HOUSTON — A murder trial was set to begin Monday for a man accused of killing his wife and stuffing her body in a freezer in 2020.
Instead, Curtis Allen Holliday, 62, pleaded guilty to the murder of his 29-year-old wife, Chi Thi Lien Le before testimony began in exchange for a 10-year sentence.
"Given the uncertainties of a trial, even though I believe we had some compelling evidence that this was a suicide, we decided to go with the certainty of the outcome rather than risk a life sentence," defense attorney Dick DeGuerin said after his client's plea.
Prosecutors said their goal was to get justice for Le and her family.
"We are pleased that we were able to get that accountability and he took responsibility for what he did in this case," prosecutor Lindsey Bondurant said.
Holliday was charged with assaulting Le a few months before she was found dead and he was ordered to stay away from her.
Then, Le was reported missing in April 2020 after family members couldn't contact her for several days.
Investigators interviewed Holliday, who was already in the Harris County Jail on charges he had violated the protective order in the assault case.
Deputies then searched Holliday’s place of business in the 5800 block of West Sam Houston Parkway North and found Le’s remains in a commercial freezer.
He was arrested and charged with murder.
Holliday will be formally sentenced in July.