Theo Lengyel, a member of Mr. Bungle from 1985 through 1996, has been found guilty of first-degree murder after a six-week trial in Santa Cruz Superior Court surrounding the death of his girlfriend Alice Herrmann. He is expected to get life in prison when he is sentenced on November 7th.
Lengyel was a founding member of Mr. Bungle, playing saxophone and keyboards on the band 1980s demos as well as their first two proper studio albums, 1991’s self-titled effort and 1995’s Disco Volante.
He was arrested at the beginning of this year in connection with Herrmann’s murder after previously being named a “person of interest” in her disappearance.
When the trial began in early September, Lengyel’s counsel actually admitted that Lengyel killed Herrmann, instead focusing on achieving a lesser conviction than first-degree murder. “The evidence will find that Lengyel killed her but also that he loved her,” stated defense attorney Annrae Angel in her opening statement, according to SFGATE.
There was overwhelming evidence against Lengyel, who was caught on traffic cameras driving Herrmann’s red Toyota Highlander in the East Bay the same evening she was killed. Hermann’s body was found under a pile of rocks in a park in Berkeley, California, with a rope nearby. Lengyel later stated that he used the rope in a failed attempt to hang himself after killing Herrmann.
A number of character witnesses attested to Lengyel’s bizarre and dark behavior over the years. But the ultimate evidence that led to his first-degree murder conviction was an audio recording of the actual killing found on Herrmann’s phone.
The three-hour recording was played in the courtroom on October 1st, with Herrmann heard yelling “Stop it” 43 times, and Lengyel responding, “Why should I stop?” In an earlier part of the recording, Lengyel asked, “How do you want to die? How about I choke you to death?”
As mentioned, Lengyel will be sentenced on November 7th, when he’s very likely receive life in prison.
The saxophonist left Mr. Bungle in 1996 due to creative differences, and transitioned to a career in financial technology. He has no involvement in the band’s current incarnation, which includes classic members Mike Patton, Trey Spruance, and Trevor Dunn alongside Scott Ian and Dave Lombardo.
