Former Rock Musician Arrested in Connection with Girlfriend’s Death After Human Remains Found
A former rock musician has been arrested in connection with the death of his missing girlfriend after human remains were found in a Northern California park, authorities announced.
Theobald “Theo” Lengyel, 54, a former saxophonist and founding member of the experimental rock band Mr. Bungle, was arrested in connection to the homicide of Alice “Alix” Kamakaokalani Herrmann. The remains were discovered in a wooded area in Tinley Regional Park in Berkeley.
Herrmann, a 61-year-old resident of Capitola, was reported missing last month. She was last seen in nearby Santa Cruz on Dec. 3 and was reported missing by her relatives after she missed a flight to Hawaii on Dec. 12.
Authorities said that Herrmann’s SUV had been found parked in front of Lengyel’s house in El Cerrito, and they found evidence indicating that she was the victim of a homicide.
Lengyel had been named a primary person of interest early in the investigation and had not been cooperating with investigators, the El Cerrito Police Department said in a statement.
Herrmann, a competitive paddler and member of the Santa Cruz Outrigger Canoe team, was described by friends as a “sweet and trusting soul” with an adventurous spirit. She had traveled the world to compete in outrigger races.
Lengyel is being held without bail in Santa Cruz County, according to the sheriff and online jail records. Formal identification of the remains is pending DNA confirmation with the Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office, and a filing decision could be made as soon as Wednesday afternoon, according to the Santa Cruz District Attorney’s Office.
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