LIVE BLOG: Google searches 'significant' in Millete investigation, CVPD detective says

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NOTE: Judge may order the camera to turn off during certain parts of the hearing (e.g. sidebar). Refresh this story for live updates from the courtroom detailed below.

Friday, Jan. 20 (Day 7):

4:31 p.m.: Court concludes for the day. Cross examination of Detective Ruiz will resume Monday afternoon to accommodate his schedule, since he works the night shift.

4:27 p.m.: Martinez asks if Ruiz and CVPD found any more handwritten letters from Maya during the search from Jan. 2021. The judge shot the question down, saying that was more appropriate for a discovery setting.

4:18 p.m.: The defense begins its cross-examination of CVPD detective Lorenzo Ruiz. Martinez asks Ruiz about the searches of the home, and what stood out to him.

"The one thing that stands out in my mind was the hole that was in the master bedroom door that had since been patched," Ruiz testified. "I thought that was definitely of significance. It did not appear to be an accidental hole, more of an intentional damage to the door. Specifically, the master bedroom. I thought that was pretty significant."

A picture of the door in question was shown in court — and it clearly showed a shoddy patch job was done to repair it.

4:05 p.m.: Ruiz walks the prosecution through more of the evidence uncovered during searches at the Millete home, including another search from Oct. 19, 2021. Some of the evidence included screenshots from Maya's HP laptop and a MacBook computer, which Ruiz said investigators determined Larry was the primary user of.

The screenshots from the HP laptop showed Google searches from Aug. 2020, including "is manhandling a wife physical abuse?" "physical abuse manifesting years after in a marriage," and "can you track an iphone if it's on airplane mode?"

"Subliminal wife training" and "training your wife subliminal" were Google searches from Nov. 2020 on the MacBook.

Ruiz testified that those searches were significant for the investigation since it gave a sense of the control Larry had over Maya.

Another item included Maya's passport, which expired on Nov. 29, 2020.

Ruiz read another handwritten letter, this time from Larry to Maya. In that letter, Larry wrote that he became controlling because he was afraid to lose her.

"And I regret that you feel so suffocated. I regret all the missed opportunities to treat you like a treasured gift from God. I'm not surprised that you want to keep your heart for me when I haven't kept it safe. I know I haven't been safe in the past," Ruiz read from the letter on the stand.

Ruiz also identified spellbooks, and items from Maya's Louis Vuitton purse — including her work IDs and credit cards. The purses were found in a shelf in the master bedroom.

Ruiz also said investigators found a burned credit card and what appeared to be a letter or envelope in the chimney during the search on Oct. 19, 2021.

Police also found a piece of luggage stuffed with cold season attire, like sweaters and beanies, during the Oct. 2021 search.

The prosecution finished direct examination.

3:50 p.m.: Ruiz reads a letter that was handwritten by Maya and addressed to Larry in court — CVPD had found it when it executed a search warrant at the Millete home on Jan. 23, 2021. The letter was dated for Aug. 27, 2020, and it detailed Maya's grievances with their marriage.

3:46 p.m.: Court returns from break. Chula Vista Police Department Detective Lorenzo Ruiz takes the stand, and the prosecution begins direct examination. Ruiz testified that he checked with Uber to see if there were any pickups at the Millete home between 5 p.m. on Jan. 7, 2021, to Jan. 8, 2021, at 9 a.m.

Ruiz said there were no pickups during that timeframe, and when he made another inquiry at a later date to expand that timeframe, there were still no pickups.

Ruiz also said when he asked Navy Federal Credit Union about Maya's debit card usage on Jan. 19, 2021, they told him there were no new charges, aside from automatic payments, on it.

The CVPD detective also said he followed up with Border Patrol and ICE to confirm whether any of the Milletes' vehicles had crossed any Border Patrol checkpoints or port of entries around the time of Maya's disappearance. He said the only incident was from Jan. 3, 2021, at the Campo Border Patrol checkpoint.

He clarified that the stop automatically converts the time to Eastern Standard Time, so that's why earlier discussion in court about that same stop said it happened on Jan. 4, 2021.

3:17 p.m.: Court takes a 15-minute break. The judge asked about the prosecution's remaining witnesses. She replied there are four more — all of whom have law enforcement backgrounds.

Martinez asked Vicente a series of questions about a couple who reported possibly seeing Maya nearby the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas on Feb. 10, 2021.

"I spoke with the hotel's security staff directly. And I was not I was not able to confirm if that was Maya or not. That couple went back home. There was a time delay from when she was seen and when they called the police, because they saw the news article in Hawaii. So — they called us just on the off chance that that might be May, but I have no evidence indicating that that was her," Vicente testified.

He went on to say he did not receive any other tips from any of the other hotels in that area of Las Vegas or from security staff regarding a possible sighting of Maya.

Martinez began asking about a ransom demand for Maya, but the judge said that line of questioning can begin when they return from a 15-minute break.

3:10 p.m.: Martinez asked Vicente about Larry telling him that he was receiving threats, so that's why Larry did not show up or participate in public searches for Maya.

"Correct... That and that he wanted to allow us to handle the searches and look for her," Vicente said.

Vicente also mentioned that there was a break in communication between him and Larry, since Larry had sent text messages to his desk line, so he never received them.

3:01 p.m.: The judge interrupted Martinez's line of questioning regarding Maya's affair with a co-worker at her old job.

"I've heard from the witnesses, and I don't think that this officer should be the one who's giving an opinion about those work related issues... If there's a person you want to talk to that he has a statement from, that's fine, but I don't want him to draw generalized conclusions," the judge said.

2:55 p.m.: Vicente confirmed that his findings showed that Maya wanted to divorce Larry. He also answered questions about Maya's attitudes towards her in-laws living in their house.

2:48 p.m.: Martinez began asking Vicente about Maya's lifestyle. He described her as a woman dedicated to her career and family. Martinez pressed on, asking about her social lifestyle.

"She had a lot of friends, and she liked to go out and meet with them... Hang out. Go to hikes, go to other people's houses. Nothing out of the ordinary," Vicente said.

Vicente also said Larry told him he didn't like Maya's drinking.

Martinez asked more about Maya's social media accounts, looking to see if Vicente found anything relevant to the investigation in them.

"Messages from Facebook indicate that she was not happy in her marriage," Vicente said.

2:43 p.m.: Vicente says that Larry Millete was cooperative "to a certain extent" over the several times he spoke to him during the investigation. Martinez asked if Larry volunteered additional information to police, such as which neighbors would have cameras installed at their homes and their names.

"Yes... correct," Vicente replied to the string of questions from the defense.

2:35 p.m. Defense attorney Bonita Martinez continues her cross-examination of Chula Vista Police Department Detective Jesse Vicente.

Martinez asked Vicente about his interaction with Maya's daughters. He confirmed that one of the daughters told him she heard her mother inside the house on Jan. 8, 2021, as she played in the backyard. Vicente testified that he did not speak to the other daughter.

2:17 p.m.: Martinez asked Vicente how he learned through his investigation that Maya met with another man while she was separated from Larry in May-June 2020.

Vicente said he understood that Maya and Larry were separated during that time. He said he did not know if Maya was seeing another man during the separation period.

Vicente confirmed that Larry told him that Maya would become angry when he asked where she was, so he stopped asking. Vicente also said Larry told him he forgave Maya despite discovering she had an affair.

Vicente said that Larry informed Maya's family that she had an affair, but only because he sought their help in fixing their marriage.

Martinez asked if any of the family members that Vicente spoke to ever saw Larry hurt Maya, and he said none of them saw him hurt her.

2:07 p.m.: Vicente was asked if he learned that Maya had previously left her home without telling anyone where she was going, and he said yes.

Vicente said that during a conversation with Larry, he told him that he was trying to appease Maya and keep her happy in 2020.

“He bought her material things. He allowed her to go out with her friends,” Vicente told Martinez.

1:59 p.m.: Vicente told Martinez that he has personally interviewed about 80 witnesses over the course of the investigation, including Maya’s sister Maricris Drouaillet.

Asked if Drouaillet told him that she did not know where Maya was, Vicente said that was true.

He also confirmed that Drouaillet told him that Maya was having an affair.

1:46 p.m.: Hearing resumes with CVPD Det. Jesse Vicente taking questions from defense attorney Bonita Martinez.

12 p.m.: Judge calls for lunch break.

11:56 a.m.: Martinez asked Vicente if he spoke to Larry Millete on Jan. 11, 2021, at the Millete home. Vicente said he spoke only to Larry.

Vicente described Larry as calm and cooperative. According to Vicente, Larry told him that he called his wife.

Vicente said he looked through Larry’s text messages, adding, “I noticed that on his phone that there were no messages prior to Jan. 9,” Vicente said.

Vicente told Martinez that Larry told him he deleted those messages to save storage space on his phone.

11:50 a.m.: Defense attorney Bonita Martinez begins cross-examination. She asks Vicente if he saw camera footage of Maya entering the U.S. from Mexico in her Lexus vehicle on Jan. 4, 2021. He responds no.

Vicente notes that there was a records check on Jan. 4, 2021, but no border crossing.

Vicente said the Jan. 4, 2021, incident is Maya in her Jeep being contacted at the Campo Border Patrol station as she’s on her way home from the family trip to Glamis.

11:46 a.m.: Bowles asked Vicente if there was any evidence of Maya leaving the country and he said he found there were not records of Maya, Larry, or their vehicles crossing the border in January 2021. Vicente said this was verified through the FBI.

Judge asked which borders, Vicente said pedestrian crossings and flights were checked.

11:41 a.m.: Vicente refers to audio captured on Jan. 7, 2021, at approximately 10:34 p.m. The audio is of children playing in the backyard of the Millete home.

The neighbor, who lives behind the Millete residence, said her camera captured the audio and she told Vicente that she recognized the voices on the footage as the Millete children.

11:32 a.m.: Vicente speaks on footage captured by a home on Jan. 9, 2021. He said at about 1:41 p.m., Larry is seen getting into the Lexus and leaves the house but returns six minutes later. At 6:15 p.m., he leaves in the Lexus again and then comes back five minutes later.

In additional footage, Larry is heard captured on audio/video asking his neighbor to detail his Lexus because it was scratched during a Jeep trip to Anza-Borrego.

11:22 a.m.: Hearing resumes after a recess. Vicente continues testimony with questions from Bowles.

Surveillance footage from Jan. 7, 2021, shows Maya’s Jeep returning to the Millete home at roughly 4:42 p.m. The video is from the same camera that captured Maya and her children at the Jeep at around 3 p.m. that same day.

Vicente said Maya is seen entering the Millete home following the activity at the Jeep at around 4:45 p.m., but she is never seen leaving the residence after that.

10:55 a.m.: Judge calls for 15-minute recess.

10:47 a.m.: Additional surveillance camera footage showing Maya and her children around the family's Jeep is played on a screen. Vicente confirms activity happens around 3 p.m. on Jan. 7, 2021.

10:33 a.m.: Vicente said investigators obtained footage captured by a nearby home’s Ring system, activated when there’s motion near the residence. The footage is from Jan. 7, 2021, at approximately 3 p.m.

The footage shows Maya with her three children removing items from the family’s Jeep. Activity lasts until about 3:20 p.m. and then the video recording stops, according to Vicente.

10:26 a.m.: Three cameras situated at a home on Paseo Los Gatos, near the Millete house, captured a black Lexus leaving Jan. 8, 2021, 6:53 a.m. Vicente noted the timestamp is eight minutes ahead of real-time.

10:13 a.m.: As surveillance footage plays on a screen in the courtroom, Vicente said someone is seen entering the Milletes’ black Lexus and leaving the neighborhood at around 6:45 a.m. on Jan. 8, 2021.

The footage is fast forwarded to 6 p.m. with the Lexus returning to the Millete home. Vicente noted the Lexus did not return to the home during the day.

9:50 a.m.: Vicente said that on Jan. 8, 2021, just before 6 a.m., he said footage captured a person walking out of the Millete home on Paseo Los Gatos to reposition a black Lexus in front of the house. The Lexus pulls into the street and then reparks closer to the house.

Vicente noted that the Lexus left the home at around 6:45 a.m. and then returned to the house on Paseo Los Gatos at approximately 6 p.m.

9:40 a.m.: Vicente said he and his team obtained surveillance footage from a nearby home. The house faces the Millete home, and Vicente noted that the Nest camera continuously records and stores video on the cloud.

Vicente said his team downloaded footage from 3:59 p.m. on Jan. 7, 2021; the footage was an hour, and Vicente said downloads were in one-hour increments.

Vicente said there was footage missing from 12:27 a.m.-12:34 a.m. on Jan. 8, 2021. He said the homeowner believes a Wi-Fi outage may have caused the gap in the recording.

9:32 a.m.: Vicente said on Jan. 13, 2021, he spoke to Larry Millete. Larry gave consent to a download of his cell phone, Vicente told the prosecutor. Vicente added that the phone was taken to the CVPD digital evidence unit.

Vicente said he and his fellow investigators questioned witnesses and sought any surveillance video footage.

9:25 a.m.: Preliminary hearing begins with Jesse Vicente, a detective for the Chula Vista Police Department’s Crimes of Violence Unit, taking the stand.

Vicente told prosecutor Christy Bowles he was asked by another officer on Jan. 11 to look into a case from the weekend regarding the disappearance of Maya Millete. Vicente said Officer Culver felt the case was suspicious.

Thursday, Jan. 19 (Day 6):

4:30 p.m.: Court concludes for the day. Kristeen Timmers, Maya's co-worker and good friend of 10 years, was dismissed from the witness stand. The judge started going over how proceedings will go on Friday, since the defense has some scheduling conflicts.

Court will open at 9 a.m., and the defense will call into their 9 a.m. status hearing for another case, rather than attending it in person. Bonita Martinez's office is trying to move her 1:30 p.m. hearing as well, and the judge will try to coordinate with the other judge to move it.

The deputy district attorney says she plans to call five more witnesses, including those in law enforcement.

4:25 p.m.: The defense shows Timmers a document to refresh her memory.

Martinez said that Maya was texting her friends, and she made a statement saying "Sometime soon... I need to get away somewhere without my kids and Larry..."

Timmers confirmed that Maya made that statement. The defense finished asking questions.

On redirect, the prosecution asked follow up questions expanding on that text exchange.

The end of the text message read "LOL... Wish I could just go somewhere and be alone for a couple of days."

"...What is LOL?" the prosecution asked.

"Laughing out loud — she's joking," Timmers replied.

The prosecution went on to ask if as a mom, Timmers would joke with her other friends, who are also moms, about getting away from the kids. She said yes.

The prosecution also pointed out another text message, in which Maya said she found her law firm, and she expects her intake appointment to be the Tuesday after the Big Bear trip.

The witness was dismissed after redirect, since the defense did not have more questions for recross-examination.

4:15 p.m.: The defense asks Timmers if there was any time during Dec. 2020 or Jan. 2021 that Maya said she just wanted to run away.

"No, I don't remember," she replied.

Martinez then asked if it was true in Dec. 2020 that Maya was not having a good relationship with her in laws.

"I don't know," Timmers said on the stand.

4:11 p.m.: Timmers testified that Maya told her she needed to get through the weekend of Jan. 8 through Jan. 10, 2021. She said Maya wanted a happy birthday weekend for her children during the Big Bear trip, and Maya's divorce appointment was scheduled for the Tuesday after the trip.

When Martinez asked Timmers if she knew why Maya was angry at Larry on May 7, 2020, the judge again reminded the defense to stay on relevant topics.

"Every little thing that occurred in March and May [of 2020] is not relevant to these proceedings," the judge said.

4:03 p.m.: Timmers testified that earlier in the marriage, Larry was a typical husband who had a sense of humor. When asked, she confirmed that Larry made jokes about how Maya was his "sugar mama."

The defense asked Timmers about the statements she made to police on Jan. 19, 2021. Timmers confirmed she didn't notice any major negative interactions between Larry and Maya.

Timmers went on to say that Maya told her that the subliminal messages Larry sent her angered Maya, but she believed they did not damage Maya emotionally or psychologically.

"No, she was just angry about it," Timmers testified.

The defense asked if Maya was scared of Larry.

"She was just scared of him hurting the children... That was toward the end of the year," Timmers testified.

"Did she explain what she meant by that?" defense attorney Bonita Martinez asked.

"No, she stated it simply," Timmers replied.

3:55 p.m.: Throughout the beginning of cross examination, the judge interrupted the defense attorney several times, saying the line of questioning was not relevant or that the witness had already gone over the details at length during direct examination.

3:46 p.m.: The defense begins its cross examination of Kristeen Timmers, Maya's co-worker and good friend of 10 years.

Defense attorney Bonita Martinez asked Timmers about when she first noticed problems with Maya and Larry's marriage. She said early 2020, but when Martinez asked about Larry's overbearing behavior, she testified that he'd always been like that.

Martinez asked if Maya and the group of friends would go to brunch and drink regularly. Timmers said they would do it occasionally, but when Martinez asked more questions about alcohol, she said Maya was not much of a drinker.

3:32 p.m.: Timmers testified that Maya talked about future plans in 2021, including plans to coordinate events for all of their boys' birthdays. Maya also spoke about a Hawaii trip, and Timmers testified she and the other girls made a side text chain to discuss that potential trip.

They discussed it, saying they would go to Hawaii if it were a girls' trip, but if it were a family trip, they wouldn't go. Their reasoning was that Maya would be miserable if Larry was there too.

"If Larry came along and it was a family trip, we just didn't want to be part of that," Timmers testified.

Timmers said she communicated with Maya everyday before Jan. 7, 2021. She also said she has not seen or heard from Maya since Jan. 7, 2021.

The prosecution finished asking this witness questions.

3:27 p.m.: The prosecution asked Timmers about another text thread, this time from Jan. 8, 2021. Timmers sent a message to Maya, saying she needs to check her door for packages since she sent a gift to her home via Amazon.

Maya did not respond to the text about the packages.

The prosecution also asked about a Facebook group chat, in which Maya sent messages to the group on Jan. 7, 2021. The group chat was comprised of Maya's work friends.

In that group chat, Maya shared that Larry wanted 100% custody of the kids. Timmers testified that Maya would never agree to that. Maya also texted about the division of assets.

Timmers testified that she told Maya to give him whatever he wants, expect for the kids and family. She explained that she told Maya that because that was important to her.

3:15 p.m.: Timmers testified that the brunch on Dec. 27, 2020, was the last time she saw Maya. During that brunch, Maya told them about the upcoming Glamis trip. Timmers said she and Maya were still communicating daily, mostly through a Messenger group.

Timmers testified she remembered messaging Maya on Jan. 6, 2021. Timmers sifted through a binder containing lengthy text messages between her and Maya from that day before the prosecution asked her more questions.

Timmers said Maya was telling her that Larry was threatening to open an investigation that was previously unfounded. Maya also sent a text saying she was no longer interested in trying to make it work.

Maya said the couple was in a dark place, and she sent screenshots of text conversations between her and Larry to Timmers, Timmers said on the stand.

The text messages also showed that Maya said she still couldn't get the safe open, and she shared more worries about her finances.

"You'll see the light soon enough, the decision to divorce is the hardest part," Timmers' text to Maya said.

"I really hope so," Maya replied in the thread.

"Yes, there will be better days ahead," Timmers replied.

Timmers said that was the last iMessage she sent Maya that day.

3:06 p.m.: Timmers testifies that she and Maya went to brunch with another friend, Ally, on Dec. 27, 2020. She said they talked about the status of Maya's relationship with Larry, and Maya told them she was moving more and more towards divorce.

Maya said she needed to find money, since Larry was controlling the finances. Timmers testified that Maya's salary was over six figures, and Maya had always made more money than Larry since she had known the couple.

Timmers testified that she and Ally told Maya not to worry about money, and that they would have her back. Maya had also mentioned to them her sisters were starting to financially support her. At this point, Maya said she was starting to put cash away whenever she could.

3 p.m.: Court returns from recess. Kristeen Timmers, Maya's co-worker and good friend of 10 years, returns to the stand. The prosecution continues asking questions.

2:45 p.m.: Court takes a 15-minute break.

2:44 p.m.: Timmers testified that Larry and Maya's relationship clearly deteriorated between July and December 2020. She testified that in July, Maya expressed that she moved back in with Larry because she still loved him, since he's the father of their three children.

Moving forward from that point, Timmers testified that Maya moved more and more towards the divorce option. During a December 2020 meal between friends, Larry repeatedly called Maya. His calls became more frequent as the night progressed, and Maya told him she was wrapping up, according to Timmers' testimony.

Maya disclosed to her friends at that meal she had started seeing a therapist to help her process her emotions surrounding her worsening marriage.

"And through tears, she said 'I'm afraid that Larry will hurt the kids to hurt me,'" Timmers testified.

Timmers says this is the first time she had seen Maya cry. She also said they were all surprised that the situation was that drastic.

The meal with friends ended after they had gotten annoyed with Larry's frequent phone calls.

"So, she's like, I gotta go... We were all just shocked that she would say that," Timmers testified.

"Why? Why were you shocked?" the prosecution asked.

"Because it talked about hurting the kids," she replied.

Timmers then said the children's safety was Maya's number one concern in her decision to move forward with the divorce.

When Maya shared her concerns about potentially losing the house and paying alimony plus child support times three, Timmers said she and the other friends supported Maya, telling her she would make it and be fine.

"Your happiness is worth it. The kids will be fine," Timmers remembered telling Maya.

The prosecution said it is moving to another topic, and the judge called for a brief recess.

2:30 p.m.: The prosecution shows exhibits of Facebook photos in court, asking Timmers if she recognizes the posts. She says yes. The pictures included a photo with her, Maya and another friend. Some of the pictures also showed Timmers with Maya's children, as well as screenshots of text conversations between her and Maya.

The prosecution also asked about the time Maya lived with her younger brother in May 2020, when her and Larry's marriage soured.

Timmers testified that Maya expressed concerns about the tension in her marriage around that time. She spoke positively about Maya's relationship with her children as well.

The prosecution showed more screenshots of text conversations between Maya and Timmers, specifically from August 2020. Maya stated she had been firmly asking for a separartion, and if Larry was not willing to be amicable, then she would just file for divorce.

Timmers also testified about how Maya was angry that Larry took control over the family's finances, including how he took safe investments and moved the money into cryptocurrencies. That conversation took place around Oct. 2020, but Timmers wasn't 100% certain about the timing of that in-person conversation.

2:05 p.m.: Timmers testified that at some point Larry had gotten into Maya's social media accounts. Timmers says Larry would message her off of those accounts as if it were Maya writing the notes. Other times, he'd identify and say it was him sending messaging off off Maya's account, Timmers testified.

1:45 p.m.: Kristeen Timmers, Maya's co-worker and good friend of 10 years, takes the stand. The prosecution begins its line of questioning.

1:30 p.m.: Session resumes after lunch break.

11:56 a.m.: Bostic is excused from the stand. Judge calls for 90-minute lunch break.

11:50 a.m.: Defense attorney Bonita Martinez called for cross-examination of Bostic.

Martinez asked Bostic if he found anything that had clues regarding Maya’s whereabouts, and he answered no.

11:35 a.m.: Prosecutor Bowles goes over several photos and screenshots of missing person fliers on an overhead projector. Bostic explains where the fliers/screenshots were obtained.

11:28 a.m.: Mansfield excused, next witness being called to the stand is San Diego County District Attorney's Office investigator Justin Bostic. He previously worked in the South Bay Courthouse as a pre-trial investigator.

Bostic said he specializes in investigations using open source, such as social media and the internet.

According to Bostic, he began his search for Maya on Jan. 7, 2021. He said any of his findings -- links to sites, downloads, screenshots -- would be included in a report.

11:16 a.m.: Mansfield told Martinez said he was aware of Maya’s marital problems, as he said she told him she was going through a separation.

Martinez asked if Mansfield if there were other times Maya had missed work. Mansfield said he didn’t have that information available.

Mansfield said he reached out to Maya when he noticed her work was suffering. He said he set up some one-on-one meetings to review her assignments and to go over steps for the next assignments.

Mansfield said Maya’s last email sent out was on Jan. 7, 2021.

11:07 a.m.: In a Jan. 7, 2021, text message exchange, Mansfield said Maya told him she would not be able to work her normal hours (message was sent at 11:19 a.m.).

In the message, Maya spoke of having childcare difficulties for her son and she was still trying to work.

Mansfield sent her a text at 7:14 p.m. on Jan. 7, 2021. He then sent Maya another text message on Jan. 10, 2021. Both had no responses.

Mansfield said he texted Maya on Jan. 10 because Maricris Drouaillet, Maya’s sister, expressed concerned that she was missing.

Mansfield told Bowles that he checked his email to check if Maya had sent him any messages, but she did not.

Mansfield said he could not find any evidence that Maya had worked on Jan. 8, 2021. He said he has not heard from nor seen Maya since Jan. 7, 2021.

11 a.m.: Maya was performing well at the job until about mid-November, according to Mansfield. He said noticed delays in her work.

In a December 18, 2020, phone conversation he had with Maya, Mansfield said Maya told him she was going through a separation and “seemed emotional” based on the tone of her voice.

"She seemed to be somebody who cared deeply about her job and wanting to do well," Mansfield told Bowles.

10:57 a.m.: Maya worked a 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. shift from Monday-Thursday, with a roughly 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. shift on Fridays, but had every other Friday off.

At the time, most NIWC workers were teleworking.

10:50 a.m.: Hearing resumes with Brian Mansfield, a supervisor with the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC), taking the witness stand.

Mansfield said he met Maya Millete in 2020 when he interviewed her for a job. She was hired and began work at NIWC in June 2020.

Mansfield told Bowles he heard Maya was looking for another job opportunity and she had "a great reputation" at her previous employer. Maya took a downgrade in rank but her new position with NIWC included a pay raise, according to Mansfield.

10:28 a.m.: Jaypie Tabalanza has been excused; judge asks for 15-minute recess.

10:20 a.m.: Tabalanza told prosecutor Bowles that he didn’t think his sister would voluntarily leave her children or family members, especially her mother who has health problems.

10:05 a.m.: Martinez asked Tabalanza if he remembered sending Larry a text message on Jan. 24, 2021, in which he told Larry he loved him no matter what. He answered that he remembered sending that message.

9:57 a.m.: Tabalanza confirmed he spoke to his sister on Jan. 4, 2021, via Facebook Messenger regarding the upcoming family trip to Big Bear.

During the family trip in Glamis, on Jan. 2, Tabalanza said his sister told him that she was planning to be in Big Bear on Jan. 8.

9:53 a.m.: Tabalanza was asked to describe his sister and Larry’s relationship during the New Year’s trip to Glamis.

“My sister was basically not talking to him,” Tabalanza told Martinez.

9:47 a.m.: Martinez again asked Tabalanza about Larry asking him to help "get that guy," and Tabalanza said he did not remember if he told Larry he would "ask around."

Despite what Larry had asked him, Tabalanza said he didn't believe his sister was in danger.

9:40 a.m.: Asked by Martinez about a conversation on a New Year's trip to Glamis, Tabalanza said Larry told him, “If anyone would take $20,000, you can take $4,000 for your trouble.”

“I don’t want to get involved,” Tabalanza said he told Larry.

9:35 a.m.: Martinez asked Tabalanza if Larry asked him to "look for someone" to "get that guy," and Tabalanza said no.

Tabalanza said he did not tell Maya what Larry had in the "get that guy" conversation.

9:26 a.m.: Martinez asked Tabalanza how he felt when Larry told him that Maya was having an affair, but he said he did not remember.

Tabalanza confirmed he maintained communication with Larry even after finding out Larry and Maya were having marital problems.

9:18 a.m.: Larry Millete’s defense attorney Bonita Martinez begins her cross-examination of Tabalanza.

Martinez asked Tabalanza when he suspected Larry might have something to do with his sister’s disappearance, and he answered, “When he changed his statement (on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021).”

Tabalanza said he spoke to Larry over the phone on Jan. 9 and asked where his sister was. Tabalanza told Martinez that Larry’s statement changed from what he told him on Jan. 8. He asked Larry where he went on Jan. 8, and Larry responded that he was “driving around” and feeding his son French fries all day.

9:14 a.m.: Tabalanza said he has not seen or heard from his sister since Jan. 2, 2021. His last discussion with Maya was regarding the planned trip to Big Bear for the upcoming weekend.

9:08 a.m.: Hearing resumes with prosecutor Christy Bowles continuing questions for Maya Millete's brother, Jaypie Tabalanza.

Wednesday, Jan. 18 (Day 5):

4:27 p.m.: Court adjourned for the day and will resume Thursday at 9 a.m.

4:23 p.m. Tabalanza FaceTimed called Larry and asked where Maya was. He said she was locked inside the room. He didn't seem surprised or concerned.

4:14 p.m. Bowles asked if Tabalanza had talked to Maya on Jan. 8. He said no, and he stated it caused some concern considering what they were going through.

He tried to get a hold of her via Facebook message, but she didn't answer. He tried to call Larry and he didn't respond. He also asked his daughter to call Maya but she didn't get a hold of her either. He asked his brothers to check on her because they were in San Diego. He waited to hear back from anyone.

He got a text from Larry at 6 p.m., who said he had just got home.

4:03 p.m.: Bowles asked if Larry had mentioned any other time about getting rid of the other guy. Tabalanza said yes during a trip to Glamis while they were off-roading on the dunes. Larry asked if he knew anyone who could "get that guy" and he would pay $20,000. He was willing. to give him $4,000 to find someone. Tabalanza said he didn't want to get involved.

He told Larry to let it go.

4:00 p.m.: Bowles asked if there was another similar occasion in which they discussed the person Larry alleged was having an affair with. Tabalanza said on December 25, 2021. Larry said the only way he could get Maya back was to get rid of the other guy.

3:57 p.m.: Bowles asked Tabalanza if Larry had said anything about a person he believed she was having an affair with during a phone call in June 2020. Tabalanza said Larry had caught Maya with another man, possibly in a car. He said he was disappointed.

3:55 p.m.: Court goes back on the record.

3:47 p.m: A sidebar is called.

3:45 p.m.: Bowles asked Tabalanza if he talked to Larry about his marriage with Maya. Tabalanza said yes and that Larry suspected that Maya was having an affair and that he was upset.

Bowles asked Tabalanza what Larry wanted to do about it. Tabalanza said Larry wanted to keep fighting for Maya.

Bowles asked Tabalanza if Larry asked him to talk to his sister. Tabalanza said yes. Larry wanted him to try to convince her to stay in the marriage.

3:43 p.m.: Jaypie Tabalanza, Maya's brother, is called to the stand.

3:23 p.m.: Martinez asked Sopps if there was an investigation involving a woman having an affair or improper relationship in his department in February 2020. Sopps said yes.

Martinez asked if the woman appear to explain the allegations. Sopps said no.

3:18 p.m.: Cross-examination begins.

3:12 p.m.: Bowles asked Sopps about a call he had with Maya on January 6, 2021. Maya told him that she was divorcing Larry and had hired an attorney. He found out and was giving him a heads up that he threatened to ruin her professionally. He didn't know what it meant but feared it would bring back the February 2020 incident.

Bowles asked when he learned Maya was missing and if he sent out an email to her former coworkers. Sopp said he learned about her disappearance on approximately Jan 10 and that he wanted to let those who knew her know that she was missing.

Sopps was asked if he had any communication with her after he learned she was missing. He said he texted her that day to ask if she was okay. He didn't hear back.

3:07 p.m.: Bowles asked Sopps at any point did she confine in him about what was happening he said it was in February. She told him that she and Larry were possibly separating. Maya said he tracked her on her phone and controlled her access to her financial accounts. He also insisted on having the password to all her social media accounts.

2:58 p.m.: Bowles asked if Sopps had received any emails from Larry and what did say. Sopps said yes, he had received an email from Larry a few weeks later asking any to move one of May's other subordinate employees out of her division and into another.

Bowles asked if that was unusual. Sopps said yes. He had never had an employee's significant other reach out for anything.

Bowles asked if there were more emails. Sopps said yes. Bowles asked Sopp to read the email from Feb. 27, 2020, in which Larry asked Sopp to move Eric Coogan to another division to help Maya reset herself and refocus on their relationship.

2:56 p.m.: Bowles asks Sopps if he had met Larry. Sopps said yes in February 2020.

Bowles asks Sopps what the circumstances of that meeting were. Sopps said Larry had come to pick up May (Maya) for lunch. They had had an incident of a woman calling around accusing May of having an affair with a subordinate because of those calls. They had a meeting in his office to clear it up.

Bowles asked if it did. Sopp said yes.

2:53 p.m.: Derick Sopps is called to the stand. Sopps was Maya's supervisor at NASCI Southwest Regional Maintenance Center from 2017 to 2020.

2:49 p.m.: Court resumes. The judge asks Martinez to conclude the cross-examination.

2:33 p.m.: The judge ordered a break due to the witness' emotional state.

2:31p.m.: Martinez asked Talabanza about the holes inside Larry's home and who put them there. Talabanza told her that Larry would punch the wall when he got angry and that they would patch the holes.

2:26 p.m.: Martinez asked Talabanza if she had suggested spellcasting to Larry. Talabanza said absolutely not, that she referred them to their church and pastor for help.

2:22 p.m.: Martinez asked Talabanza if she remembered any event in 2020 in which Maya lied to her; Tabalanza responded yes.

Martinez asked Talabanza if Maya, after moving out of her apartment and back to the Millete residence, admitted to her that she was having an affair with a co-worker, Talabanza said no.

2:15 p.m.: Tabalanza said during a Thanksgiving family trip to Glamis, she did not notice any fighting between Larry and Maya. They acted normal, Tabalanza said.

Martinez then brought up the family’s trip to Glamis on New Year’s Eve 2020, asking Tabalanza what Maya’s demeanor was on that trip.

Tabalanza said she and Maya were in a trailer and they talked about Maya wanting a divorce from Larry.

Tabalanza told the court that Maya planned to file for divorce after her daughter’s birthday party. She added Maya told her to not take Larry’s calls anymore. Tabalanza repeated that Maya told her that if anything were to happen to her, “it would be Larry.”

Tabalanza noted that Jan. 1, 2021, in the trailer in Glamis, was the last time she saw her sister-in-law.

2:11 p.m.: Asked by Martinez if she had concerns over Maya’s safety, Tabalanza said no.

2:03 p.m.: Martinez brought up the June 27, 2020, text message exchange between Larry and Tabalanza in which Larry stated that he saw Maya with a man named Jamie in a truck.

Martinez asked Tabalanza what she remembered about that exchange, and Tabalanza said Larry texted her and asked if he should approach the truck and she told him not to do anything.

Tabalanza then said Larry proceeded to approach anyway and asked the man, “What are you doing with my wife?”

1:56 p.m.: Tabalanza said Maya left her job at SWRMC and moved on to NIWC in hopes of a better opportunity. Tabalanza transferred in Dec. 2020 from SWRMC to NIWC, working in the same building as Maya.

She told Martinez that she did not see Maya while working in the same building.

1:51 p.m.: "Was there a time in 2020 when you were afraid of Ms. Millete?" Martinez asked.

Tabalanza replied, "I don't remember."

1:42 p.m.: Martinez asked Tabalanza what Maya's demeanor was when she lived with them in May-June 2020.

"She's happy when she stayed with us," Tabalanza answered.

Martinez asked Tabalanza if she recalled telling a Chula Vista Police officer that she saw Maya talking on the phone, giggling, and asking her to babysit her children. Tabalanza said she did recall that.

1:35 p.m.: Before the hearing resumes, Judge Dwayne Moring addresses the court regarding sidebars conducted during the preliminary hearing.

After the judge's statement, the hearing resumes with Genesis Tabalanza, Maya Millete's sister-in-law, back on the witness stand. Larry Millete's attorney, Bonita Martinez, is set to continue her cross-examination.

11:59 a.m.: Judge orders a break for lunch. Hearing is set to resume at 1:30 p.m.

11:52 a.m.: Martinez asked Tabalanza if she was aware Maya was allegedly having an affair with someone at her workplace. Tabalanza responded that she only knew after Larry told her in February 2020. Tabalanza said Larry was suspicious that it was true.

Tabalanza said when Maya moved in with her in May 2020, it was for a separation but at that time Maya was not thinking of divorcing Larry at that time.

11:43 a.m.: In February 2020, Tabalanza said Larry called her and told her that Maya was under investigation at work. She told Martinez that she did not know about it until Larry informed her. Tabalanza said she never talked to Maya about the investigation.

Regarding other communication she had with Larry in 2020, Tabalanza told Martinez that Larry brought up the marital issues with Maya. Martinez said she wanted to help.

Martinez asked Tabalanza if she ever told Larry to stop calling or texting her, and she replied no. Tabalanza said she referred him to a church pastor for help.

Tabalanza confirmed that Larry and Maya did go to a church pastor for guidance, but she didn’t know how often they visited with the pastor.

11:30 a.m.: Martinez asked Tabalanza when Maya began complaining about the issues in her marriage, and Tabalanza said it began in January 2020.

Tabalanza told Martinez that the first complaint came from Maya, who asked her for a place to stay and confided in her that she wanted to separate from Larry. According to Tabalanza, Maya felt “exhausted” by her husband and needed space from him to “clear her head.”

Tabalanza said she told Maya that she was welcome to live with her if she needed to.

Tabalanza noted that she was initially shocked when she learned from Maya about her marital issues with Larry.

“I feel like she needed someone to listen to her concerns. So, if she needed a place to stay, then yes, she's more than welcome.”

11:25 a.m.: Tabalanza is asked her thoughts on the Milletes' marriage and she said she felt like it was "perfect" and she thought Larry and Maya were happy.

Martinez asked Tabalanza if she ever noticed any violent activities in the house when she lived with the Milletes in 2016 for several months, and she said she didn't.

"It's just a normal family," Tabalanza told Martinez.

11:20 a.m.: “Since January 7, 2021, have you seen your sister-in-law, your friend? Have you heard from her? Any communication from her since January 7?” asked Bowles.

“No,” Tabalanza responded.

Prosecution ends questioning, and Larry Millete’ attorney Bonita Martinez is set for cross-examination.

11:13 a.m.: Tabalanza was asked by Bowles if she attended searches and vigils for Maya, and she said she did. She told the court that Larry did not.

Bowles asked about an instance in February 2021 when Larry called Tabalanza. During the phone conversation, Tabalanza said that Larry told her that he trusted her and he added,“Just don’t do anything stupid.”

Tabalanza said she didn’t know what Larry meant by that. She said the comment concerned her.

11:08 a.m.: Bowles asked Tabalanza about the planned Jan. 8, 2021, trip to Big Bear. Tabalanza said there were concerns raised that day because Maya did not respond when the family members were discussing the logistics of the trip.

Tabalanza confirmed she went to the Millete residence on the afternoon of Jan. 9, 2021. She said she asked Larry where Maya was, and she told Bowles that Larry said that Maya might have gone hiking. His demeanor was calm, Tabalanza said.

Tabalanza noted that Larry would, in the past, panic if he didn't know where Maya was. But this time, Tabalanza said Larry was calm.

10:59 a.m.: After a recess, Genesis Tabalanza's testimony continues with prosecutor Christy Bowles asking about the family's New Year's Eve/Day trip to Glamis.

There was a moment during the trip in which Tabalanza said Maya told her that Larry wanted affection but she felt that it was hart for her to give that to him.

Later, in a trailer, Tabalanza said she spoke to Maya again about a conversation they had about Maya's marriage to Larry.

According to Tabalanza, Maya told her to stop answering Larry's calls because "anything that you say to him is going to be used against me." Maya went on to say that he was going to file for divorce and added, "If something happens to me, it would be Larry," Tabalanza told the prosecutor.

After her family went home from the trip on Jan. 1, Tabalanza said she never saw or spoke to Maya again.

10:28 a.m.: In a December 18, 2020, text message exchange with Larry, Tabalanza said that he told her that Maya learned that he was using subliminal messages.

Tabalanza said that Larry explained the subliminal messages he used as hidden messages in the form of white noise.

10:24 a.m.: Larry said in a September 23, 2020, text message to Tabalanza that he told Maya he would report her and make her lose her job and gain full custody of the children if she didn’t try to help fix their marriage.

In one message to Tabalanza, Larry wrote, "She needs to be humbled."

10:18 a.m.: In a text message sent to Tabalanza on September 15, 2020, Larry said he would seek the help of spellcasters, saying, “I’m desperate,” as far as fixing his marriage with Maya.

Tabalanza said she knew that Larry and Maya were having marital problems since January 2020. She said she wanted to help, even referring them to a church pastor and a counselor for advice.

"There's going to be bad consequences if you do these things," Tabalanza said she told Larry when he mentioned the spellcasters.

10:05 a.m.: According to Tabalanza, in an August 12, 2020, text message exchange between Maya and Larry ,Larry confirmed that he left their daughter’s cell phone in Maya’s vehicle.

Tabalanza said Maya was upset about what Larry told her and mentioned that she wanted to leave the marriage.

On this same day, Tabalanza said Larry called her husband, Jay-R, asking for help because Maya said she wanted to call police to ask for a restraining order.

Tabalanza and her husband decided to go to the house, and they spoke to Larry – with his father present – in the garage. Tabalanza said she and her husband were telling Larry to “let it go” because it seemed that Maya did not want to stay.

Larry told them that he was willing to change and go to counseling, Tabalanza said.

In the same conversation, Larry also mentioned that he could also "report them" (Maya and the man he believed she was having an affair with), according to Tabalanza.

9:55 a.m.: Tabalanza spoke about an instance on June 27, 2020, where Larry said he followed Maya after she got into a white truck.

According to Tabalanza, Larry told her that he left a phone belonging to his oldest daughter in Maya’s 4Runner.

Larry followed the truck to a parking lot and saw a man with Maya. In a text message exchange, Larry asked Tabalanza what he should do but she said she told him not to do anything.

Larry, however, approached the truck as a man named Jamie and Maya sat inside. Tabalanza said that Larry asked the man, “What are you doing with my wife?”

Maya was surprised and started crying, Tabalanza said.

June 27, 2020, was the day Maya moved back to the Paseo Los Gatos home.

9:46 a.m.: Tabalanza said when Maya lived with her and her husband (Maya's brother) in May 2020, Larry sent dozens of text messages to her, mostly asking what Maya was doing.

During Maya's time living with Tabalanza, Larry would bring the children over, Tabalanza said.

By the end of June 2020, Tabalanza said Maya moved back to the home she shared with Larry.

9:44 a.m.: Tabalanza's testimony resumes after sidebar.

9:30 a.m.: Judge calls for sidebar discussion.

9:15 a.m.: Tabalanza told prosecutor Christy Bowles that during a hike she was on with Maya, Maya told her that she needed space because it gave her a clear head when she was away from Larry.

Tabalanza also mentioned that Maya told her that Larry would punch the wall whenever he got angry. According to Tabalanza, she never saw the marks on the wall, but Maya told her that they would just patch up the marks to cover them.

9:05 a.m.: Testimony from Genesis Nicolas-Tabalanza, Maya Millete's sister-in-law, is expected to continue this morning.

Tuesday, Jan. 17 (Day 4):

4:30 p.m.: The judge dismissed Tabalanza for the evening. Court will resume at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18.

4:15 p.m.: Tabalanza said her communication with Larry increased during that time and Larry expressed to her that he was suspecting that Maya was having an affair. She said he never asked her if Maya was having an affair and he told her he was afraid that Maya was going to leave him.

Tabalanza said she remembered being somewhat bothered and found it unusual how much Larry would text her about Maya's whereabouts. She also said she recalled Maya telling her how exhausted she was in the marriage and how Larry called her nonstop during a PSP audit trip.

The prosecutor presented a text message between Larry and Tabalanza where Larry asked her to help him with Maya and their marriage.

4 p.m.: Genesis Nicolas-Tabalanza from the Department of Defense U.S. Navy was called to the stand. Tabalanza said she works at the home of the San Diego Naval Information Warfare Center.

Tabalanza said she met Maya in 2004 and they were really good friends and Maya practically became a big sister to her. Tabalanza said even though they had a close relationship, Maya liked to keep things professional. Tabalanza temporarily lived with Maya and Larry for about three months in 2016.

Tabalanza said she first learned Maya and Larry were having issues in their marriage when Maya asked Tabalanza if she could live with them. Tabalanza said the word "separate" surprised her in regards to her and Larry. Maya then stayed with Tabalanza and her husband in February 2020 and left in June 2020.

3:54 p.m.: The prosecutor presented the bodycam transcript between Culver and Maya's sister, and Culver said Drouaillet indicated that she last spoke to her sister on Jan. 8.

Culver said from his understanding, the family was supposed to take a trip to Big Bear Mountain starting Jan. 8 and there was no indication of when they were coming back.

The defense rested and Culver was excused from the stand.

3:32 p.m.: Culver said Wilkening told him that it had been days since Maya spoke with them in their group chat. Wilkening also said another friend of theirs offered Maya a place to stay but no one had heard from her since.

When asked if he noticed any repairs in Maya and Larry's bedroom, Culver said he was not aware of any. Culver recalled speaking with Courtney Cobb, a friend of Maya's, who told him that Maya told the group that she and Larry had gotten into a big argument and she was planning to file for a divorce.

3:19 p.m.: Court resumes after a brief recess.

When the defense asked if Culver made a correction to the police report, Culver said the incorrect portion was that Maya never canceled the Big Bear trip.

Culver said he did not get a chance to see every single room of the house because his partner Officer Lopez and him divided the responsibility from the portions of the house that he did specifically observe. He was satisfied that there did not appear to be any sign of struggle or violence.

Culver said officers often have to ask for permission to enter homes but Larry was welcoming and invited them inside.

3 p.m.: The judge called for a 15-minute recess.

2:57 p.m.: Culver said he was made to believe the children in the home were sleeping so he did not speak with them.

Culver said Ms. Wilkening expressed concern for Maya's safety, specifically because she knew Maya and Larry had a number of marital difficulties over the years. Specifically, she told Culver that Maya and Larry had been in a number of altercations and that she was not sure if they ever got physically violent.

Culver said Wilkening specifically recounted an incident in that Maya was so fearful for her safety that she locked herself in a bathroom. But Larry allegedly punched through the drywall that was next to the bathroom door to unlock it from the inside so that he could approach Maya.

2:46 p.m.: Culver said while he and other officers checked the home, every makeup cabinet and all of the toiletries along with the clothing areas of the bedroom. All appear to be full and nothing looks like anyone grabbed any large quantities of clothing or supplies. He also said there were suitcases packed at the bottom of the stairs and the entire house was in a disarray.

Culver said Officer Walsh conveyed to him that Larry showed her his cell phone specifically to show that Maya did not reach out to him or contact him. But the entire history of their conversation only went back a day or two prior to that.

2:37 p.m.: Officer Ryan Culver with the Chula Vista Police Department was called to the stand. Culver said he is assigned to the traffic division as a DUI enforcement officer and collision investigator.

On Jan. 9 to 10, Culver said he was working as a patrol officer and he was assigned to the Chula Vista Police Department patrol division. Culver said assigned to assist one of the officers with a missing person investigation at a home in Paseo Los Gatos.

Culver said he arrived at the Milletes' home with two other officers and spoke with Larry, who invited them into the home. Culver said Larry was extremely cooperative with officers.

2:28 p.m.: In the cross-examination, Martinez asked Hinckley if there were requirements and if it offered insurance coverage, Hinckley said it is just a social group with jeeps and there's no insurance and it's not an organized official group.

Hinckley said the most he observed about Larry during the second trip was that Larry was not sitting in the front seat, and he did not enter the mud cave with them. As far as Maya and Larry's interaction that day, Hinckley said they both seem engaged.

The defense rested and Hinckley was excused from the stand.

2:20 p.m.: Hinckley said when they were in the mud caves, just excited as her kids were just engaged, playful, curious, adventurous, and laughing. He also said he hardly had any interaction with Larry aside from an introduction.

Hinckley said after the run on Dec. 26, Maya and the rest of the group made plans to do more explorations and camping in early 2021. Hinckley said when he mentioned visiting Laguna with his kids because it was snowing, Maya said she was envious of those who were able to go and she would not be able to because she had to work.

2:10 p.m.: On another trip to a Jeep run in Sin Nombre Canyon on Dec. 26, Hinckley recalled Maya bringing her entire family, including Larry and their son.

Hinckley said he orchestrated this trip and they all met at Golden Acorn Casino & Travel Center in Campo before going to mud caves. The prosecutor then showed Hinckley a group photo where he had to identify each individual.

2:05 p.m.: When shown exhibits by the prosecutor, Hinckley said he potentially recalled taking photos of Maya and one of her daughters. And when shown a string of private messages, Kevin, who was the leader of the run, made a joke by saying, "May (Maya), I think there's room for improvement on your technique."

Hinckley said he chimed in saying "oh but my you captured the best essence of life. Unfiltered fun and love. Your daughters are having pure fun with you."

2 p.m.: Hinckley said he met Maya at the run with her two daughters and she was excited because of her new Jeep Rubicon. He said she was a ball of energy and so were her daughters. The mother and her daughters appeared to be having fun and plenty of pictures were taken.

Hinckley said Maya was considered a "beginner" during the run and she seem more interested in learning more about them.

1:50 p.m.: Tabalanza was excused from the stand and Blaine Hinckley, a plumber who met Maya through an off-roading group on Facebook, was called to the stand.

Hinckley said he first physically met Maya around December 12, 2020, during a "run" or trail in the desert, far east in the Ocotillo desert area. He explained this run involves Jeeps and they would just ride the trails for a period of time.

1:44 p.m.: When asked if he returned to Larry and Maya's home to ask if Larry was responsible for his daughter's disappearance, Tabalanza said he simply just asked him where his daughter was and they did not see each other anymore after that.

1:39 p.m.: After returning from recess, Tabalanza said Larry showed him a handgun with the nickname "Black." He said after seeing the gun, he didn't assume Larry would use the gun to hurt anyone—yet.

12 p.m.: Judge dismisses court for lunch break. Hearing to continue at 1:30 p.m., with Maya Millete's father resuming his testimony at 2 p.m.

11:52 a.m.: Tabalanza was asked if he saw Maya's Jeep parked outside of the house and he said he believed it was there.

Tabalanza again stated that Larry told him, "Don't worry, papa, she will be back. I cannot do that because I love her."

"I wonder why he said that. What does he mean?" Tabalanza told the court.

11:46 a.m.: Martinez asked if Tabalanza was aware of the planned trip to Big Bear, and he said he heard about it but he was not a part of the trip. He said he didn't want to go because it's cold there.

Going back to the Jan. 9, 2021, visit to the Millete home, Tabalanza said he searched three rooms and did not find Maya.

Tabalanza said he didn't ask Larry to look for any other missing items after Larry had mentioned the missing credit card.

11:42 a.m.: Tabalanza said he has not spoken to anyone with the Chula Vista Police Department.

11:28 a.m.: Tabalanza again said Larry did not show any reaction when he arrived at the Millete home on Jan. 9, 2021.

Tabalanza told Martinez that when he entered the house, he asked Larry right away where Maya was. Tabalanza said Larry told him that Maya was upstairs, and he just proceeded to go upstairs with Larry right behind him.

Martinez asked if he remembered if Larry was wearing an outfit without pockets on that day, Tabalanza said he didn't recall. Martinez brought up this question because she asked if Tabalanza remembered whether Larry pulled a key to the door from his pocket.

Asked what he did at the Millete home while waiting for Maya to return, Tabalanza said through his interpreter, "I just kept crying."

11:17 a.m.: Speaking about the Jan. 4, 2021, conversation he had with Larry, Tabalanza told the defense that Larry told him there was no need to come to the Millete home. A short time later, Tabalanza said he received a phone call from Maya and she asked why he wasn't coming over. He said he explained to her that Larry said his aunt would be there to watch the children.

11:10 a.m.: Martinez asked Tabalanza if he lived with Larry and Maya when he first arrived in California, and he said yes. Tabalanza said he lived with them for "maybe over a month."

11:02 a.m.: Prosecution ends questioning. Larry Millete's attorney, Bonita Martinez, will begin her cross-examination.

10:45 a.m.: Prosecutor asks Tabalanza if he had a conversation with Larry about one of Maya's friends or co-workers. He said Larry only told him that Maya had friends from work that she went out with.

Tabalanza said he has seen Larry holding a gun, specifically talking about a time during a family gathering in Moreno Valley in 2020 where Larry came to him and said, "Papa, I will kill [him/her]. I will kill [him/her]," and at the same time he lifted his shirt and there was a gun in his waistband.

Larry did not say who he was talking about, Tabalanza told the prosecutor.

Tabalanza said the incident happened 2-3 months before Maya disappeared, from what he remembered. He said it was just him and Larry in this interaction. There was no conversation that led up to him making those statements and showing the gun, according to Tabalanza.

"I don't understand why he said that to me," Tabalanza said through his interpreter.

Larry never mentioned to him that he suspected Maya was having an affair with a co-worker, Tabalanza said.

10:45 a.m.: Session resumes with Pablito Tabalanza, Maya Millete's father, taking questions from the prosecution.

10:27 a.m.: Judge orders a 15-minute recess.

10:18 a.m.: Tabalanza told the prosecutor that when he entered the room he noticed Maya's bed inside was made and clean. He found that unusual because Maya would not make the bed whenever she leaves early, and Tabalanza said he was told that by Larry.

Tabalanza said he was at his daughter's house on Jan. 9, 2021, for maybe 6-7 hours. He said he was at the house that long to wait for his other children to arrive. While waiting, Tabalanza said Larry told him that Maya would be back.

Tabalanza described Larry's demeanor was as if nothing happened. It also did not seem like he was angry or upset, he said. Tabalanza said Larry seemed calm and was playing with the children and an aunt.

Tabalanza felt Larry' behavior that day was different.

10:08 a.m.: Maya's father said Larry did not look around the room for Maya's purse or wallet.

The prosecutor asked what Larry's reaction was when he entered the room, and Tabalanza said he seemed surprised. He said Larry went straight to the table and said that the credit card was not there. He confirmed again that Larry told him that Maya was in the upstairs room.

Tabalanza said he did not hear Larry say that he would call Maya's phone. He said Larry did not try to call Maya's phone or tried to look for her phone in the room.

Tabalanza said Larry mentioned that Maya might be with her friends, but he told Larry to go call Maya's friends. He said Larry told him he didn't have the friends' phone numbers anymore.

According to Tabalanza, Larry didn't show any reaction that his wife was missing. He didn't seem worried also, Tabalanza said.

"Why wasn't he worried when his wife was missing?" Tabalanza said he wondered at the time.

Tabalanza said he was worried because "my child was missing."

Tabalanza said Larry put his arm around him and said there was nothing to worry about and there's nothing going on. According to Tabalanza, he said Larry told him, "I will never do that because I love Maya."

9:48 a.m.: Tabalanza confirmed that he and his wife Noemi went to Larry and Maya's Chula Vista home on Jan. 9, 2021, and asked Larry where his daughter was. Larry told him Maya was upstairs in a bedroom, Tabalanza said.

Tabalanza said he tried to open the door but it was locked. He also called for Maya loudly and bumped the door with his elbow, but there was no response. He told the prosecutor that Larry was behind him at the time.

He said he asked Larry if there was a key to the door, and Larry said there was a key. He took it out of his pocket and unlocked the door and opened it, according to Tabalanza.

The prosecutor asked Tabalanza if he was surprised Larry had a key, and he said he was surprised because no one else can enter that room except Maya. He did not know his son-in-law had a key to that room.

Tabalanza entered the room and called for Maya, but nobody responded.

Larry said a credit card was not on a desk where Maya typically worked, according to Tabalanza. He said he was surprised that Larry would mention that a credit card was not there and not wonder where his wife was because he had said earlier that Maya was in the room.

Tabalanza said Larry did not look around the room for Maya.

9:41 a.m.: Tabalanza said Maya asked him on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, to come to the house that day to babysit her youngest child, whom he knows as Tristan. He said he has "maybe 16" grandchildren.

Tabalanza told the prosecutor he was planning to go but ended up not going because he said Larry told him that his aunt would go to the house to babysit.

Tabalanza said that in a phone conversation with Maya that Larry had called him and told him he did not need to come over. The father said his daughter's tone of voice seemed "mad."

That was the last time Tabalanza said he spoke to Maya.

9:38 a.m.: Tabalanza, asked about a Christmas 2020 family celebration, said Maya seemed happy at the gathering, but Larry was outside and seemed unhappy.

9:36 a.m.: Maya's father said Larry called him a lot more over the course of 2020 than in previous years.

9:30 a.m.: Tabalanza said he knew that Larry and Maya were arguing/fighting, but he was not sure whether they wanted to separate.

Asked if Maya ever spoke to him about things in her personal life, Tabalanza said no. However, he spoke about one instance in which he told Maya that Larry had called him, but he said his daughter told him to "ignore him."

9:26 a.m.: Tabalanza told the prosecutor that he would receive numerous phone calls from Larry Millete in which he would ask him to talk to Maya for him.

Tabalanza said Larry would ask him to give advice to Maya, but he would say he didn't know what kind of advice he could offer his daughter. He said Larry wanted him to speak to his daughter about their marriage.

9:08 a.m.: Day 4 of the preliminary hearing is underway with Maya Millete's father, Pablito Tabalanza, on the witness stand. An interpreter is assisting with Mr. Tabalanza's testimony.

Friday, Jan. 13 (Day 3):

4:35 p.m.: The defense concluded its questioning of Tabalanza, and the judge dismissed the witness. Court will resume 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17.

4:25 p.m.: Martinez asked Tabalanza why he didn't tell Larry why he drove a different way home to try to see a light from the master bedroom on Jan. 8, 2021. He testified there wasn't a reason, since he decided to do that after he had left.

He testified that he drove slowly, taking a route to see the back of the house, and was able to see from the road that the light still wasn't on.

The defense asked more questions about Jan. 9, 2021, which was the day the family determined Maya had gone missing. They specifically asked Tabalanza about the timing of when he was there versus when other family members were at the house that day.

4:15 p.m.: The defense asked Tabalanza several questions about the time Maya was staying with him during May 2020, including her behavior. At one point, the judge said he had heard more than enough about Maya living with him, since it was discussed at length during direct examination.

Tabalanza testified that he was not concerned about any danger to his sister when she returned back to her house with Larry in June 2020.

"Did you follow through with your sister as to how the relationship was progressing?" Martinez asked.

"Not really," Tabalanza replied.

Tabalanza also testified it's fair to say he had a good relationship with Larry.

The defense then asked Tabalanza about his earlier testimony, when he said Larry told him "he wants to get the other guy." Tabalanza testified that Larry said that after Maya admitted to him about the alleged affair.

Tabalanza said he understood Larry's statement to mean he was going to inflict some sort of violence against the man Maya had an affair with.

Tabalanza said he visited his sister shortly after she moved back in with Larry in June 2020. He testified that he did not see signs and symptoms of domestic violence against Maya during that visit.

Martinez went on to ask Tabalanza about his Jan. 8, 2021, visit to the Millete house.

3:50 p.m.: Tabalanza described some moments from a 2020 Thanksgiving trip to Glamis. He testified that Larry and Maya did not talk to each other for the entirety of the two days they were there.

The defense asked about Larry's phone calls from Jan. 2020. Tabalanza testified he does not remember what exactly he told Larry, but he offered advice to help keep the relationship together. He also said he tried to convince Maya to stay with Larry, but he again did not recall the specifics.

3:35 p.m.: The defense asked Tabalanza about Maya moving in with him during 2020 and why she wanted to separate from Larry. He testified that Maya laid out the reasons via texts, which were shown in court exhibits.

"She didn't want anything to do with him anymore," Tabalanza testified.

3:25 p.m.: The defense begins cross-examining Jay-R Tabalanza, Maya Millete's younger brother.

Defense attorney Bonita Martinez opened up by asking Tabalanza about a previous trip he went on with Larry and Maya. She asked what the couple called each other, and he replied that they used the term "mahal," which means love in Tagalog — their local dialect in the Philippines.

Tabalanza said he heard Larry call Maya "mahal," but did not remember his sister using that term for Larry.

Martinez asked if Tabalanza ever saw Larry hit or punch Maya during the 20 years he's know him. Tabalanza replied no, and he also said no when the defense asked if he ever saw Larry acting manipulative over Maya.

3:20 p.m.: Court returns from break, and the prosecution wraps up its questioning of Tabalanza.

Tabalanza returned to the house on Jan. 9, 2021, and he noticed the refrigerators were pulled several feet away from the wall. He said it appeared someone was in the middle of cleaning.

The prosecution ended its questioning by asking Tabalanza if he had seen or had any communication at all with his sister Maya since Jan. 7, 2021. "No," he replied.

3 p.m.: Court takes a 15-minute recess.

Tabalanza said when he came back downstairs, he and Larry had a conversation about cryptocurrency. At one point, Larry changed subjects, and started explaining how certain actions could be perceived as domestic violence.

During the explanation, Larry slapped the wall inches next to Tablanza's head, Tablanza said on the stand. Larry was saying that if a person does something like that to someone else, it can be considered domestic abuse or even verbal abuse, according to Tablanza's testimony.

Tablanza described that interaction as "weird" and he simply replied "Really?" to Larry.

He went on to say Larry also mentioned mental abuse, and how shouting and yelling could be considered domestic violence as well.

The prosecution asked Tabalanza about Larry's demeanor during the search, but he said he wasn't able to gauge it.

2:40 p.m.: Tabalanza describes his time at the home looking for Maya on Jan. 8, 2021, including calling out her name and going through the different rooms. Tabalanza testified that Larry was at the house at the time, and he had tried calling him multiple times but Larry told him his phone was dead all day.

Tabalanza asked Larry about the Big Bear trip and whether they were still going, and he testified that Larry said he thought he was disinvited from the trip.

Tabalanza said he asked him why and what happened. He testified that Larry told him he and Maya had a big fight the night before. In that fight, Larry threatened to call the wife of the man Maya was having an affair with, according to Tabalanza's testimony.

Tabalanza also said as he looked for Maya in the home, the master bedroom door was locked, and the light was off. Larry stayed downstairs as Tabalanza knocked on the door.

He testified that he did not ask Larry if there was a way to open the door, since he didn't want to be intrusive.

"I just felt it wasn't my place... I wanted to be respectful," Tabalanza said on the stand.

2:14 p.m.: Tabalanza said he received a call from his brother JP on Jan. 8, and he went to Larry and Maya’s home because he said he and other family members were worried because nobody had heard from her that day.

2:09 p.m.: After a family trip to Glamis on Jan. 1, 2021, Tabalanza said he did not communicate with his sister. He said he had not seen or heard from Maya since the Glamis trip.

1:52 p.m.: Tabalanza told the prosecutor the series of text messages from his sister was unusual because she does not typically share details on her personal life and marriage.

As the series of messages continued, Maya sent a message that said, “He never lets me be by myself. He checks all my emails, messages, messengers, FB posts, even checks my Venmo app. And then what? He'll just tighten the reins more.”

In response, Tabalanza replied in a text, “I told him many times to stop that.”

1:40 p.m.: Tabalanza said he received a series of text messages from his sister on Aug. 12, 2020, venting about her relationship with Larry, and the series included a message that read, “I’m so tired of his mental and emotional abuse.”

1:32 p.m.: Tabalanza said in conversations with Larry MIllete that he was concerned that Maya would leave him, even after she moved back home after six weeks at Tabalanza’s home.

Tabalanza also said during a trip to Lake Havasu in July 2020, Larry approached him and told him that Maya admitted that she had an affair.

During the conversation, Tabalanza said Larry told him he wanted to “get the guy.”

1:30 p.m.: Jay-R Tabalanza is back on the witness stand with prosecutor Christy Bowles continuing her round of questions.

11:58 a.m.: Judge calls for 90-minute recess for lunch.

11:52 a.m.: Tabalanza said during a family trip in September 2020 to Lakewood, he noticed during stops that Maya would be getting phone calls from Larry, who was not on the trip.

Tabalanza told the court that his sister would tell Larry where they were and what they were doing. Tabalanza found it unusual that Maya would be getting phone calls at the stops, like she was “being tracked, in a way.”

Asked by Bowles to describe his conversations with Larry in 2020, Tabalanza said his brother-in-law did not want to separate from Maya and he loved her.

11:45 a.m.: Tabalanza said Maya lived at his home in May 2020 because she wanted to separate from Larry. She lived with him for about six weeks.

During one conversation with his sister, Tabalanza said Maya told him she planned to co-parent.

According to Tabalanza, Larry did not like that Maya moved from their home to live with him.

11:40 a.m.: Tabalanza described his sister as pretty private with him when it came to her personal life.

He said Larry started reaching out to him in the early months of 2020, and in one conversation he said Larry asked for his help because he believed Maya was going to leave him. Tabalanza said Larry asked him to try to convince Maya to not leave him.

Tabalanza told the prosecutor that Larry would sometimes call him multiple times in a day. Some calls were missed because Tabalanza said he was at work.

11:32 a.m.: Tabalanza said he and his siblings are fairly close, spent holidays and birthdays together, and took trips together.

Tabalanza told the court he moved into Larry and Maya’s Chula Vista home in 2015 and lived there for a few months.

He described his relationship with Larry as good, talked to him mostly about firearms and, most recently, cryptocurrency.

11:23 a.m.: Paredes excused, next witness to the stand will be Jay-R Tabalanza, Maya Millete's youngest brother.

11:11 a.m.: Martinez opened her cross-examination by asking Paredes when he examined the weapon, and he responded it was examined on April 9, 2021, and he was with detectives from the Chula Vista Police Department.

Paredes noted that he did not inspect the firearm to see if it was used. He did say that a function test was performed on the firearm, but it was not test fired.

11:05 a.m.: Paredes said the firearm obtained from Larry Millete’s home had specific characteristics that he identified, leading him to determine that the firearm was a semiautomatic rifle and an illegal weapon under the state’s penal code.

“The owner of this firearm failed to comply with California law…" Paredes said.

10:57 a.m.: After 15-minute break, California Department of Justice Special Agent Francisco Paredes has been called to the witness stand. Paredes, with the department's Bureau of Firearms, specializes in firearms laws and identifying illegal firearms.

Paredes told the court that he was asked to examine a specific firearm obtained from Larry Millete’s home.

10:35 a.m.: After Martinez said she had no further questions for Drouaillet, prosecutor Christy Bowles asked Drouaillet if she knew if Larry helped post fliers or assist in the searches for Maya, and Drouaillet said not that she was aware of.

10:25 a.m.: Asked if she noticed a change in Maya’s lifestyle in 2020, Drouaillet said she noticed her sister was shopping more. She also confirmed she saw her sister had gotten tattoos.

10:21 a.m.: Martinez asked, “Did you ask Mr. Millete if he was responsible for your sister’s disappearance?"

Drouaillet said, “I don’t remember.”

10:17 a.m.: Drouaillet said it was not true when asked if her husband went on TV and alleged that Larry was responsible for Maya’s disappearance.

10:10 a.m.: Martinez asked Drouaillet, “Did you know your sister went to Mexico on Jan. 4, 2021?”

Drouaillet responded, “No.”

Martinez then asked Drouaillet that when she was at the Millete residence on Jan. 9, 2021, if she recalled seeing any guns in the house. She answered no.

10:03 a.m.: Martinez asked if family members showed up to Larry and Maya’s home on Jan. 11, 2021, to celebrate Lara Millete’s birthday.

Drouaillet confirmed there was a gathering, but noted it was an “indication that [Maya] is not coming back. She doesn’t do that; it’s her daughter’s birthday. We tried to celebrate her birthday the best way we can as we always do.”

9:55 a.m.: Martinez asked Drouaillet if she recalled telling a Chula Vista Police officer on Jan 10, 2021, that she was unsure if Maya carried U.S. currency. Drouaillet said no.

9:41 a.m.: Martinez asked about a conversation during a trip to Glamis between Drouaillet, Maya, and a sister-in-law, asking Drouaillet if her sister said, “If something happens to me, it’s Larry.” Drouaillet confirmed that’s what her sister said.

Drouaillet said she recalled telling her sister to “be careful.”

Martinez asked if Drouaillet relayed what her sister said about Larry to him, but Drouaillet said she did not see a reason to do that.

9:33 a.m.: Regarding the incident during the family snowboarding trip, Martinez noted that it was determined the parking lot attendant was at fault, and not Larry Millete, despite Larry striking him with the vehicle. Drouaillet said she was aware that Larry was not at fault.

9:27 a.m.: Martinez asked Drouaillet if she spoke to a member of the Chula Vista Police Department on Jan. 10, 2021, and asked if she told the officer she was suspicious of Larry.

Drouaillet said she told the officer that because her sister and Larry had an argument the previous Thursday.

Martinez asked Drouaillet if she mentioned to the officer that her sister was having an affair six months prior, but Drouaillet said she did not tell that to the officer and she did not believe her sister was having an affair.

9:20 a.m.: Drouaillet said she arrived at Larry and Maya’s home on Jan. 9, 2021, and asked him where her sister was. Larry said Maya was probably at the park or went hiking or may have been in Temecula with friends.

Martinez asked Drouaillet if Maya had canceled the planned trip to Big Bear on Jan. 8, but Drouaillet said that did not happen.

9:12 a.m.: Martinez asks Drouaillet about her and Maya’s alcohol consumption. Drouaillet said she never influenced her sister or others to drink.

Martinez asked Drouaillet about her sister’s drinking, including trips to Temecula wineries, but Drouaillet only recalled one specific time Maya went to Temecula to visit a winery with friends.

Drouaillet noted that she hardly saw her sister drunk.

9:05 a.m.: Drouaillet is asked by defense attorney Bonita Martinez about a trip in 2020 to Parker Dam that family members took without Larry Millete present, but as she begins to answer, the judge requests a sidebar.

8:50 a.m.: Larry Millete's defense attorney is set to continue questioning Maya Millete's sister, Maricris Drouaillet. Hearing is slated to resume at 9 a.m.

Thursday, Jan. 12 (Day 2):

4:30 p.m.: Court concludes for the day. Drouaillet's testimony will resume at 9 a.m. Friday.

Before the recess, Martinez asked Drouaillet the last time she received a text from May — she replied Jan. 3, 2021. She did not recall when she last spoke with May on the phone. Martinez then asked when exactly Drouaillet believed May was missing. Drouaillet responded Jan. 9, 2021, the day the family went to the Millete home to confirm May's whereabouts.

When asked if she had any clue where May could have gone, Drouaillet replied she had no idea where she could be.

Martinez tried asking multiple questions about an alleged affair between May and a co-worker that supposedly happened in 2020. The prosecution objected several times, leading to a sidebar discussion. The judge sustained the objections, determining the questions about the alleged affair were irrelevant.

Drouaillet said she heard about the allegation, but she did not believe it.

4 p.m.: Drouaillet testified that at some point in 2020, Larry began frequently calling her brothers and father, seeking advice for how to resolve marital issues with Maya. Drouaillet also received several phone calls from Larry, and she also offered advice to him.

She testified that Larry did not follow their advice.

The defense asked why the couple's marriage problems escalated in 2020. Drouaillet said she could tell the relationship was fracturing based on seeing them argue during get togethers, which she said didn't happen before 2020. The phone calls from Larry were also an indicator about the relationship problems, Drouaillet testified.

Drouaillet also said she didn't hear the contents of those arguments. She testified it was "obvious" in the closing months of 2020 that Maya was over the relationship. Drouaillet said Maya mentioned divorce for the first time during New Year's going into 2021. Drouaillet said earlier in the year though, Maya talked about co-parenting, not divorce, when she stopped living in the home with Larry.

Drouaillet also testified that around Sept. 2020, Maya told her she was going to look for a place of her own. Drouaillet said she was surprised, but she would support her sister's decision to leave Larry.

3:55 p.m.: Defense attorney Martinez asked Drouaillet about a May 2020 camping trip. During the questioning, Drouaillet testified that May appeared happy during activities with the whole group, while Larry was acting quiet.

Drouaillet said the couple left the camp area several times during the trip, and she believed they were fighting whenever they left. She testified that these weren't necessarily big arguments, but they were "talking it out." Whenever they returned to camp, the couple appeared to have worked out the disagreements, Drouaillet testified.

Martinez went on to ask about when Drouaillet learned about Maya leaving Larry and the kids to temporarily live with their brother in May 2020. Drouaillet said she found out after the fact, and mentioned that Larry was not present at another 2020 camping trip.

Martinez then asked if May wanted Larry at the Big Bear trip scheduled for Jan. 2021. Drouaillet testified that she did not know, and she also said May did not express any desire to cancel that trip.

3:30 p.m.: When asked about Larry's control of the finances, Drouaillet testified that Maya told her Larry would find out about everything she purchased on credit cards, and she was surprised Maya did not have any say when it came to money.

Drouaillet testified her sister mentioned her salary was around $150,000 in 2020, and she also testified that Larry made less than Maya.

3:15 p.m.: Court returns from break. The defense continues its cross examination of Maricris Drouaillet, Maya Millete's sister.

Martinez asked Drouaillet about conversations she had with Maya in 2019, specifically asking if Maya reported any domestic violence to her. Drouaillet says she doesn't recall much from those 2019 talks, but she did mention that Maya said she was not allowed to spend money or buy things without Larry's permission.

Martinez then asked Drouaillet if she gave Maya any advice about the situation. She replied yes, but she couldn't remember what exactly she told Maya then. Drouaillet again testified that the relationship soured in 2020.

2:58 p.m.: The judge stepped in and asked defense attorney Martinez to move on from this line of questioning, since the events she asked Drouaillet about happened more than 15 years ago. Martinez said she was trying to establish that Drouaillet knew Larry well because she lived with the couple for a six month period from 2005 to 2006.

Martinez then directly asked Maya if she testifies that she knows Larry fully well, and Drouaillet replied no. She explained that she worked the night shift while living with them, so she saw Larry infrequently. She said between 2006 and 2019, they both attended various family events, like birthdays and holidays, over the years.

Court went into a 15-minute break shortly after.

2:45 p.m.: Drouaillet says she doesn't recall visiting Maya in 2019. The defense asked if other family members alerted Drouaillet about any issues between Larry and Maya in 2019. She replied no.

Answering more questions from the defense, Drouaillet went on to say it was "obvious" in 2020 that the couple was fighting consistently.

Drouaillet testified she does not know when exactly Larry's parents started living in the couple's home, but she estimated they had lived there at least five years.

The defense asked Drouaillet about her time living with Larry and Maya in Murrieta. Drouaillet, her two children and Maya's parents had moved from Hawaii, and they lived in the Millete home from about Oct. 2005 to March 2006.

Drouaillet was asked if the relationship was great at that time, and she said it was good, but there were some small arguments between them from time to time. Drouaillet testified her relationship with Larry back then was good.

Drouaillet also described hearing screams from the bedroom sometimes while living there. When asked if Larry took care of Maya, Drouaillet said he wasn't giving her foot massages or things of that nature, but doing more regular, everyday things, like household chores.

2:32 p.m.: The prosecution finished questioning Drouaillet. Defense attorney Bonita Martinez began her cross examination of Maya's sister. Martinez asked about the early days of Larry and Maya's marriage, especially their time in Hawaii. Drouaillet said it is fair to say she didn't visit her sister much after the couple first got married.

Drouaillet told the court Maya and Larry had a good relationship years ago, and she testified she wasn't concerned about her sister when Maya lived in Virginia. She testified that she didn't have Facebook at that time, since it was well before social media was widely popular. She said her and Maya weren't in touch as consistently during those years.

2:15 p.m.: While answering a question from prosecutors, Drouaillet testified that Larry gained access to Maya's Facebook account and was messaging family members. She said she could tell it was Larry because of the tone.

Drouaillet went on to describe some of the early search efforts for Maya — including a hiking trail nearby her house. She testified that Larry said Maya went on a hike before her disappearance. Drouaillet said search parties looked almost every weekend of 2021 for her sister. She said their last search happened in Oct. 2022, but some people are still looking for her.

Drouaillet also described her effort to get the word out about the search for Maya, including in local and national media outlets. The family also posted flyers all over the San Diego area to spread the message. At one point, the prosecution showed a screenshot of Drouaillet's appearance on Dr. Phil from April 12, 2021, as one of the examples of publicizing Maya's disappearance.

Another exhibit showed a People Magazine cover highlighting several missing mom cases. Maya's face was one of several featured.

Drouaillet became emotional at this point and used tissues to wipe away a few tears.

The family also created flyers to distribute in Hawaii.

2:10 p.m.: Drouaillet testified that as she and other family members asked neighbors the morning of Jan. 10, 2021, for any surveillance video possibly showing Maya, Larry stayed at home. A family member took the kids to church, then to a park to celebrate Lara's birthday.

The prosecution then asked about any other travel plans Drouaillet and Maya discussed in 2020. She said aside from the Jan. 2021 Big Bear trip, she invited Maya to come with her to Hawaii at the end of March. Drouaillet said the kids were welcome too, but Maya told her she wasn't sure if Larry would come as well. Maya also expressed a desire to return to Italy to visit a close friend, according to Drouaillet's testimony.

2 p.m.: Drouaillet described her experience speaking to Chula Vista police as she and the family reported Maya missing. Officers came to the home at around 1 or 2 a.m., Drouaillet recalled, and she told them about her concerns and the lack of communication with Maya.

Drouaillet said Larry Millete did not seem concerned or and was acting "normal" despite the fact her sister hadn't come home and it was quite late. The prosecution asked if she thought Larry's reaction was unusual at all, and she replied yes.

Drouaillet said all Larry could tell her at the time was that Maya was probably at the park.

1:55 p.m.: The prosecution asked Drouaillet about her visit to the Millete home on Jan. 9, 2021, two days after family members had last seen or heard from Maya. Drouaillet testified she was in denial that something was wrong with her sister. She looked around the house, including the master bedroom and bathroom, and a closet.

Drouaillet testified she wanted to find out if her sister was there.

The prosecution showed crime scene pictures of the closet that were taken on Jan. 23, 2021, when Chula Vista police served a search warrant at the home. Drouaillet said the closet was much tidier in the picture than when she was there on Jan. 9, 2021. She also pointed out several of Maya's purses in the photo.

More crime scene photos were shown in court, and Drouaillet described discrepancies from what she had seen two weeks prior.

1:30 p.m.: Court is back in session. Maricris Drouaillet, Maya Millete's sister, returns to the stand and the prosecution continues its line of questioning.

11:58 a.m.: Hearing is taking a 90-minute recess for lunch.

11:48 a.m.: Drouaillet detailed a Jan 4, 2021, text message chain that included Maya and their sister Jane. In the thread, Maya asked if she could borrow $10,000 for a divorce attorney and also asked the two sisters to take her Rolex watches and some of her Louis Vuitton bags.

Drouaillet responded to Maya’s text, suggesting she would pay $5,000 and Jane would pay another $5,000.

In the text chain, Maya said she planned to file for divorce after her daughter Lara’s Jan. 10 birthday. Maya wanted to celebrate Lara's birthday in Big Bear on the weekend of Jan. 8.

11:30 a.m.: Drouaillet said during a trip to Glamis, her sister told her that was going to file for divorce, and it was going to be “messy.” According to Drouaillet, Maya told her that she wanted to file for divorce as soon as she could.

Drouaillet said her sister mentioned that she did not have control of the family finances, noting that a safe in their home contained cash and other valuables, but she did not have the safe’s access code.

“If something happens to me, it’s going to be Larry,” Drouaillet said her sister told her.

Drouaillet said she told Maya to “be careful.” Asked by Bowles why she told her sister that, Drouaillet said she felt Larry had a tendency to snap and could hurt her.

Drouaillet detailed an incident during a snowboarding trip years before where she said Larry was involved in an altercation with a parking attendant in a drop-off area. According to Drouaillet, Larry, who was driving a vehicle with family members inside, struck the attendant because he would not let the vehicle through.

"We were all shocked that he did that," Drouaillet said of Larry.

According to Drouaillet, her brother-in-law said that he snapped and did not remember why.

11:15 a.m.: Drouaillet described a Christmas 2020 gathering in which Larry would try to talk to Maya, but she would become irritated by him. Drouaillet said Larry would react angrily to Maya’s response.

10:58 a.m.: Drouaillet told Bowles that Larry asked her advice on situations such as how she dealt with the end of her first marriage.

In one text exchange, Drouaillet said Larry sent her a screenshot referencing vitamins and supplements needed to help with a mid-life crisis. She said Larry felt Maya was going through a mid-life crisis.

10:51 a.m.: During a trip to Lake Havasu in 2020, Drouaillet said she noticed Larry and her sister were “fighting.”

10:48 a.m.: Drouaillet said Larry began reaching out to her for marriage-related advice via phone calls and text messages. She did not recall exactly when the calls/texts began.

10:35 a.m.: Maricris Drouaillet's testimony resumes. Bowles is asking her to identify family members in series of photographs.

10:15 a.m.: Judge calls for 15-minute recess.

10:06 a.m.: Drouaillet said she lived with Larry and Maya in Murrieta from 2005 to 2006. After living in Murrieta, the couple moved to the Eastlake area of Chula Vista.

Larry and Maya had been living in their home on Paseo Los Gatos for about five years, Drouaillet said, although she admitted she did not recall the exact amount of time.

Drouaillet confirmed Larry and Maya have three children together – two girls, one boy.

9:58 a.m.: Drouaillet said Maya was 17 and Larry was 16 or 17 -- both in high school -- when they first met.

9:51 a.m.: Maricris Drouaillet confirms photo displayed in court is her sister, May “Maya” Millete. She confirms prosecutor’s question that Maya Millete was 39 years old as of Jan. 23, 2021, and acknowledges her sister is married to Larry Millete.

9:47 a.m.: Garber was excused; next person expected to take the stand will be Maya Millete's sister, Maricris Drouaillet.

9:42 a.m.: Prosecutor Christy Bowles shows Garber several photographs and asks if he recognizes one specific photo he took on Jan. 23, 2021. Garber confirms he took the photo; picture is of a page from a notebook with handwriting on it.

Another photo shown is of a rifle and a shotgun recovered from a safe in a closet. Garber also confirms he took a photo of a computer screen that shows a search history.

9:37 a.m.: Martinez asks Garber if he returned to the home after Jan. 23, 2021, to take photographs. He answered that he returned to the address on July 1, 2021.

After an objection from the prosecution, Martinez said she had no further questions for Garber.

9:23 a.m.: Martinez asks Garber if he spoke to Larry Millete on Jan. 23, 2021, and he confirmed he spoke to Millete. Prosecution objects on grounds of relevancy, but objection is sustained by judge.

Garber said he was instructed to recover a mouth swab from Larry Millete. Garber added he did not take mouth swabs from Larry’s parents and the children.

9:04 a.m.: Larry Millete enters courtroom with his legal representation.

8:50 a.m.: Second day of the preliminary hearing is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 11 (Day 1):

4 p.m.: Court concluded for the day. Chula Vista Police Department forensic specialist David Garber will return to the stand when testimony resumes at 9 a.m. Thursday.

3:55 p.m.: Defense attorney Martinez asked Garber why CVPD didn't take pictures of the attic on Jan. 23, 2021. He testified that the search warrant was part of a missing persons case at the time, and they knew members of the family had special conditions that would be exasperated during a search of the attic. Since the family would be forced out of the home, they elected not to take pictures of the attic at that time.

Martinez also asked Garber if he saw any blood splatters inside the home. Garber went on to explain one splatter he saw in the bathroom connected to the master bedroom: spots of reddish-brown stains less than a millimeter in size above one of the vanities in a 2 to 3 foot area. Garber said a presumptive blood test returned a positive result on the scene, but he did not see the final result from a later test the San Diego County Sheriff's Department ran.

Garber also testified that he sprayed the entire bathroom, including the tub area, with a chemical called Bluestar. Bluestar reacts with presumptive blood to create a "chemiluminescence" effect showing where it is. Garber said on the stand one other area in the master bathroom showed this effect, and he took pictures and collected a sample.

3:45 p.m.: The defense asked several questions about the procedure of the search warrant, including whether anyone was there at the time. Garber answered that Larry Millete's parents were there during the search. Defense attorney Martinez also asked Garber's opinion on whether or not a crime had happened there based on what he saw as he took pictures of the house. Garber testified that it is not his job to determine if a crime happened somewhere, but rather to document the scene as it is.

3:35 p.m.: Court returned from the break, and the defense continued its cross examination of Chula Vista PD forensic investigator David Garber, who took pictures of the Millete home when a search warrant was served there on Jan. 23, 2021.

3:15 p.m.: Court takes a 15-minute break.

Defense attorney Martinez asked Garber whether he took pictures of the inside of the safe. Garber says he doesn't recall the safe deposit box being within the safe at the time the search warrant was served. Garber says he saw several guns, valuable coins and digital storage devices within the safe, as well as some ammo. Aside from the coins, he did not find money inside the safe. The defense asked if he removed documents from the house during the search, and Garber says he may have removed some as evidence, but he would have to look at his report to clarify and confirm how many were taken.

Martinez asked more questions about the house's layout, then asked about any damage Garber may have noticed in the master bedroom. Garber described a patch of damage on the master bedroom door, but when Martinez asked about more damage to other doors, he said he didn't recall seeing any. Martinez asked if Garber noticed broken items during the search, and he said he did not recall noticing any.

3:05 p.m.: Prosecution finished showing photos, a total of 48, to the courtroom. They asked Garber some brief follow ups regarding the procedure for search warrants and when he takes pictures. The prosecution finished asking questions, and the defense began cross examination. The judge says the court will take a break at 3:15 p.m.

2:45 p.m.: The CVPD forensic specialist has gone through more than 30 photos of the Millete home from the day a search warrant was served there. The prosecution continued showing exhibits in court.

2:30 p.m.: David Garber, a forensic specialist with the Chula Vista Police Department, takes the stand. The prosecution is showing pictures of the Millete home from Jan. 23, 2021, to the courtroom as they ask Garber questions about the layout. That was the day CVPD served a search warrant at the Millete home.

2:17 p.m.: Cross examination of the first witness has ended. The prosecution approached the bench for a brief side bar, then the witness was excused. The second witness will be on the stand shortly.

2:10 p.m.: Martinez asked Johnson about Maya's access to the couple's bank accounts. Johnson said she did not specifically remember if Maya had control, but she did testify that Maya was worried about paying for a retainer fee, since Larry could possibly find out about her wanting a divorce via the bank statements. Martinez has asked several questions about the intake process at Broaden Law Firm throughout the cross examination. The judge sustained several prosecutor objections, since the defense's line of questioning was more appropriate for a discovery setting, not a preliminary hearing.

1:55 p.m.: Martinez asked Johnson if she believed Maya's situation was urgent or an emergency, since Johnson advised Maya to come in the next day for an appointment. Johnson testified she believed it was an urgent situation. Martinez then asked Johnson if Maya told her about Larry tracking her. Johnson replied no, but she testified that Maya told her about not feeling free to come to the office. Johnson also said the control over finances was concerning. Johnson testified earlier that domestic violence can exist beyond physical violence.

1:35 p.m.: Court is back in session following the lunch break. Larry Millete's attorney, Bonita Martinez, continues to cross examine Johnson, who took Maya Millete's initial intake call regarding her divorce inquiry. Martinez specifically asked Johnson if Maya requested a temporary restraining order as part of the inquiry. Johnson replied that she did not. Martinez followed up, asking if Maya mentioned any physical injuries during their 15 to 20 minute phone call. Johnson says Maya did not report that to her during the intake.

11:55 a.m.: Judge has called for lunch recess. Hearing will resume at 1:30 p.m.

11:49 a.m.: Larry Millete’s attorney, Bonita Martinez, now cross-examining Johnson regarding Maya’s call to the law firm.

11:36 a.m.: According to Johnson, an appointment to meet with Maya was scheduled for Jan. 12, 2021.

11:27 a.m.: Johnson said Maya was not confident she could go to their law office without being followed.

11:20 a.m.: First prosecution witness, Desteny Johnson with Broaden Law Firm, has taken the stand. She received the initial intake call for Maya Millete's divorce inquiry.

11:02 a.m.: ABC 10News reporter Marie Coronel has learned 25 people are expected to testify for the prosecution over the course of the hearing, which could last up to three weeks.

10:45 a.m.: Pre-hearing motions are continuing, with the possibility the hearing begins early in the afternoon.

10:05 a.m.: Hearing starts with motions underway.

9:55 a.m.: Courtroom starting to fill, hearing expected to start by 10 a.m.

9:35 a.m.: Larry Millete, wearing a suit, has entered the courtroom.

SAN DIEGO (KGTV/CNS) — Larry Millete is set to appear in court Wednesday morning for the start of a preliminary hearing that will determine if he should stand trial for the murder of his wife May “Maya” Millete.

Maya Millete, 39, was last seen on Jan. 7, 2021, at the Chula Vista home she shared with her husband and their three children.

Two years following her reported disappearance, Maya Millete has still not been found.

In Oct. 2021, Larry Millete was arrested on suspicion of killing his wife. He's remained in jail since then without bail on charges of murder and unlawful possession of an assault weapon.

Millete has denied any involvement in his wife's disappearance and in a separate court case, he wrote in a declaration that he believed his wife left their home voluntarily.

Prosecutors allege Millete killed his wife because she sought a divorce. He allegedly employed the services of spell casters, through which he hoped magic could be used to convince his wife to stay. Later, he allegedly sought for the spell casters to render her incapacitated so she could not leave the home.

His messages to spell casters abruptly halted after Jan. 8, save for one message on Jan. 9 that requested for any hexes on May to be removed, according to an arrest warrant declaration.

While authorities have not definitively stated how they believed May Millete died, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said during a 2021 news conference that a neighbor's security camera recorded nine loud banging sounds on the night of her disappearance, just before 10 p.m. However, it could not be confirmed whether the noises on the video were gunshots.

Though Millete was ordered by a court to surrender all firearms in his possession, one of his guns -- a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber handgun -- was missing.

Last year, the murder case was delayed after Millete's defense attorney declared a doubt regarding his competence to stand trial. A defendant is deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial if they are unable to understand the nature of the criminal proceedings or assist their attorney in their defense.

Criminal proceedings were reinstated about four months later.

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