SUGAR LAND, Texas -- A man who confessed to murdering his girlfriend after he saw "The Passion of The Christ" may plead not guilty, News2Houston reported Monday.

Video

Attorney Wants Not Guilty Plea For 'Passion' Client

Daniel Leach, 21, was charged with one count of murder in the death of Ashley Wilson, 19.

Wilson's death was originally ruled a suicide. Investigators thought she hanged herself on Jan. 19 in her Richmond-area apartment. The case was ruled murder after Leach confessed at the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office two months later, officials said.

"I'm demanding that my client enter a plea of not guilty," said Ralph Gonzalez, Leach's attorney. "There's two issues going (on) here -- one is secular, that's a legal system, and the other is religious. He's talking and doing all this other stuff because of his religious beliefs."

Gonzalez said he has an obligation to protect Leach's rights.

"I told him he could choose to either follow my legal advice or fire me and get another attorney," he said.

Gonzalez is also concerned that Leach could face a capital murder charge if Wilson was pregnant at the time of her murder.

Wilson's parents said she was six to eight weeks pregnant.

However, the medical examiner told Gonzalez in a verbal autopsy report that she was not pregnant.

An official, written autopsy is expected to be completed this week.

A federal law says that anyone who kills a pregnant woman can be charged with capital murder. If the murder charge is upgraded, Leach could face the death penalty if convicted.

Wilson's parents told the Today show Monday that Leach does not seem to be sorry.

"He still has killed my daughter and he still is not being remorseful for the fact that he's killed somebody. He's more concerned for himself, and that's something that really bothers us a lot," said Dan Wilson, the victim's father.