Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Orsolya Gaal went missing two years before she was murdered and left in duffle bag, police reveal

Police reveal husband made 911 call to report Queens mum missing in May 2020

Bevan Hurley
Thursday 21 April 2022 10:45 EDT
Mother's body found in bag in New York City park

New York mother Orsolya Gaal was reported missing by her husband two years before she was brutally murdered and left in a duffle bag, police sources have revealed.

Howard Klein called 911 just after 7am on 29 May 2020 to say that his wife had failed to return from a late night stroll the night before, sources told the New York Post.

Mr Klein phoned back about half an hour later to say that Ms Gaal, 51, had been found.

Orsolya Gaal was stabbed nearly 60 times, according to police
Orsolya Gaal was stabbed nearly 60 times, according to police (Facebook)

Ms Gaal, 51, was killed in the basement of her home by an unknown attacker in who then dragged her body half a mile away and dumped near to a popular walking path on Metropolitan Avenue in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Handyman David Bonola, 44, was arrested and charged with Ms Gaal’s murder early on Thursday morning.

Police sources say he was in a romantic relationship with the 51-year-old.

Sources who had been briefed on the autopsy told the New York Post that Ms Gaal suffered nearly 60 stabbing wounds, with knife wounds to her to her neck, torso, left arm, fingers and hand in what appeared to be defensive wounds.

She had suffered puncture wounds to her carotid artery and trachea.

Ms Gaal’s body was discovered by a man walking his dogs just after 8am Saturday morning.

Police followed a trail of blood from the bag that led them about half a mile to an upscale gated community in Forest Hills.

Mr Klein was travelling out of state at the time of the murder with eldest son Jamie, according to reports.

Police found their youngest son Leo, 13, alone at the family home. He was questioned and later released by police.

An NYPD spokesman told The Independent on Monday no arrests had been made in connection with the murder.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in