March 16, 1988, started like any other morning in the quiet, gated community of Bradbury, California. Mickey Thompson, a man who had spent his life defying death at 400 mph, walked out of his home to head to the office. His wife, Trudy, was right there with him. They never made it past the driveway. In a matter of seconds, two gunmen on bicycles changed the history of motorsports forever.
People still talk about it. They talk about the "Speed King" and the "Father of Supercross," Michael Goodwin. They talk about the decades it took to get a conviction. But mostly, they talk about the bad blood that turned a business deal into a double homicide.
The Partnership That Burned Out Fast
Mickey Thompson wasn't just a racer; he was a force of nature. He was the first American to hit 400 mph at Bonneville. He founded SCORE International. By the mid-80s, he was looking to scale his stadium off-road racing business. That’s where Michael Goodwin came in.
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Goodwin was the flamboyant promoter who basically invented Supercross. He had the flair, the ego, and the stadiums. In 1984, they merged their companies. It seemed like a match made in heaven for the racing world.
It lasted about seven months.
Things went south almost immediately over money—surprise, surprise. Mickey claimed Goodwin was skimming off the top and failing to pay his share of the expenses. The fallout wasn't just a breakup; it was a legal war. Mickey eventually won a massive judgment against Goodwin, totaling around $750,000 with fees.
Goodwin didn't take it well. He filed for bankruptcy. He lost his right to promote at major venues like the Rose Bowl. To hear witnesses tell it later, he didn't just want his money back; he wanted Mickey gone.
Why Michael Goodwin Became the Prime Suspect
For thirteen years, this was a cold case. No DNA. No murder weapon found at the scene. Just two mystery men on 10-speed bikes who vanished into the morning fog.
But the circumstantial evidence against Michael Goodwin was a mountain. He had allegedly told multiple people, "I'm going to kill that son of a bitch." One witness even claimed Goodwin said he’d have Thompson "wasted" because he was "too smart to get caught."
Then there was the financial trail. Right before the murders, Goodwin and his wife reportedly bought $275,000 in gold coins and wired $400,000 to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Five months after the hit, they hopped on a yacht and left the country for two years.
It looked bad. Really bad.
The Turning Point in the Investigation
Collene Campbell, Mickey’s sister, was the engine that kept this case from stalling. She pushed. She offered rewards. She never let the authorities forget.
In 2001, investigators finally made their move. They arrested Goodwin in Orange County. The trial itself didn't happen until 2006 because of jurisdictional squabbles—the murders happened in LA County, but the planning allegedly happened in Orange.
Ultimately, the prosecution leaned on the "trail of threats." They didn't need the gunmen to prove Goodwin was the mastermind. The jury agreed. In 2007, he was sentenced to two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.
The "Jerk" Defense and Recent Appeals
Goodwin’s defense was always consistent: "I'm a jerk, but I'm not a murderer."
His lawyers argued that being an angry business rival doesn't make you a hitman. They pointed to the lack of physical evidence connecting him to the actual shooters. Even during his 2015 appeal, his attorney Gail Harper told the court, "Mr. Goodwin is an angry man and he's kind of a jerk... but being a jerk is not a crime."
The court wasn't buying it. They upheld the conviction, calling the circumstantial evidence "overwhelming."
As of early 2026, Michael Goodwin remains behind bars at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility. He’s in his 80s now. He still maintains his innocence, but his legal avenues are essentially exhausted.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Case
You’ll often hear people say the killers were never caught. That’s actually true. The two men who pulled the triggers have never been identified or charged. This fact is what fuels the conspiracy theories and Goodwin's remaining supporters.
Some believe the hit was related to a drug deal involving Mickey's son, Scott, who had been murdered years earlier. Others think it was a botched robbery. But the shooters left behind jewelry and cash. They didn't want the watch; they wanted the man.
The Lasting Impact on Racing
Mickey Thompson’s legacy is everywhere. You see it on the sidewalls of tires at every drag strip. You see it in the structure of modern off-road racing.
But the tragedy also serves as a dark reminder of the "wild west" era of sports promotion. The rivalry between Michael Goodwin and Mickey Thompson wasn't just about business; it was a clash of two massive personalities who refused to blink.
Summary of Key Facts
- The Incident: March 16, 1988, in Bradbury, CA.
- The Motive: A failed business partnership and a $750k legal judgment.
- The Conviction: Michael Goodwin was found guilty in 2007.
- The Status: Goodwin is serving life without parole; the shooters remain unknown.
If you’re looking into the history of American motorsports, you can’t ignore this chapter. It's a story of innovation, ego, and a pursuit of justice that lasted nearly twenty years.
To dig deeper into the actual evidence presented during the 2006 trial, you should review the appellate court's 2015 ruling (People v. Goodwin, B197574), which provides a 164-page breakdown of the threats and financial maneuvers that led to the final verdict.