David Bonola is the recent face of crimes of passion in the United States, or at least in New York, where he viciously slayed Orsolya Gaal, a married mother of two, on the 16th of April 2022. Residents of Forest Hills, an affluent neighborhood in the borough of Queens, New York City, were shocked when Gaal’s body was discovered in a kit bag a few blocks away from her home, with a trail of blood indicating she was murdered and dragged from her home to where she was dumped on the street.
A resident walking their dog saw the bloody bag and alerted the police, who followed the blood trail to the crime scene, where a doorbell camera immediately identified the culprit. The camera had captured David Bonola as he pulled Gaal’s body away from her home. He was soon arrested and has been sentenced for his heinous crime. However, some questions have lingered on about Bonola and what he did. For instance, why did he stab the mother of two over 55 times, and what was the motive of his crime? Did he have any prior criminal record? And who exactly is he?
What We Know About David Bonola’s Background
Upon David Bonola’s arrest, the public learned he’s a handyman with no previous crime record who lives in Queens. Bonola wasn’t a stranger to Gaal and her family; he had known them for at least two years and had been invited to their home for domestic repairs multiple times. Until his crime against 51-year-old Orsolya Gaal, Bonola claimed he was a U.S. citizen. He identified as a New York native who attended the New York School of Interior Design. But investigations into his past suggest he was born in Mexico sometime in the late 70s and illegally immigrated to the United States in his mid-20s.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that David Bonola isn’t a U.S. citizen. The federal agency tasked with protecting America from cross-border crime and illegal immigration lodged a detainer against Bonola with the Queens Central Booking after he was arrested. Bonola’s conviction has extended his stay in the United States, but he would be facing deportation whenever he’s done paying for his crime.
Motive Behind The Gruesome Murder Of Orsolya Gaal
David Bonola’s murder of Orsoyla Gaal was linked to their romantic relationship. Investigations revealed that Bonola and Mrs. Gaal had been dating on and off. They broke up in the past but reunited in early April, the same month Gaal was killed. The affair is central to the murder, but it’s unclear if Gaal’s husband, Howard Klein, and their two sons knew about her intimate relationship with the handyman. The day she was murdered, Klein and their first son were away from home, but the younger child was in a bedroom upstairs while his mom was being murdered in the basement of their home.
Noting that David Bonola and Gaal had an intimate relationship, Lieutenant Timmy Thompson of the NYPD related in a press conference that the murder resulted from a domestic dispute they were having over their relationship. NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig reiterated Thompson’s statement. “Mr. Bonola is a handyman…employed by Mrs. Gaal. They had been having an intimate affair for approximately two years,” he said. “…A heated argument ensues between the two in the basement. A knife is brandished, a violent struggle ensues, resulting in our victim being stabbed…in excess of 55 times…,” added the police chief. David Bonola’s motive for stabbing Mrs Gaal so many times begs the question—why were they fighting?
The handyman reportedly told detectives that Gaal was cheating on him. “She lied to me, she used me,” stated Bonola. “She told me that she loved me, (but) took a phone call from another guy, and she said she was going to see him. That made me angry,” he continued. Bonola also claimed that Gaal gave him HIV and then ended their relationship. “She gave me HIV… I just wanted her to tell me…why she gave me HIV,” claimed the handyman. Instead of getting answers, Gaal ended their affair and asked him to leave the residence. “She kept saying I hate you and stabbed me in the left hand. I grabbed the knife and cut her from the neck,” divulged the handyman.
David Bonola Was Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison
Days after the gruesome murder, David Bonola approached the police and made incriminating statements that reinforced he was the prime suspect. He confessed to the crime and was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, first-degree criminal tempering, and second-degree murder. However, a press statement from Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz later disclosed that he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
The handyman faced Queens Supreme Court Judge Michael Aloise in November 2022 and was sentenced to 25 years in prison, in addition to a five-year post-release supervision. Commenting on his sentencing, Katz said: “…no amount of prison time can bring the victim back to her loved ones. Today’s sentencing, however, provides a measure of justice, and I hope the victim’s family can rest easier knowing that the person responsible was held fully accountable.” Upon his release from prison, David Bonola will likely face deportation to his native country.
