Gwinnett County man sentenced to life for killing wife

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County man has been sentenced to life without parole plus 15 years for killing his wife.
 
Police found Nique Leili's body in the woods a mile from their home in 2011.
 
Channel 2's Rikki Klaus spoke with several of the victim's family members following the verdict Friday, who said they were relieved.
 
Matt Leili's family had a much different reaction. They plan to fight back.
 
"It's not quite real yet," said Nique Leili's sister Amy Robinson.
 
Matt Leili will spend the rest of his life behind bars after he killed his wife, Nique. The judge also tacked on 15 years for unlawful eavesdropping.
 
After eight days in court, the mostly silent and stoic defendant spoke up.
 
"I'm innocent, and I will be filing an appeal," Leili said in court Friday.
 
"I think his reaction was extreme disappointment, but he did not get upset, he just simply articulated in court that he did not do this," said attorney Tom Clegg.
 
Outside the courthouse, one of the couple's daughters echoed Matt's brief comment.
 
"He'll be filing an appeal. You'll see my dad out of jail," daughter Amanda Leili said.
 
That's right where Nique's family thinks their ex-son-in-law should be.
 
"I'm very pleased with the verdict, and I feel that justice has been served," said Harriett Garrett, Nique's mother.
 
"Now finally, thank you God, she has justice," Nique's sister Kathryn Chattam told Klaus.
 
The jury listened to testimony for eight days and hours of profanity-filled phone calls of the couple fighting.
 
Prosecutors say Matt choked Nique to death, then threw her body in the woods and destroyed all evidence.
 
The defense insists they heard nothing during the trial that proves murder.
 
"Our job now is to pick up the pieces and go on with our lives," said Doug Chatham, Nique's father. "For such a little woman, she leaves an awfully big hole."
 
The prosecution says there was enough circumstantial evidence to show Matt did it.
 
Klaus learned Friday night that the appeals process is already underway.

WSBTV