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A Texas man, facing grave accusations of having killed his pregnant wife, has reportedly removed his ankle monitor and fled the country. Lee Mongerson Gilley, aged 39, is charged with the murder of his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, and their unborn child in Houston back in 2024, as reported by KPRC.
Gilley was slated to appear in court on Tuesday. However, he instead embarked on a journey from Texas to Canada and then to Italy. Upon his arrival in Italy, he sought asylum, claiming that he was a victim of wrongful prosecution and expressed fears of possibly facing the death penalty, according to statements made by his attorney to the media outlet.
Defense attorney Dick DeGuerin voiced concerns that the prosecution might interpret Gilley’s flight as an indication of his guilt. “I’m concerned that the prosecution will try to say that it’s evidence of consciousness of guilt that he’s running from it, but I think he’s just scared,” DeGuerin reportedly commented.
This dramatic turn of events adds a complex layer to an already tragic case. The charges against Gilley stem from the tragic events in Houston that took the lives of his wife and their unborn child. As the story unfolds, it remains to be seen how the international aspect of his flight will influence legal proceedings.
Lee Mongerson Gilley, 39, is accused of murdering his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, and their unborn child in Houston in 2024, according to KPRC. (Christa Bauer Gilley/Facebook)
Gilley, whose murder trial was set to begin later this month, is reportedly in the custody of Italian authorities. His ankle monitor alerted authorities it had been tampered with on Friday, according to the outlet.Â
DeGuerin told the outlet that before Gilley can be returned to Texas, the state must certify to Italy that he is not eligible for the death penalty — which the prosecution is not seeking in his case.
Gilley is accused of killing his wife, Christa, and their unborn baby by “applying pressure to [her] neck and upper back” on Oct. 7, 2024, according to charging documents obtained by People.
Defense attorney Ed McClees and his client, Lee Mongerson Gilley, appear in the 497th District Court at the Harris County Justice Center in Houston on Oct. 17, 2024. Gilley is charged with capital murder in the death of his wife, Christa Gilley. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Prosecutors reportedly allege Gilley initially claimed Christa, who was nine months pregnant, had overdosed and that he had tried to save her with CPR, but a medical examiner later pointed to evidence of strangulation and ruled her death a homicide.
After he was arrested days later, Gilley allegedly admitted his wife was not a drug user or suicidal, and that the couple had been arguing before her death, KPRC reported.Â
In 2025, while out on bond, prosecutors reportedly allege Gilley and an unnamed woman, whom he had an affair with in 2023, devised a scheme to flee to Mexico and other countries, according to the outlet.
Prosecutors allege Lee Mongerson Gilley killed his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, who was nine months pregnant, in Houston in 2024. (Christa Bauer Gilley/Facebook)
“The Defendant also inquired as to whether she knew of a Mexican identity he could acquire to facilitate his departure from the country,” the document said.
Gilley also allegedly “provided a detailed plan” to remove his GPS monitor and perform a sham marriage to obtain a new identity, prosecutors reportedly said.
Authorities are working to extradite Gilley back to the country, according to KPRC.Â
Gilley’s defense attorney and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.