A federal grand jury Wednesday issued a four-count indictment against a man suspected of bombing and killing his ex-girlfriend and seriously injuring two other people at a day spa in Aliso Viejo, the United States Attorney Central District of California, Nicola T. Hanna, announced in a statement.
According to Hanna, Stephen William Beal, 59, 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 is curently being held without bond in federal custody and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on Mar. 25, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. The first two charges listed each carry the potential of life sentences without the possibility of parole, while the third listed charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in a federal prison. The last charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney said.
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The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Takla and Annamartine Salick of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, Hanna stated.
