LOS ANGELES—A Long Beach man was found guilty on July 19 of killing his ex-girlfriend and injuring two other people by bombing an Aliso Viejo day spa in 2018.
Stephen Beal, 64, was convicted at a retrial of four felony counts, including use of a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death, malicious destruction of a building resulting in death, use of a destructive device in a crime of violence, and possession of an unregistered destructive device.
Mr. Beal faces a potential life term in federal prison, and a mandatory minimum of 30 years, at sentencing on November 17 in downtown Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“Using his expertise in explosives, Mr. Beal cowardly murdered his former girlfriend, permanently injured two other victims who were her customers, and risked the safety of many others in the area, including a day-care center across the street,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “I am pleased the jury saw through Mr. Beal’s efforts to avoid responsibility for his deplorable actions.”
A mistrial was declared in August 2022 in the first proceeding against Mr. Beal with the deadlocked federal criminal jury split 9 to 3 in favor of his guilt.
Mr. Beal was arrested in March 2019 in connection with the May 15, 2018, explosion that killed 48-year-old Ildiko Krajnyak, who co-owned the Magyar Kozmetica day spa with Mr. Beal, and critically injured a mother and daughter.
“This is a case about obsession, infatuation, and control,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Annamartine Salick said in her opening statement of the first trial.
When Ms. Krajnyak rejected Mr. Beal and made no secret of dating other men, he “channeled his humiliation into hatching a plan to take revenge,” the prosecutor said.
FBI officials said Ms. Krajnyak was killed when she opened a cardboard box near the front desk of the Magyar Kozmetica spa, triggering the explosive device inside. The force of the massive explosion ripped Ms. Krajnyak’s body apart and destroyed the building.
According to the defense, Mr. Beal had no motive to harm Ms. Krajnyak, who was described by the defendant’s attorney as Mr. Beal’s lover, close friend, and business partner.
Evidence included pieces of wire found at the bombing scene that matched wire discovered during a search of Mr. Beal’s home. About a week before the explosion, Mr. Beal was seen on surveillance video purchasing the type of battery used in the explosive device, the prosecutor said.
Mr. Beal also purchased three cardboard boxes similar to the one that contained the bomb, and federal officials contend he was one of the few people to have access to the business and was seen at the spa days before the blast, when they say the bomb was planted.
The defense argued that Mr. Beal had a history of building and launching hobby rockets and making fireworks—and any wire or other materials found in his home had no connection to the bomb.
Following the blast, investigators reported finding two improvised explosive devices, three unregistered firearms, and more than 100 pounds of explosive material at Mr. Beal’s home.
To illustrate what she called Mr. Beal’s “burning obsession” with Ms. Krajnyak, the prosecutor played a portion of a tape for the jury of the defendant reading a love poem he wrote for the victim.
“I love that we will grow old together,” the poem read. “I love that you are the last voice I hear before I go to sleep. I love how you nurture me ... you complete me.”
