NHRA News: Suspect arrested in Thompson murder case (12/14/2001)

Suspect arrested in Thompson murder case

12/14/2001

Mickey Thompson

Los Angeles sheriff's deputies Thursday arrested Michael Goodwin in connection with the 1988 slayings of former auto-racing giant Mickey Thompson and his wife, Trudy. Thompson, voted No. 11 in the list of NHRA's Top 50 Drivers, was one of the all-time greats in drag racing , and also made his mark at the Indianapolis 500, Bonneville, off-road competition, and a wide variety of motorsports competition venues.

Goodwin, a former business associate of Thompson, was arrested in his Orange County (Calif.) home Thursday afternoon and is being held without bail on two counts of murder and one count of conspiracy. If Goodwin is found guilty with the special circumstances of lying in wait, murder for financial gain and multiple murder, he could face the death penalty.

Goodwin had been arrested in connection with the killings previously but was released due to lack of evidence. Two gunmen are suspected of shooting the victims multiple times before fleeing on bicycles.

Thompson, 59 at the time of his death, and his wife were killed outside of their home in California's San Gabriel Valley in 1988 in what is believed to be a murder for hire. The killers fled the scene, leaving untouched thousands of dollars on the victims and valuables inside the Thompsons' home.

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