Ex-Mr. Bungle Member Found Guilty of First Degree Murder After New Evidence Discovered

Former Mr. Brungle member Theo Lengyel has been convicted of first degree murder after new audio evidence was discovered.

Lengyel, 55, was in Mr. Bungle from 1985 through 1996 and played saxophone and clarinet on the band’s first two albums.

He was first identified as a “person of interest” in the December 2023 missing persons case involving his 61-year-old girlfriend Alice “Alyx” Kamakaokalani Hermann. Lengyel was said to be uncooperative with police during the investigation and, weeks later in early 2024, he was arrested on suspicion of murder after remains of his girlfriend were found in Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley, California.

SF Gate reports that the jury took one day to deliberate after the six-week trial had concluded, rendering their verdict on Oct. 11. Lengyel’s attorneys were seeking to avoid a first-degree murder charge with prosecutors making a case that the musician’s actions were “willful deliberate and premeditated” and that there was “express and implied intent” to kill.

CONTENT WARNING: Descriptions of the murder below are graphic. Use personal discretion before continuing.

Audio Recording From Hermann’s Phone Details Hermann’s Death

In the fourth week of the trial, an audio recording was discovered on Hermann’s phone, which captured and argument between her and Lengyel.

The recording, which was reported to be three hours in length, captured Hermann pleading for her life, screaming “stop it” 43 times as Lengyel argued back and strangled her for a total of five minutes.

Lengyel is heard asking, “Why should I stop?” as well as “How do you want to die? How about I choke you to death?”

Hermann’s Apple Watch had last recorded a heartbeat on Dec. 4, 2023, the same day of the audio recording.

Prosecutors argued that this recording is proof that Lengyel’s actions qualify as a first-degree murder charge under the aforementioned parameters.

It is unknown if the audio recording was intentional or incidental.

Prior to the discovery of the recording, prosecutors had called many character witnesses to the stand, including Lengyel’s ex-wife of 17 years. They were attempting to establish patterns of Lengyel’s behaviors that paint him as a loose cannon when intoxicated, displaying aggressive, uncompromising and violent behavioral traits.

Lengyel’s Upcoming Sentence Hearing

The sentence hearing for Lengyel’s first-degree murder of Hermann is scheduled for Nov. 7, 2024.

A life sentence is said to be expected.

Lengyal’s Relationship With Hermann + Actions After Murder

Lengyel and Hermann began dating in 2017 and split time together between their respective California homes in Capitola and El Cerrito.

According to SF Gate, traffic cameras provided evidence that the same night Hermann was killed, Lengyel was seen driving her red 2007 Toyota Highlander in the East Bay area of California, which includes El Cerrito.

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Hermann’s remains were undiscovered for 28 days, buried under a pile of rocks in nearby Tilden Park. Lengyel also attempted to take his own life at the burial site.

Hermann was reported missing on Dec. 12 after failing to show up to a family gathering in Hawaii. Her place of work also confirmed the last day she logged on was Dec. 4.

Lengyel did not cooperate with investigators and was branded as “person of interest” as a result. On Jan. 2, he was arrested while Hermann’s discovered remains awaited a DNA testing.

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