SAN DIEGO — The preliminary hearing for Larry Millete, the Chula Vista husband accused of murdering his wife Maya, entered its eighth day on Monday morning in Downtown San Diego Court.
Cross-examination continued of Det. Jesse Vicente, one of the lead investigators on the disappearance of Maya Millete.
Det. Vicente testified hundreds of tips came in during the course of the investigation, and that included alleged sightings of Maya. He told the judge there were alleged sightings in Carlsbad, Las Vegas and Texas. He said all of the tips were followed up on, and none were credible.
He also testified police investigated two ransom demands, but did not find any credible leads.
Det. Vicente told the judge before moving to the Violent Crimes Unit, he said he worked on the Sex Trafficking Task Force. He said there is no evidence Maya was a victim of sex trafficking.
He said the neighborhood where she lived was not an area where police have information or previous knowledge of that people have been trafficked from.
"In my experience, women in their 30s are not trafficked," said Det. Vicente. "The cases we come across where a person's been trafficked, they're usually teens or kids."
The defense attorney asked Det. Vicente if he investigated any other potential suspects besides Larry Millete.
He responded yes. He testified they interviewed the man Larry suspected Maya had been having an affair with. "According to Larry, he believed the lover was responsible for her disappearance," he said. "We looked into it, obtained his statement. There's no evidence indicating she was with him."
WATCH FULL: DAY 8 | MORNING: Preliminary hearing for Larry Millete enters day eight in Downtown San Diego court
District Attorney's Investigator Matthew Grindley testified Monday that he reviewed cell phone activity from Larry and May's phones.
Some of Larry's text messages with his work supervisor were displayed in court, which showed that Larry regularly confided with his supervisor regarding his wife's desire to divorce him.
On Jan. 6, 2021, Larry showed his supervisor screenshots of text messages May sent him. One of those read, "I DON'T WANT TO BE YOUR WIFE ANYMORE. I'm filing whether you like it or not. I should have left a long time ago and this time I'm not going to look back and say that again."
Larry called off from work that day because he was "mentally, physically, and emotionally spent," he texted his supervisor.
On Jan. 7, he did not go to work either. After his supervisor asked when he was coming in, Larry texted, "I'm not right." The supervisor asked, "Have you eaten?" and Larry responded, "I'm about to lose it."
Throughout Jan. 8, Larry's cell phone showed "very limited activity" with no outgoing calls or texts, Grindley testified.
However, multiple people attempted to reach him that day, including his father, who texted him to "please turn on your phone" because his boss "is calling regarding your job!"
After family members lost touch with May, her younger brother, Jay-R Tabalanza, went to the Millete house on the evening of Jan. 8 to look for her. He testified earlier that Larry told him he had just gotten home from work.
Larry told investigators he was at Solana Beach all day with his son, according to testimony. Detective Jesse Vicente of the Chula Vista Police Department testified that investigators could not find any evidence confirming Millete was at the beach that day.
Monday's hearing also included testimony regarding Larry Millete's internet search history, which included queries regarding the use of subliminal messages.
One search was for "subliminal wife training." Others were for speakers that Grindley testified were placed throughout the Millete house to play subliminal messages.
In prior testimony, witnesses stated May found a cell phone underneath her bed that was "playing subliminal messages." Larry explained to his sister-in-law that these were recorded hidden messages such as "I love you" or "Love me" that could be played amidst white noise.
Prosecutors have also alleged in court documents that in late 2020, Larry Millete reached out to "various individuals who appear to sell `spells,"' which he believed could compel May to want to remain in the marriage. Larry later allegedly sought spells that could render her incapacitated or "hurt enough that she will have to depend on me and need my help."
Grindley also highlighted searches Larry made on Dec. 16, 2020, regarding a variety of sedatives, including Flunitrazepam and Rohypnol, which are commonly referred to as "date rape" drugs. Another search made that day was for "common over-the-counter meds to incapacitate adults."
Larry was arrested in October 2021 on suspicion of killing May and has remained jailed without bail since then. At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing, a judge will rule whether there is enough evidence for Larry Millete to stand trial for murder.
WATCH FULL: DAY 8 | AFTERNOON: Preliminary hearing for Larry Millete enters day eight in Downtown San Diego court
BACKGROUND ON THE CASE:
Since January 2021, the disappearance of Chula Vista mother Maya Millete has been under investigation by authorities and the subject of local and national news. The Chula Vista Police Department and multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, have looked into her disappearance for more than 2 years.
The last time Maya was heard from was on Jan. 7, 2021. Her husband Larry Milete was arrested on October 19, 2021 and charged with murder.
This preliminary hearing is not a trial. There are no jurors. Evidence will be presented, and witnesses will testify over two to three weeks in the Downtown San Diego courthouse. In the end, Judge Dwayne Moring – a former public defender and a former San Diego prosecutor – will decide if there is enough evidence for Millete to go to trial for murder.
WATCH: Preliminary hearing for Larry Millete wraps up day 7 in Downtown San Diego court