Texas Man Accused of Killing Pregnant Wife Pleads Innocent in Italian Court, Seeks Asylum

A Texas man charged with capital murder in the death of his pregnant wife told an Italian judge on Monday that he is innocent and wants to remain in the country while seeking asylum.

Lee Mongerson Gilley, 39, appeared in a Milan courtroom after his arrest earlier this month. He refused to consent to extradition to the United States. "My wife is dead, and they wrongly blamed me. I am innocent. I did not kill my wife," Gilley told the court. "The only crime I committed was fleeing."

Gilley said he fled because he feared for his life and does not trust the U.S. justice system. He chose Italy for its stronger due process protections and opposition to the death penalty. He told the judge he wants to stay because of the lifestyle, the culture, the international protection, and to receive a fair trial.

Gilley faces charges in the Oct. 7, 2024, death of his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, who was found unresponsive in their Houston home. Authorities initially treated the case as an overdose or suicide, but an autopsy determined she died from strangulation and was pregnant at the time.

Charging documents state Gilley caused her death by applying pressure to her neck and upper body. Prosecutors say he gave inconsistent accounts, first claiming he tried to save her with CPR. He later said she was not suicidal and that they had argued before her death.

Gilley was arrested days after the incident but released on bond. His trial was set to begin this month. Authorities say he cut off his court-ordered GPS ankle monitor and fled ahead of a scheduled court appearance. The monitor alerted them after it was tampered with.

Investigators believe Gilley traveled from Texas to Canada and then to Italy, where police detained him in Milan. He used a pseudonym and carried forged Belgian identification documents. Prosecutors allege that while on bond, he discussed plans to flee, obtain a new identity, secure foreign identification, and remove his monitor.

Gilley argues he is being wrongfully prosecuted and fears the death penalty. His attorney, Dick DeGuerin, said the flight should not be seen as an admission of guilt. "I’m concerned that the prosecution will try to say that it’s evidence of consciousness of guilt that he’s running from it, but I think he’s just scared,"

DeGuerin said Texas authorities may need to assure Italian officials that Gilley will not face the death penalty to secure extradition, though prosecutors are not currently seeking it. A U.S. judge has issued a gag order limiting public comments by attorneys. Italian officials have signaled they will not comment while the case is pending.