Texas man accused in pregnant wife's murder fights to remain in Italy, citing 'lifestyle and culture'

A Texas antheral accused of sidesplitting his large woman past cutting disconnected his ankle show and fleeing the state told a justice successful Italy that helium is guiltless and does not privation to instrumentality to the United States.

Lee Mongerson Gilley appeared Monday successful a Milan courtroom aft his apprehension earlier this month, wherever helium refused to consent to extradition and alternatively sought to stay successful Italy portion pursuing asylum.

"My woman is dead, and they wrongly blamed me. I americium innocent. I did not termination my wife," Gilley told the court, according to NBC News. "The lone transgression I committed was fleeing."

Gilley told the justice helium fled due to the fact that helium feared for his beingness and said helium does not spot the U.S. justness system. He added that helium chose Italy successful portion due to the fact that of what helium described arsenic stronger owed process protections and absorption to the decease penalty.

TEXAS MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING PREGNANT WIFE ALLEGEDLY CUTS OFF ANKLE MONITOR AND FLEES TO ITALY

Defense lawyer Ed McClees and his client, Lee Mongerson Gilley, look successful the 497th District Court astatine the Harris County Justice Center successful Houston connected Oct. 17, 2024. Gilley is charged with superior execution successful the decease of his wife, Christa Gilley. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

In tribunal Monday, Gilley told the justice that helium would similar to stay successful Italy "because of the lifestyle, the culture, the planetary protection, and to person a just trial," according to NBC News.

Italian officials person not yet decided whether to extradite him backmost to the United States, the outlet reported.

Gilley, 39, is charged with superior execution successful the 2024 decease of his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, who was recovered unresponsive successful the couple’s Houston location connected Oct. 7, 2024.

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Lee Mongerson Gilley and his defence attorney, Ed McClees, right, are shown successful the 497th District Court astatine the Harris County Justice Center, 1201 Franklin, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, successful Houston. He is charged with superior execution successful decease of his wife, Christa Gilley. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

Authorities initially responded to a reported overdose oregon suicide, but investigators aboriginal determined she died from strangulation. An autopsy recovered she was large astatine the time.

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Charging documents obtained by KPRC allege Gilley caused her decease by applying unit to her cervix and precocious body. Prosecutors person said helium gave inconsistent accounts of what happened and initially claimed helium tried to prevention his woman with CPR. He aboriginal acknowledged she was not suicidal and that the mates had been arguing earlier her death, according to the outlet.

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Gilley was arrested days aft the incidental but aboriginal released connected bond. His proceedings had been scheduled to statesman this month.

Authorities accidental Gilley chopped disconnected his court-ordered GPS ankle show and fled the state up of a scheduled tribunal appearance. The show alerted authorities aft it was tampered with, according to KPRC.

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Lee Mongerson Gilley, 39, is accused of murdering his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, and their unborn kid successful Houston successful 2024, according to KPRC. (Christa Bauer Gilley/Facebook)

Investigators judge Gilley traveled from Texas to Canada and past connected to Italy, wherever helium was detained upon accomplishment successful Milan. Court filings cited by NBC News authorities helium was traveling nether a pseudonym and carrying forged Belgian recognition documents.

Prosecutors person besides alleged that portion retired connected bond, Gilley discussed plans to fly the state and get a caller identity, including inquiries astir securing overseas recognition and devising a program to region his GPS monitor.

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Prosecutors allege Lee Mongerson Gilley killed his wife, Christa Bauer Gilley, who was 9 months pregnant, successful Houston successful 2024. (Christa Bauer Gilley/Facebook)

Instead of returning to Texas, Gilley is present seeking asylum successful Italy, arguing helium is being "wrongfully prosecuted" and fears the decease penalty. His attorney, Dick DeGuerin, told KPRC that Gilley’s determination to fly should not beryllium interpreted arsenic an admittance of guilt.

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"I’m acrophobic that the prosecution volition effort to accidental that it’s grounds of consciousness of guilt that he’s moving from it, but I deliberation he’s conscionable scared," DeGuerin said.

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DeGuerin has besides indicated that Texas authorities whitethorn request to guarantee Italian officials that Gilley volition not look the decease punishment successful bid to unafraid extradition, though helium has said prosecutors are not presently seeking it.

A U.S. justice has issued a gag bid successful the case, limiting what attorneys tin publically say. Italian officials person besides signaled they are improbable to remark publically portion the lawsuit is pending.

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Fox News Digital has reached retired to Gilley’s attorneys and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for comment.

Fox News Digital's Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.