FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM APRIL 22, 2022 • THE QUEENS COURIER 18
Horrifi c murder of Forest Hills’ Orsolya Gaal has
neighbors on edge, and seeking greater security
Offi cers at the scene of Orsolya Gaal’s home at 72-24 Juno St., where police believe she was killed, based on a blood trail to the crime scene.
Police are off ering a $3,500 reward for information
related to Gaal’s death.
BY ETHAN MARSHALL
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Following the discovery of a Forest Hills
woman’s body inside a duff el bag near the
Jackie Robinson Parkway and Forest Park on
Saturday, April 16, members of the Forest Hills
and Kew Gardens communities had diff erent
ideas on how to prevent anything like this from
happening again in their area.
Th e deceased was identifi ed by police as
51-year-old Queens resident Orsolya Gaal, who
leaves behind a husband and two sons, according
to authorities. Based on a blood trail from
the crime scene, the police believe Gaal was
killed in her home at 72-24 Juno St.
Reports indicate that Gaal was stabbed at
least 60 times, but an NYPD spokesperson
could not immediately confi rm the report. A
public aff airs spokesperson from the Offi ce
of the Chief Medical Examiner told QNS that
the medical examiner determined the cause of
death as sharp force injuries to Gaal’s neck, but
could not comment on the alleged stabbings.
Th e NYPD spokesperson told QNS that Gaal’s
husband claims to have received threatening text
messages from the person who he believes to be
her killer shortly aft er the murder took place, but
could not provide additional details.
According to Ina Cohen, a friend of Gaal, the
family was very tight-knit.
“The kids came to our church, the Church of the
Garden nursery school,” Cohen said. “Those poor
kids are without a mother. I feel terrible for them.”
Police are off ering a $3,500 reward for
information related to Gaal’s death.
While illegal dumping had long been an issue
at Forest Park, the discovery of Gaal’s body
has heightened the concerns among some in the
neighborhood. However, they mostly remain
undeterred in going to the park.
According to Steven Madsen of Forest Hills
Gardens, the park could benefi t from more
security in the area.
“More park security, lights and security cameras
could certainly help the area,” Madsen said.
He also noted this could help keep bicyclists
and those walking along the trails in the park
from getting in each other’s way. While he
acknowledged many people are likely worried
about their safety at the park following the body
discovery, Madsen still intends to continue
walking along the park three or four times a
week.
Family friend Ina Cohen said she feels “terrible” for Gaal’s family.
Kew Gardens resident Chris Graham had
recently moved into the neighborhood and
was initially hesitant to visit Forest Park aft er
the body discovery.
“Th e body was discovered on the day I wanted
to explore the trails and walk my dog in the
area for the fi rst time,” Graham said. “But I
eventually decided to do that the next day aft er
everything blew over.”
While Graham is not on board with the idea
of beefi ng up security in and around the park,
he did feel the area could benefi t from more
street lights and emergency phones.
Another resident, who wished not to be
identifi ed, said he was considering carrying
a concealed weapon with him when going
through the park. However, he didn’t think it
was necessary to add more security offi cers to
the area.
Photos by Lloyd Mitchell
“Th ere are other areas in New York City that
could use that increase in manpower more than
here,” he said. While he did express reluctance
to the idea of more security cameras and hesitance
toward more lights, he defi nitely felt an
increase in emergency phone stations would
benefi t Forest Park.
Judy Zemlock, who lives in a Kew Gardens
building fairly close to where the body was
discovered, emphasized the importance of
caution for those who wish to go to the park,
especially at night.
“I never walk my dog in the park at night,”
Zemlock said. “I’ll certainly be a little more
reluctant to walk my dog in the woods alone
now.”
While she noted that people have dumped
all kinds of things in the park’s wooded area —
including whole cars — this is the fi rst instance
that comes to mind for Zemlock that a human
body was dumped in the area. Zemlock said she
feels that Forest Park could certainly use more
lights for the night and is also open to the idea
of adding security cameras, though she also
noted some nearby residents are also able to see
what is going on at the parts of the park from
their own windows.
She also noted that a nice area like her Kew
Gardens neighborhood may not be as desperate
for more security offi cers when compared to
other areas.
“It’s each individual’s responsibility to stay
cautious,” Zemlock said.
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