Dateline NBC: Where is Stephen Beal now?

The 2018 bombing of a day spa at Aliso Viejo and the subsequent murder of the spa co-owner, Ildiko Krajnyak, led to the arrest of Stephen Beal, who is currently serving his time in imprisonment. The homemade bomb took the life of Krajnyak as her remains were left scattered across the place and heavily injured two other Hungarian clients who were present in the building.

As the investigation into the blast progressed, authorities narrowed down the evidence discovered at the scene to Stephen Beal who made model rockets as a hobby. The Dateline NBC episode Death in the Spa showcased the death of Ildiko Krajnyak as it aired on February 9, 2024, at 9 p.m. EST on NBC. The synopsis reads,

"After a bomb explodes at a day spa in California, killing esthetician Ildiko Krajnyak and injuring two clients, investigators discover Ildiko was the intended target."

---

Why was Stephen Beal arrested? Details explored

The Magyar Kozmetika spa explosion took place on May 15, 2018, when the co-owner of the day spa, Ildiko Krajnyak, opened one of the four cardboard boxes that had been delivered to her office during the time she had been visiting her family in Hungary. Krajnyak died on the spot owing to the impact of the blast, while two of her clients, a mother and a daughter who were at the front desk, suffered major injuries.

The damages suffered by the building in Aliso Viejo showcased the power of the blast impact as the ceilings collapsed and the windows gave way. The Hungarian mother and daughter who had finished their treatment at the spa suffered second and third-degree burns, as one of them even lost an eye.

The blast site gave the FBI crucial evidence consistent with a homemade bomb blast as the officers recovered a 9-volt battery and wire fragments that were embedded in the ceiling. Moreover, a search of Stephen Beal's Long Beach home gave the investigators 130 pounds of explosive precursor chemicals and mixtures used for explosives, electric matches, and wires which looked similar to the one found at the crime scene.

Beal claimed to be a model rocket hobbyist who would engineer homemade pyrotechnics for his projects using the chemicals at home. The analysis of the evidence collected, combined with the surveillance footage showcasing Beal purchasing the 9-volt battery found at the spa led to his arrest.

---

Where is Stephen Beal now?

Stephen Beal's first trial was declared a mistrial as the jury reached a deadlock, and a second trial was scheduled for October 18, 2022. The second trial resulted in the prosecution reassuring the jury that the motive behind the crime was jealousy as Ildiko Krajnyak was dating another man.

The judge added,

"He wanted her dead simply because she didn't want to continue their romantic relationship. The defendant apparently decided revenge is a dish best served cold."

The trial lasted four weeks after which the jury found Beal guilty of 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 during and about a crime of violence, and possession of an unregistered destructive device, per CBS News.

Stephen Beal was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment and additional sentences on two more charges. He is presently serving his life sentence.