Former Bay Area rocker found guilty of murdering girlfriend

On October 12, 2024By Yukito

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KRON) – A Santa Cruz County jury has found a former Bay Area rock band member guilty of murdering his girlfriend, Alice “Alyx” Kamakaokalani Herrmann. Deliberations ended Thursday when jurors convicted Theobald “Mylo” Lengyel of first-degree murder.

Evidence at trial showed that Lengyel, 56, of El Cerrito, drank heavily and that the troubled couple often argued verbally. On the night of the murder, December 4, 2023, the couple was arguing at Herrmann’s Capitola beach house. Herrmann wanted to stay home and go to bed because she had to work in Berkeley the next morning. Lengyel wanted his girlfriend to go out and play pool with him.

Theobald Brooks Lengyel is seen in a photo released by El Cerrito police.

District Attorney’s Office Inspector Steven Ryan testified that what began as a couple’s argument escalated into murder after Lengyel pinned Herrmann and choked her.

The trial, which began in August, took a dramatic turn when jurors heard a chilling three-hour audio tape recorded on the murder victim’s phone. It is unclear whether Herrmann intentionally recorded her own murder using the “Just Press Record for iOS” iPhone app, or if the app recorded it inadvertently.

The judges didn’t see Herrmann, but they heard her begging the boy to stop and let her live.

“Now you’re going to fucking die. Are you ready?” Lengyel’s voice can be heard in the recording. Ryan said the killer tortured his victim, taunting him for hours between strangulations.

Herrmann says: “What’s wrong with my face? I can’t see. Herrmann gasps for air and groans as Lengyel says, “OK. How do you want to die? Blunt trauma or something… do you think you should choke to death?”

Herrmann says, “Stop. Do you want your children to be the children of a murderer? Come on, stop it. Lengyel replies, “It’s too damn late for that.”

Prosecutors say Herrmann screamed “stop” 53 times until her voice died and she died.

At the beginning of the tape, Lengyel can be heard playing the piano. Lengyel is a saxophonist and former member of the rock band Mr. 90’s Bungle

Herrmann’s family reported her missing to police in December after she missed a flight to Hawaii. One of the victim’s friends testified that she immediately suspected that “Mylo” was behind the victim’s disappearance.

In January 2024, police found Herrmann’s body hidden in the desert of Tilden Park in Berkeley.

Inspector Steven Ryan testified that he found Google Maps search results on Lengyel’s phone showing the exact location where the body was found. Ryan testified that the Google searches were conducted on December 8, 2023.

Several members of Herrmann’s Santa Cruz Outriggers ocean kayaking club participated in the murder trial. Lengyel will be sentenced by Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Nancy de la Pena on November 7.

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