An arrest has been made in the case of a woman found dead in her Houston home earlier this month. Houston police have charged Lee Mongerson Gilley, 38, with the capital murder of his wife, Christa Gilley, also 38, with the tragedy unfolding in their residence at 816 Allston Street. The Houston Police Department (HPD) revealed in a statement that officers first responded to what was reported as a suicide but soon discovered signs of foul play, as per City of Houston News.
Upon their arrival, police were informed by the suspect himself that he had found his wife unresponsive. Paramedics quickly transported her to a nearby hospital, only to officially declare her dead shortly after. The initial clue that something was amiss was the visible bruising and trauma on the woman's face, which was later confirmed by an autopsy. It was determined that she died from neck compression.
The case took a significant turn when the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences conducted an autopsy, concluding that Christa Gilley's death was a homicide. This finding was compounded by the discovery of her pregnancy, reported to be approximately eight weeks along.
With this evidence, HPD homicide detectives, including J. Diaz and A. Ledford, worked in conjunction with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. They moved quickly to file charges against Lee Gilley, who was taken into custody without incident last Friday. A booking photo accompanied the news release. His case will be heard in the 497th State District Court, as he remains in custody at the Harris County Jail.