Christa Bauer Gilley (38) was murdered in October 2024. Her alleged killer is her husband, Lee Gilley.
As some background in to Christa, she was born Christa Bauer on February 7, 1986. She was the oldest of 4 daughters. Her sisters are Samantha, Laura and Sarah.
Her household have mentioned that she was a born nurturer and she or he had a magnetic persona that drew everybody in.
Christa attended Clemson College and rushed Alpha Chi Omega. She graduated with a level in public well being and went on to earn a doctorate in bodily remedy from the College of Pittsburgh. She grew to become a board-certified scientific specialist in cardiovascular and pulmonary bodily remedy, and after serving a number of years as a touring bodily therapist.
In response to her obituary, Christa had an innate skill to heal, and a God-given expertise for sharing her love.
Christa discovered her dream job at Memorial Hermann Hospital within the Texas Medical Middle caring for critically sick sufferers with coronary heart and lung problems, alongside colleagues who grew to become her work household. She was a fierce affected person advocate, creating and implementing protocols to enhance their mobility. She later grew to become an adjunct teacher of bodily remedy on the College of Texas Medical Department and at Pitt, utilizing her mentoring expertise to nurture and practice the subsequent era of PTs.
Christa married Lee Gilley on January 28, 2017. Lee labored as a software program developer. On-line he’s listed because the founding father of software program consulting firm, Docmo.
The couple met round ten years earlier than they obtained married. A put up on Charleston Weddings Journal mentioned: ‘After happening one date after which going their separate methods, the 2 reconnected 8 years later in Boston for his or her second date. Speak about meant to be!
‘Lee flew from San Diego to Houston 11 months later the place he stunned Christa with a proposal.’
The couple settled in Houston and had two kids collectively – Madeline in 2020 and Gannon in 2022.
Her household have mentioned that Christa excelled at motherhood, her most cherished function, and confirmed it in large methods, together with her seemingly limitless endurance, and small, like carrying a field of sprinkles round Sicily to deliver dwelling as a result of they have been Madi’s favourite. She was the primary to plan birthday events, often months upfront (full with loads of sprinkles), and to enroll her children in sports activities (softball, naturally). She additionally discovered the time to encourage different moms in her life, lifting them up through the hardest factors of parenting.
On the time of her homicide, Christa was pregnant along with her third little one. She was because of give beginning in Could 2025.
A supply who is aware of Lee since childhood advised the media that during the last years he had change into fixated with right-wing politics and the concept that ladies ought to keep at dwelling to maintain their households – though Christa was a profitable bodily therapist and professor.
On LinkedIn, Lee repeatedly appreciated posts about ladies staying dwelling and having ‘conventional roles’ as an alternative of creating their careers.
Simply days earlier than his spouse’s loss of life, he appreciated a put up that learn: ‘I now not belief ladies in work environments. Males are straightforward for me to display trigger… I’m considered one of them.
‘Girls? Not as straightforward. Particularly given how in fashionable instances, they put their happiness earlier than anything and it’s not likely apparent at first.
‘They’re downright harmful to your enterprise and your loved ones.’
Per week earlier than his spouse’s loss of life, he appreciated a put up that included the phrases: ‘Girls, neglect your silly profession… We might care much less about your profession…. society lied…. reject modernity… embrace custom.’
On Monday October 7, 2024, Lee known as 911 at 11.30pm and mentioned that Christa had overdosed deliberately. Lee advised the 911 operator that he was performing CPR on his spouse.
Emergency providers arrived and Christa was taken to hospital, the place she was pronounced useless.
Lee initially advised police that he and Christa had argued in regards to the buy of a brand new automotive earlier than he went to mattress. He mentioned he wakened three hours later and located her unresponsive.
Lee additionally made statements to investigators on the evening that Christa died, together with saying “dangerous issues occur to good individuals” or that he was “being arrange.”
Following an investigation, docs decided that the accidents on Christa’s physique weren’t per a suicide try.
Christa’s post-mortem decided she died ‘because of compression of the neck’ as her accidents have been per strangulation.
Lee admitted to police that Christa was not suicidal, nor did she use medication.
On October 11, 2024, Lee was arrested and charged in relation to homicide of Christa and the unborn child. This assertion is from the Houston PD:
Costs have been filed towards a suspect arrested within the loss of life of a lady discovered at 816 Allston Avenue about 11:30 p.m. on Monday (Oct. 7).
The suspect, Lee Mongerson Gilley, 38, is charged with capital homicide within the 497th State District Court docket. A reserving picture of Gilley is connected to this information launch.
He’s accused within the killing of his spouse, Christa Gilley, 38.
HPD Murder Division Detectives J. Diaz and A. Ledford reported:
Officers have been dispatched to a report of a suicide on the residence on the above handle and have been advised a member of the family (suspect Gilley) discovered an grownup feminine (Ms. Gilley) unresponsive inside the house. Paramedics transported the lady to an space hospital the place she was pronounced deceased.
Hospital workers indicated Ms. Gilley had bruising and obvious trauma to her face.
An post-mortem by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences dominated Ms. Gilley’s method of loss of life as a murder and the trigger because of compression of the neck. The post-mortem additionally revealed Ms. Gilley was about eight weeks pregnant.
Detectives contacted the Harris County District Lawyer’s Workplace and expenses have been filed towards Lee Gilley. He was taken into custody on Friday (Oct. 11) with out incident and booked into the Harris County Jail.
On Thursday October 17, 2024, Lee appeared in courtroom.
Prosecutors requested a $3 million bond, nonetheless, Lee’s protection legal professional, Ed McClees, requested for a $200,000 bond to be set.
After the choose heard particulars of the case, he set a $1 million bond.
He posted the $1m bond that was requested.
Christa’s household launched the next assertion at the moment:
“Christa’s household stays centered on remembering Christa as a sort, welcoming, and selfless mom, buddy, and daughter. We’re deeply upset that the Defendant made bond only a week after Christa’s loss of life, however we’re centered on the protection and properly being of Christa’s kids. Christa’s household and family members need what’s finest for her kids and help legislation enforcement’s efforts to deliver justice for Christa and her unborn little one.”
Lee’s legal professional mentioned on the bond listening to that his consumer was devastated over the lack of his spouse and mentioned they’re working onerous to unravel what occurred to her.
“Mr. Gilley is devastated. We’re working very onerous to attempt to unravel what really occurred. There’s extra that’s unknown than what’s recognized proper now,” the legal professional advised the media.
Harris County Assistant Lawyer Lindsey Bondurant mentioned they’re happy with the choose’s $1 million bond and bond situations. One of many bond situations states that Lee isn’t allowed to contact his two kids, given the allegations of the kids being dwelling on the time of the incident.
“Given the allegations that they have been at dwelling on the time that this offense occurred, and their extraordinarily younger age, we simply thought it was finest on this scenario to carry off with him having any contact with these kids through the pendency of this case,” prosecutor Lindsey Bondurand mentioned.
In response to the Houston Chronicle, Lee advised a number of members of the family that he had thought-about leaving with the kids previous to his arrest.
Lee was because of be arraigned on November 20, however that courtroom look changed into a bond modification. He requested permission to go away Texas, and the choose denied that request.
His arraignment is now set for Tuesday January 28 2025 at 9 a.m. on the Harris County Court docket in Houston.
SOURCE LIST
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/information/article-13971915/lee-gilley-social-media-christa-wife-houston-murder-case.html
https://www.jamesadyal.com/obituaries/Christa-Gilley/#!/PhotosVideos
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/information/article-13971915/lee-gilley-social-media-christa-wife-houston-murder-case.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/information/article-13983195/texas-husband-accused-strangled-wife-released-bail.html
https://www.click2houston.com/information/native/2024/10/21/houston-man-accused-of-killing-pregnant-wife-released-on-1-million-bond