YouTube: NBC10 Boston
A Massachusetts man accused of repeatedly frightening women while dressed as a mime has been charged with criminal harassment after prosecutors alleged he stripped down to his underwear and covered himself in cooking oil during encounters on a local trail.
Hernan Villagran Lux, 29, is facing three counts of criminal harassment after three female Department of Conservation and Recreation employees accused him of repeatedly targeting them on the Cochituate Rail Trail in Framingham. According to Boston 25 News, he has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutors allege the incidents escalated over time, with the women describing repeated encounters that left them fearful while working along the trail.
Prosecutors say women described repeated encounters
During a court hearing, prosecutor Andrew Mange described what the women told investigators.
“The women report an extensive number of contacts with the defendant involving him staring at them, smiling in what they describe as a ‘a really unnerving and frankly terrifying manner,’” Mange said in court, according to Boston 25 News.
Prosecutors also alleged Villagran Lux stripped “to his underwear” and “slathered cooking oil all over his body” in front of the women during one of the encounters.
The suspect had previously been spotted by other people walking along the Cochituate Rail Trail while dressed as a mime, according to the Boston Globe and NBC 10 Boston.
“I’ve seen this person walk by,” Dalia Stuart told Boston 25. “In fact, I’ve seen this person walk on the main street, and I’ve always asked myself, like, ‘Why is he dressed like that?’”
Another woman told the outlet she had seen Villagran Lux “maybe like five times,” while others also recognized his distinctive appearance.
Hero dogs fight off masked man and save women from suspected assault
Twitch streamer Emiru accuses Mizkif of sexual assault, abuse, and blackmail threats
“He passed me when I was going down the path,” Chris Neofotistos told NBC 10 Boston. “Kind of freaked me out a bit. Top hat, Dracula paint on his face, black cape, cane. Real creepy.”
According to the Boston Globe, after Villagran Lux pleaded not guilty, a judge ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation at a state hospital to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.
The case comes as similar reports of unsettling encounters on public trails continue to draw attention online. Back in 2023, a woman went viral after sharing footage of a man she claimed followed her for more than a mile during a run, with viewers praising her quick thinking and urging others to stay aware of their surroundings.
