Early Sunday morning, a beloved young woman was found badly beaten to death in an alleyway within walking distance of the restaurant where she worked and one of her favorite local haunts. Now, the man believed to be responsible is in custody, police say.
Dino Rojas-Moreno, 26, stands accused of murder for the death of Tatum Goodwin, 27, according to a press release issued by the Laguna Beach Police Department. He was arrested on Wednesday night.
“This arrest was the result of outstanding police work by our Investigations team that worked tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring justice to Tatum Goodwin and her family,” Laguna Beach Police Chief Jeff Calvert said in a statement.
Tatum Goodwin, 27, was mourned and remembered by friends and family at a candlelight vigil on Wednesday night. Held at the end of the San Clemente Pier, roughly 30 miles south of downtown Laguna Beach, loved ones braved heavy rains for the memorial. Roughly 300 attended the event, according to the Laguna Beach Independent.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect her, that she didn’t deserve this,” Goodwin’s sister, Kaylee Goodwin Pitino, said at the remembrance, according to ABC West Coast flagship KABC.
“She was a ‘bring-you-Carl’s-Jr-to-work-and-sit-with-you-while-you’re-stuck-working-on-Thanksgiving’ friend,” one mourner, sobbing as they spoke, said, according to Fox West Coast flagship KTTV.
While law enforcement have largely remained tight-lipped about the details of the incident, several people who knew Goodwin have spoken to the media about the last night they saw their friend.
For the last four years, Goodwin worked as an assistant manager at Carmelita’s, a Mexican restaurant on Broadway in downtown Laguna Beach. She was all-but considered a “family member” by the eatery’s owner. After work on Saturday night, Goodwin went out for drinks at Hennessey’s Tavern — which is also located downtown. A walk of fewer than five minutes separates both businesses.
After that, however, the public accounting of the beloved woman’s whereabouts ends. Likely only her killer ever saw Goodwin alive again.
“She was alone fighting for her life,” Goodwin’s mother, Stacy Goodwin Pitino, reportedly said at the vigil, according to KABC.
Left: Tatum Goodwin (via Instagram); Right: Dino Rojas-Moreno (Laguna Beach Police Department)
The arrest of the suspect was announced shortly after the flower-laden Wednesday night send-off drew to a close.
Little is known about the defendant.
Information on various social media websites, however, suggests a man using an abbreviated iteration of the defendant’s name bears a strong resemblance to the accused killer. The person in question is said to have worked at numerous bars and restaurants throughout the Orange County area.
Law enforcement have only said they made the arrest after gathering “enough information and evidence.”
“Detectives determined this was an isolated incident and there is no further threat to the community,” police said in the press release.
At the present time, there is no information as to whether Rojas-Moreno previously knew Goodwin.
After the arrest was announced, friends of the victim strongly denounced the suspect on social media.
“Burn and rot in hell you piece of f–––––– s–––,” one of Goodwin’s best friends posted. “Hell is waiting for you on the inside already.”
“You are a waste of oxygen and should take the slowest most painful route to hell,” another friend wrote online.
Law&Crime reached out to the Laguna Beach Police Department for additional details about the suspect but no response was immediately forthcoming.
The atypical violence shocked and distressed the broader community in placid Laguna Beach. The small town on the Southern California coast is an enclave dedicated to the natural environment — coves, surf, and beaches — with a thriving arts scene.
Marcos Heredia, the owner of Carmelita’s, where Goodwin worked, organized a GoFundMe to build a permanent memorial for the victim downtown — and to help her family with funeral expenses.
“Tatum was a very hard working young lady and always kept a smile on her face,” the fundraiser reads. “Over the years she had expressed her pleasure to be in Laguna and have her opportunity with us. We felt that we really had a family member here with us. I am seeking help to make a memorial in the city of Laguna Beach for our team and family member. We are still in disbelief and we don’t want her to go unforgotten. We are attempting to raise capital for her Memorial Services and also help with creating a memorial in the city, so everyone in town never forgets about our sweet friend Tatum.”
The defendant’s bail is currently set at $1 million.
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