SALT LAKE CITY — An officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department was charged last month with stalking his ex-girlfriend after she broke up with him.
Todd Douglas Goodsell, 40, was charged on May 19 with stalking a "current or former cohabitant," a 3rd-degree felony.
According to Sandy City Police (where the suspect resides), Goodsell's ex said they were in a relationship and living together when she ended it in November 2024.
The woman said Goodsell persistently contacted her via phone call, text message, email, and various apps. She said she asked him to stop on Jan. 3, then again on Jan. 17 and Jan. 22. After being asked to stop, he allegedly continued to try to contact her. She said he emailed or texted her at least 52 times using 10 different phone numbers, including his work phone, personal phone, and several other numbers that investigators said were likely generated through a "VOIP" (Voice over Internet Protocol) website. She said Goodsell also tried contacting her via Instagram and even Venmo, and he would create new accounts after she would block him.
Goodsell also sent flowers to her workplace, the woman said, and she received emails from "several businesses contacting her in response to inquiries she did not make."
According to court documents, the victim took measures to prevent Goodsell from contacting her — even moving to a "new and undisclosed address," getting a new email address and phone number, and asking her employer for an email filter to prevent Goodsell from contacting her.
"[The woman] stated she models as a hobby and was terrified when [Goodsell] attempted to add [her] as a contact on Instagram posing as photographer," the charging documents stated. "[She] states that she was concerned that [Goodsell]'s stalking behavior would intensify and that her life would be more in danger and possibly end."
Goodsell was arrested on May 23 and has been in the Utah County Jail since then, without bail. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said it's likely he is being held in Utah County because of the conflict of interest, being an officer in Salt Lake County.
SLCPD spokesman Brent Weisberg confirmed that Goodsell has been a patrol officer since 2019 and is on paid administrative leave.
Goodsell was one of the officers involved in the arrest of a woman in August 2022, in which the woman died weeks later. The state medical examiner ruled her death as a homicide; however, the DA's office declined to file charges against the officers.
WATCH: Body camera footage released after woman's death in police custody ruled homicide
The woman told police that Goodsell was never physically abusive. However, she said he threatened to take his own life more than once.
Chief Brian Redd issued a statement on Goodsell's arrest, saying:
"The arrest of any police officer is a serious matter and is treated as such by our department. As with any person, this employee is entitled to due process under the law, as well as an administrative process that will determine whether any department or city policy or procedure violations occurred. We will respect and closely follow the court proceedings.
"It is important to remember that an individual allegation does not define our department. Our employees consistently demonstrate professionalism, integrity, and a strong commitment to public service. I have full confidence that our employees will continue to carry out their duties with the professionalism and commitment our community expects and deserves."
__________
Resources for domestic violence victims/prevention (free, 24/7, confidential):
Utah Domestic Violence Coalition
- Hotline: 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- Online help: udvc.org
National Domestic Violence Hotline
- 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Online live chat: thehotline.org
- If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or in an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.
