A mysterious explosion rocked Aliso Vijeo, California in May 2018. The beauty salon of 48-year-old Hungarian businesswoman K. Ildikó was destroyed by a giant detonation. The woman died almost immediately in the explosion, and two of her employees were seriously injured.
In addition to the local police, the FBI also worked hard to solve the case. It was revealed relatively quickly that Ildikó, who had just returned home from visiting relatives in Hungary, received his last letter by post. A previously hidden bomb was set off by a mobile phone sent in a package.
The house of the woman’s ex-partner, Stephen Beal, was searched in the usual way at that time, as was the case with the woman’s ex-husband. Nothing was found with the latter, but Stephen Beal was found with several kilos of explosives and bomb-making tools and several weapons. In the meantime, it was also discovered that, in addition to working as a rocket engineer, he was also involved in the construction of bombs.
The man was initially released by the police, claiming that they did not have enough evidence against him. In fact, they believed, he had no motive. After the FBI joined the investigation, troubling information emerged about Stephen Beal, who claimed his innocence. His homemade bombs were just like the ones used to blow up Ildiko. In addition, his first wife also died in rather controversial and strange circumstances. The woman fell down the stairs while carrying furniture, but then the grieving Stephen Beal signed up for the woman’s high-value life insurance policy almost immediately.
He got 30 years
The man was then sent to prison again, and in addition to his family, friends and neighbors campaigning for his innocence, he was finally found guilty of several charges in the days. He was sentenced to a total of 30 years in federal prison.
The man was found guilty not only of Ildikó’s murder, but also of using a weapon of mass destruction causing death, damaging a building causing death, using an instrument of mass destruction during a violent crime, and also possessing an unregistered instrument of destruction.
During the negotiations, it was revealed that Ildikó broke up with Stephen after 18 months of relationship, as the man’s overly controlling and possessive nature scared the Hungarian businesswoman. The man did not care about the breakup and became truly obsessed with Ildiko.
At the scene of the explosion, the FBI found the 9-volt battery and its wires that someone had secretly installed in the ceiling of the woman’s office. This structure made the mobile phone sent by post work.
It turned out that these wires were exactly the same unique type as those found in Stephen’s home.
According to a camera recording, he bought the strange parts just nine days before the explosion, and three days earlier he also bought cardboard boxes in one of which Ildikó received the deadly bomb on the day of the tragedy.
Brutal recordings have come to light
Without a doubt, the most terrifying camera footage was the one that showed that in the days before the bombing, while Ildikó was in Hungary, the man entered the woman’s office several times with his own key. When she returned, Stephen followed her every move online – writes in his Ripost article.
We are pleased that the jury’s verdict brought justice to Ildiko and Stephen’s two other victims who survived the incident but suffered permanent damage. They must bear the horror and pain of that terrible day for the rest of their lives. This day is for them, their families and the community of Aliso Viejo
Prosecutor Martin Estrada told the court at the end of the trial.
