On July 16, 1988, before his match with Dan Spivey in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, Goodish was told to go into the shower by fellow wrestler and booker, José Huertas González to discuss business. Goodish waited in the shower and a scuffle ensued which was followed by two groans that was loud enough for the entire locker room to hear. Tony Atlas ran over to the shower and saw that Goodish was bent over and was holding his stomach. He then looked up and noticed that González was holding the knife. Atlas had to carry Goodish down the stairs because Goodish was so big that the paramedics could not lift him up. The last words that Goodish said to Atlas were "Tell my little son I love him, and tell my wife I love her, too." Dutch Mantell received a subpoena after the trial was over and Tony Atlas refused to testify, and without his testimony the District Attorney had no case. González was charged with first-degree murder but that was later reduced and he was tried for involuntary homicide.