Murder suspect Lee Gilley's extradition from Italy delayed: Attorney

[00:00:00]New twist tonight in the case of a Houston man accused of killing his wife and then fleeing the country. Lee Gilyard is accused of killing his wife Krista 2 years ago at their home in the Heights. Then this past May, he's accused of cutting off his ankle monitor and fleeing to Italy where he's currently detained. Now Gilyard's extradition from Italy to the US has hit a temporary roadblock. ABC 13's Tony Atkins spoke with Gilyard's attorney and Tony the attorney even says he's not sure what happens next here.

[00:00:30]>> Yeah Eric, attorney Dick DeGuerin says it's frustrating and it's something he's never really experienced in decades of practicing law. Now, he says when we spoke to him, he says that the Harris County District Attorney's Office did not have plans to seek the death penalty, but they haven't filed that formally in the courts over in Italy.

[00:00:49]They want to know what the US's plan for Gilyard is if he's brought back here to Harris County.

[00:00:58]>> is accused of murdering his wife in 2024 and weeks before his June trial, investigators say Lee Gilyard ran off to Italy. Now when Gilyard comes back is just as much a mystery as how he was able to flee to Italy in the first place.

[00:01:13]>> I've had other cases where persons have jumped bond, but nothing like this.

[00:01:21]>> Attorney Dick DeGuerin will represent Gilyard in the murder trial. He says Gilyard's extradition to the US is temporarily on hold after a court hearing in Italy last week.

[00:01:32]>> In Italy they do not have death they do not have life without parole. In fact, most civilized countries do not.

[00:01:44]>> DeGuerin says Italy is temporarily blocking the US government's request to extradite without confirmation that Gilyard will be protected from execution if he's convicted of strangling his pregnant wife Krista. And he says the Italian court wants clarification on a possible lesser punishment.

[00:02:02]>> They also want to know about whether there's any chance if convicted of a sentence less than life without parole.

[00:02:12]>> Well, here in Texas the minimum sentence for murder is life without parole.

[00:02:17]>> Where does this go? It seems like we're kind of at a stalemate based off of the laws in each country.

[00:02:25]>> Well, that's uh that's what the Italian lawyer is telling me and that's what the Italian courts are saying.

[00:02:34]>> DeGuerin says contact with his client has been limited since his arrest in Italy. Gilly was out on a million-dollar bond before investigators say he cut off his ankle monitor and fled the US with forged travel documents.

[00:02:48]>> It's a little frustrating. I'm a trial lawyer. I was ready to go to trial and um but this this certainly complicates the trial.

[00:02:59]>> And for now DeGuerin says that the US officials they have until August 31st to present documents clarifying what their plan is for Gilly and his next extradition hearing is set for September 7th. He also says that Gilly maintains his innocence arguing that his wife died from a pre-existing condition. I did ask DeGuerin what that condition was. He said he wasn't able to specify because of the court order in this case. For now reporting live downtown at the Harris County Courthouse. Tony Atkins ABC 13 Eyewitness News.

[00:03:34]>> Tony, thank you for the live report there.