“We Just Want Justice”: Family of Slain Pregnant Woman Speaks Out After Husband Flees Before Murder Trial

Christa Bauer Gilley’s family has responded to reports that her husband, Lee Gilley, has left the country. Texas native Lee, 39, was just weeks away from standing trial for the murder of Christa, 38, when he reportedly fled to Italy. Christa was found unresponsive at the couple’s Houston home on October 7, 2024.

The mother of two was nine weeks pregnant with her third child at the time. Lee called 911 himself and claimed that his wife had overdosed. However, an autopsy later revealed her cause of death as strangulation. Lee was arrested four days after Christa’s death and charged with capital murder.

Lee was released on October 19, 2024, after posting a $1 million bond. According to his bond conditions, he was supposed to be under house arrest, wear an ankle monitor at all times, and surrender his passport. His trial was scheduled for June, 2026. But on May 1, he allegedly cut off the GPS monitor and flew to Canada.

Three days later, a judge revoked his bond and ordered him to appear before the court. However, Lee had allegedly taken a flight to Italy under the false identity of Lejeune Jean Luc Olivier. Upon reaching Milan’s Malpensa Airport, he was denied entry into the country and detained by the Milan Border Police.

Christa’s family and friends are shocked by the development, as Lee’s trial is now in jeopardy. Her family’s lawyer, Tim Ballengee, spoke about their plight in an interview with People magazine and said, “It was devastating to the family, and I think that they were hoping to have the trial and to have him held accountable.”

“I think we're dealing with a lot of unknown. And we're trying to figure out how quickly we're able to go from here and get back to the whole purpose, which was the trial process, and to hold him accountable for what happened,” Ballengee added.

One of Christa’s friends, Margie Jaczesko, expressed surprise over Lee fleeing the country just before his trial. “My jaw dropped. It's just becoming bigger and bigger, and he's in more trouble...he just keeps adding to it, and we just want it to be over we just want to fight for justice for Christa,” Jaczesko said in a statement to local news outlet WFMJ.

On the other hand, Lee’s lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, said he is still gathering information and has not been able to get in touch with his client. He continues to maintain that Lee is innocent. According to DeGuerin, Christa did not die of strangulation, but of a pre-existing condition called methemoglobinemia.

It is a blood disorder that causes oxygen deficiency in the body. DeGuerin claims Christa had been struggling with the condition for a long time and had nearly died from it in the past as well. It remains to be seen whether Lee will be extradited from Italy and whether his trial will proceed as scheduled.