Man Dressed as a Mime Accused of Terrorizing Women at State Park
A Massachusetts man known for wandering a popular state park in a black-and-white mime costume is now facing criminal harassment charges after allegedly frightening female park employees for months, then collapsing in court as the accusations against him were read aloud.
Hernan Villagran Lux, 29, of Framingham, was arrested on the Cochituate Rail Trail and is charged with three counts of criminal harassment stemming from encounters with three female employees of the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation at a Natick park near Boston. Prosecutors say all three women knew Lux by name and appearance after repeated run-ins over roughly two months, with one employee alone reporting more than 50 separate encounters.
According to Framingham District Court Supervisor Andrew Mange, the women described Lux staring at them and smiling in a manner they found "really unnerving and frankly terrifying." Prosecutors say the behavior escalated over time, culminating in an incident in which Lux "stripped down to his underwear, slathered cooking oil all over his body and began working out right by their staff area."
Prosecutors also allege Lux commented on one employee's appearance, including remarks about her lips, and refused repeated requests to leave the area, eventually leading staff to abandon their work area out of fear for their safety.
A Pattern Noticed Beyond the Park
Lux's mime costume made him recognizable well beyond the park itself. Boston 25 reported that numerous residents posted on social media describing sightings of a man matching his distinctive appearance throughout Framingham, Natick and Wayland. Several women separately claimed a man fitting the same description approached or followed them along the Cochituate Rail Trail.
"I spotted him, he looked kind of odd, but I thought he was just dressed in a costume," neighbor Nancy Dlott told Boston 25.
Collapse in Court, Competency Evaluation Ordered
During his court appearance, Lux reportedly collapsed as prosecutors read the allegations against him. He has pleaded not guilty to the harassment charges. The court ordered Lux to undergo a mental health evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital to determine his competency to stand trial.
It remains unclear when Lux's competency evaluation will be completed or when his case will next appear before the court.
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