Forum Photo by Michael V. Cusenza
Gaal was stabbed to death inside her Juno Street home in Forest Hills.
By Forum Staff
A South Richmond Hill man has been indicted in the brutal murder of a Forest Hills mother of two, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Tuesday.
David Bonola, 44, was arraigned Tuesday on a 13-count indictment charging him with two counts of murder in the second degree, two counts of burglary in the first degree, concealment of a human corpse, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.
According to the charges, on Saturday, April 16, around 12:30 a.m., Orsolya Gaal returned to her home located on Juno Street in Forest Hills after an evening out. Bonola, who was a handyman and had done work at Gaal’s home on and off for the last two years came to the victim’s home a few minutes later. He entered the residence and the two engaged in a verbal argument. The argument escalated to Bonola allegedly slashing the woman’s throat and stabbing her more than 50 times.
Photo Courtesy of DA Katz
“This heinous murder left two teenagers without a mother and terrified an entire community,” DA Katz said.
The defendant retrieved a hockey duffle bag belonging to one of the victim’s sons and stuffed the woman’s bloody body inside and is allegedly seen on video surveillance from a nearby home rolling the duffle bag through the quiet neighborhood.
According to the charges, the duffle bag was later discovered near Forest Park at Metropolitan Avenue and Union Turnpike around 8 a.m., Saturday. Inside were the remains of the married mother of two. Police followed a trail of blood from the bag to the crime scene—the Juno Street home of Gaal.
“This heinous murder left two teenagers without a mother and terrified an entire community,” Katz said. “As alleged, this defendant brutally stabbed the victim over 50 times before stuffing her body into a duffel bag – which he then dragged for several blocks in an attempt to dispose of the victim’s remains. The defendant has now been indicted and arraigned on very serious charges and faces a lengthy prison sentence if convicted.”
If convicted, Bonola faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
