SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) –— A Suffolk cold case dating back to 2019 has been reopened, with Suffolk detectives actively combing through evidence involving the murder of Gregory Isaiah Goodman.
Goodman, of Newport News, was just 20 at the time of his murder, as he was shot multiple times in the Remington Park neighborhood in Suffolk on May 21, 2019, according to investigators.
“He was on the ground in the parking lot in between an open car door,” said Det. Patrick Araoja with the Suffolk Police Department. “He didn’t live in Remington Park. He didn’t live in Suffolk. He was shot five times at intermediate range. And, he died right there on the scene.”
Araojo said one witness also came forward and stated they observed a male fleeing the scene at the time of the shots fired.
“He got into a vehicle, which was identified as a silver van,” he said. “No license plate, and the van took off at a high rate of speed towards Bridge Road, which would be heading north on Shoulder Hill.
After six years, the motive is still unclear, and there is no suspect information, but having numerous witnesses is what led detectives to make the case active once again.
“We don’t have a motive that’s been pinned down,” Araojo said. “The only thing I can say, just from reading the reports, speaking to a few of the family members, is that this was, I’d say, a passionate crime, but usually you don’t fire into a person five or six times unless there’s a reason for it.
While there were several reports of vehicles broken into with property missing, detectives do not believe this was a robbery.
“Mr. Goodman still had property on his person,” he said. “He was also armed, so he had a weapon on him. So we believe just going through the report initially that this was someone he knew, someone who may have been with him.”
Araoja has been in contact with Goodman’s family, and said they are grateful the case has been reactivated. If you have any information that can help solve this case, contact the Suffolk Police Department or the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK U UP.
