NYPD zeroing in on what happened during final hours leading up to Orsolya Gaal's death, sources tell CBS2
NEW YORK - There's new information in the murder investigation of Orsolya Gaal, a 51-year-old wife and mother who was stabbed to death in an horrific killing in Queens.
"A very classy woman. Very sweet. Beautiful," Gabe Veras told CBS2's Kiran Dhillon.
Veras is the manager at the Forest Hills Station House restaurant. He wasn't working, but says employees and video shows Gaal was at the bar on Friday night.
"Orsolya was here on Friday around 11:45 to 12:30. She came in alone she left alone. She had her usual a Moscow mule," Veras said.
She was a regular, often coming alone. Veras says he spoke to her last Tuesday.
"She had come back from a concert, seeing her favorite composer," Veras said. "She was delighted at that. She was elated that she saw this composer live. She was very into the arts and music."
Sources tell CBS2 Gaal went to the show at Lincoln Center with female friends Friday night. She returned to Queens, visited a local bar and then returned to her home on Juno Street.
Her body was found the next morning in a duffel bag a few blocks away.
She had been stabbed nearly 60 times.
Sources add detectives are looking at the victim's relationship with several men. They are probing possible past romantic links to at least one man based on her electronic communications with him.
Saturday, Gaal's 13-year-old son was questioned in the case, but has since been released.
Police say her husband and 17-year-old son were out of town when the incident happened.
WATCH: What's next in Orsolya Gaal investigation
A former lieutenant in the NYPD's detective division also weighed in on the case. Donald Drogin's not involved, but has investigated similar cases.
"From what I've read, there was no forced entry. So, again, conjecture on my part, as I said to you earlier, either the person, as has been reported in some of the New York media, knew that there was a hidden key or she let them in," he continued. "But there was obviously no sign of forced entry, which is one of the reasons, I believe, when they made the emergency entry, they immediately took the son into custody."
"Obviously, it was a crime of passion. So immediately you don't want to focus with tunnel vision. You want to do a good investigation," Drogin added.
As the investigation continues, officers remain stationed outside of Gaal's hone.
The NYPD is now offering a reward of up to $3,500 for anyone with information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case.
As for those at the Forest Hills Station House, they are devastated by Gaal's death.
"It's super tragic," Veras said. "It's very surreal how it's going down. We can't imagine what her family is going through. We all feel bad."
They're praying that the killer is caught soon.
"Obviously, her cellphone records are very important, the credit card receipts she used. But she was out with other friends, so from some reading, you could assume they spoke to other friends," said Drogin. "But also the cellphone tracking, I would think, is the most important."
The NYPD is offering a reward of up to $3,500 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
