On November 12, 2023, Tatum Lee Goodwin, a 27-year-old assistant manager at a popular Laguna Beach, California restaurant, was discovered dead under suspicious circumstances. She was found in an alley behind a movie theater near Carmelita’s Restaurant, where she worked.

The discovery of her severely beaten body was made around 8:20 a.m. by a construction worker near the 200 block of Ocean Avenue. Laguna Beach police, noting the violent nature of the scene, initiated a homicide investigation immediately.

Goodwin had been out the previous evening with friends, visiting nearby establishments Hennessey’s Tavern and the Marine Room, after completing her shift at Carmelita’s Restaurant. Reports indicate that Goodwin had ended a romantic relationship recently and had left the Marine Room late at night in an emotional state. Screams were reportedly heard in the area around 2 a.m.

The ongoing investigation has revealed that Goodwin’s phone continued to ping local cell towers, indicating activity after her death. This has led investigators to concentrate their search in the vicinity of her last known whereabouts, especially around the Marine Room.

To assist those impacted by this incident, the owner of Carmelita’s Restaurant has created a GoFundMe page.

The Laguna Beach Police Department is appealing to anyone with information to contact Detective Tanner Flagstad as part of their ongoing investigation.