At the beginning of December, Alice ‘Alyx’ Kamakaokalani Herrmann was enjoying spending time at a rowing event in Santa Cruz.
A little over a week later, the 61-year-old vanished without a trace.
There is little information about what happened following her time in Santa Cruz, but the trail she left behind came to an ominous halt when her car was found outside her boyfriend’s home in El Cerrito the day she was reported missing.
Since then her boyfriend, retired musician Theobald ‘Theo’ Lengyel has been named as a person of interest in her disappearance.
While it is not known what happened to Ms Herrmann, police have there is enough evidence to suggest that it could be a homicide case, according to ABC7.
Here’s what we know so far:
Where was Alice Herrmann last seen?
Ms Herrmann was last seen on 3 December at a rowing event in Santa Cruz.
The missing woman’s brother told ABC7 she did not show up for work the following day. Her family then grew suspicious when they had not heard from her for over a week, prompting them to report her missing on 12 December.
Her brother added that she was supposed to be in Hawaii visiting family by that time.
The 61-year-old’s movements between 3 and 12 December remain unaccounted for, but her vehicle was found outside of her boyfriend’s home by El Cerrito investigators - with no sign of her.
Alice (left) has been reported missing and Theo (right) is a person of interest— (El Cerrito Police Department)
Meanwhile, police searched her residence in Capitola, but did not see any trace of her.
Capitola Police Captain Sarah Ryan told Lookoutthat she does not know how long Ms Herrmann had lived in Capitola but said that her residence suggests that she “seemed established and appeared to be living alone”.
Meanwhile, public records show Ms Herrmann has lived in a residence in Capitola since at least 2009, but neighbours say she did not live in the area full-time, according to Lookout.
Police describe Ms Herrmann as a Pacific Islander woman, 5’04” tall, 135 pounds, with hazel eyes and brown hair.
Who is Alice Herrmann’s boyfriend Theo Lengyel?
Since she vanished, Ms Herrmann’s boyfriend Theo Lengyel has been named as a person of interest in her disappearance.
Police say her vehicle was found outside Mr Lengyel’s home in El Cerrito, and added that the 54-year-old has not been cooperating with them in the investigation to find Ms Herrmann.
In the days after Ms Herrmann’s disappearance, police say that Mr Lengyel had driven from El Cerrito in California to Portland in Oregan in a blue 1989 Ford pickup truck with the license plate “UNCLDRT.”
Both Ms Herrmann’s and Mr Lengyel’s vehicles are now in police custody.
Mr Lengyel was one of the founding members of Mr Bungle in Eureka, California, who made it big when they became signed to Warner Bros. Records.
He played saxophone, clarinet and keyboards in the Humboldt County rock group that he joined at age 16 in 1986, before moving to San Francisco in the early 90s, during which the band attained commercial success.
He left the band in 1996, and according to a LinkedIn profile that appears to belong to Mr Lengyel, he entered a career in software development and data engineering.
Alice’s Toyota Highlander SUV (left) and Theo’s Ford pickup truck (right)— (El Cerrito Police Department)
Mr Bungle bassist Trevor Dunn recalled in a 2005 interview how 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 said.
“He got pissed off and I haven’t heard from him since.”
Mr Lengyel is described by police as a white man, 5’10”, 170 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.
El Cerrito police say Mr Lengyel also goes by the alias Mylo Stone.
A recommendation on Mr Lengyel’s LinkedIn profile from a profile named Mylo Stone who is listed as Mr Lengyel’s “client,” reads: “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.”
What have police said?
While police still do not know what happened to Ms Herrmann, El Cerrito Police have enough evidence to suggest that it could be a homicide case, according to ABC7.
Meanwhile, a police statement noted officers “are looking for information about the actions of both [Lengyel] and [Herrmann] from December 3, 2023, to present.”
“There’s a lot that we don’t know, and we don’t have closure,” Captain Ryan said. “That’s the worst part.”
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the El Cerrito Police Department as it continues the investigation, which is being bolstered by detectives from the Capitola and Portland Police Departments.
Investigators also asked residents who spend time in regional parks and “open spaces” to be on the lookout for anything suspicious, suggesting such sights could lead to clues about the missing woman’s whereabouts.
“We are worried,” Ms Herrmann’s brother told ABC7. “At the same time, we are trying to remain hopeful for a good outcome.”
Human remains found in park
Officials said that following the victim’s disappearance he had “not cooperated with the police investigation” and travelled by car to Portland, Oregon.
Investigators eventually found human remains in a wooded area at Tilden Regional Park, around four miles from El Cerrito.
Police have not shared any details on the cause of death and the remains are awaiting DNA confirmation by the the Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office.
Theo Lengyel arrested and booked into jail
Mr Lengyel was arrested and booked in the Santa Cruz County Jail. The investigation is ongoing. Capitola Police made the arrest and said that Mr Lengyel also goes by the name “Mylo Stone.”
“As the investigation progressed, it became clear that foul play was involved, leading to the identification of Theobald Lengyel as a suspect,” the Capitola Police Department said in a statement.
“The diligent work of our investigators, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, has led to the apprehension of Theobald Lengyel in connection with the tragic homicide of Alice Kamakaokalani,” the department added.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim during this time.”
