Former Mr. Bungle multi-instrumentalist Theo Lengyel is currently in police custody in connection to his girlfriend’s murder. His arrest comes after weeks of investigation into Alice “Alyx” Kamakaokalani Herrmann’s disappearance.
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The Capitola, California Police Department arrested Lengyel after he had been a “person of interest” for weeks. A press release from the department stated that he was uncooperative with investigators over the last month. After “it became obvious that foul play was involved,” CPD upgraded the former Mr. Bungle member to suspect and took him into custody.
His arrest comes after the police discovered that Lengyal had traveled from El Cerrito, California to Portland, Oregon in the days surrounding Herrmann’s disappearance. Later, investigators found human remains in a wooded area in Tilden Regional Park in Berkley, California. Those may be the remains of Lengyal’s missing girlfriend. However, it will take time for DNA results to confirm the identity of the remains.
Lengyel is currently incarcerated in the Santa Cruz County jail.
What Led Up to Theo Lengyel’s Arrest?
Herrmann was last seen on December 3, according to a police press release. After not hearing from her for a week, her family reported her missing on December 12. As a result, the Capitola Police Department and the El Cerrito Police Department initiated a missing person investigation that day. Before long, authorities found the missing woman’s car at Lengyal’s home.
Investigators spoke to Lengyel about Herrmann. However, he did not cooperate with the investigation. Later, authorities learned that the musician had traveled from California to Oregon during the time when Herrmann was missing.
The timing and location of his travels and the location of the human remains match up. It is possible that Lengyel murdered his girlfriend and dumped her body near Berkley. However, it is important to note that this is an ongoing investigation. Police press releases do not confirm the identity of the remains. At the same time, Lengyal is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Lengyel and Mr. Bungle
Lengyel was a founding member of Mr. Bungle. He primarily played saxophone, clarinet, and keyboard for the band. He played on their 1986 demo The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny. Lengyel also contributed to the band’s 1991 self-titled album and Disco Volante (1995). He left the group in 1996 citing creative differences and was not included in the current reunion lineup.
(Image via @consequence on X)
