Dateline: Who was Ariet Girgis, and what happened to her? Disturbing details of the 2004 murder, explored

Dateline featured the murder of Ariet Girgis, which happened in 2004 and left the quiet neighborhood of Westminster, California, shaken—and the case would go on to reveal one of the most chilling murder-for-hire plots in recent history. Ariet, a mother of two, was brutally killed in her own home. At first, it seemed like a terrifying home invasion. But the truth was far darker, and it would take nearly a decade for investigators to uncover it.

On the evening of the homicide, 17-year-old Ryan Girgis was restrained and taken to a closet by two masked assailants. All he could do was listen to how his mother was stabbed in a manner so brutal that the police stated that she was almost decapitated. Ryan survived the ordeal and called 911, commencing what would evolve into a protracted and intricate inquiry into the identity of the perpetrators of the savage murder.

In 2013, nearly nine years later, the truth finally emerged: the man responsible for planning Ariet Girgis’ murder was her own husband, Magdi Girgis. The case has since been featured on Dateline and Murder for Hire and continues to captivate audiences with its disturbing details.

Inside the 2004 murder of Ariet Girgis: How the plot unfolded

When Ariet passed away, Magdi Girgis was already charged with domestic violence for purportedly attacking her. As per the investigators, Magdi was afraid that if he divorced her, he would lose his possessions and career as a respiratory therapist. Up until that point, however, there were no direct signs pointing to him being involved in the 2004 murder—until a significant development in the case occurred almost ten years later.

In 2013, detectives reexamined DNA evidence from the crime scene and found a match on a shoelace used to tie up Ryan. The DNA belonged to Anthony Edward Bridget, a gang member already in prison. Although Bridget refused to talk, Long Beach police devised a sting operation to expose the murder-for-hire plot.

Undercover officers posed as Bridget’s associates and approached Magdi, demanding $5,000 in exchange for their silence. Magdi took the bait. He met them in a Home Depot parking lot and handed over a portion of the payment—sealing his fate. He was immediately arrested for arranging the contract killing of his wife.

Ryan Girgis confronts his father in Dateline

After Magdi Girgis was taken into custody, authorities contacted Ryan and his older brother, Richard Girgis. The two had long suspected their father was involved in their mother’s murder, and Ryan agreed to confront him at the police station—a confrontation that has since become a focal point in Dateline’s coverage of the case.

In an emotional exchange, Ryan told his father,

“You don’t love me … You had a choice not to hurt me and Richard. You had a choice not to hurt your wife. Why did you do that?”

Magdi continued to deny any involvement, but Ryan’s words cut through the silence that had lingered for years.

Magdi Girgis was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder with special circumstances and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Bridget also received a life sentence. However, the second assailant involved in the attack has never been identified and remains at large.

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Ariet Girgis’ story has been featured on several true crime shows, including NBC’s Dateline, which highlighted the gruesome murder-for-hire plot in an otherwise peaceful community in California. While this episode was thorough in its retelling of the events and was helpful in garnering attention to the case, one crucial detail is still a mystery: the second assailant’s identity.

Even after Magdi Girgis and Anthony Edward Bridget were sentenced, the rest of the participants in the attack were not imprisoned, and police are still appealing to the public for aid in solving the case.

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