Lee Mongerson Gilley, 39, of Houston, charged with murdering his pregnant wife, fled to the United States on May 1 after cutting off an ankle monitor. Italy via Canada just days before his trial was to begin. He was detained in Italy after claiming he feared the death penalty and was wrongfully prosecuted. Officials are now working to bring him back to the United States.
Here are five things you need to know about cases:
- On Friday, May 1, Geely’s ankle monitor sent out a “strap tampering” alert, and authorities were unable to contact him for the next few days. He reportedly boarded a flight from Texas to Canada and then flew to Italy, where he was detained by Italian authorities.
- After arriving in Italy, Gigli told authorities he was seeking asylum, claiming he had been “wrongfully prosecuted” and feared he might face the death penalty. His attorney, Dick DeGuerin, noted that Italy abolished the death penalty in 1889 and, according to KPRC, prosecutors never actually indicated they were seeking the death penalty in this case.
- According to charging documents obtained by People, Gilley is accused of killing his wife, Krista Ball Gilley, who was nine weeks pregnant on October 7, 2024, by “exerting pressure on Christa Gilley’s neck and upper back.” He initially told police she died of a drug overdose and that he had tried to save her with CPR. However, the Harris County Forensic Science Institute ruled her death a homicide and the cause of death was “neck compression.”
- Geely was arrested in October 2024 and later released on October 21 on $1 million bail and was required to wear an ankle monitor and remain in Texas. When Christa was taken to the hospital, staff noted she had “bruising and obvious trauma to her face,” according to a bail order obtained by People. Gilly later reportedly admitted to police that the couple had argued before her death and that she was neither suicidal nor on drugs, KPRC reported.
- Court documents show that while on bail, Gilley had contact with a woman with whom he allegedly had an affair in 2023. Prosecutors said the two discussed a “detailed plan” to cut off his GPS monitor and initially flee to Mexico. Authorities said Gilly also asked the woman “if she knew he could obtain Mexican status to facilitate his departure from the country.”
Gilly’s attorney, Dick DeGuerin, acknowledged that Gilly fled but said that did not mean he was guilty. “I’m worried that the prosecution will try to say this is evidence of his consciousness of guilt, that he’s running away, but I think he’s just scared,” DeGuerin told KPRC. He also explained that Texas must assure Italian authorities that Gigli will not face the death penalty before being deported.
Officials are currently working to bring Geely back to the United States. His trial was scheduled to begin next month.
