The woman, who will be 94 in December and whose competency is being disputed, has an estate that includes an $805,000 waterfront home with boat docks and an in-ground swimming pool, according to Portsmouth assessing records. When recently asked if Goodwin is named as a beneficiary of her new trust, which was filed in June with the county probate court, the woman told Seacoast Media Group, "You bet he is."
"It's my money and my house and I'll do as I please," she said.
Making accusations in a Rockingham County Superior Court probate motion that Goodwin provided companionship to the woman so he'd "inherit the entire estate" is attorney James Ritzo. The Portsmouth lawyer filed a motion with the court stating the elderly woman was his client for the past 25 years and during the last 10 years, he alleges, she has suffered "increasingly" from dementia, Alzheimer's disease and failing eyesight.
In his motion, Ritzo wrote that he drafted several wills for the woman, most recently in 2009, and that they remained fairly consistent over the years. Instead of billing the elderly client regularly during those 25 years, Ritzo wrote, he had an agreement stating he'd be paid a percentage of her estate "for past services."
That changed, Ritzo claims in his motion, shortly after the detective met the elderly woman in November 2010, when she called police about a prowler. Two weeks later, Ritzo wrote in court documents, the woman asked him to change her will so she could "leave her entire estate to detective Aaron Goodwin."
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Lawyer: Cop is Exploiting Elderly Woman
If I were involved in this as a criminal investigator, my focus would be whether or not the woman had the capacity to understand and give consent reference her finances at the time that she signed the new testamentary documents. All the other issues of "who deserves what" are not relevant to the criminal exploitation charge. If it can be proven that the woman did not have capacity, then 'lack of consent' is legally assumed, and the officer should be charged criminally.Believe it or not, this is a straightforward criminal exploitation investigation that could be handled efficiently, but I would suspect that this woman's estate will be depleted unnecessarily in probate. Joe Roubicek
ReplyDeleteThe problem is of courst that while it may be true that this cop is exploiting the elderly woman, what's also true is she will likely go from the pot to the frying pan and lose everything thru guardianship.
ReplyDelete"....shortly after the detective met the elderly woman in November 2010 when she called police about a prowler. Two weeks later, Ritzo wrote in court documents, the woman asked him to change her will so she could "leave her entire estate to detective Aaron Goodwin."
ReplyDeleteOkay I've seen enough WITHIN 2 WEEKS? This is extrememly suspicious leaving entire estate to a person who is a stranger to her.
And this police officer met the target while on duty - then he must have connected with her, the target while off duty? Or while on duty to 'check on her'?
And I agree, the target's estate will get eaten up by attorney fees or a guardianship.
Clearly, this young good looking 33 year old police officer detective Aaron Goodwin put the moves on this very elderly woman.
She was set up and she took the bait so now how to fix this?
Beware everyone with elderly parents or relatives with a net worth.
I agree with what you are saying, Joe, and the saddest part is that there is probably not a way out for this woman. Whether or not Aaron Goodwin did anything wrong, the "victim" will now be victimized.
ReplyDeleteThis is rather assinine: "Portsmouth police brass say the accusations largely pertain to off-duty activity."
ReplyDeleteWhy would it matter when he did the crime if he did the crims?
Disgusting......this is so clearly wrong on so many levels.
ReplyDelete