Texas man accused of killing pregnant wife allegedly cuts off ankle monitor and flees to Italy
A Texas man facing charges for allegedly killing his pregnant wife has reportedly cut off his ankle monitor and fled abroad.
Lee Mongerson Gilley, 39, is accused of murdering his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, and the couple’s unborn child in Houston in 2024, according to KPRC.
Gilley was set to appear in court Tuesday, but instead flew from Texas to Canada, and finally Italy, where he told authorities he was seeking asylum after being "wrongfully prosecuted" and is fearful of receiving the death penalty, his attorney told the outlet.
"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," defense attorney Dick DeGuerin reportedly said.
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Gilley, whose murder trial was set to begin later this month, is reportedly in the custody of Italian authorities. His ankle monitor alerted authorities it had been tampered with on Friday, according to the outlet.
DeGuerin told the outlet that before Gilley can be returned to Texas, the state must certify to Italy that he is not eligible for the death penalty — which the prosecution is not seeking in his case.
Gilley is accused of killing his wife, Christa, and their unborn baby by "applying pressure to [her] neck and upper back" on Oct. 7, 2024, according to charging documents obtained by People.
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Prosecutors reportedly allege Gilley initially claimed Christa, who was nine months pregnant, had overdosed and that he had tried to save her with CPR, but a medical examiner later pointed to evidence of strangulation and ruled her death a homicide.
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After he was arrested days later, Gilley allegedly admitted his wife was not a drug user or suicidal, and that the couple had been arguing before her death, KPRC reported.
In 2025, while out on bond, prosecutors reportedly allege Gilley and an unnamed woman, whom he had an affair with in 2023, devised a scheme to flee to Mexico and other countries, according to the outlet.
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"The Defendant also inquired as to whether she knew of a Mexican identity he could acquire to facilitate his departure from the country," the document said.
Gilley also allegedly "provided a detailed plan" to remove his GPS monitor and perform a sham marriage to obtain a new identity, prosecutors reportedly said.
Authorities are working to extradite Gilley back to the country, according to KPRC.
Gilley’s defense attorney and the Harris County District Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.