Quantcast

South Richmond Hill man sentenced in ‘brutal’ killing of Forest Hills mom

South Richmond Hill man pleads guilty
Detectives lead David Bonola out of the 112th Precinct in Forest Hills after he admitted he killed a mother of two last spring. (Photo by Lloyd Mitchell)

South Richmond Hill resident David Bonola on Nov. 16 was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the brutal killing of Forest Hills mom Orsolya Gaal last April, according to the Queens district attorney’s office.

Bonola, 44, previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree on Nov. 2.

Bonola was also sentenced to receive five years’ supervision upon his release from prison. The sentence was handed down by Queens Supreme Court Judge Michael Aloise.

According to charges, Bonola arrived at Gaal’s home in Forest Hills at around 12:30 a.m. April 16. Investigators said the two had previously been having an on-and-off romantic affair for two years while he worked at her family’s Juno Street home before Gaal, 51, allegedly attempted to end it. It was during this encounter that they got into a verbal altercation before it escalated to Bonola slashing Gaal’s throat and stabbing her more than 50 times with a knife.

Bonola was captured on a nearby home’s security video surveillance footage at around 4:15 a.m. wheeling a hockey duffel bag belonging to one of the Gaal’s sons. The bag, which contained Gaal’s lifeless body, was found at about 8 a.m. on Metropolitan Avenue, near Union Turnpike, in the vicinity of Forest Park.

Police followed the trail of blood from the bag to the crime scene at the home where Gaal resided with her husband and two sons. Police recovered the murder weapon hidden in the victim’s home and Bonola’s jacket inside Forest Park during the subsequent investigation.

Days later, Bonola offered to speak to police. It was during this questioning that he made incriminating statements. He revealed that some time on April 16 he went to a hospital for treatment to a cut on his hand. He also stated in sum and substance that he and Gaal got into an argument and confessed to stabbing her and moving her body.

“This was a brutal killing and no amount of prison time can bring the victim back to her loved ones,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “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.”