SANTA ANA, California – A federal grand jury today issued a four-count indictment against a Long Beach man for his role in the May 15, 2018 bombing of the Magyar Kozmetica spa in Aliso Viejo that killed the man’s ex-girlfriend and seriously injured two other people.
Stephen William Beal, 59, who was arrested earlier this month pursuant to a criminal complaint, was charged with four felonies:
- use of a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death,
- malicious destruction of a building resulting in death,
- use of a destructive device in relation to a crime of violence, and
- possession of an unregistered destructive device.
Beal, who is currently being held without bond in federal custody, is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on March 25.
The charge against Beal relates to the May 15, 2018 explosion at the Magyar Kozmetica spa in Aliso Viejo. When first responders arrived on the scene, they discovered human remains outside of the building and noted major damage to building, according to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint. A woman who survived the blast told investigators that the explosion was the result of the spa’s owner/operator, Ms. Krajnyak, opening a cardboard box.
Later that day, Beal contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and identified himself as the co-owner of the spa that was operated by his “ex-wife.” Sheriff’s deputies and FBI personnel responded to Beal’s residence, where he consented to a search that led to the discovery of chemicals used to manufacture explosives, according to the affidavit. Pursuant to a search warrant obtained the day after the explosion, investigators recovered approximately 130 pounds of explosive precursors.
Further investigation at the scene of the bombing led to the recovery of a partially destroyed battery and bits of wire that the FBI laboratory determined were part of the explosive device, according to the affidavit. FBI laboratory personnel determined that there were “no meaningful differences” between the bits of wire recovered from the explosion site and wire removed from a homemade device found at Beal’s residence, according to the affidavit. Investigators determined that Beal purchased a battery consistent with the partially destroyed battery found at the blast scene at a store in Long Beach one week prior to the explosion. And, eight days before the explosion, Beal purchased three cardboard boxes very similar to the box the deceased victim was opening when the bomb detonated.
Furthermore, chemicals detected at the explosion scene were similar to those detected inside Beal’s car, which he purchased only three months before the incident and which he drove to Magyar Kozmetica spa four days before the blast, the affidavit states.
In addition to the forensic evidence, the affidavit outlines statements of three friends of Ms. Krajnyak. One of those witness told investigators that Ms. Krajnyak said “that her boyfriend was jealous, controlling, and possessive of her,” and “she was scared because he would threaten her.” While that witness did not know the name of the boyfriend, Ms. Krajnyak had sent her a photo of the boyfriend, which was identified as Beal.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The charges of use a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death and malicious destruction of a building resulting in death each carry a potential sentence of life without parole in federal prison. The charge of use of a destructive device in relation to a crime of violence carries an additional consecutive penalty of 30 years in federal prison. The charge of possession of an unregistered destructive device carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
