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 four daughters. Her sisters are Samantha, Laura and Sarah.
Her family have said that she was a born nurturer and she had a magnetic personality that drew everyone in.
Christa attended Clemson University and rushed Alpha Chi Omega. She graduated with a degree in public health and went on to earn a doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Pittsburgh. She became a board-certified clinical specialist in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy, and after serving several years as a traveling physical therapist.
According to her obituary, Christa had an innate ability to heal, and a God-given talent for sharing her love.
Christa found her dream job at Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center caring for critically ill patients with heart and lung complications, alongside colleagues who became her work family. She was a fierce patient advocate, developing and implementing protocols to improve their mobility. She later became an adjunct instructor of physical therapy at the University of Texas Medical Branch and at Pitt, using her mentoring skills to nurture and train the next generation of PTs.
Christa married Lee Gilley on January 28, 2017. Lee worked as a software developer. Online he is listed as the founder of software consulting company, Docmo.
The couple met around ten years before they got married. A post on Charleston Weddings Magazine said: ‘After going on one date and then going their separate ways, the two reconnected 8 years later in Boston for their second date. Talk about meant to be!
‘Lee flew from San Diego to Houston 11 months later where he surprised Christa with a proposal.’
The couple settled in Houston and had two children together – Madeline in 2020 and Gannon in 2022.
Her family have said that Christa excelled at motherhood, her most cherished role, and showed it in big ways, including her seemingly endless patience, and small, like carrying a box of sprinkles around Sicily to bring home because they were Madi’s favorite. She was the first to plan birthday parties, usually months in advance (complete with plenty of sprinkles), and to enroll her kids in sports (softball, naturally). She also found the time to encourage other mothers in her life, lifting them up during the hardest points of parenting.
At the time of her murder, Christa was pregnant with her third child. She was due to give birth in May 2025.
A source who knows Lee since childhood told the media that over the last years he had become fixated with right-wing politics and the idea that women should stay at home to take care of their families – even though Christa was a successful physical therapist and professor.
On LinkedIn, Lee repeatedly liked posts about women staying home and having ‘traditional roles’ instead of developing their careers.
Just days before his wife’s death, he liked a post that read: ‘I no longer trust women in work environments. Men are easy for me to screen cause… I’m one of them.
‘Women? Not as easy. Especially given how in modern times, they put their happiness before anything else and it’s not really obvious at first.
‘They are downright dangerous to your business and your family.’
A week before his wife’s death, he liked a post that included the phrases: ‘Women, forget your stupid career… We could care less about your career…. society lied…. reject modernity… embrace tradition.’
On Monday October 7, 2024, Lee called 911 at 11.30pm and said that Christa had overdosed intentionally. Lee told the 911 operator that he was performing CPR on his wife.
Emergency services arrived and Christa was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Lee initially told police that he and Christa had argued about the purchase of a new car before he went to bed. He said he woke up three hours later and found her unresponsive.
Lee also made statements to investigators on the night that Christa died, including saying “bad things happen to good people” or that he was “being set up.”
Following an investigation, doctors determined that the injuries on Christa’s body were not consistent with a suicide attempt.
Christa’s autopsy determined she died ‘due to compression of the neck’ as her injuries were consistent with strangulation.
Lee admitted to police that Christa was not suicidal, nor did she use drugs.
On October 11, 2024, Lee was arrested and charged in relation to murder of Christa and the unborn baby. This statement is from the Houston PD:
Charges have been filed against a suspect arrested in the death of a woman found at 816 Allston Street about 11:30 p.m. on Monday (Oct. 7).
The suspect, Lee Mongerson Gilley, 38, is charged with capital murder in the 497th State District Court. A booking photo of Gilley is attached to this news release.
He is accused in the killing of his wife, Christa Gilley, 38.
HPD Homicide Division Detectives J. Diaz and A. Ledford reported:
Officers were dispatched to a report of a suicide at the residence at the above address and were told a family member (suspect Gilley) found an adult female (Ms. Gilley) unresponsive inside the home. Paramedics transported the woman to an area hospital where she was pronounced deceased.
Hospital staff indicated Ms. Gilley had bruising and apparent trauma to her face.
An autopsy by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences ruled Ms. Gilley’s manner of death as a homicide and the cause due to compression of the neck. The autopsy also revealed Ms. Gilley was about eight weeks pregnant.
Detectives contacted the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and charges were filed against Lee Gilley. He was taken into custody on Friday (Oct. 11) without incident and booked into the Harris County Jail.
On Thursday October 17, 2024, Lee appeared in court.
Prosecutors requested a $3 million bond, however, Lee’s defense attorney, Ed McClees, asked for a $200,000 bond to be set.
After the judge heard details of the case, he set a $1 million bond.
He posted the $1m bond that was requested.
Christa’s family released the following statement at that time:
“Christa’s family remains focused on remembering Christa as a kind, welcoming, and selfless mother, friend, and daughter. We are deeply disappointed that the Defendant made bond just a week after Christa’s death, but we are focused on the safety and well being of Christa’s children. Christa’s family and loved ones want what is best for her children and support law enforcement’s efforts to bring justice for Christa and her unborn child.”
Lee’s attorney said at the bond hearing that his client was devastated over the loss of his wife and said they are working hard to get to the bottom of what happened to her.
“Mr. Gilley is devastated. We’re working very hard to try to get to the bottom of what actually happened. There’s more that’s unknown than what’s known right now,” the attorney told the media.
Harris County Assistant Attorney Lindsey Bondurant said they are pleased with the judge’s $1 million bond and bond conditions. One of the bond conditions states that Lee is not allowed to contact his two children, given the allegations of the children being home at the time of the incident.
“Given the allegations that they were at home at the time that this offense occurred, and their extremely young age, we just thought it was best in this situation to hold off with him having any contact with these children during the pendency of this case,” prosecutor Lindsey Bondurand said.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Lee told multiple family members that he had considered leaving with the children prior to his arrest.
Lee was due to be arraigned on November 20, but that court appearance turned into a bond modification. He requested permission to leave Texas, and the judge denied that request.
His arraignment is now set for Tuesday January 28 2025 at 9 a.m. at the Harris County Court in Houston.
SOURCE LIST
https://www.jamesadyal.com/obituaries/Christa-Gilley/#!/PhotosVideos