Queens mom found stuffed into duffel bag was stabbed nearly 60 times, cops say

FOREST HILLS, Queens — A New York woman found stuffed in a duffel bag in Queens on Saturday was stabbed dozens of times, according to her autopsy report.

The city’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner found that Orsolya Gaal, 51, of Forest Hills, was stabbed a total of 58 times. The report, which was obtained by multiple media organizations, indicated that Gaal died of “sharp force wounds” to her neck.

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The New York Post and the New York Daily News reported that police sources said the married mother of two also had stab wounds to her upper torso, arm and hands. The wounds on her hands indicated that Gaal tried to defend herself during the brutal attack.

Her killer remained at large Tuesday morning, though NBC New York reported Monday that police have identified a man as a person of interest in the case.

Gaal, who was Hungarian, used social media to post photos of her husband and children, along with several photos of her with her dog. The last photo was posted just three days before her body was found.

Detectives believe Gaal knew her killer, who they allege fatally stabbed her in her Juno Street home while her 13-year-old son was upstairs. Gaal’s husband and their 17-year-old son were in Oregon on a college scouting trip.

Following Gaal’s murder, her husband, Howard Klein, received an ominous text message sent from his wife’s cellphone.

“Your whole family is next,” the message read, according to WPIX in New York.

Authorities believe Gaal was slain in the basement of her home. The killer then placed her bloodied corpse in a rolling duffel bag and removed it from the house.

Surveillance footage obtained by multiple news sources shows an unidentified man rolling the bag down the street.

Around 8 a.m. Saturday morning, a man walking his dog about a half mile from Gaal’s home stumbled upon the bag containing her remains. Police were able to identify Gaal after following a blood trail from the bag straight to her home.

Watch the surveillance footage below, courtesy of NBC New York.

Authorities have reconstructed the final hours of Gaal’s life. According to the Post, she spent some time in her backyard Friday afternoon before going out with friends to a show at Lincoln Center in Manhattan.

Later that night, around 11 p.m., Gaal was spotted sitting alone at a bar for 30 or 40 minutes. Police sources told the Post and the Daily News that it appeared she was meeting someone, but that person apparently never arrived.

Gaal then went home.

The next time Gaal was seen, around 4:30 a.m., she was inside the duffel bag as it was rolled down the street. A neighbor’s doorbell camera caught the footage of her unidentified killer.

There were no signs of forced entry at Gaal’s home, so authorities believe she let her killer inside, the Daily News reported. It was unclear Tuesday if Gaal knew the man before the night of her slaying.

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The fierceness of the attack has led detectives to believe the killer knew Gaal and was extremely angry when the stabbing began, sources told the Post.

Anyone with information on Gaal’s homicide can submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

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