Sources: Orsolya Gaal's husband, son no longer persons of interest in her death
NEW YORK -- The body of 51-year-old Orsolya Gaal, a mother and wife, was found inside a duffel bag on Saturday just blocks from her home.
The media was originally told the woman's husband and son were potential suspects in the case, but now sources say police no longer consider them persons of interest.
Dr. Carl Adler told CBS2's Leah Mishkin that Gaal and her husband were his patients.
"I was just shocked that something like that happened to one of my patients," Adler said.
Investigators are now working on the theory Gaal may have been killed by a male perpetrator, someone who was known to her.
On what was a quiet Easter Sunday, officers remained on guard outside of Gaal's home in Forest Hills, Queens. The home is now one of two scenes connected to her death.
Next-door neighbor John Blankson said he saw Gaal in her backyard on Friday, not long before she was killed.
"You keep reliving the sequence of events. It's actually quite strange. The more goes on, the gravity of the situation just keeps making it worse," Blankson said.
Gaal's body was found in a duffel bag near Metropolitan Avenue and Forest Park Drive just after 8 a.m. on Saturday by a man who was walking his dog.
A trail of blood from where the duffel bag was found led investigators to her home on Juno Street. Blankson described Gaal as a dedicated mother who was planning her son's bar mitzvah.
"She was super friendly and we'd have a chat about whatever was going on. We'd talk about our kids," Blankson said.
Neighbors say Gaal lived in the home with her two sons, as well as her husband. The businessman was in Oregon with his 17-year-old son when the incident happened. They are now on their way back to Queens.
"I hope he's able to deal with this. It's a terrible tragedy. They cared about each other," Adler said.
On Saturday, police took Gaal's 13-year-old son in for questioning, but he has since been released.
"I feel sorry for the family is the main thing, right?" Blankson said. "The kids, that's the most important thing right now, and it's so devastating for her family and friends."
"I just pray that, you know, people can find peace and justice," Adler said.
Sources add blunt force trauma is the suspected cause of death.
Meanwhile, a good friend of Gaal's, who did not want to be identified, told Dhillon she was originally from Hungary, where her mother and sister remain. She said Gaal loved the theater, ballet, traveling and concerts, adding she was out on Friday with a mutual female friend and returned home at around 11 p.m.
Sources told CBS2 investigators are now trying to access Gaal's phone and bank records to determine her last set of activity.
Meanwhile, residents in the neighborhood said they will miss their loving neighbor.
"She was a very happy woman, always smiling, always joking. She loved life," one person said.
A motive for this attack remains unclear. Sources added police have yet to identify a male suspect in the case.
Police are asking anyone with information to call their anonymous tip line -- 1-800-577-TIPS.
