Former member of Mr. Bungle found guilty of first-degree murder

A former member of the experimental San Francisco rock band Mr. Bungle was found guilty of first degree murder in a Santa Cruz County courtroom Friday, according to public records.

54-year-old El Cerrito resident Theobald "Theo" Lengyel was accused of killing his girlfriend, 61-year-old Capitola resident Alice "Alyx" Hermann inside her home in Capitola.

Lengyel was arrested in January after investigators found Hermann's body in a Berkeley park. She had been reported missing in December.

Lengyel's six-week trial took a shocking turn when prosecutors played an audio recording allegedly from Hermann's phone of her begging for her life as Lengyel strangled her to death.

Lengyel is best known as a former member of the Bay Area experimental rock band Mr. Bungle that was founded by singer Mike Patton, guitarist Trey Spruance and bassist Trevor Dunn in Ukiah in 1985. Lengyel played saxophone, clarinet and keyboards in the band for over a decade before leaving the group due to creative differences in 1996.

He's facing life in prison and is scheduled for sentencing next month.