The sky above Edisto Beach turned black with smoke as a massive fire ripped through the multimillion-dollar home of a South Carolina judge, forcing residents to flee for their lives this weekend.
Before firefighters could bring the blaze under control, the $1.5 million house, perched along a stretch of marshland in the gated Jeremy Cay community, burned to the ground.
The home belonged to Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein, 69, who was walking her dogs on the beach of the quiet coastal enclave when the fire erupted.
Her husband, former state senator Arnold Goodstein, and their son, Arnold Goodstein II, who were home at the time were injured but survived.
Speculation spread rapidly online, following the judge’s role in a recent, highly-politicized case, but law enforcement urged restraint. Here is what we’ve learned so far.
Speculation runs rife
By the time the fire was out Saturday, all that remained of the home was a pile of smoldering debris. But questions about how the blaze started, and whether or not the judge might have been targeted, were just beginning.
Speculation spread rapidly online, fueled by the judge’s recent high-profile ruling in which she blocked the Election Commission in South Carolina from releasing voter data requested by the U.S. Department of Justice.
South Carolina’s top law enforcement agency said Monday that there is no initial evidence that the fire was intentionally set.
“At this time, there is no evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set,” South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Chief Mark Keel said in a statement. “SLED agents have preliminarily found there is no evidence to support a pre-fire explosion.”
Keel urged restraint amid speculation. “I urge our citizens, elected officials, and members of the press to exercise good judgment and not share information that has not been verified,” he said.
SLED confirmed the investigation remains active and ongoing. A final report will be issued once the cause is determined.
A chaotic scene
The fire broke out around 10:40 a.m. on October 4 at the Goodsteins’ home, located off Planters Retreat on Edisto Island.
Flames spread rapidly through the elevated structure, which is nearly surrounded by marshland, complicating rescue efforts.
Neighbors and first responders described a chaotic scene as smoke poured into the sky.
“She [Judge Goodstein] informed me her husband was injured and stranded in a marshy area behind the home,” neighbor Tom Peterson, who saw the judge while she was walking her dogs on the beach, told The Post and Courier.
Officials with the St. Paul’s Fire District confirmed that several people jumped from the home’s raised first floor to escape the flames, and that they had to be “rescued by kayaks from the swampy backyard.”
The judge’s husband was airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina with serious injuries.
Who is Judge Diane Goodstein?
With nearly three decades on the bench, Judge Goodstein has presided over some of South Carolina’s most consequential cases.
Elected to the circuit court in 1998, she currently serves on the Circuit Court Judges Advisory Committee and the Commission on Judicial Conduct.
In her most recent judicial review, the Judicial Merit Screening Commission praised her “sterling reputation and temperament,” calling her an “asset to the state.”
Goodstein’s career has included overseeing a $12 million settlement between victims of sexual abuse and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston, as well as a landmark 2014 property dispute between the national Episcopal Church and the breakaway Diocese of South Carolina.
Her husband, Arnold Goodstein, is a former Democratic state senator, highway commissioner, attorney, and home builder. The couple has two children, Arnold Samuel Goodstein II and Eve Schafer Goodstein.
Controversy over recent ruling
The fire came just weeks after Goodstein drew national attention for temporarily blocking the South Carolina Election Commission from sharing voter data with the U.S. Department of Justice.
It was a move that briefly put her at odds with state officials and allies of President Trump.
Her restraining order was lifted a week later by the South Carolina Supreme Court, which found she failed to show the voter who sued “would suffer irreparable harm” or was likely to win on the merits.
The ruling, though short-lived, sparked political backlash, and, reportedly, threats directed at the judge.
Questions linger as investigation continues
Judge Goodstein’s colleague, South Carolina Chief Justice John Kittredge, told local media over the weekend that the blaze began with an “apparent explosion.”
The incident quickly attracted speculation that it might have been set deliberately by someone with a political motive, given Goodstein’s recent ruling against the Trump administration.
New York Democratic Congressman Daniel Goldman raised that concern in a post on X/Twitter in which he tagged White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
“MAGA-world have been doxxing and threatening judges who rule against Trump, including Judge Goodstein… Will Trump speak out against the extreme right that did this??” he asked.
Miller responded angrily to the post, calling it “deeply warped and vile” and “libelous madness.”
What happens next?
SLED said it will release additional information once the investigation concludes.
“I urge our citizens, elected officials, and members of the press to exercise good judgement and not share information that has not been verified,” wrote Keel, who has led state police since 2011 and has been in law enforcement for 46 years, the Associated Press reported.
For now, agents remain at work determining what sparked the blaze that destroyed the Goodsteins’ home.
Judge Goodstein told the Daily Mail that she was “all right” following the fire and declined further comment, referring questions to a court administrator.
