In early Jan. 2024, Theobald “Theo” Lengyel, formerly of the rock band Mr. Bungle, was arrested in connection with his girlfriend Alice “Alyx” Kamakaokalani Herrmann’s death. About a month earlier, Herrman disappeared near Santa Cruz, California. Her remains were later recovered, and authorities suspect she was murdered.
Herrmann, who was 61 when she disappeared, was last seen in Santa Cruz, California, near El Cerrito, where Lengyel lived. Once reported missing, her car was found at Lengyel’s home, and he was declared a person of interest in the case. Reportedly, Lengyel refused to cooperate with the investigation, and around that same time, he made an unexplained car trip to Portland, Oregon, the El Cerrito Police Department said.
Herrmann’s remains were later found in Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley, California, about 80 miles away from Santa Cruz. Once in custody, Lengyel was booked into the Santa Cruz County jail on first-degree murder charges. When Lengyel was arrested, Herrmann’s cause of death was still pending, and there was no known motive for her alleged murder, USA Today reported.
Lengyel left Mr. Bungle in the 1990s
Lengyel, who was 54 when he was arrested, was a former multi-instrumentalist who played saxophone and keyboards in Mr. Bungle. Lengyel co-founded the band in 1985 with vocalist Mike Patton, also known for his work with Faith No More.
Lengyel — who performed as “Mylo Stone” — left Mr. Bungle in the mid-1990s over creative differences. Members of Mr. Bungle have since said Lengyel was angry with the other musicians when they decided to continue without him. According to one of Lengyel’s former bandmates, “[Mr. Bungle] unanimously decided to go on without [Lengyel] because he wasn’t growing with the rest of the band” (via The Daily Beast).
The last Bungle recording Lengyel played on was the 1995 full-length Disco Violante. Lengyel has not been involved in any Mr. Bungle reunion projects since then.
With Lengyel in custody, Capitola Police, the small town where Alyx Herrmann lived near Santa Cruz and El Cerrito, said in a statement:
“The diligent work of our investigators, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, has led to the apprehension of Theobald Lengyel in connection with the tragic homicide of Alice Kamakaokalani,” The Capitola Police statement went on to add: “We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim during this difficult time” (via The Daily Beast).
As of this report, the investigation into Herrmann’s murder was ongoing.
