Bay Area ex-rocker a person of interest in missing girlfriend search, police say

A Capitola woman has gone missing and Bay Area detectives say her ex-rock musician boyfriend is not cooperating with the investigation.

Alice “Alyx” Kamakaokalani Herrmann, 61, was last seen on Dec. 3 in Santa Cruz, and her worried family members reported her missing on Dec. 12 after Herrmann failed to get in touch for over a week. While searching for her, investigators in El Cerrito allegedly discovered her red 2007 Toyota Highlander parked in front of her boyfriend’s home. Police identified that man as Theobald “Theo” Brooks Lengyel, 54, of El Cerrito.

Since making contact with Lengyel, El Cerrito police say he has “not cooperated” with the investigation. He’s considered a person of interest in Herrmann’s disappearance.

Lengyel was a founding member of the funk-metal band Mr. Bungle, which was started by a group of Humboldt County high schoolers. Together with Mike Patton, Trey Spruance, Trevor Dunn and several other rotating members, Lengyel had a nearly 10-year run with the band from 1985 to the mid-1990s, primarily playing saxophone. In a 2005 Q&A, Dunn said Lengyel left the band on bad terms.

“We unanimously decided to go on without him because he wasn’t growing with the rest of the band and we were running out of things for him to do. He got pissed off and I haven’t heard from him since,” Dunn wrote in response to a fan question.

A LinkedIn profile for Theobald Lengyel lists only his occupations since 2000, all in the software development and programming space. The only recommendation is from “Theobald’s client” Mylo Stone. “I, Mylo Stone, hereby endorse Theo Lengyel and everything he has ever done. I know him quite well, and I can say without hesitation that the scariest thing about him is his unfulfilled potential,” the recommendation reads.

According to El Cerrito police, Mylo Stone is one of Lengyel’s known aliases. A spokesperson from the department confirmed to SFGATE that they believe Lengyel is a former Mr. Bungle member.

Detectives are seeking any information that may lead to Herrmann’s whereabouts. El Cerrito police believe Lengyel drove to Portland in the days after Herrmann disappeared. His vehicle is a distinctive one: Police say he drives a 1989 blue Ford pickup truck with the vanity plate “UNCLDRT.”

“Investigators are asking area residents who spend time in regional parks and open spaces to be on the lookout for anything suspicious that might lead to Alice’s whereabouts,” El Cerrito police said in a statement.

Anyone with information is asked to contact El Cerrito investigators at 510-215-4435 or [email protected].