A California man has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter more than five years after his girlfriend was found fatally beaten inside a local hotel room. William Justin Koznar, 37, entered the plea on March 24, 2026, admitting to the killing of 36-year-old Sara Marie Goodwin.
The case dates back to the morning of October 7, 2020, when Ventura County deputies were called to the Fairfield Inn & Suites on White Sage Road.
Hotel employees had reported a man acting in a hostile and erratic manner in the lobby. When authorities arrived and checked the couple’s room, they discovered Goodwin unconscious and suffering from severe, life-threatening injuries. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but later died.
Investigators determined that Koznar and Goodwin had been living at the hotel for about two weeks leading up to the incident.
Surveillance footage and statements made by Koznar confirmed that no one else had entered or exited the room during the timeframe in which Goodwin was injured. Koznar was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.
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Despite the initial murder charge, prosecutors noted that further investigation revealed significant hurdles in proving that specific charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
After discussing the situation with Goodwin’s family, the District Attorney’s office opted for a plea deal. Officials stated the agreement was intended to ensure a certain conviction and offer the family a sense of finality.
As part of his guilty plea, Koznar admitted that the crime involved “great violence” and acknowledged that Goodwin was “particularly vulnerable.”
This was not his first encounter with the law regarding domestic disputes; court records indicate he previously pleaded guilty to a felony domestic violence charge in 2016.
Under the terms of the agreement, Koznar will serve 11 years in state prison. He is currently being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to be officially sentenced on May 5, 2026.
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