NEED TO KNOW
Lee Gilley is accused of killing his pregnant wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, in Oct. 2024
Gilley fled to Italy before the start of his trial, prosecutors said
On Monday, May 11, he asked an Italian judge not to send him back to the U.S., and he proclaimed his innocence
The Texas software engineer who fled to Italy after being accused of killing his pregnant wife and their unborn baby insists that he had nothing to do with their deaths.
“I am innocent,” Lee Gilley said on Monday, May 11, during a hearing at the Turin Court of Appeals in Turin, Italy.
As PEOPLE previously reported, Gilley, 39, is accused of killing his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, 38, at their home in Houston Heights in Oct. 2024.
In his 911 call, Gilley told dispatchers that his wife, who was nine weeks pregnant, had overdosed on drugs, Harris County prosecutors said.
The Harris County medical examiner, however, ruled that Christa had been strangled. Hospital staff also said she had suffered bruising and apparent trauma to the face.
Gilley was arrested on Oct. 11, 2024, and charged with capital murder in connection with the deaths of his wife and their unborn child.
May 25, 2026 cover of People Magazine
Gilley pleaded not guilty and was released on a $1 million bond. As part of his release, he was required to wear an ankle monitor and surrender his passport.
Then, in a shocking turn of events, in early May, Gilley cut off his ankle monitor and flew to Italy — a month before he was set to stand trial, according to state and federal authorities.
U.S. authorities are now demanding that Gilley be returned to Texas to face justice.
He said he is seeking political asylum because he is facing a possible death sentence if convicted of capital murder in Texas.
Italy, which no longer has capital punishment, may refuse extradition if Gilley faces the death penalty. Prosecutors have not yet said whether they intend to seek the death penalty in his case.
On May 3, Gilley was taken into custody at Milan’s Malpensa Airport on an international warrant.
Christa Bauer Gilley
Credit: Christa Bauer Gilley/Facebook
He allegedly used a fake name and passport to try to get into the country, authorities said, NBC News reports.
Gilley appeared in court on Monday, May 11, where a judge verified his arrest, allowing Italy to keep him in custody as he awaits a decision on his extradition.
For more about the murder of Christa Bauer Gilley’s death and the murder charges against her husband, subscribe now to PEOPLE or pick up this week’s issue, on newsstands Friday.
On Monday, May 11, a Court of Appeals judge asked Gilley whether he consented to extradition to the U.S. or if he wanted the international protection application process to proceed. Gilley replied that he didn’t.
He continued, saying his wife “died and I was unjustly blamed. That is why I lost faith in the justice system. I am innocent. I did not kill anyone. The only crime I committed was fleeing. I ran away to avoid being killed and to escape the relentless media persecution. I worked very hard to escape and request protection in Italy.”
Gilley’s attorney Dick DeGuerin previously told PEOPLE he planned to argue at trial that Christa’s death was caused by methemoglobinemia, a rare blood disorder that she was diagnosed with in 2023.
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In the meantime, prosecutors with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office say they are coordinating with Italian and U.S. authorities to secure Gilley’s extradition.
A county judge has moved to forfeit Gilley’s $1 million bond unless he returns to the U.S.
Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio hasn’t made a decision on the extradition, the Ministry of Justice spokesperson told NBC News.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Tim Ballengee, the attorney who represents Christa’s family, said: “Prior to the defendant fleeing the U.S., there was an extensive investigation by law enforcement that resulted in the defendant being charged, indicted, and set for trial for capital murder. Christa’s family welcomes a trial based on real facts and actual evidence that will provide justice for Christa and her unborn child.”
• Additional reporting by WENDY KANTOR GROSSMAN and CHRISTINE PELISEK
Read the original article on People