A recording of former Mr. Bungle member Theo Lengyel allegedly murdering his ex-wife Alice 'Alyx' Herrmann has been found on the deceased's phone

04 Oct 2024, 10:19 · louder

By Paul Brannigan
published 4 October 2024

Horrific details of the death of Alice 'Alyx' Herrmann have emerged after the discovery of a recording on her phone

(Image credit: El Cerrito Police Department)

Lawyers prosecuting former Mr. Bungle member Theobald 'Theo' Lengyel for the murder of his ex-wife, Alice 'Alyx' Herrmann, say that a recording recently discovered on her phone documents her violent death.

Authorities say Lengyel murdered his former partner on December 4, 2023, and buried her remains in Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley.

Lengyel, who played keyboards, saxophone and clarinet for Mike Patton's band from their formation in 1986 until 1995, and appears on on the band's early demos, their, 1991 self-titled debut and 1995's Disco Volante, had already been on trial for a month in the Superior Court of Santa Cruz, accused of Herrmann's murder, when the recording on her cellphone was discovered.

Lengyel does not dispute that he killed Herrmann, but his lawyers maintain that his actions did not amount to murder. His attorney Annrae Angel stated in court, "the evidence is going to show that he killed her, but it's also going to show that he loved her and that this relationship was very, very important to him."

Herrmann, was last seen in Santa Cruz, California, on December 3, and reported missing by her family on December 12, after she'd been out of contact for a week. Her car was later discovered outside Lengyel's apartment in El Cerrito.

According to The Berkeley Scanner, the recording on Herrmann's phone captured the violent struggle that preceded her murder.

The prosecution lawyers say that, while pleading for her life, Herrmann can be heard asking Lengyel, "You want your kids to be the kids of a murderer?" The recording allegedly captures the musician responding, "It's too fucking late for that."

"This was always, in the People's view, a brutal domestic violence homicide," prosecutors wrote.

Lengyel and Hermann were previously married, but filed for divorce in 2017 following a domestic violence incident. At that time, Hermann filed a restraining order against her former partner.

The trial against Lengyel continues.

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Paul Brannigan
Contributing Editor, Louder

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.

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