Houston police have a new development in a murder case that has drawn international attention. Investigators believe a man has moved into a home in the Heights that belongs to Lee Gilly. The property has been at the center of the case since the killing that put it in headlines around the world.
According to police, the home is where Lee Gilly killed his wife, Christina. Authorities say the death happened at the house before the case took a dramatic turn. The killing left Christina's family grieving and set off an investigation that crossed international borders.
Police say that after the killing, Gilly cut off his ankle monitor and fled the country. Investigators say he left the United States and traveled to Italy. His departure turned the case into an international matter as authorities worked to bring him back.
The latest twist came when Christina's father visited the home yesterday, according to investigators. He reported a man at the property as trespassing. Police responded to look into who was inside the house and how the man had come to be there.
When officers tried to make contact, the man allegedly spoke to them through a doorbell camera. According to police, he told them the house was his and that he would go to court to prove it. The claim raised questions about the man's connection to the property as the inquiry continued.
Meanwhile, the effort to return Gilly to the United States has reached the Italian authorities. The Italian government has officially received the extradition request for Gilly. That step marked a formal move in the cross-border push to bring him back to face the case.
Even so, the path to extradition appears complicated. Officials indicated that Italy will likely not hand Gilly over so long as the death penalty remains on the table. The issue leaves the case in a difficult position as authorities weigh how to proceed.