In a twist darker than any haunted tale he’s ever chased, Ghost Adventures star Aaron Goodwin has survived a real-life nightmare more terrifying than anything captured on camera.
While filming an episode in a haunted California location in October 2024, Goodwin, 49, was unaware that a chilling murder-for-hire plot was unfolding nearly 400 miles away in Las Vegas — masterminded by none other than his estranged wife, Victoria Goodwin, and her secret lover, Grant Amato, a convicted triple murderer serving life in Florida.
A Sinister Double Life
The couple married in 2020 after a whirlwind romance, but cracks began to show by 2023, when Aaron discovered Victoria’s string of infidelities. One of those affairs — shockingly — was with Grant Amato, infamous for the 2019 murders of his own family.
Their bizarre relationship began through prison letters after Victoria watched a true crime documentary about Amato. The pair reportedly developed a “spiritual marriage,” and by 2024, Victoria was allegedly so obsessed that she offered Amato $11,515 to arrange a hit on Aaron — planning the timing down to his filming schedule.
The Plot Unravels
What Victoria didn’t count on was sloppy tech. Prison officials in Florida found Amato’s hidden cellphone, packed with Facebook messages and texts that laid bare the entire murder plot — including Aaron’s location, sent directly from Victoria.
Authorities quickly moved. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, in cooperation with Florida officials, arrested Victoria Goodwin on March 6, 2025.
Courtroom Confessions and a Shocking Sentence
In Clark County District Court, Victoria pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors dropped the solicitation charge. On June 5, 2025, she was sentenced to just 36 to 90 months in prison, with 92 days already served — a sentence that has left many stunned by its leniency.
In a tearful apology in court, Victoria said:
“I’m so immensely sorry for the pain and anxiety I’ve caused you… I will bow out of your life forever.”
But for Aaron, the betrayal cut too deep.
“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… I still won’t feel safe whenever she’s released.”
He filed for divorce on March 12, 2025, and has since hired armed security.
Global Outrage Over “Light” Sentence
The case has sparked outrage across the UK and other countries, with many questioning how a murder plot tied to a convicted killer could result in such a relatively light prison term.
Haunted by Reality
Goodwin, best known for chasing ghosts and battling the unknown on Ghost Adventures, now faces a haunting no spirit could rival.
“This wasn’t a haunting I could investigate or cleanse,” he told the court. “This was real. And it almost killed me.”
Despite everything, Aaron continues filming, now with private security always close. As he tries to heal, fans are rallying around him — not just as a ghost hunter, but as a survivor of a chilling betrayal that nearly claimed his life.
