Orsolya Gaal’s handyman lover appears in court for murder as prosecutors reveal he ‘slashed her throat’
David Bonola, 44, was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on charges of murder in the second degree, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree
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The handyman lover of Orsolya Gaal appeared in court charged with her murder on Thursday night, as prosecutors revealed that the Queens’ mother-of-two’s throat was slashed during the brutal attack.
David Bonola, 44, was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on charges of murder in the second degree, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree after police said he confessed twice to killing the 51-year-old.
Prosecutors revealed new details of Ms Gaal’s final moments, detailing how she willingly let her alleged killer into her home in Forest Hills in the early hours of Saturday morning before they got into an argument in the basement and she repeatedly told him to leave.
Mr Bonola, who police said worked as a handyman for Ms Gaal’s family and had been in an on-off affair with the married mother for the oast two years, allegedly flew into a rage and slashed Ms Gaal’s throat with a kitchen knife.
Prosecutors said he then stabbed her more than 50 times before stuffing her body inside her son’s hockey duffle bag, dragging it through the quiet residential area and dumping it in nearby Forest Park.
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Ms Gaal’s 13-year-old son was upstairs in the family home at the time of the attack. Her husband and other son were out of town at the time.
“Two boys are left without a mother and a young teenager faces the added trauma of being home when this heinous murder took place,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement on Thursday night.
“As alleged, the defendant stabbed the victim over 50 times and then attempted to dispose of the body by stuffing it into a duffel bag and dragging it across a quiet residential neighborhood – leaving a trail of blood and a terrified community.
“The defendant is now in custody and will be held to account for this horrific crime.”
Queens Criminal Court Judge Judge Anthony Battisiti ordered that Mr Bonola will be held without bond following his confessions to the grisly crime.
“The accused lays out in detail what happened, how it happened and what he did following the events given rise to this case,” the judge told the courtroom.
Mr Bonola is next scheduled to appear in court on 26 April.
If convicted, he faces 25 years to life in prison.
Mr Bonola confessed twice to Ms Gaal’s murder since his arrest on Wednesday evening, law enforcement sources told The New York Post.
Police said he told them he wanted to rekindle their relationship and they got into an argument, leading to him killing Ms Gaal and moving her body.
The 44-year-old first gave a confession to detectives and then reinforced the details in a second confession on video for prosecutors, the sources said.
The sources described the confession as “matter-of-fact” and “very thorough”, saying he answered every question he was asked and didn’t ask for an attorney.
After spilling the details of the brutal crime, he calmly proceeded to wolf down a bagel with cream cheese, the sources said.
The net closed in on Mr Bonola when police found a bloody jacket and blood-stained tissues inside Forest Park where Ms Gaal’s body was left by the killer.
Blood-soaked boots, a shirt and bandages were also found at the scene of the murder.
Surveillance footage allegedly captured Mr Bonola dragging the duffle bag containing her remains through the neighbourhood at around 4.30am Saturday morning.
Hours later, separate surveillance footage then also captured a man believed to be Mr Bonola walking back to his apartment in nearby Richmond Hill at around 6am with his left hand wrapped in a bandage.
Ms Gaal’s body was found early Saturday morning by a passer-by and investigators followed a trail of blood leading back to her home.
Police said Mr Bonola offered to speak to investigators on Wednesday and told them that he had gone to a CityMD urgent care centre for treatment for a cut on his hand on Saturday.
He was then referred to hospital for treatment.
Police said Mr Bonola also admitted to sending text messages from the victim’s cellphone to Ms Gaal’s husband claiming the killing was revenge.
“Your whole family is next,” the message read.
Police said on Thursday that they believe the text message was “completely false” and that there was no danger to Ms Gaal’s family.
Aside from his confession, Ms Gaal also appeared to point police towards her alleged killer as investigators found a chilling note she had left on her fridge reading “GET A NEW HANDYMAN” prior to her death, the Daily Beast reported.
Mr Bonola and Ms Gaal first embarked on an on-off affair about two years ago when the handyman was employed to carry out odd jobs around the family home, according to police.
Their relationship had ended sometime before the killing.