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Criminal investigation opened in Heights home deed transfer tied to Lee Gilley murder case

Authorities say the home where Gilley is accused of killing Christa Bauer was returned to her family after a filing claimed ownership and locks were changed without their knowledge

Authorities have launched a criminal investigation after a disputed deed was filed for the Heights home connected to the Lee Gilley murder case. Matthew Jackson and Save A Life Homes LLC claimed ownership, but the family of Christa Bauer, the victim, disputed this, asserting ongoing partial ownership. (Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.)

HOUSTON – A criminal investigation has been opened and law enforcement are back at the home of Lee Gilley and Christa Bauer in the Heights.

The development comes after Matthew Jackson & Save A Life Homes LLC filed a deed and claimed ownership rights, while Bauer’s family has said no one should have access to the home, which they still partially own.

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Gilley is accused of murdering Bauer inside the home in October 2024 before cutting off his ankle monitor in May of this year and fleeing to Italy.

A locksmith was also seen at the home today changing the locks after Bauer’s family said Jackson installed cameras and changed the locks without their knowledge.

“No one can make this family whole again, but we took possession of the home and returned it to this family, to the guardians for the children who are survivors of this terrible ordeal,” Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen tells KPRC 2 News. “We have launched a criminal investigation to hold accountable those who sought to steal this home and that investigation is ongoing.”

The Harris County Attorney’s Office is also investigating.