Already Looking Ahead to the Aaron Goodwin Dateline Episode

Will Dateline cover an episode about the murder-for-hire plot to kill Ghost Adventures star Aaron Goodwin? Maybe I’m being presumptuous in my assumptions, but surely I’m not the only one who’d like to see one of the hosts cover this particular case, am I? Especially for those of us who follow both true crime and the paranormal. It doesn’t blend more perfectly than this.

It’s also important to distinguish the semantics. Make no mistake, I’m looking ahead to the episode, not forward to it. I’d never want to see any Ghost Adventures crew member targeted in such a manner or endure such a betrayal. That any were is surprising enough, but that it was Aaron Goodwin, the most affable of them all? Truly shocking.

And by someone so close to him, no less. His wife. Well, soon-to-be ex-wife. People was among the sources to confirm that Aaron filed for divorce from Victoria Goodwin on March 12 —six days after her arrest for soliciting to commit murder and conspiring to commit murder.

Well, that’s just more proof that the scariest demons of all are not the kind the show is known for chasing, but the ones that dwell inside humans.

The Aaron Goodwin Murder-for-Hire Details

TMZ was first to report the news of Victoria Goodwin’s arrest. It’s all thanks to corrections officers at the Okeechobee Correctional Institution in Florida, who confiscated the cell phone of inmate Grant Amato. Apparently Victoria fell in love with him. They had traded texts about him hiring a hitman to kill Aaron.

But wait, it gets better. Amato was serving a life sentence for killing his parents and brother in 2019. What kind of happily-ever-after did she expect to have with someone like that?

My guess is she wasn’t really in love with Amato. I’ve watched enough Datelines to know she wouldn’t be the first woman to profess her love to a shady character to get him to take care of unsavory business for her. Was she hoping to cash in Aaron’s life insurance and/or estate?

I think there’s some kind of angle like that involved, especially after reading a WESH 2 story about the nature of their relationship. The murder was supposed to happen in October 2024.

Victoria “had become aware of Amato through a true crime documentary and began writing to him. She described their relationship as pen pals which began in May 2024 and ended in November of 2024.” (Conveniently after the failed hit.)

Also, she reportedly only set aside $11,515 to pay for the job, agreeing to pay a $2,500 “deposit” up front. My first thoughts upon learning that were, “Cheapskate. She’s trying to keep as much money for herself as possible.”

Victoria had provided Amato with details on where and when Aaron would be filming, and he set up the hitman. No word on who that person was yet, but thankfully they didn’t go through with the job.

One text revealed Amato was anxious to see it done, though —and how close it came to almost happening.

“[Aaron] is asleep right now in the hotel room… brother. I need to know what is going on. Can I get an update? Was it done?” Amato wrote.

Will “demon” be used in the Dateline title?

Again, I don’t know if Dateline will cover this story. It will be up to producers to determine if it will make the cut. However, NBC News is already covering the case, so it’s on the network’s radar.

However, possible Dateline titles started haunting me the second I saw the first headline about this case. (Another sign that I’m addicted to that show.) Most, but not all, involved the word “demon.”

• “The Demon Amongst Them”
• “Demonic Intent: A Wife’s Wicked Plot”
• “Sleeping with a Demon: A Husband’s Close Call” (“Married to a Demon” would also work here)
• “The Demon Wife’s Lethal Plan”
• “Demon Deception: A Deadly Marriage”
• “Ghosted: A Deadly Betrayal”
• “Haunted by the Demons Inside”
• “The Demon, the Inmate, and the Hitman”
• “A Demon in the Family”
• “A Haunting Hit: The Aaron Goodwin Murder Plot”
• “Spirits and Schemes: The Wife, the Inmate, and the Hitman”
• “Beyond the Veil: A Deadly Conspiracy”
• “Possessed by Greed: A Hitman’s Target”
• “Demon Bride: From ‘I Do’ to Deadly Deception”
• “Haunted by a Hitman”
• “The Hitman’s Haunting Near Miss”
• “The Hit That Didn’t Have a Ghost of a Chance”

While Dateline is my favorite true crime show, I’m also curious to see what 48 hours, 20/20, or even People Magazine Investigates might call their episodes. And let’s not forget Netflix. What are the chances the wheels are already spinning for someone to produce a documentary like American Nightmare or The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker?

Time will tell…

Not Ghost Adventures’ First Brush with True Crime

Sadly, this isn’t Ghost Adventures‘ first encounter with a real-life true crime. Mark and Debby Constantino appeared in several episodes of the show as EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) experts.

In August 2015, Mark assaulted Debby, pulling her from a car and attempting to strangle her after forcing her into a house. He was charged with kidnapping, domestic battery by strangulation, and domestic battery. A month later, Mark murdered Debby before turning the gun on himself after a standoff with police.

Sending Love to Aaron Goodwin

Thank goodness Aaron’s story didn’t have a tragic conclusion like the Constantinos. Especially because this isn’t the first time he’s known adversity.

I couldn’t help but think of when the Ghost Adventures crew investigated Aaron’s dad’s house. (Aaron’s dad had called for help with the activity he and his wife were then experiencing in the home.) It was formerly Aaron’s house from 2011 to 2016 —and the place he deemed the scariest he’d ever been when people asked.

In that episode, Aaron’s longtime friend and co-host Zak Bagans says to him, “When you were living in this house, that was the darkest I’ve ever seen you.”

Aaron agreed.

Hopefully what’s now happening to him in 2025 won’t rival that. But if it does, I’m confident Aaron will get support from two places.

The first is his Ghost Adventure crewmates. In the episode where they investigate Aaron’s former house, Bagans said, “When family calls, you drop everything.”

This situation is definitely a “drop everything” one. In an US Weekly exclusive, a source explained, “The rest of the cast was shocked by the news. No one knew anything was wrong in their relationship. Everyone who works on the show can’t believe this is happening. They are all currently in a state of shock.”

The source also revealed they’re “trying to be supportive of Aaron by reaching out and offering to help in any way they can.”

I’m confident that Aaron’s fan club is also going to want to work through their shock and show their support.

Aaron, I’m so very sorry you are at the center of such chaos and betrayal. May you find comfort and strength in the love from friends, family, and fans as you navigate the stormy waters ahead.

Check-In

Were you also completely caught off guard that out of all the Ghost Adventures crew members, it was Aaron someone tried to kill?