Husband Flees To Italy & Requests Asylum Amid Murder Charges: Justice For Christa Gilley

[00:00:03][music] Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of True Crime with Kendall Ray. Thank you so very much for joining me today. I'm so happy to have you here and if you're new to my show, welcome. Make sure you click subscribe or follow so that you never miss an episode of mine. So today guys, we are going to be talking about a case that I have been following for a while now and I thought it was finally a good time to go ahead and cover it because we have a lot of information. There are many new shocking updates that have occurred recently. So I am so curious to hear my audience's thoughts on this one because I am just enraged. This is an absolutely infuriating, tragic story, and more people need to hear Christa's story. Um, and there are just so many really upsetting twists and turns, so just prepare yourselves. We're going to be talking about the 2024 murder of Christa Gilly and also her unborn 9-week old baby. Now, Christa's loved ones have been just fiercely advocating for justice in her case, and they have made huge efforts to keep the focus on who Christa was in her 38 years of life, and not just the tragedy that she experienced, because her life is so much more than what happened in the end. And I hope to honor that as best as I can today by telling you about all of her amazing traits. I mean, Christa was a really, really wonderful person, and I cannot believe the way that her life was taken from her in such a cruel, brutal way at the hands of a man who was supposed to love and protect her for the rest of their lives. Before we get into that though, I wanted to mention, just in case anyone in Christa's family sees this episode, that me and my team will be reaching out to you guys to offer you a hope grant through my foundation, Higher Hope. They are currently raising funds to cover some of the legal expenses associated with her murder and what it takes to get her the justice she deserves. And that's, you know, part of our mission at Higher Hope is to alleviate as much of that as we can for families. And all of your support of True Crime with Kendall Ray and any of the Mile Higher Media shows help us to do that. So, thank you so much for making Higher Hope possible and engaging with our shows week after week. It just means the world to us. And also, our sponsors as well are a huge part of the reason that we are able to help so many families and that includes today's sponsor, Match Masters. So, playing mobile games has become my favorite way to decompress at the end of the day and any other free moments I get throughout my day. and Match Masters has become one of my go-tos for that. Match Masters is a match three game where the goal is to match three pieces of the same color or shape and score higher than your opponent. I personally love the competition of it all. It is my turn against someone I'm playing against right now. And I've even started making some of my friends play it so that we can go up against each other. In the game, there are boosters that help you score more points and perks to give you extra edge. Plus, it's free to download and available on iOS and Android. And I'm especially excited to be partnering with them this week because they are helping me to give away some of my personal favorite items so that you and I can match. As my push present, my husband got me this YSL bag that I had seen in Paris and really liked. And it's definitely the nicest thing that I own.

[00:03:38]So, I wanted to give one of you a matching YSL purse. And also my favorite lip combo that I am wearing today. And people ask me what I'm wearing all the time when I wear this combo. It's the Huda lip liner in toasty MAC lipstick in modesty and Fenty lip gloss in hot chocolate. and it's all a total of $3,000 in value. To enter, everyone who downloads the game using my link gets a chance to enter the star race giveaway.

[00:04:01]All you have to do is play one game to unlock the race, and then you have 11 days to earn as many stars as you can by just playing. The top players from this round will move on to the finals, and in the 3-day final round, the player who earns the most stars wins the giveaway.

[00:04:13]Download Matchmasters now using my link to unlock the giveaway and share it with everyone you know. Big thank you to Matchmasters and everyone who supports this show. And with that, let me go ahead and tell you more about Christa.

[00:04:25]So, Christa Gilly was born Christa Bower. And she was born into this world on February 7th, 1986 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to her parents, Chris, and Sharon. And she eventually would become the oldest of four girls. She had three younger sisters being Samantha, Laura, and Sarah. And growing up, she was really said to have been truly the quintessential oldest daughter, taking on that caregiving role for each of them at a young age herself. And as the eldest daughter myself, I know how intense that can be at times and how much responsibility you get from a young age and kind of really are always in that role where you're helping taking care of your younger siblings even as they grow up. And I'm sure anyone else who is an older sister or an older sibling knows what I'm talking about there. And Christa, you know, really looked out for them in school, at their home, and in their everyday lives. And that protective nature about her stayed true into adulthood. Christa was a caretaker in the highest form. Whether that was for her sisters or her friends or later physical therapy patients, she had a way of comforting others that just came incredibly natural to her. And she was also described as super magnetic. It has been said that strangers rarely stayed strangers for long when Christa was around. And a good example of that is when Christa was growing up, her family made two pretty big moves. They moved from Pittsburgh to Courtland, Ohio, and then again from Courtland to Somerville, South Carolina. So, pretty big changes. And despite jumping from place to place in those pivotal early years of her life, she managed to make friends that would end up being friends for life. And that's a pretty big takeaway I got when learning about Christa is once you were in her circle, she was loyal to you for life. And anyone would be lucky to call Christa a friend. She has been described by her loved ones as having this way about her where she could just make people feel special, which is the best kind of friend to have, right? And I love this little fact about her, but when she was in high school, her and her friends had I mean, it was a tight group of friends that she had, too. They were really close. And they called themselves the Pink Ladies, which I think is just so fun. And the Pink Ladies were absolutely inseparable. And their friend group even had an official theme song, which I thought was so cool. And it was Dancing in the Moonlight. And even as they all graduated and, you know, went on with their lives, went to different colleges, they still remained close. In 2004, Christy began her four-year journey attending Clemson University, where she would eventually graduate with a degree in public health science. But graduating from Clemson definitely wasn't the end of her association with the school.

[00:07:10]Christa was a Clemson Tiger through and through, and no matter where she was living or what she was doing, she always found a way to celebrate her alma mater and the football team that she loved so dearly. And speaking of football, she was also a huge Steelers fan. And Pittsburgh was very close to her heart.

[00:07:27]Not only because it was where she was born, but also because the University of Pittsburgh is where she earned her doctorate degree in physical therapy back in 2011. And after graduating, she became a board-certified clinical specialist in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy. And after working as a traveling physical therapist for a few years, she planted her roots in Houston, Texas. And that's where she got her dream job as a senior physical therapist at Memorial Herman Hospital where she cared for critically ill patients with severe heart and lung complications. Christa was said to be a fierce advocate for her patients and someone who took the time to train the next generation of physical therapists at the University of Texas Medical Branch where she was an adjunct professor. Her professional life was booming at this point and soon her personal life was too. Back in college, actually just before leaving Clemson, she went on a date with a guy named Lee Gilly. And yes, I know it sounds like legally. I couldn't believe this was actually his name, but yes, Lee Gilly.

[00:08:28]Interesting move from his parents, I will say. But um it was said to have been a good date, I guess. and she was more focused on her future really and nothing of it [music] really came at the time. But eventually her and Lee Gilly uh reconnected unfortunately. Lee was living in San Diego and one thing led to another and they began a long-distance relationship and then pretty out of the blue Christa announced that they were engaged. The two of them got married in 2017 at the Cathedral of St. John in Charleston, South Carolina, and their long-distance relationship ended because Lee made the move from California to Houston to be with her. Now, Lee was a self-employed software consultant, giving him more flexibility to move, whereas Christa's job was dependent on living in Texas. And to the outside world, it seemed as if they were building the dream life, you could say.

[00:09:23]In 2020, Christa became a mother to a baby girl. And in 2022, she gave birth to her son. And I think it's an obvious statement here based on what I've shared about her. But Christa was just born to be a mother. In the few short years that she had with her kids, she did everything to give them the most magical childhood she could. I mean, she was the type of mom that planned birthday parties months in advance and enrolled her kids in sports, was super involved in all that, and even took time out of her busy schedule to support other moms who were struggling, which I think is just one of the coolest things that you can do, honestly. and her love of being a mom only grew in the fall of 2024 when she found out that she was pregnant with her third child who was due the following May. But as of Monday, October 7th, 2024, neither Christa or her unborn child would have a chance at a happy future. It was late at night when Houston police were dispatched to the Gilly residence after receiving a 911 call from Lee Gilly at 11:30 p.m. And he called to say that Christa attempted to overdose on drugs and that although he was performing CPR, she was unresponsive. And when paramedics arrived, Christa was rushed to the local hospital. But it wasn't long after this that she was pronounced dead. However, it was extremely obvious to the hospital staff right away that Christa did not die due to an overdose because they could see that she had bruising and physical trauma to her face. And not only that, she also had muscular injuries to her back. She did have some injuries consistent with having received CPR, which we know Lee said he performed, but the injuries that I'm talking about are unrelated. And these injuries are confirmed by the medical examiner during her autopsy, which also showed that she didn't overdose, but instead died as a result of compression to the neck. She had facial swelling.

[00:11:19]She had discolored skin, bone fractures, and hemorrhaging consistent with having been strangled, which is just so horrific to think about what the end of her life was like. And it was also during her autopsy that they realized Christa was pregnant. So once these findings were confirmed, law enforcement obviously began to question Lee's story and once they pushed back on his version of events, it didn't take long until he reportedly changed his tune. He admitted to police that Christa was not a drug user and she didn't have any prior intentions of ending her life. And then he admits to them that the two of them had an argument that night because he had recently purchased a new car and there was some tension over that.

[00:12:08]According to the court documents, on October 7th, Lee had purchased a brand new Kia Telluride without Christa's knowledge. Lee then explained that after they fought, they put their kids to bed and then retreated to different areas of the house. However, he said that after 3 hours of not hearing from her, he went to check on her. And that's when he found her with the trauma to her face and blood spots on the bed. But of course, investigators were not buying Lee's [ __ ] at all. And the medical examiner's report showed that Christa's manner of death was homicide. And so on Friday, October 11th, 2024, 38-year-old Lee Gilly was arrested and booked into the Harris County Jail and charged with capital murder.

[00:12:52]>> Tonight, a man sits in the Harris County Jail after police say he strangled his pregnant wife to death. Yesterday, 38-year-old Lee Gilly was charged with murdering his wife, Christa Gilly. On Monday, Houston police officers were sent to a home in the Heights on Alustin Street. There, they found the body of 38-year-old Christa. She was eight weeks pregnant at the time. An autopsy later ruled Gilly's death a homicide due to injuries found on her neck. As of now, Lee Gilly remains in jail. No word yet on his bond.

[00:13:21]>> Now, not long after his arrest, Lee appears in court and his bond is set at $1 million. And maybe you're thinking that that seems pretty high, but you have to remember that the amount of someone's bond isn't actually what they end up paying in order to post the bond.

[00:13:39]It's often a percentage of that amount.

[00:13:42]And for someone like Lee, posting a percentage of a million-doll bond isn't that hard. And in fact, on October 21st, that's exactly what he did. And he was released from jail. It was under strict conditions, though. First of all, he had to wear a GPS ankle monitoring device, and he also had to surrender his passport. He wasn't allowed to leave the state of Texas without consent, and he couldn't have any contact with his kids.

[00:14:06]A statement through a spokesperson of Christa's family reads, "Christa's family is devastated by her tragic death and death of her unborn child. Christa was an amazing mother, full of love and excited to welcome her third child. They were taken from this world needlessly and way too early. Christa's family appreciates the outpouring from the community and hopes for justice for their daughter and unborn grandchild."

[00:14:28]And speaking of her kids, they were placed in the custody of family. And I will be circling back to that because there are some custody related disputes that are going on. But as all of this is unfolding, the raw emotions of this devastating loss, I mean, these two losses was felt by everyone. Friends and family just could not believe that Christa was actually gone. And there were some people who found out about her pregnancy because of this. I mean, it was so early on, 9 weeks. So, of course, she hadn't announced it to everyone in her life yet. So, to not only learn that she was murdered, but so was her unborn child, it just added to the shock and heaviness that people felt. Still though, they were able to be as strong as they could, push through the pain, and found ways to honor her right away.

[00:15:19]On Tuesday, October 15th, a private visual was coordinated by several community leaders and it took place at Marman Park, which is located not too far from where she lived and loved ones gathered wearing purple in honor of domestic violence awareness. Neighbors gathered to remember a pregnant mother killed in her home in the Heights last week.

[00:15:37]>> Her husband is charged with capital murder in her death and the death of her unborn baby. Matt Dhy is in the Heights tonight where several people turned out for the vigil. Matt.

[00:15:47]>> Yeah, we were asked to stay outside of the vigil. Tonight's attendance is an indication of how much Christa's memory is on the minds of those in the Heights tonight.

[00:15:59]From across the street, we watched as hundreds made their way to Marmmont Park off of Heights Boulevard tonight. With lit candles, they prayed for the Heights mother, who police say was killed by the man who was supposed to love her the most. Now, while prosecutors were building their case against Lee, he was out on bond, living in the home that he once shared with his wife and kids, the wheels of justice were turning a little slow. But in April of 2025, he was officially indicted on a capital murder charge. And then one year later, some very damning evidence came to light. In a court filing from April of 2026, prosecutors revealed evidence that they plan to present at Lee's trial, which they say proved that the picture of the Gilly's happy marriage might not have actually been so happy. Through their findings, they alleged that back in 2023, Lee was having an affair with a woman in California. And you guys, we have seen this play out so many times, not just in gosh, I wonder how many cases that we have covered that play out very similar to this one. Um, I mean, I can think of so many off the bat, but that's always my first instinct when I hear of a man murdering their wife.

[00:17:16]There so often is another woman in the picture. So then on March 18th, 2024, Lee allegedly posted on Reddit that he was bored in his marriage and he was actively seeking a quote college-aged female for a friends with benefits arrangement. Just disgusting behavior.

[00:17:37]And it gets worse because between April and May of 2025, which is after he posted his bond, keep in mind, he was reportedly back in contact with that woman from California, telling her detailed plans about how he was going to flee to Mexico or another country. He told her that he knew how to remove his GPS monitoring device and explained exactly how he would do it. And then he talked about the possibility of marrying someone else in order to get a new identity. And then ask this woman if she knew how he could get a fake Mexican identity. And mind you, this was not the first time that he discussed fleeing.

[00:18:17]Okay, so one day after Christa was murdered, the Douglas family, who are friends of theirs, reported that Lee was making inconsistent statements and had indicated an intent to flee the country.

[00:18:30]He claimed the whole thing was a setup and he was being targeted and had to leave to take care of himself. And that same couple reported that on October 5th, 2024, Lee was engaging in unusual behavior at a party. But then on the 6th, they said that he made derogatory statements about his son and another child. Now, lastly, on October 10th, they said that Lee expressed the desire to leave Houston and wanted to flee to South Carolina where family lived on the 12th. And when they attempted to have the kids speak with their in-laws on the phone, Lee told these friends to leave his house. So these friends are clearly seeing all kinds of red flags from Lee.

[00:19:08]And that wasn't the only mention of fleeing. Okay, so there was another back in November of 2024, which was only about 2 weeks after Lee posted bond.

[00:19:19]During a custody related hearing that month, it was revealed that Lee contemplated fleeing with his two kids right after he was first interviewed by police. He reportedly told his brother and father-in-law that he was considering taking off with the kids.

[00:19:35]Now, his attorney, however, has denied these allegations, saying, quote, "Under no circumstance was Lee Gilly ever planning on fleeing jurisdiction. He will continue to comply with all bond conditions with the court." And then his attorney later said, quote, "It's a mischaracterization of comments that were made before any warrant was ever even issued when he was considering trying to go visit his parents and his children's grandparents at the family home in South Carolina. He was never intending to flee and he's been abiding by every bond condition that's been given to him." Okay, sir. We'll see about that. And as I said, this hearing was not about the criminal case. It was about whose custody the children would remain in. And the judge ultimately granted a temporary joint conservatorship to their maternal grandparents as well as to Lee's sister-in-law, but not his brother. And we will be coming back to that later on.

[00:20:27]So, as you can tell, the notion of Lee fleeing was top of the mind for quite a while since he posted Bond. And for good reason. And I say that because on Friday, May 1st, 2026, very recently, around 9:00 p.m., Lee cut off his ankle monitor and fled the country. Now, it's unknown what his initial form of transportation was, and I have so many questions regarding him fleeing in general. We'll get to all of that, but we know that he presented false identification in Toronto, Canada, and then he boarded a flight to Milan, Italy. And it was while he was attempting to enter Milan through customs that he was finally stopped after presenting a fake Belgian passport and other falsified documents. Italian customs officers rejected his entry, thankfully, and took him into immigration custody. And if all that is not crazy enough for you, listen to this [ __ ] I just absolutely could not believe this. This makes zero sense.

[00:21:31]It's honestly scary. But it was a Friday night and the agency that was responsible for monitoring his GPS device decided to wait until business hours on Monday morning to notify the court of his bond violation. And it wasn't just them. It was the judge, the prosecutors, Lee's defense attorney. No one was notified until Monday. And as you can imagine, the judge was pissed off to say the least. He said that if the device was cut at 900 p.m. on a Friday in a capital murder case, he should have been notified right away.

[00:22:09]And duh, I don't know what they were thinking. I don't know what happened here. This is just absolutely bizarre to me. And obviously, this has now led to major delays in getting justice. And here's what I'm also just so tripped up about. I just do not understand. There are so many questions that we don't have answers to at this point. But how the [ __ ] did this guy get from Texas to Canada? And then even more, what the [ __ ] How were these documents good enough to get him as far as Italy? And I mean, clearly they weren't good enough to get him actually into Italy, like beyond the airport, but he got there.

[00:22:49]How is this possible? This is so concerning to me, and I know concerning to others. It should be concerning to you. This is scary. According to court documents, on May 4th, 2026, at approximately 8:40 p.m., Washington Interpol got an alert from Rome Interpole regarding his whereabouts.

[00:23:07]documents state in part on May 3rd, 2026, Gilly traveling under the name of Lejun Jean Luke Olivier, which I'm probably saying that wrong in some sort of way, but anyway, he landed at the Milano Malensa airport in Milan, Italy on Air Canada flight 894. Gilly presented a passport and other Belgian identification documents to the Milan border police which were found to be false and forged. And here's another kicker. When Lee was taken into immigration custody, he admitted to his real identity. He told them who he was.

[00:23:42]He confessed he was a US citizen being charged for the murder of his pregnant wife in Texas. And Lee explained that he was seeking political asylum in Italy and told them that he fled because he was quote wrongfully prosecuted and feared that he would be sentenced to the death penalty if returned to the United States. And if you're wondering why Italy, what I just said about the death penalty is the reason. Italy abolished sentencing people to death a long time ago. So the theory is that he went there knowing or at least I guess hoping that they would not extradite him back to the United States. Now the US and Italy do have an extradition treaty, but Italy can refuse to extradite a fugitive facing that sentence. Here's the thing, though. prosecutors hadn't ever publicly stated that they were even going for the death penalty. Now, of course, this is Texas we're talking about, and this is capital punishment, and Texas is the state that uses it more than any other, for sure, but technically it was never said that prosecutors were seeking it.

[00:24:51]The man accused of murdering his pregnant wife in the Heights two years ago cut off his ankle monitor and fled the country. Well, tonight his attorney says he has been captured in Italy just weeks before his murder trial was scheduled to begin. KPRC2 News reporter Bryce Newberry shares how he was caught and what comes next.

[00:25:07]>> Lee Gilly has been out on bond since October of 2024. Charged with capital murder in the death of his pregnant wife. Last year, he allegedly discussed cutting off his ankle monitor and getting a new identity in Mexico. Now though, his attorney says he's been caught by airport officials in Italy claiming wrongful prosecution here in Texas. Just weeks away from his capital murder trial, 39-year-old Lee Gilly tonight is overseas after cutting off his GPS monitor and fleeing to Italy.

[00:25:34]He's been free from jail on a $1 million bond since October 2024, days after he allegedly killed his pregnant wife, Christa, remembered by her family as a kind, welcoming, and selfless mother, friend, and daughter. Three weeks ago, prosecutors filed paperwork in preparation for trial, indicating they plan to bring up Gilly's 2023 affair with a California woman. the same woman he allegedly communicated with last spring about plans to flee to Mexico and other countries, how he could remove his GPS monitor and provided a detailed plan to do so, according to court records.

[00:26:06]Also discussing the possibility of marriage in order to obtain a new identity. On Friday, his GPS monitor started sending a strap tamper alert records show. And when airport officials in Milan, Italy, didn't believe his identification information, Gilly's defense attorney, Dick Darren, says he gave himself up, claimed he was being wrongfully prosecuted in Texas and subject to the death penalty, and asked for asylum.

[00:26:30]>> Now, as a result of leaving the country, Lee's dumbass is now facing the federal charge of interstate flight to avoid prosecution. And this charge does give the US Marshals jurisdiction to arrest him. However, it's not that simple. And trust me, I wish it was. Just a few days after being detained, Lee appeared in court in front of an Italian judge and he verbally expressed his innocence in this case. He said, quote, "My wife is dead and they wrongly blamed me. I am innocent. I did not kill my wife. The only crime I committed was fleeing." He also reportedly stated that he fled because he feared for his life and doesn't trust the US justice system. And Lee is quoted as saying that he wanted to stay in Italy because of the lifestyle, the culture, the international protection and to receive a fair trial. The culture, bro. Yeah.

[00:27:21]No. [ __ ] You like the culture? It's Italy. And if you like the culture so much, why didn't you just get a divorce and go live there? What I do think he thought through though, and this is not confirmed, but Italy has a 4year backlog for people seeking political asylum. So, I wonder, and I know a lot of other people are wondering the same, if maybe Lee also chose Italy because he knew it might take several years for the extradition to even be considered. So, essentially, maybe he was buying himself more time. In that hearing, the Italian judge determined that Lee is quote an extreme flight risk and will be held in custody until an extradition request is received. Houston man accused of killing his pregnant wife went before a judge in Italy who deemed him an extreme flight risk determined to evade US authorities.

[00:28:11]>> Houston authorities say Lee Gilly cut off his ankle monitor and then fled to Italy last weekend. So many parts to this saga, so many eyes on it. Reporter Liliana Pearson live from the Harris County Criminal Courthouse with the latest. Liliana, >> according to an official Italian court order translation sent to us by one of Gilly's defense attorneys. An Italian judge discussed Gilly's case today while we wait to figure out if and when he may be sent back to Houston.

[00:28:37]The documents say the Italian court put a heavy emphasis on Lee Gilly being a flight risk, meaning if Gilly is let go, there's a high chance he could try to evade authorities. That's exactly what a Harris County judge says Gilly did over the weekend when prosecutors alleged he cut off an ankle monitor and flew from Canada to Italy. The Italian court saying Gilly used a fake Belgian passport and had other fake Belgian documents that were found on him. The Italian court says they found Gilly to be sophisticated, determined to evade US authorities and had the financial means to do so. Here's another clip from a great lawn crime special on the case where Chris Stewart sat down with a defense attorney to talk through what the extradition process might look like and why Lee may have gone to Italy in the first place.

[00:29:22]>> This is a rather involved extradition process. Uh it's going to involve not only the state of Texas, but also likely the federal government. Uh it's really a a a diplomatic type of process whereby our federal government has to get in touch with Italy. Uh there are a number of requirements that have to be met in order for Italy to be willing to extradite the defendant back to America, back to Texas. Uh and so um like I said, that's a rather involved process and I imagined uh that that measures are being taken towards that end right now.

[00:29:56]>> How does that work when someone shows up at a checkpoint at an airport and says, "I want to claim asylum." there is a higher threshold for for asylum in most countries than just I have a criminal case against me and I think I'm being wrongfully accused. That's probably not going to cut it. Um, usually there's a formal legal process whereby someone has to submit documentation showing persecution. Often times it's relating to persecution of ethnic or political groups. Um, there has to be a threat of of death or serious bodily harm. Uh all these things have to be documented for the receiving country to then process the asylum request. Uh but simply, you know, showing up, getting stopped, and saying, "Hey, there's a case against me that I think is bogus." That's not going to be enough. We don't know why Italy was the the place he would go. But that seems to be a country that has a pretty decent relationship with the United States. I mean, what type of hurdles, I guess, would going to Italy as opposed to, you know, if he flew to Moscow, I assume getting him back to the US would be a little bit more difficult. Just what stands out to you about the fact that that's the country that he went to?

[00:31:01]>> A few important points on that, Chris.

[00:31:03]So, look, there are some countries uh that typically do not extradite. My understanding is Vietnam. If a person goes to Vietnam, uh they're likely not going to be sent back. with Italy. The reason that I think he chose Italy is because they have uh a condition in terms of extradition whereby if a person is facing the death penalty uh then then Italy might be much more reluctant to extradite that person and Italy to my understanding requires asurances that even if the individual is subject to the death penalty the prosecutor is not going to seek it once Italy has those asurances uh that that the individual being extradited won't be put to death.

[00:31:44]My understanding is they're much more inclined to engage in that extradition process and I think it's it's likely that they will send this defendant back.

[00:31:51]Uh, you know, I've read some reports about the case. My impressions were that the DA was not going to seek the death penalty even though the charge is theoretically subject to the death penalty. Uh, if the prosecutors essentially write up some letter saying, "Hey, Italy, we're not going to seek to kill this person." I think that's probably going to be enough to overcome that hurdle with respect to the death penalty. But if this was a capital case and they were seeking the death penalty, um, this guy might have more outs and might might it might be more likely that he would remain in Italy. But, but I think under the circumstances that's unlikely. And I'm sure you guys are already thinking this, but the dude really dug himself a much deeper hole because the fact that he fled is definitely going to be considered a huge piece of evidence in his trial. And by the way, speaking of his trial, it was originally scheduled to begin on May 29th, 2026. And when Lee first fled, the judge actually didn't postpone the trial because the hope was that he would be back in time, but obviously that didn't happen, unfortunately. And I hate to say this, but Lee is currently still in Italy and no current trial date is set at this point in time. That being said, it's going to happen. And when it does happen, and I'm confident that it will, this escape will be discussed at length in the trial. I mean, for the prosecutors, fleeing the country shows major consciousness of guilt. I mean, he could not really have done anything worse to make this harder for himself.

[00:33:30]And I mean, it's so obvious, right? Why run unless you're guilty? Come on.

[00:33:37]Although, I'm sure his defense attorney, Dick Deiran, will likely argue that he was just scared. However, back in early May, his attorney stated in court that he plans to argue that Christa died of a pre-existing medical condition. And I'm probably going to say this wrong, called met hemoglobinia, which I've never heard of this, but it's a rare blood disorder that affects hemoglobin, so it cannot deliver oxygen to your body tissues. He said that Christa almost died from the condition a year and a half before her death. That statement, however, which he not only made in court, but also to the media, is partially the reason that a gag order was issued for this case. In May, prosecutors asked the judge to impose a gag order after Lee's attorney began making statements to the media, which they felt were advancing their theory of the case. The gag order was granted, and it prohibits what law enforcement, attorneys, and witnesses can say publicly. Of course, I understand that Lee fleeing the country is a huge part of this story. I mean, I'm reporting on it, of course, but I wanted to include that him going to Italy was especially upsetting to her loved ones, and that's because Italy was one of Christa's favorite places.

[00:34:50]Christa had studied abroad there in college, and she went to Sicily in May of 2024 with her friends. This was her happy place. And for Lee to go there seeking asylum is honestly just offensive. Not to mention him doing so delays Christa getting justice. Italy was so special to Christa. She loved Italy.

[00:35:10]>> Only on Two Tonight, friends of the pregnant Heights woman allegedly murdered by her husband who was fled to fled the US to Italy ahead of his trial are speaking out for the first time.

[00:35:19]>> Right now, Lee Gilly is apparently in Italian authorities custody after cutting off his ankle monitor and fleeing. That's what authorities tell us. KPRC 2 News reporter Bryce Newberry has been on the story all week. is live in the newsroom tonight with what her friends are saying about this. Bryce.

[00:35:35]>> Yeah, Joel and Lisa. Excruciating is the word one friend used. They had finally felt like the end was in sight with Legal's murder trial just weeks away.

[00:35:43]But now, after he's left the US and claimed asylum in Italy tonight, they are slamming the system failures and trying to focus on fighting for justice for Christa.

[00:35:53]>> Christa loved Italy so much that I actually associated her with Italy.

[00:35:57]These are new photos tonight showing Houston mother Christa Bower on a girl's trip to Italy two years ago, just months before her husband is accused of strangling her to death at their home in the Heights.

[00:36:08]>> It is upsetting that this place that is so deeply connected with her would now be associated in this way.

[00:36:19]>> Christa was proud of her Italian heritage and dreamed of getting dual citizenship, her high school friend, Cara Kelly says. But now it's where her alleged killer, Lee Gilly, is in immigration custody. Federal investigators say he cut off his ankle monitor while out on bond in Houston and fled to Italy using the name Lejun Jeanluke Olivier and forged Belgian travel documents. Now he's claimed asylum. Investigators searched his home again this week, seizing his SUV, just weeks before his capital murder trial was scheduled to start.

[00:36:48]>> There was kind of an end in sight.

[00:36:49]That's been moved again and it's just destabilizing and awful. There was so much warning that it was in public records that people in the court and the system had and yet no one seemed to really take it seriously.

[00:37:04]>> Multiple people in multiple jurisdictions could have done something sooner. She says still not understanding how someone could get out of the country so easily while on bond for capital murder, possibly delaying any sense of closure. It's not going to deter us from from continuing to honor her and sharing her story and reminding everyone of how amazing of a person she was. So, before I start wrapping up today, there is one more important piece to this case that I really want to discuss, and that is the custody of Christa's children. While Lee's loser ass has been sitting in an Italian jail cell trying to fight for extradition, his family and Christa's family have been in court themselves.

[00:37:46]And as I said earlier, Chris and Sharon Bower had been granted temporary conservatorship of the kids and they currently live in South Carolina. And their fear is that Lee's side of the family might try and take the kids out of the country to join him. So, they filed an emergency motion to pause visitation with the Gillies, specifically his brother Matt, who lives in North Carolina. And there was a two-day custody hearing in midmay where the Bower's attorney openly suggested that Lee might have had financial help and resources to pull off his escape. I mean, you don't just get a fake passport and flights out of thin air, right? But Matt Gilly and his wife actually testified via Zoom and adamantly denied having helped Lee flee the country. He said that the last message he got from his brother was on May 1st, the same day Lee cut his ankle monitor. And his text to Matt reads, "Give hugs to the kids."

[00:38:42]And then also in this same hearing, a photo of Lee that was taken just weeks before he fled was shown. He had been given permission to travel to North Carolina for his mother's funeral. And in that photo, he had longer hair and a thicker beard. And the Bower's attorney suggested, well, argued that he intentionally altered his appearance as part of his escape plan. And it certainly looks that way to me. Now, at first, the judge ruled that the two children would have to return to Texas, forcing their maternal grandparents to relocate. It was also ruled that Matt Gilly could not have visitation.

[00:39:20]Tonight, a judge makes a decision about the children at the center of a murder investigation and failed escape that is generating headlines across the globe and in different languages.

[00:39:29]>> Lee Gilly fled from Houston to Italy to avoid being tried for murder. His children live with his murdered wife's parents who are worried the Gilly family could try and pull a fast one just like their dad and take the kids out of the country as well.

[00:39:43]>> ABC 13's Jessica Willie has been monitoring every twist. and Jessica.

[00:39:47]Both sides of the family left unhappy after the judge's decision in court this morning.

[00:39:51]>> Yeah, and so much more revealed during this court hearing. From what we know about how Lee Gilly fled to Europe, it was not a simple plan. Court records say he had a fake passport and flew through Canada. His murdered wife's parents suggest he had help. Well, today during a contentious hearing over custody of their two young children, his brother denied helping him in any way. Christa and Matt Gilly. Lee's brother and sister-in-law testified via Zoom. Matt told the court he did not help Lee leave the country and has not given him any money. There was testimony though that investigators visited their home in North Carolina to question the couple about Lee's whereabouts. And Matt did say he has hired a criminal defense attorney. Lee Gilly is charged with the 2024 murder of his wife Christa at their Heights home. The medical examiner says she was strangled to death. He denies all allegations. Christa's parents have temporary custody of their children, ages three and five. They are all living in South Carolina. They wanted to pause visitation with the Gillies side of the family, citing fear they would be taken out of the country as well. In the end, the judge denied Matt visitation and ordered that the children be returned to Texas, where she says she would have more control over the circumstances. It also means the grandparents would have to relocate, at least for now. Some of Christa's friends were in court. to uproot the children again for the second time and move them across the country is um disrupting the stable life that they have been building for the past year here in South Carolina.

[00:41:35]>> Yeah. So, some changes to come for those children. As part of the hearing, a recent photo of Lee was shown in court taken just a few weeks ago. He has much longer hair as you can see and a beard.

[00:41:46]The grandparents attorney suggesting he changed his appearance to flee. All part of an elaborate plan, she said.

[00:41:53]Authorities say he cut off his ankle monitor on May 1st, the same day Lee texted his brother. Matt testified to quote, "Give hugs to the kids." However, on June 18th, that original outcome changed. The judge now said that the children can continue living in South Carolina with Christa's parents and this would be better because it's a more stable environment for them and I definitely agree that this was the right decision. However, there was another new ruling that the Bowers were not happy about. In that same June hearing, and this is so frustrating, the judge said that the Gilly side of the family could go ahead and still be allowed to have visitation with the children. And as if all of that wasn't upsetting enough, this case gets even crazier and just so frustrating. I cannot believe that I'm even reporting on this. But it turns out that a squatter has moved into Christa's home, or had moved in, I should say.

[00:42:52]During the May custody hearing, Christa's dad testified that he had recently visited the home only to find that someone was living inside. The locks were changed, new cameras were installed, and no trespassing signs were posted on the windows. Police later called the house, and the man living inside refused to come out. He spoke with officers only through a Ring doorbell speaker, and he claimed that he was the legal owner of the home, and he had the paperwork to prove it. And there was a notice in the window claiming that the house belonged to Safe A Life Homes LLC and Matthew Jackson. And it turns out it wasn't this guy Matthew's first time doing this. This dude is such a freak. Okay, a year prior he was arrested for trespassing after he moved into another home. That was the scene of a homicide. So, it seems like he seeks these types of houses out. I mean, that has to be [music] his method. And I wonder if this is a thing that other people do as well. And apparently Matthew was able to file a warranty deed transferring Christa's home to his LLC.

[00:44:01]And if you're wondering how he did that, dude, same. From my understanding, and this is bizarre and I'm not an expert, but he basically filed paperwork claiming he was taking the house over through Squatter's rights. Property records show a deed was filed transferring the home to him and his company, but it was determined that neither family signed the document, obviously. Therefore, all of this was completely fraudulent. Still though, and this is just maddening, in order to get him out, the Bowers will have to likely spend thousands of dollars in civil court in order to have him evicted. As if they hadn't been through enough. And it's essentially legal blackmail.

[00:44:48]>> Tonight, a new twist in the Lee Gilly case. He's the Heights husband who cut off [music] his ankle monitor and fled to Italy to avoid standing trial for his pregnant wife's murder.

[00:44:57]>> And now, the victim's family wants to know who's living in their dead daughter's house. This all came to a head at a child custody hearing this afternoon in Harris County. Christa Gilly's father says he recently went to the home on Alustin Street and testified in court that he saw other people living there and no trespassing signs on the door. So, we sent ABC13's Tony Atkins to check it out. Tony, this story has already generated headlines internationally. And now this.

[00:45:25]>> So, at this house right now, you can see the lights are out. I uh knocked on the door. I rang the doorbell earlier today with no answer. And within the past hour, we heard from Houston police. They say just yesterday they responded to a trespassing call at this house and the person on the other side of the doorbell when they rang it said that they had ownership of this house, not the ghillies.

[00:45:48]A neighbor reported the person at the home to HPD, but the person a man would only speak to officers through a doorbell speaker claiming he was the owner of the house and could prove it in court. So, we went to the house today and we saw the new cameras, no trespassing signs, as well as a notice of possession and control up saying that the house is now owned by an LLC called Save a Life Homes. We went through real estate records tonight and learned Save a Life Homes filed an affidavit of adverse possession and a warranty deed on May 21st, which is about 3 weeks after investigators say Legilli fled the US for Italy. the company claiming ownership, saying it now occupies and maintains the property.

[00:46:33]I called the owner of the listed company to confirm the claims with no answer.

[00:46:38]And despite this claim, Harris County records still list the Gillies as owners of the property. In court today, during child custody hearings, Christa Gilly's father says he was shocked to see the new signs and cameras up at the house.

[00:46:54]Now, luckily, and I'm happy to report this next bit to you, but the authorities have since changed the locks back in an effort to return possession to the Bower family. It turns out in early July, just recently, they entered the house and Matthew was not there. I'm sure they tried to figure out a time that he wasn't going to be there. And that's when they were able to change the locks and hopefully keep him out. I just feel so bad that they have gone through so much on top of losing their daughter and future grandchild in such a horrific way. And I will say though that through all of this darkness, which there has just been way too much of, Christa's loved ones have really tried to shine as much light as they can. Like I said at the start, they really want to keep the focus on her. And that's how I wanted to wrap up today's episode. I thought this was just so beautiful. But Christa's family have started a justice for Christa movement and their goal is to make sure that her legacy is not defined by the tragedy that happened to her. Her friends wanted to turn their grief into something more productive. And that's exactly what they have done. They've created a Facebook page and website, both of which provide detailed information about who Christa was and what she stood for. And resources to follow the case are provided there as well, and I'll have those linked in the description box and show notes of this episode. Another big part of their mission is advocating for accountability and justice, as well as providing support for Christa's family and kids. A GoFundMe was started to help offset the financial burden the Bower family has experienced because of this. And any additional funds will go directly to her kids. So, please check that out. And as I said in the beginning, too, my team at Higher Hope will be reaching out to their family to offer them a hope grant.

[00:48:32]Christa's case, unfortunately, is one of the many, many domestic violence cases that we hear about constantly, and this is really beautiful, but her friends wear purple every Tuesday in honor of Christa and domestic violence, which is why I've got my purple background up today. It makes me just so furious, disheartened, disgusted, and depressed honestly to hear so many stories of smart, amazing women and people in general too lose their lives at the hands of a violent partner. Now, as always, in cases involving domestic violence, I will be providing resources on how to seek help in the show notes and description box of this episode for any of you who are struggling yourselves or know someone who is. And I know I speak for all of us when I say that I hope justice for Christa is coming soon.

[00:49:30]I feel very confident, like I said, that it is coming. I'm sure you feel the same way. But at this point, Lee still remains in Italy and his trial remains on hold. But I do, like I said, I think the wheels of justice are turning and hopefully it's sooner than later. And I also wanted to mention that the Harris County DA's office has officially sent the Italian government an extradition request as of mid June. So my hope is maybe we will have an update on his return to the US any day or any week now. And it's possible that we will hear that before this episode even goes live.

[00:50:07]And if it does, I will pop in a little uh update here. Okay, so breaking news in this case. Turns out the court of appeal in Turin, Italy, has for now blocked the US's request to extradite Lee. The Italian judges are asking the US government for more guarantees to protect Lee from the death penalty, meaning they want to be absolutely sure that they won't be seeking that against him if he's brought back to the United States, which pisses me off. There was an email in late July written by prosecutor Janet Oswald to Lee's defense attorney which said in part saying that we are not seeking the death penalty or are waving it. We do not do that in other cases as you know. And when reviewing this, the Italian court said that the wording of the email suggests that the death penalty might still be sought. This is just extremely disappointing in my opinion and I'm sure we'll get more details on this soon.

[00:51:02]It's just frustrating that because he fled, he is getting essentially special treatment. At the end of the day, Lee just needs to be brought back to the United States. Point blank. Period. And these delays are just incredibly upsetting. I cannot imagine how her family is feeling right now.

[00:51:16]>> An Italian court has hit pause on extraditing the Heights man accused of murdering his pregnant wife and unborn child before fleeing to the US while away from the US while on bond.

[00:51:25]>> Yeah. Court wants additional guarantees from the United States that Lee Gilly will not be subject to the death penalty if convicted of capital murder. KPRC2's Bryce Newbury live in the newsroom now with the new development in this legal battle. Bryce.

[00:51:37]>> Yeah, Lisa and Keith. This new court order from Italy continues to delay any action with the capital murder case here in Texas after Lee Gilly cut off his ankle monitor and fled the US while on bond. Italian judges today want the US to guarantee he won't face the death penalty if convicted while also appearing to take issue with the other punishment option of life without parole.

[00:51:59]Facing severe punishment for capital murder in Texas, Lee Gilly will spend longer overseas as the Italian government in this new court order seeks confirmation he won't be sentenced to death if convicted. The Houston father is accused of strangling his pregnant wife Christa Bower in October 2024 before posting a $1 million bond, then cutting off his ankle monitor in May and fleeing to the country his late wife loved. Last week at the Turan Court of Appeal, Gilly told the judges, "I will not flee Italy without protection. It would be dangerous for me." Adding, "I am asking for protection for myself and my children." Harris County prosecutors have never indicated they'd seek death for Gilly. But in an email cited in those court records, prosecutor Jana Oswald declined to file anything official with the Texas court to make that distinction. That email, the Italian judges say, suggests the Harris County District Attorney's Office hasn't waved pursuing death, and they want to guarantee the death penalty won't be imposed. The other punishment option would be life without parole. Gilly's Italian defense lawyer telling reporters even a life sentence without the possibility of parole must be considered an inhuman and degrading punishment. The Italian court is also asking for clarification about whether Gilly could be convicted of a lesser offense with a lesser penalty which would be more aligned with the Italian legal system where the government considers prisoners who get a life sentence eligible for release after 26 years. So, the court has set August 31st as a deadline to get this information from the US and a hearing is then scheduled for early September. The judges will have to decide whether to grant the extradition or deny it, which would effectively release Gilly in Italy.

[00:53:38]>> I still have just so many questions about this case that I hope we get answers to. And I'm sure a lot of you feel the same. Like, for example, how the hell was Lee able to get to Canada from Texas? and how was all of this not flagged sooner? Who dropped the ball here? What went wrong? And how can we make sure that doesn't happen again? And I guess those are questions we're just going to have to wait to get answers on.

[00:54:04][snorts] But that is going to be it for me today. I will be back next week to discuss another case. But until then, you guys stay safe out there.

[00:54:22]>> [music]