Man Sentenced to 12 Years in 1991 Slaying of Girlfriend

David Joseph Goodman, formerly of Canoga Park, was sentenced Tuesday to 12 years in prison for the June, 1991, stabbing death of his girlfriend.

Goodman pleaded no contest last month to the charges. By entering the plea, he avoided a trial at which his mother and brother were expected to testify against him.

The body of Beth Hollander was found the morning of June 20, 1991, behind a dumpster in the 21500 block of Prairie Street. She had been beaten, strangled and stabbed.

Her death remained a mystery until 16 months later, when Goodman’s mother called police to say her son admitted the killing to her, and that she had tried to persuade him to surrender to police.

According to court documents, Goodman told his mother and brother that he had stabbed Hollander in self-defense during a quarrel. Goodman, a Jaguar mechanic who was born in Liverpool, England, and has lived in the United States since 1981, had violently abused Hollander during a stormy, eight-year relationship, authorities said.

Before her death, Goodman had attempted to reconcile with Hollander and gave her an engagement ring. But Hollander told friends the night before she died that she planned to give the ring back, according to court records.