Dateline: The Man Who Wasn't There – Who was Magdi Girgis and what do we know about his crimes? Disturbing details revealed

Dateline brings about a chilling case that feels more like a twisted crime novel than real life. At the center of it all is Magdi Girgis—a man who wore the mask of a hardworking husband and father, but behind closed doors, orchestrated something dark.

Who was he really? And what exactly did he do? The true crime NBC episode titled The Man Who Wasn't There dives into the murder-for-hire plot that cost his wife, Ariet Girgis, her life.

As courtroom footage and interviews come to light, Dateline highlights how a son's suspicions and a sting operation bring the truth to light.

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A murder hidden in plain sight: How a son's trauma sparked the truth

Dateline starts off by highlighting how, in September 2004, what seemed like a home invasion in Westminster, California, took a brutal turn. Ariet Girgis, a mother of two, was savagely murdered in her own home. Her teenage son, Ryan, was bound with shoelaces and shoved into a closet, helplessly listening as two strangers killed his mother.

At the time, police had no physical evidence linking anyone specific to the scene. But one detail stood out: Magdi Girgis, Ariet Girgis's husband, wasn't home during the attack and was already facing charges for hitting her during a domestic dispute.

Even though suspicion hovered around him, nothing stuck for years. It wasn't until 2011 that new forensic testing breathed life into the case. A match came back from the shoelace used to tie Ryan: Anthony Edward Bridget, a known gang member. Bridget didn't talk, but detectives weren't done yet. They decided to get creative.

Two officers approached Magdi pretending to be friends of Bridget. They demanded hush money, claiming Bridget had been talking. Magdi didn't hesitate, and he showed up with cash in a Home Depot parking lot. That moment sealed his fate. Once arrested, Magdi's sons, Ryan and Richard, were notified.

They had kept their distance from their father for nearly a decade, already suspecting he had something to do with their mother's death. When Ryan confronted him face to face, Magdi insisted he hadn't hurt anyone. But Ryan, heartbroken and angry, replied:

"You had a choice not to hurt me and Richard. You had a choice not to hurt your wife. Why did you do that?"

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Dateline uncovers the deals and DNA: The operation that caught Magdi Girgis

Dateline highlights how the plan to catch Magdi Girgis wasn't just smart—it was calculated and bold. After years of silence and no evidence to hold him accountable, detectives decided to create their own opening. DNA results were their first break.

Finding Bridget's DNA on the shoelace gave them a direction, but what really changed everything was the fake blackmail scheme.

Magdi's reaction to the fabricated threat was telling. Instead of denying everything, he walked straight into the trap. When he handed over the cash to the undercover officers, he unknowingly signed his arrest warrant. He was soon charged with hiring Bridget and an unidentified second man to kill his wife.

Authorities said Magdi feared losing his respiratory therapist license and half of his assets if he got divorced. Rather than face financial loss, he plotted his way out of the marriage with blood on his hands.

At trial, Deputy District Attorney Whitney Bokosky confirmed that this was a murder done "for financial gain." Judge John D. Conley didn't hold back, stating in court:

"This is a paid-for-killing-in-cold-blood-for-financial-gain (case). This is among the worst cases that you can have."

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Aftermath in the courtroom: Sentencing, forgiveness, and the one that got away

Years after the killing, Dateline mentions that justice finally caught up. In 2014, Magdi was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His co-conspirator, Anthony Bridget, also received a life sentence. But even in the courtroom, emotions ran high.

Richard Girgis, the couple's older son, delivered a powerful message at sentencing. He said:

"Not a day goes by I don't think about my mom, and what was done to her..."

Yet, in an unexpected show of grace, he added:

"I will never forget what Mr. Bridget has done to our family, but I do forgive him."

He called on Bridget to reveal the identity of the second man involved—a man still unknown to this day.

Defense attorney Isabel Apkarian tried to raise doubts, arguing the case against Bridget relied only on DNA from a shoelace. But the court didn't budge. Dateline sheds light on how the judge pointed out that gloves had been removed before the shoelace was tied, shutting down any argument of accidental DNA transfer.

Despite her insistence that Bridget "maintains his innocence," both he and Magdi will spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

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Dateline's The Man Who Wasn't There isn't just a look at a murder-for-hire—it's a haunting reminder that danger can come from within. Magdi Girgis seemed to be an ordinary man, but under the surface, he was capable of betrayal that was unimaginable.

A father, who was once dearly trusted, turned out to be the maker of his family's deepest and darkest hurts. As one son pleads for truth and another one for forgiveness, the story is far from being over just yet.

With one accomplice still unknown, this episode of Dateline shows that justice surely hasn't had the final word yet.

Some shadows, it seems, still haven't been chased away.

Also read: Dateline: The Road Trip- 5 harrowing details about Dr. Teresa Sievers murder, revealed.

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