Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
On March 16, 1988, unknown assailants shot drag racer Mickey Thompson and his wife, Trudy, in the driveway of their California house. Reportedly, the duo was shot execution-style and died because of gunshot wounds. According to the witnesses, two black men were responsible for the crime and left the scene after killing the couple. Although the authorities initiated an investigation, they couldn’t find the culprits, and the case went cold for almost 13 years. However, police eventually apprehended a man named Michael Goodwin for planning the murders of Mickey Thompson and his wife.
According to the true crime series Homicide: Los Angeles, authorities discovered the bodies of Mickey and Trudy Thompson in the driveway of their home. The couple was trying to exit the driveway of their house when two gunmen shot them, per the court documents. Meanwhile, witnesses alleged that one shooter had aimed the gun at Mickey while the other pointed his gun toward Trudy. One witness claimed the drag racer kept on pleading for Trudy’s wife before the gunman shot her.
Initially, authorities believed that the assailants wanted to rob the couple. However, the theory was dismissed when authorities discovered the cash in Mickey Thompson’s wallet, while Trudy Thompson’s jewelry remained undisturbed. At the time, police called the incident an assassination and started the investigation. For 13 years, law enforcement agencies kept on looking for the culprit, and in 2001, they finally had a breakthrough. According to the series, police arrested Michael Goodwin for planning the killing and charged him with conspiracy to commit murder.
Who was drag racer Mickey Thompson & his wife Trudy’s killer?
During the investigation, two witnesses told the authorities they saw two unknown men sitting in their vehicle in the neighborhood. People Magazine reported that both witnesses identified Michael Goodwin as one of the men sitting in the car. They also told the authorities that both men used binoculars to look in the direction of Mickey Thompson’s house.
Eventually, the trial in the 1988 murder case began in November 2006 and continued for six weeks. During the trial, several witnesses testified and revealed what they saw that day. Additionally, the true crime series revealed that Goodwin allegedly had a motive to kill Mickey Thompson. According to Homicide: Los Angeles, Thompson and Goodwin maintained a professional relationship for several months. However, the relationship turned sour, and the duo went into a legal battle, with Thompson winning the case. The aftermath resulted in Goodwin filing for bankruptcy soon after.
In January 2007, the jury found Michael Goodwin guilty of planning the slayings of Mickey Thompson and Trudy Thompson. Los Angeles Times reported he received two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. However, the gunmen who shot Mickey and his wife have not been identified to this very day.
Homicide: Los Angeles is available to stream on Netflix.
