A woman from chula vista who disappeared from her home told her relatives before she disappeared that if anything happened to her, her husband would be responsible, her sister testified.
Maricris Drouaillet testified Thursday that about a week before her sister May “Maya” Millete disappeared, she told a group of family members about her plans to divorce Larry Millete.
“Be ready. It’s going to be a tough divorce,” Drouaillet testified, quoting his sister. “If anything happens to me, it will be Larry.”
May Millete, 39, has not been seen since January 7, 2021. Larry Millete, 41, who denied any involvement in his wife’s disappearance, was arrested nine months later on suspicion of having killed his wife, supposedly because of her plans to divorce him.
Drouaillet testified Thursday at the home of Larry Millete preliminary hearinga procedure during which a judge will decide if there is enough evidence for Millete to stand trial.
Drouaillet said tensions between May and Larry became apparent during a series of family gatherings that led to her sister’s disappearance. She said that the couple previously kept their arguments to themselves, but at that point they began to show their irritation in front of each other.
On a New Year’s trip to Glamis, in Imperial County, May said she intended to divorce Larry. Drouaillet advised her to wait until she had her finances in order. However, after speaking with May, Drouaillet said that she realized that she “is ready. She is no longer waiting.”
During a text message exchange with her sisters, May asked for money to pay for a divorce lawyer and said she would pawn her expensive Rolex and Louis Vuitton bags. May said the items he wanted to pawn were “the ones he won’t notice are missing.”
Drouaillet said he traveled to Chula Vista on January 9. Larry and his three children were at his house. She testified that Larry said that May had probably gone on a hike and hoped that she would return soon.
Drouaillet called several of May’s friends, none of whom knew where she was. She said that she intended to call the police next, but Larry told her to “wait a bit. She will come home.
During this time, Drouaillet said that Larry did not seem concerned by his wife’s absence.
The next day, the family gathered for Millete’s eldest daughter’s birthday, which the family was initially supposed to celebrate during a trip to Big Bear. Drouaillet and others testified that May was looking forward to the celebration and intended to delay starting divorce proceedings until after the trip.
Drouaillet said he ended up spending much of the day going from house to house in the neighborhood asking residents for any video that might help them locate May. Larry stayed at her home during that time, she testified.
Drouaillet and other family members organized numerous searches for May throughout 2021 and appeared on local and national news programs to spread awareness of May’s disappearance.
But she said that Larry was not involved in the efforts.
“He told me to take care of it and that he will take care of the children,” Drouaillet testified. “That was typically his job to take care of the children and I’ll take care of looking for my sister.”
Drouaillet’s testimony resumes on Friday.
In a local news broadcast and court statement in a separate court case, Millete has stated that he believed his wife left home voluntarily.
On Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Christy Bowles said she will seek to present evidence during the preliminary hearing that counters the idea that May suddenly abandoned her family.
– city news service
