aaron worsened due to Victoria's infidelity. On October 2, 2024, Victoria explicitly communicated her decision to 'end his existence, not divorce' and agreed to set aside $11,515 for a hitman while transmitting Aaron's location, vehicle data, and photographs. Amato attempted to coordinate with an alleged hitman on October 3, 2024, before prison authorities seized his phone and uncovered the conspiracy.
The offender presented extreme risk through active solicitation of murder, transfer of substantial financial assets to incarcerated extortionists/accomplices, and real-time surveillance/location sharing of the victim. Although claiming non-violent intent during police questioning, her detailed electronic communications and financial transactions demonstrated significant lethality risk.
Online parasocial attachments to incarcerated violent offenders can rapidly convert into actionable, high-lethality domestic violence plots. Digital forensics from contraband devices in correctional facilities play a crucial role in preventing domestic homicides.
Victoria's sudden emotional distance, extramarital infidelity in late 2024, and secretive financial transfers totaling $60,000 from marital savings were major early warning signs of severe marital breakdown and criminal activity.
The critical clue was discovered on October 3, 2024, when Florida prison officers seized Grant Amato's contraband cell phone containing text logs, photo transmissions, and explicit hitman plot discussions with Victoria Goodwin.
Key evidence included text message logs ('I chose to end his existence, not divorce'), financial record transfers of $60,000 to Amato's associates, transmitted photos and vehicle details of Aaron Goodwin, and cell phone forensic logs.
In court, Aaron Goodwin testified about his sense of terror and total betrayal, stating: 'She made me feel so special... 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... I cry every day. I feel so alone.' Victoria Goodwin addressed the court, stating: 'I am so immensely sorry for the pain and anxiety I've caused you... I'm sorry I broke us and I'm consumed with regret every day.'
Initial interrogations suggested Victoria held only distant daydreams, but subsequent digital forensic analysis confirmed active, concrete coordination for a hitman and real-time tracking of the victim.
It remains unresolved whether the alleged hitman contacted by Grant Amato was an actual individual or part of a financial extortion scheme targeting Victoria.