The person believed responsible for the murder of a New York mother of two early Saturday reportedly left a message to her husband informing him, “Your whole family is next.”

Orsolya Gaal, 51 of Queens, NY, was identified as the victim of murder after her body was found stuffed in a large duffel bag approximately a half-mile away from her Forest Hills home Saturday morning. NYPD officers followed the trail of blood back to her home where they found her 13-year-old son alone.

Gaal’s husband Howard Klein was out of town traveling with their 17-year-old son to scout potential colleges when they learned of the tragedy at home, the New York Post reported. The latest updates indicate that Klein and his son were still making their way back to New York when he received a threatening message.

Police sources told PIX 11 that Klein received a message from a person who may have been the killer telling him, “Your whole family is next.”

(Video: PIX 11 News)

At present, investigators have offered no details as to the possible identity or motive behind the murder. Gaal may have been killed in her basement following a night out where she told her younger son that she was going to a show. Reports indicate she may have met a man for a date instead and that the two returned to her home.

Surveillance footage from the NYPD showed a person dragging a large bag in front of the home around the time of the incident, but no further details have been confirmed.

After finding Gaal’s youngest son alone in their home Saturday morning, he had been questioned by authorities about his mother and “stated he lives at the location but does not know where she is.” He was released from police custody the same day.

Neighbor John Blankson said, “Nothing happens here,” and that he had seen Gaal out in her backyard the day before behaving normally. He told PIX 11 that his family was close with his neighbor’s family and that they would spend time at each other’s homes.

Blankson’s wife Nicola told the Post, “She was out there living her life and making sure her kids were well-looked-after like any mother would. This is the last thing I’d expect to wake up to.”

Another neighbor expressed to PIX 11 how shaken they were by the murder and said, “We’re very sad, and we can’t believe…something like this could happen on [our] block.”

Nearby Susan Ram told the Post, “I was just watching ‘Criminal Minds’ and it’s like that. This is [a] TV psychopath thing.”

Klein made clear to the Post about the ongoing threat saying, “There are concerns about our safety. Our lives are at risk.” He had reportedly called the police on May 29, 2020, to report his wife was missing before later informing them she had been found. Another incident in 2004 involved their older son going missing, but he too was found before long.

The medical examiner has yet to release a full report on the cause of death for Gaal.

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Kevin Haggerty

Staff Writer

Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.

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