As Lee Gilley battles extradition from Italy to answer to a capital murder charge in the tragic death of his pregnant wife, a separate criminal probe has ignited over a contentious claim on the deserted Houston residence they shared.
According to confirmation from the Houston Police Department, officers were called out to Gilley’s dwelling on the 800 block of Allston Street at approximately 6:30 p.m. on June 17 due to complaints of trespassing. At the scene, an individual present insisted he was entitled to be there and expressed readiness to “go to court” if necessary to validate his stance, the authorities revealed.
Houston police reached out to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, which, in turn, relegated the issue to the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, categorizing it as a civil dispute. The initial police engagement concluded without pressing any criminal charges.
This puzzling property conflict emerged several months after officials claim Gilley removed his court-mandated ankle monitor and absconded from the U.S., eluding his trial on murder charges and leaving their Houston Heights home unoccupied.
In the backdrop, defense lawyer Ed McClees accompanied Lee Mongerson Gilley at the 497th District Court of the Harris County Justice Center in Houston, on October 17, 2024. Gilley faces capital murder charges for the alleged murder of his wife, Christa Gilley. (Photo by Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Records reviewed by News Media show Lee and Christa Gilley purchased the Allston Street property in 2018. However, PEOPLE magazine reported that a separate warranty deed signed May 8 and filed May 21 purported to transfer the home to Save a Life Houses LLC. Matthew Jackson signed the document as an authorized representative of the Missouri-based company, according to the outlet.
What police initially treated as a civil dispute later drew criminal scrutiny. Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen announced July 6 that his office had opened a criminal investigation into the attempted takeover.
Rosen said no one was inside when investigators entered the home and nothing immediately appeared to have been stolen. Deputies removed newly installed surveillance cameras, paperwork from the windows and at least two boxes of potential evidence, KPRC reported. A locksmith also changed the locks.
Rosen said investigators were examining whether the property claim was connected to similar claims involving other vacant homes. The Harris County Attorney’s Office was also investigating the matter on the civil side, according to KPRC. Rosen did not publicly identify Jackson as a suspect, and no criminal charges have been announced in connection with the property.
Prosecutors allege Lee Mongerson Gilley killed his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, who was nine weeks pregnant, in Houston in 2024. (Christa Bauer Gilley/Facebook)
While Texas authorities investigated the disputed property claim, Gilley, 39, remained jailed in Italy.
Gilley is charged with capital murder in the October 2024 death of Christa, who was nine weeks pregnant. The Harris County medical examiner’s office ruled her death a homicide caused by neck compression. Gilley has pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys have challenged that conclusion.
Federal investigators allege Gilley removed his ankle monitor May 1 and fled Texas before his scheduled trial. He later arrived at Milan Malpensa Airport using a false name and forged travel documents, according to court records, and was taken into custody by Italian authorities.
Lee Mongerson Gilley, 39, is accused of murdering his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, and their unborn child in Houston in 2024. (Christa Bauer Gilley/Facebook)
During a July 15 hearing before the Turin Court of Appeal, Gilley asked judges to block his return to the United States and said he was seeking protection in Italy for himself and his children, according to NBC News.
“I am seeking protection in Italy,” Gilley said, according to NBC News. “They want to punish me, and I am asking for protection for myself and my children.”
Gilley’s Italian attorney, Monica Grosso, told NBC News that Texas authorities had not provided a formal written guarantee that prosecutors would take the death penalty off the table. Grosso said the defense had instead received an embassy note offering assurances.
Grosso also told NBC News that the defense believes Christa suffered from a blood disorder and that blood found in the couple’s bedroom was inconsistent with the prosecution’s account of her death.
Lee Mongerson Gilley and his defense attorney, Ed McClees, right, are shown in the 497th District Court at the Harris County Justice Center, 1201 Franklin, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Houston. He is charged with capital murder in the death of his wife, Christa Gilley. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
On July 20, the Turin court temporarily blocked the extradition request and sought additional assurances from the U.S. government regarding the death penalty and a possible sentence of life without parole, according to Italian court records obtained by KPRC.
The court set an Aug. 31 deadline for a response and scheduled another hearing for early September, KPRC reported.
News Media has reached out to Gilley’s attorney and the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office for comment.