Jurors listened to three hours of audio recording the final moments of a California woman being tortured and strangled to death by her boyfriend.
Theobald “Mylo” Lengyel, a saxophonist and former member of the ’90s rock band Mr. Bungle, is currently on trial for murdering Alice “Alyx” Kamakaokalani Herrmann, 61, inside her Capitola home in December of 2023. He has pleaded not guilty, KRON reported .
The trial took a dramatic turn Tuesday when prosecutors played the chilling three-hour long audio file that investigators only found in late September, weeks into Lengyel’s murder trial. Jurors were able to hear Herrmann as she begged Lengyel to let her live.
It is not clear if she intentionally recorded her final moments using the iPhone app, “Just Press Record for iOS,” or if the app inadvertently recorded. The audio was recorded at Herrmann's home on Dec. 4, 2023. Shortly into the recording the couple begin to argue because Lengyel wants to go out to play pool and he wants Herrmann to tag along.
Hermann tells him multiple times she does not want to go because she has work the next day. “Why is it so important to you? Why is it a contest of wills? Have a fun time,” Herrmann says. She tells him to go without her and says she is ready for bed.
An hour in, Lengyel begins threatening his girlfriend, telling her “I could mash your f---ing brain.” "When you drink, this s--t happens, we fight,” she tells him.
“When we fight it’s actually because you are drinking. I’m always drinking, all day, every day. And the only time we fight is when you drink,” he replies. The two then get into a physical altercation and Lengyel pins Hermann down and asks her “Are you at my mercy right now?” He continues to restrain her as she struggles and then he begins to strangle her.
“You’re gonna f—ing die right now. Are you ready?” Lengyel asks. “Okay. How do you want to die? Blunt trauma or something else … think you should be choked to death? How about that.”
“Stop it. You want your kids to be the kids of a murderer? Come on, stop it.” Hermann can be heard begging, but Lengyel replies, “It’s too f--ing late for that.” Herrmann can then be heard screaming and saying “stop it” 53 times before her voice starts to falter.
A month later Hermann's body was found in the woods after being reported missing after she missed a flight to Hawaii. After her body was discovered Lengyel became a person of interest. Police said he was "uncooperative."
Inspector Steven Ryan testified that he found Google Maps searches on the suspect’s phone showing the exact location where the body was found. The searches were made on Dec. 8, 2023, Ryan testified.
Local News
