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Next time, avoid awkward conversations and get fast free delivery. With Amazon Pharmacy, healthcare just got less painful. Hey there folks. It is Monday, May 11, and an American man is seeking asylum in Italy. He doesn't want to come back to the US because he says he is being persecuted. Why? He says he's been falsely accused of strangling to death his pregnant wife. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and T.J. a fascinating case. Oh, by the way, he fled right before his murder trial, so he doesn't necessarily look like a guy who's innocent, but he says he is.
A
No. In fact, his lawyer did say he was concerned that this might make him look guilty. Yeah, you think so he has been behind bars. Or, excuse me, he was afforded the ability to post bail to get out on bond rather than wait behind bars for his murder Trial. And so, yes, just before his trial is set to begin, he cuts off his ankle monitor.
B
And by the way, the trial was supposed to begin this month for a crime that was committed in 2024. So the guy we're talking about here is Lee Gilly, 40 years old now, but he is accused of killing his pregnant wife in 2024. We'll get into the details of the crime here. Robed, but he, he was supposed to go to trial. It was weeks away from starting. And then robes on May 1, the Great Escape, which cutting off an ankle monitor doesn't seem to be that difficult, but he put some time and some planning and some effort into getting away.
A
That's right. He was actually able to get, to use a fake passport, had a fake name. He had, he said he was a Belgian citizen, I believe was the fake passport. His name, Le Jean Lucas Oliver is
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what he went with.
A
That's what he went with. It worked enough to get him to Milan, but when he went through or tried to get through security there at Milan, his passport got flagged.
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He got flagged. Now, he did get flagged, Robes, as a criminal. He didn't get flagged as a guy who is wanted for murder back in the US it just got flagged. For whatever reason, after a while, this is going on. And then he just flat out admits, hey, this is who I am. This is where I'm from. This is what I'm accused of. And here we go. So, Robes, this just happened to be the day he was in court, in a court in Italy today because they're trying to get his butt back to the US and he ain't trying to come just yet.
A
No, this was an extradition hearing. And the judge in Italy today asked Lee Gilly, you know, do you consent to be extradited back to the United States? His answer, I do not consent. And he didn't stop there.
B
He did not. And Robes, I'm not sure how far this is going to go, if he, if it's up to him or not. But as of right now, he's not on his way back, but he is. And he decided to do this in an Italian court today, once again, proclaim his innocence, declare, quote, my wife is dead, and they wrongly blamed me. That's why I no longer have faith in the justice system. I am innocent. I did not kill my wife. The only crime I committed was fleeing. I fled to avoid being killed. I went to great lengths to escape and seek protection in Italy. A reminder, this crime, if we haven't said did take place in Houston, a state not necessarily known for being shy about using the death penalty. So I assume that's the reference he's making there in Houston.
A
Yes. He actually went to great lengths. It was almost as if he was complimenting Italians and their judicial system and Europe as a whole, saying, I knew I would get due process over here and I've done a lot of research and I found that the, the Italian justice system is, is much more fair and I'll, I'll have a better chance at getting a fair trial if I stay here in Italy. I think he even cited the culture, just the judicial system. He was literally praising the country of Italy to the judge in the hopes of persuading him not to send him back to the United States.
B
That's exactly what all of that should be interpreted as. Please don't send me back. And we don't know just yet what's going to come of that. But robes, this is pretty remarkable, as you put it, that a guy who was accused of strangling to death his 38 year old and pregnant wife, they discovered she was eight weeks pregnant. I believe in the autopsy. They set his bond in a million dollars and he met it. So that means he could get out the protection was the ankle monitor. Apparently it didn't work.
A
No. And in fact, obviously I looked at you and I thought, my God, can you think of anyone other than a white male who would have been given a bond that was purely attainable for him? He was a well off dude, had a house. I mean you can use lots of collateral, et cetera, to post bonds like these. But just the fact that he had a reasonable bond that he could meet, can you imagine that ever being granted or afforded to anyone of color?
B
I look, I don't know how the system works and what the criteria are. And you plug, you know, sometimes we see judge plug things into a formula and say, all right, this, this is your crime, this is what you did in the past. And all right, it says your bond should be a million. I don't know how they determine.
A
My goodness.
B
But there are some crimes that seem like we like some people we hear and they go, okay, clearly they're not going to get bond. And then one like this, I wouldn't have assumed. So he's accused of murdering two people.
A
Yeah. Accused of murdering your pregnant wife would not seem like a charge that serious that you would be able to just be wandering free. Yes, freely. I know you have an ankle monitor, so you can only go to certain places. But clearly that didn't work for him and that didn't stop him. And when you hear what he' accused of doing, it is. It's even more concerning that he would be allowed to make bond and to be able to mingle, so to speak, with members of the community.
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I mean, Robes, this is. We are talking about strangulation.
A
Yes.
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So this is a matter his. I believe it came in October 7th of 2024 as a suicide call initially. But his wife was found unresponsive, 38 years old. And it wasn't until later at the hospital that they did discover they saw some bruising to her face into her throat, and they started piecing it together. And he was arrested a few days later. And then Robes, he was arrested a few days later. And a few days after that he was back chilling at home.
A
Yeah. I mean, that really is remarkable when you think about those. That sequence of events and imagine it being anyone else that's. I mean, a million dollars after you're being charged with capital murder. When you are charged with capital murder, you know that your life is on the line. You are desperate. And so to give somebody that much time at home to plan or to do whatever you need to do is seemingly irresponsible. I'm really shocked. I truly am. You may laugh at me, but I am shocked that they would let somebody out with that serious of a charge.
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This is a double capital murder. Are we talking about. Yes, I mean, I assume the charge is included in there about the. I mean, she was pregnant eight weeks.
A
Yes.
B
Right. I assume that charges. But this is a guy who was accused of being a double murderer and the two people he killed was wife and his unborn child. So if. And he got bond. Okay. The system worked however it's supposed to work. And maybe he deserved. I don't know what to say there, Robes, but he goes, if you look at this, he was arrested October 11th.
A
Yes.
B
He was out days later. I think it was six days after that. So we're around the 17th. So he has been out of jail since October 17th ish of 2024. A full year and a half.
A
Wow.
B
For the most point, that's a lot of time, like you said, to plot and plan whatever.
A
Yes. And obviously during that time he was able to secure fake enough passports and documentation that claimed he was some Belgian national, that he was able to get through security, I'm assuming, through one of the Houston area airports to make his way on an Air Canada jet to Italy, to Milan. That is remarkable to me that he was able to do all of that while allegedly being monitored by the courts to make sure he didn't have anywhere to go. And normally, obviously, if you're charged with something like this, to be released with an ankle monitor, you still have to have. You have to usually release your passport. You have to hand over any sort of ability to travel outside of the country. But at what point did the ankle monitor go? I know he cut it off, so maybe if you place it in a. Like at night or something on his bed, they wouldn't know he hadn't got out, he hadn't left.
B
I'm trying to think of the experiences and I've obviously never worn one, but I've been around guys who had to use it and I've been around guys and I remember, like, they'll check in with you at a certain time. Like, literally, you hear a voice come on the ankle monitor and if you don't respond back in a matter of minute, they will send somebody right there as a violation of your bail and they will come get you. What he must have known when they're going to check, they're going to know when they're going to check in. But to cut that thing off and make it through an airport, I'm shocked. Did they know immediately it came off and it was just too late? They didn't know where it was at that point. So he's.
A
I mean, the airport, it really. It's something that you would see in a movie that you would say when you watch. That could never actually happen. I can't recall seeing or remembering anything recently where someone charged with that heinous of a crime was A, allowed out on bond and B, was able to cut off their ankle monitor and get far enough away as Italy. That is pretty remarkable. And now he has the, you know, I shouldn't say audacity, but now he's. This is all a part of a legal strategy for him to not come back to the States.
B
A legal strategy that could also end up being some sort of political one, making some statement. Don't send me back there. They're. They're going to kill me. Let me stay here with you all in Italy. I don't know what Italy's rules are. Will they refuse to extradite? We don't know how that's going to go yet. But, yes, he did have a court date today. And it's not the date or the court, I should say, not the country, even where he should have been in court this month, but he is making a plea so he asked the judge, or rather the judge asked him, do you consent to extradition? You heard his answer. No, I do not consent. So what happens now? Well, we await a decision and it's possible, folks, it's possible he might not be coming back soon. Stay here.
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If you're always on the lookout for a great audiobook or just want help figuring out what to listen to next, there's a podcast you should know about.
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It's called earsay, the Audible and I Heart Audiobook Club.
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Hosted by Cal Penn, each episode takes a closer look at some of the most talked about new audiobooks on Audible, spanning a wide range of genres, from sci fi and literary fiction to rom coms, thrillers, and comedy.
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Kyle is joined by guests who dig into what these stories are about, what makes them stand out as audiobooks, and why they're connecting with listeners right now.
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A
Welcome back, everyone, to this episode of Amy and tj. We are talking about a Texas man who was set to begin his murder trial, his capital murder trial for killing his pregnant wife in October of 2024. We're talking about Lee Gilly. He was charged with that serious of a charge, was granted bail a few days after he was arrested. He had an ankle monitor he managed to cut off, had forged documents he managed to purchase somehow, and he made his way all the way to Milan. And he was in an Italian courtroom today telling the judge, yeah, I don't
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want to go back.
A
No thanks, I'll pass. I prefer Europe. I chose Europe, he said, because of its due process guarantees and Italy because there is a strong public opposition to the death penalty.
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And I'm from Texas.
A
Need I say more?
B
Did he mention that he is from Texas now? Did you see if they were for sure going for the death penalty? No case in Texas.
A
And that is why the judge now needed to take a beat because it hasn't been clarified. And he did indicate that he wanted clarification as to whether or not Gilly could possibly be facing the death penalty. We all know a capital murder charge and certainly being convicted of murdering your pregnant wife would certainly put him put the death penalty on the table as far as Texas law goes. Oh, that's funny. I know.
B
I mean, I think there's some shoplifting. That's the death penalty.
A
Possibly. Possibly.
B
Just kidding. Texas, you understand where we're coming from. We know it's not that bad. And Florida is beating you right now in death penalty cases. But anyway, that's neither here nor there. But robes. Yes, it's capital murder. I mean, it's, he's eligible for the death penalty, but they have not said for sure whether they're going to pursue it. But is Italy going to refuse to send him back? Will the judge be able to make this call on his or her own to say, hey, we'll send you, or are there plenty of other people need to be signing off on this? Rose, we're kind of in a standstill right now.
A
It's unclear because the judge asked him specifically, do you want to move to another country? And he said, yes, I chose Europe. I chose Italy. And he thanked the judge twice in Italian. So I bet he's been practicing for this moment just in case he ended up in front of an Italian judge. And so we're waiting basically now on this Italian justice minister. His name is Carlo Nordio. And he'll decide whether or not to extradite Gilly. But it will be curious. I mean, I don't know. I didn't see any indication, did you, as to which way he may, he
B
may rule on this because, I mean, Rome, does the US have to give Italy assurances that we won't seek the death penalty before they'll say, okay, we'll send them back? I'm not sure because they haven't said they're giving him the death penalty yet. So they, I mean, but we need to give you assurances that we won't seek it later.
A
And I'm wondering if just the state of Texas or whoever's making this call, the attorney general, or does this rise to the level of the federal government? I don't know. But the point being, do you really want to incentivize someone? Not that most people would be capable of pulling off something like this, but really, truly incentivize people to flee to another country to escape the laws that are clearly in place in the state that you chose to reside in. I mean, you don't want to incentivize somebody or, and I know that they wouldn't necessarily want to make an example out of anybody, but they certainly wouldn't want this because this is getting international attention. Obviously, Texas folks don't want anyone to think they're in Texas, that someone in Italy, some Italian judge is telling them what they can and cannot do with the prisoner who committed a crime in their state.
B
Yeah. Texas is not going to like some Italian dude and some suede loafers and a double breasted.
A
No jacket.
B
No, they're not jacket. Telling them what to do.
A
No. In an attorney and attorney. Attorney for Gilly. This is interesting. Her name is Monica Grasso. She told NBC News that she is confident that her client will be able to obtain international protection from Italy. Maybe that's just what she's supposed to say, but she sounded confident when speaking to NBC News.
B
They seem like they're trying to turn this into an international incident of some kind. It's they're screaming as loud as they can robes publicly and saying all the things to get attention, get headlines and maybe get something. But this is a strategy. We know this. It's just being done on an international scale.
A
I can't imagine. I know that. Certainly you know, he has other children, by the way. And so there's a back and forth now, a custody battle over who has these children, which grandparents, which set of relatives will be able to watch over these poor children. They've lost their mother and now their father has fled the country. And look, his trial was set to begin in a matter of weeks. So this is a total message and is going to need some resolution pretty quickly.
B
Well, we will see if he can get back quickly enough because I believe it was May 29th is when his trial was expected. Don't know if they could dare still go forward if he gets back. But trial was supposed to happen here in a matter of weeks.
A
Yes. And if it wasn't on anyone's radar, it wasn't necessarily on ours. But it certainly is now. We will be watching to see what happens with Gilly and certainly if and when he makes it back to the United States, we'll be following his trial. But with that, everyone, thank you as always for listening to us. I'm Amy Robach alongside TJ Holmes. We'll talk to you soon. If audiobooks are your thing or you've been meaning to listen to more of them, you should check out a podcast called earsay, the Audible and I Heart Audiobook Club.
B
Hosted by Kal Penn, each episode spotlights standout audiobooks on Audible across all kinds of genres. Sci fi, comedy, romance, thrillers. And with Cal talking to guests who help break down what makes each story worth listening to.
A
It's a fun, easy way to discover your next great audiobook.
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Check out Earsay on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts at cvs.
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Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present
Episode: Texas Man Flees To Italy To Avoid Trial For Murdering His Pregnant Wife
Date: May 11, 2026
Hosts: Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes
Producer: iHeartPodcasts
In this episode, Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes examine the extraordinary case of Lee Gilly, a Texas man accused of the 2024 murder of his pregnant wife, who fled to Italy days before his capital murder trial. The hosts break down Gilly’s calculated escape, legal maneuvers, the questions raised about bond and monitoring procedures, international extradition laws, and the broader implications for the American justice system. The discussion unfolds with a mix of surprise, skepticism, and pointed commentary about the state of justice for serious crimes in the US and the complexities of international law.
Crime and Circumstances:
Bond and Ankle Monitoring:
“A million dollars after you're being charged with capital murder? When you are charged with capital murder, you know that your life is on the line... to give somebody that much time at home... is seemingly irresponsible.” — Amy Robach [08:14]
Preparation and Flight:
“He just flat out admits, hey, this is who I am. This is where I'm from. This is what I'm accused of.” — T.J. Holmes [03:57]
Court Appearance and Plea:
Gilly appeared in Italian court for an extradition hearing and refused consent to return to the U.S. ([04:26]).
“The judge in Italy today asked Lee Gilly, you know, do you consent to be extradited back to the United States? His answer: I do not consent.”— Amy Robach [04:26]
In court, Gilly issued a lengthy denial and appeal for protection:
“My wife is dead, and they wrongly blamed me. That's why I no longer have faith in the justice system. I am innocent. I did not kill my wife. The only crime I committed was fleeing. I fled to avoid being killed. I went to great lengths to escape and seek protection in Italy.” — Lee Gilly, via T.J. Holmes [04:41]
Strategy and Legal Reasoning:
“He was literally praising the country of Italy to the judge in the hopes of persuading him not to send him back.” — Amy Robach [05:24] “I chose Europe ... because of its due process guarantees and Italy because there is a strong public opposition to the death penalty.” — Amy Robach [15:55]
Current Status:
“It's capital murder... he's eligible for the death penalty, but they have not said for sure whether they're going to pursue it. But is Italy going to refuse to send him back?” — T.J. Holmes [16:50]
Bond and Racial/Economic Disparities:
“Can you think of anyone other than a white male who would have been given a bond that was purely attainable for him?... Can you imagine that ever being afforded to anyone of color?” — Amy Robach [06:27]
Failures in Monitoring and Systemic Loopholes:
“To cut that thing off and make it through an airport, I'm shocked. Did they know immediately it came off and it was just too late?” — T.J. Holmes [10:27]
International Legal and Political Complications:
The hosts discuss whether the U.S. or Texas must assure Italy that the death penalty will not be sought in order to have Gilly returned ([18:20]):
“Does the US have to give Italy assurances that we won't seek the death penalty before they'll say, okay, we'll send them back?” — T.J. Holmes [17:59]
Robach raises concerns about setting a precedent that might incentivize others to flee prosecution by seeking protection abroad.
Impact on Gilly’s Family:
Dark Humor and Tone:
The hosts employ a mix of incredulity, dry wit, and critical commentary about Texas justice.
“I think there's some shoplifting. That's the death penalty.” — T.J. Holmes [16:46]
On Italy’s Legal Posture:
Gilly’s attorney, Monica Grasso, assures NBC News she’s confident Gilly can obtain international protection ([19:16]).
“Her name is Monica Grasso. She told NBC News... she is confident that her client will be able to obtain international protection from Italy.” — Amy Robach [19:16]
Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes provide an incisive, sometimes incredulous look at an almost cinematic criminal case—the story of Lee Gilly’s escape to Italy and the complex web of legal, social, and ethical questions it raises. The hosts question the workings of the American bail system, the adequacy of monitoring violent offenders, and the ways in which international law might interact with US justice, especially regarding the death penalty. With the extradition now in limbo, the fate of Lee Gilly (and his children) is left as an ongoing international legal drama.
Notable Final Quote:
“We will be watching to see what happens with Gilly and certainly if and when he makes it back to the United States, we'll be following his trial.” — Amy Robach [20:31]
This episode delivers a rare, real-time insight into a high-stakes case intertwining American criminal justice and international law, with personal and political stakes that go far beyond one courtroom.