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On May 15, 2018, a package bomb detonated inside the Magyar Kozmetika day spa in Aliso Viejo, California, killing 48-year-old Ildiko Krajnyak and injuring two others. The attack was later linked to her former partner, Stephen Beal, in what prosecutors described as a calculated act of revenge.
The explosion occurred inside the spa and caused extensive damage to the building. Investigators identified components consistent with a homemade explosive device, including wiring and battery elements. The force of the blast killed Krajnyak and seriously injured two customers, including a mother and her young daughter.
Federal investigators conducted an extensive forensic analysis of the blast site. Fragments of wiring and components recovered from the scene were found to match materials discovered at Beal’s residence in Long Beach. Surveillance footage also showed Beal purchasing batteries similar to those used in the device. Prosecutors argued that Beal used his background and hobbies involving model rockets and pyrotechnics to construct the bomb. The motive was linked to the end of his relationship with Krajnyak and her subsequent involvement with another partner, which prosecutors described as the catalyst for the attack.