SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A founding member of the experimental rock band Mr. Bungle was charged Friday with first-degree murder of his girlfriend after California prosecutors discovered audio files the victim had recorded on her cell phone. He was convicted of murder. She fought for her life.
A Santa Cruz jury has found Theobald “Theo” Lengyel guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of his girlfriend Alice “Alix” Kamakaokalani Hellman inside her Capitol Hill home on the night of Dec. 4, 2023. The court deliberated for a day before convicting him. KSBW TV reported. Lengyel faces a possible life sentence and is scheduled to be sentenced in November.
Lengyel, 55, was arrested in January. after investigators discovered Herman's body in a wooded area at Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley. Herman was reported missing last month after failing to show up for a family gathering in Hawaii.
On October 1, prosecutors played a recording on Herman's cell phone of her boyfriend pleading for his life as he strangled her to death. KRON-TV reported.
It is unclear whether Herman, 61, intentionally recorded the audio, or whether the app recorded it by mistake.
Lt. Stephen Ryan of the District Attorney's Office testified that investigators did not discover the chilling audio files until September 22, 2024, a month after Lengyel's murder trial began.
The recording begins with Lengel playing the piano and getting angry at Herman for not wanting to go play pool. Mr. Herman repeatedly says he doesn't want to go because he has to work in Berkeley the next day.
Minutes into the argument, Lengyel can be heard threatening his girlfriend, saying, “I'm going to blow your fucking brains out.”
The argument escalated into a physical altercation, prosecutors said. That's when I heard Herman gasping for air and begging for his life.
Lengyel left Mr. Bungle in 1996 after playing saxophone, clarinet, and keyboards on several recordings, including the band's 1991 self-titled debut album and 1995's “Disco Volante.” He did not participate in the band's recent reunion tour. In 2020.
Mr. Bungle was formed in Northern California in 1985 by high school friends including guitarist Trey Spruance, bassist Trevor Dunn, and vocalist Mike Patton, who went on to play in Faith No More. Formed in Humboldt County. Mr. Bungle experimented with funk, heavy metal, electronic, jazz, and other musical styles and gained popularity during the alternative rock boom of the 1990s.
In a 2005 Q&A, Dan stated that Lengyel left the band due to a falling out. SF gate Reported.
