HOUSTON – Law enforcement returned to the home of capital murder suspect Lee Gilley on Wednesday afternoon, days after the 39-year-old cut off his GPS ankle monitor while on bond and arrived in Italy, claiming asylum.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office told KPRC 2 News a search warrant was being executed. Houston police were also on scene.
The search began around 3 p.m. Wednesday and wrapped up about three hours later. Prosecutors Janna Oswald and Lauren Bard, who were at the scene, would not share exactly what investigators were looking for or what they may have taken from the home.
But, KPRC 2 News was the only outlet with cameras there as investigators went in and out of the home. They dumped out Gilley’s outdoor trash can, bagged up certain pieces of evidence, appeared to review and photograph certain paperwork, searched his Kia SUV, and hauled boxes of evidence to law enforcement vehicles.
Around 6 p.m., a tow truck arrived on scene and hauled away the SUV, which according to court records, he purchased on the same day he allegedly strangled his pregnant wife without her “knowledge or consent.”
Gilley, who was out of jail on a $1 million bond, was just about a month away from trial when Harris County prosecutors learned from the FBI he had cut off his ankle monitor, left the U.S., and arrived on a flight in Milan, Italy on Sunday.
It’s unclear exactly when he left, but court records indicate his GPS monitor started generating a “strap tamper” alert just after 9 p.m. on Friday.
Federal charges were filed against Gilley on Tuesday, in which investigators said he used the name “Lejeune Jean Luc Olivier” to board an Air Canada flight and allegedly presented a passport and other Belgian identification documents to the Milan Border Police, which investigators say were false and forged.
Air Canada declined to comment when contacted by KPRC 2 News on Wednesday, referring any questions to relevant law enforcement agencies. The airline hasn’t explained how Gilley may have used a fake name and documents to board an aircraft, or if any internal review is underway.
The Canada Border Services Agency also hasn’t provided any answers about how Gilley may have cleared any sort of airport inspections before flying overseas.
For now, Gilley’s trial remains scheduled to start later this month, but it’s possible the date could change depending on when he’s brought back to the U.S. A timeline for his return still isn’t clear.