The husband of a missing mother-of-three now accused of her murder once choked her until she lost consciousness, a friend claims.
Larry Millete, who is set to be arraigned in Southern California today on a murder charge, began acting increasingly strangely leading up to his wife Maya 'May' Millete's January 7 disappearance.
Her friends said he became 'controlling' and 'stalker-like' as he 'became obsessed with [Maya's] activities and communications with other people' Fox News reported.
Maya once told a friend that he choked her to the point of losing consciousness, the outlet reported.
Larry was taken into custody at the family home on Tuesday morning around 11am, after murder charges were filed by the San Diego district attorney on Monday. Their three children are safe, but May's body has never been found.
On Tuesday afternoon Summer Stephan, the district attorney, said that Larry had tried to put a curse on his wife as the relationship deteriorated and she began talking about wanting a divorce. Stephan also revealed the final call made by Maya before she vanished on January 7 had been to a divorce lawyer.
'Extensive search warrants uncovered a trail of things that were happening, that were of great concern,' Stephan told a press conference outside the Chula Vista Police Department.
'Larry was trying to hold on to May.
'He resorted to contacting spell casters, who would be asked to make May stay in the relationship.
'In December he was asking for May to become incapacitated, to be in an accident and have broken bones so she could stay at home.'
Police in Chula Vista, California, on Tuesday arrested Larry Millete (left) for the murder of his missing wife, May (right), who was last seen alive on January 7
Summer Stephan, the San Diego County district attorney, on Tuesday afternoon addressed a press conference and detailed the evidence they used to charge Larry Millete with his wife's murder
During the January 7 call, May spoke to a divorce lawyer and set a date for an appointment on January 12, Stephan said.
The last message that May sent was at 8:15pm on January 7, when she used Facebook Messenger to contact her family.
A few hours earlier, in the afternoon of January 7, Larry had sent a text message which read: 'I think she wants me to snap and I am shaking inside ready to snap.'
May's phone activity stopped at 1:25am on January 8.
'Larry's messages to the spell caster turned from wanting to keep May to wanting to punish a man he blamed for the failed relationship,' said Stephan.
Larry has been charged with one count of murder, on or around January 7, and one count of possession of an illegal weapon.
Larry was a known gun fanatic, who had been ordered to give up his guns.
Police and FBI agents are seen outside the Millete family home in Chula Vista on Tuesday night
Chula Vista police were still combing the scene on Tuesday night, having arrested Larry at 11am that morning
FBI agents were seen on Tuesday night taking away boxes of evidence for further analysis
An FBI agent is seen outside the garage of the Milette house. Larry was alone when he was arrested on Tuesday morning; their three children are safe and well
The street in Chula Vista was cordoned off on Tuesday night as the property was searched
FBI agents could be seen bagging up evidence to take away for further analysis
Larry was being held on Tuesday night without bail, as the FBI team combed his home
The disappearance of May Milette in January shocked the local community in Chula Vista, and many people joined in the search for her. The street is seen on Tuesday, cordoned off after Larry's arrest for her murder
The couple are pictured with their three children before May's disappearance
Authorities released this photo of Larry's stash of weapons and four passports. They say the haul includes two illegally-owned AR-15 rifles
'He had not turned over one of those weapons, a .40 calibre gun, and it remains outstanding today,' said Stephan.
She said investigators were still actively seeking the body, and May's sister Maricris Drouaillet, who raised the initial alarm, made a tearful appeal on Tuesday afternoon for help.
'I still want to see my sister,' she said, sobbing at the press conference.
'I still want her to come home to us.
'Please, if you know anything at all. Please help us, I'm pleading.
'I still want her to come home.
'We made a promise to her 11-year-old daughter we will bring her home. Please.
'Let the kids know where their mommy is at. Let them know the truth.'
Drouaillet expressed how the family aspect of the arrest has been 'really hard' for her to grasp.
'It's hard to go against family,' she while trying to hold back tears. 'He's been with us for 20 years. My sister did love him, she gave him three kids.'
Maricris's husband Richard Drouaillet added: 'That she didn't abandon them. She didn't get up and leave.'
Maricris Drouaillet sobbed on Tuesday as she addressed a press conference and begged for Larry to say where her sister was buried
Maricris, pictured with her husband Richard, was the one who called the police on the evening of January 8, after her sister did not return her calls
Maricris said she had promised her sister's children that she would find out what happened to their mother
Police and Feds swarmed the Millete family's home in Chula Vista on Tuesday
An overhead shot shows police vehicles lined up outside the Millete home
FBI agents were on the scene at the time of Larry Millete's arrest for murder
May, 39, was last seen alive at her family's home in Chula Vista on January 7.
In late July, after searching the Millete home three separate times, police named Larry a person of interest in his wife's disappearance.
According to the police department's press release, investigators have interviewed 87 people, written 67 search warrants and followed up on more than 130 tips about Maya's possible location or reason for the disappearance.
Stephan said that neighbors heard nine loud bangs coming from the Millete house at 9:57pm on the night of January 7.
The FBI looked at the surveillance camera footage from the neighbors' home, but was unable to confirm that the loud noise was gunshots.
At 10:34pm that night, neighbors heard Millete children playing in backyard - something they thought was
