Ex-Lover Confessed To Forest Hills Mom's Murder: Police, Reports

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — The handyman and ex-lover of Orsolya Gaal, a Forest Hills mother whose mutilated body was found in a duffel bag, confessed to stabbing her dozens of times in the midst of a fight, according to police and reports.

David Bonola, 44, made "incriminating statements" to police, prompting officials to hit him with murder, criminal tampering and criminal weapons charges in connection to Gaal's brutal murder, the NYPD announced.

"We have enough to arrest him and charge him with the murder," said NYPD Detectives Chief James Essig of Bonola at a news conference Thursday.

Police sources told the Daily News and the New York Post Bonola gave a full confession.

Bonola worked as a handyman at Gaal's Forest Hills home for about two years, during which time he was having an "intimate affair" with the 51-year-old mother, said Essig.

Officials declined to comment on whether or not Gaal's husband, Howard Klein, who was away at the time of the murder, was aware of the affair.

Bonola and Gaal's relationship, though, was on-and-off, according to officials, who specified that at the time of the murder the two weren't romantically involved.

"Their relationship was considered at an end," said Deputy Chief Detective Julie Morell. "He came back this evening to speak about the relationship again."

What began as a talk shortly after midnight on April 16 quickly turned into a "violent struggle," said Essig, noting that Gaal was stabbed "ruthlessly and brutally" upwards of 50 times with a knife likely from her own home.

She was murdered while her son was sleeping upstairs, officials said.

Bonola eventually stuffed Gaal's lifeless body into a hockey duffel belonging to her son, and wheeled it about half a mile away, leaving a trail of blood through the streets of Forest Hills, officials said, pointing at video footage.

The duffel was found on the edge of Forest Park Saturday morning by a passerby, Essig said.

Law enforcement officials believe that after dumping Gaal's body, Bonola ran off through Forest Park, where his jacket was later recovered.

Detectives also connected Bonola with the crime after finding boots, a T-shirt, and bloody bandages at an undisclosed location, Essig said.

On Wednesday night, several days after the murder, police were canvassing for video when they spotted Bonola, who was already wanted for an interview, according to officials.

"We were able to quickly take this killer off this street," said Essig. "I just want to assure the public, and especially the residents of Forest Hills that there are not outstanding suspects at this time."

Officials also said that texts in which Bonola warned of more violence against Gaal's family were unsubstantiated. PIX11 reported a message sent to Gaal's husband read "Your whole family is next."

"We believe that [message] to be completely false. We have it in the confession that [Bonola] sent that message and he has no burglary in the past," said Morell.

Patch Editor Nick Garber contributed to this report.

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