This is a biography of Renée Nicole Good (37). A writer, poet, devoted mother, and an American citizen who met an untimely end in January 2026. A resident of Minneapolis, she was fatally killed during Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Operations in South Minneapolis by Jonathan Ross, an agent with ICE. Her death sparked protests across the United States, and incited debate about contemporary tactics used in enforcing immigration laws throughout the 2nd term of the Trump administration.
A Renee Nicole Good Biography – Personal Profile
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Renée Nicole Macklin Good |
| Birth Date | April 2, 1988 |
| Birthplace | Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| Age at Death | 37 years old |
| Date of Death | January 7, 2026 |
| Location of Death | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Occupation | Writer, Poet, Substitute Teacher |
| Education | Old Dominion University (English degree, 2020) |
| Family | Wife Becca Good, three children (ages 15, 12, and 6) |
Early Life and Education Background
Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Renée grew up the 3rd of 5 children. She was raised in a close-knit Christian family by her parents Timothy and Donna Ganger. At an early age, Renée expressed both her creative and compassionate natures by taking multiple mission trips to Northern Ireland and also singing in her high school choir.
Renée‘s love of writing and poetry developed at an early age. She had a deep–seated passion for both literature and language, so she pursued an education in English. After working in several banking and other jobs in Colorado, she moved to the east coast to attend college at Old Dominion University in Virginia. In December 2020, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English with a particular emphasis on her outstanding poetic writings.
Literary Achievements
| Year | Achievement |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Graduated Old Dominion University with English degree |
| 2020 | Won American Academy of Poets Prize at ODU |
| 2020s | Hosted podcast with second husband Tim Macklin |
| 2025 | Working as substitute teacher in Minneapolis |
In 2020, the American Academy of Poets recognized Good with an award at Old Dominion University for her remarkable writing talent and influence on contemporary poetry. The school fondly remembered Good after she died and stated that at one of the darkest periods of U.S. history, Good represented freedom, love, and peace.
The English Department at ODU declared that Good enjoyed watching movies and creating “messy” artwork when not reading or writing. Along with her second spouse, she co-hosted a podcast where they utilized their voices as artists and developed a sense of community through storytelling and dialogue.
Personal Life and Family
Good had two spouses during her life and was the proud parent of three children. She was married to her first husband from 2009 until their divorce in 2016, and during that union, they had a daughter who will be 15 and a son who will be 12. Currently, they are living in Colorado with their father, but they frequently traveled to visit Good.
After she married her second husband, Timmy Ray Macklin Jr., she gave birth to a son who will soonbe six years old, sadly he passed away at a young age of 36, leaving Good as a widow and profoundly grieving. She moved temporarily to Kansas to live with her parents to allow herself the space she needed to cope with the intense grief that she had as a result of her husband‘s passing.
Back when Renée Good lived in Kansas City, Missouri, she met Becca. They hit it off, fell in love, and built a life together. Renée even changed her last name so she and Becca could share it. Not long after, they launched a small business—B. Good Handwork LLC—and tackled all sorts of home repairs and maintenance jobs side by side.
In 2025, after some rough years, Renée was ready for something new. She packed up and moved to Minneapolis with Becca and her youngest son. They found a place just a few blocks from where Renée’s story would end. On Instagram, she introduced herself in her own words: “poet and writer and wife and mom and shitty guitar strummer from Colorado; experiencing Minneapolis, MN.”
Character and Values
People who knew Renée always talk about her kindness. It wasn’t just something she did—it was who she was. Her mother, Donna, once said, “She was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known and took care of people all her life.”
Her dad, Timothy, described her as warm, witty, and bubbling with personality. Renée just had a way of making people feel seen and cared for. She lived her values, every single day. Becca said it best: “If you ever encountered my wife, you know that above all else, she was kind. In fact, kindness radiated out of her.”
Good always believed there’s kindness out there—you just have to look for it and help it grow. She passed that idea on to her kids. Becca put it this way: they wanted their son to know that everyone deserves compassion and kindness, no matter where you’re from or what you look like.
Faith shaped Good’s life. She was a devoted Christian, and her beliefs guided how she saw the world. Over the years, she worked as a dental assistant, then at a credit union, and later on as a substitute teacher in Minneapolis. Her jobs changed, but her drive to help others never did.
The Fatal Shooting
On January 7, 2026, Good dropped her six-year-old son off at school. Just a few blocks from home, she and her wife Becca ran into federal immigration agents working near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue in south Minneapolis. Becca later said they stopped because they wanted to support their neighbors, who were being targeted by ICE.
What happened next depends on who you ask. The Department of Homeland Security said Good tried to use her car as a weapon, calling it “domestic terrorism” and claiming she tried to run over their agents. But the story didn’t end there—multiple eyewitness videos told a different story. The footage showed Good trying to drive away when ICE agent Jonathan Ross walked up to her car and fired three shots through her driver’s side window, point-blank. After that, her car slammed into a light post.
Good’s death marked the ninth time since September 2024 that ICE agents fired their weapons. It all happened during what DHS called the biggest immigration enforcement operation ever, with 2,000 federal agents flooding the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
Legacy and Impact of Renée Good
People packed candlelight vigils in Minneapolis and cities all over the country, grieving for Good and demanding justice. In just a few days, a GoFundMe for her family pulled in over $1.5 million. Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, and Minneapolis’s mayor, Jacob Frey, both told ICE to leave the state and promised to hold people accountable.
Good’s death didn’t just stop at protests—it shook up the government, too. Federal prosecutors resigned, an FBI supervisor spoke out, and Minnesota and Illinois both sued the federal government. The outrage kept building, and just 17 days later, protests continued, leading to another tragedy—the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
This Renée Nicole Good biography shows a legacy will continue to live on through her writings, her children, and the movement her death inspired. Her university president stated that her life exemplified the ideals of freedom, love, and peace, and he hopes that others will take Renée’s life as an example of these values and embody them daily.
