Man accused of strangling his pregnant wife to death flees to Italy

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]An American fugitive on the run inside an Italian courtroom today, professing his innocence. "My wife is dead," Lee Gilly told the judge. And they wrongly blamed me. Gilly fled the US on May 1st, according to a criminal complaint in US District Court, cutting off his court-ordered ankle monitor just before he was set to stand trial for strangling his pregnant wife Christa to death in 2024. The criminal complaint stating Gilly landed in Milan on May 3rd, where he presented a fake Belgian passport. He was then taken into immigration custody according to the filing where he admitted who he was and American authorities were alerted. At today's hearing in Milan, Gilly did not consent to an extradition, telling the judge he would like to remain in Italy because of the lifestyle, the culture, the international protection, and to receive a fair trial. In Texas, Gilly could face the death penalty if convicted. "I fled to avoid being killed," he said. "I went to great lengths to escape and seek protection in Italy. His attorney in Italy telling NBC News he has been subject to a media campaign that would not have allowed him to obtain a truly fair trial. His wife, Christa Gilly, was found unresponsive in the couple's Houston home in October 2024, according to officials, after police received a call about a suicide, but her death was ruled a homicide due to compression of the neck. Within days, Gilly was arrested, charged with capital murder. A car was seen being towed from his home last week after his escape. The Harris County District Attorney's office telling People magazine they are working with the US and Italian authorities and remain committed to pursuing justice.

[00:01:37]Gilly's attorney in the murder trial told People magazine he was unaware his client had left the country and told a local ABC affiliate he was concerned the move could be seen as a consciousness of guilt. Gilly's US attorney and the Harris County DA's office did not return NBC News's request for comment. A gag order is now in place. All of it adding to the unbearable heartbreak felt by those who loved Christa, including her childhood friend Cara Kelly.

[00:02:04]>> It's not fair and it's infuriating and frustrating and it feels like we've been let down by the system.

[00:02:15]>> Priscilla is joining us now for more on this. So Priscilla, presumably this murder trial cannot move forward now until the extradition issue gets sorted.

[00:02:23]Right.

[00:02:25]>> Exactly. Hi. And Gilly's attorney here in the US before that gag order was issued had said that Italian authorities could say that Texas prosecutors must take the death penalty off the table before they agree to extradition. Now, Harris County District Attorney's Office has not yet said whether or not they intend to pursue the death penalty in this case, but of course, Gilly's attorney in Italy says that they have not yet received that request uh to extradite him from the DOJ, and thus we have not heard from Italian authorities on what they plan to do with all of this. Hie, >> we thank you for watching and remember, stay updated on breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or watch live on our YouTube channel.