Taking the stand Tuesday in the downtown courthouse was May "Maya" Millete's 72-year-old father, Pablito Tabalanza, who made a series of startling revelations.
May was last seen Jan. 7, 2021. A preliminary hearing to determine probable cause for her husband, Larry — with whom she has three young children and who is accused of her murder — is underway in Dept. 2201 of the San Diego Superior Court.
NBC 7 will bring you the Millete hearing — expected to last two to three weeks — unless required to stop by the court, every day. Watch Live in the player above, on Roku Channel 134 or Samsung TV+ 1035
Tabalanza, wearing a black windbreaker and blue golf-type shirt, testified Tuesday with the aid of a translator. Much of his testimony revolved visiting the Millete home in Chula Vista on Jan. 9, summoned by one of his sons, who told him to go to Maya's house because something "bad happened," the son said.
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Two to three months prior to that date, however, Tabalanza recalled under questioning from prosecutor Christy Bowles, Larry made an unsolicited comment to Tabalanza one day when Larry showed Tabalanza that he was carrying a gun in his waistband.
" 'Papa, I will kill her or him — I will kill her or him,' " Tabalanza said Larry told him.
The comment, Tabalanza said, was only said within his hearing, despite the presence of others nearby. Tabalanza testified that Larry did not say who he wanted to kill. He also said that there was no context to the conversation.
"I don’t even understand why he said that to me," Tabalanza told the court.
May Millete Murder Case
Larry repeatedly made allegations to May's family members that she was having an affair with a co-worker, but none of them have confirmed that the relationship occurred.
Bowles tried prompting a recollection of a discussion of the alleged affair from Tabalanza, but he said he had no memory of such a conversation, and that he thought Larry was joking about killing someone and laughed it off. There was no follow-up discussion, Tabalanza testified.
The Events of Jan. 9
Months later, on Jan. 9, 2021, Tabalanza went to the Millete home on Paseo Los Gatos, walking in the open front door to find Larry, who appeared relatively unconcerned about May, telling Tabalanza that she was upstairs in her bedroom.
The pair went to check on May but found the door locked and got no answer despite knocking repeatedly. Tabalanza said he called to his daughter over and over, and, after five minutes or so, asked Larry if he had a key, which his son-in-law produced from a pocket. Tabalanza said it was surprising to him that Larry had the key because only May should have had the key.
Tabalanza entered the room, accompanied by Larry, who told Tabalanza that Maya's credit cards were missing. The older man said Larry did not appear to be looking for his missing wife, while Tabalanza searched in the bathroom and closet as well. Tabalanza did see, however, that the bed was made, which, he testified, was unusual.
Tabalanza told the court that Larry didn’t seem to have any reaction to the fact that his wife was missing and did not seem worried. The father-in-law said he was upset that Larry didn't seem concerned since he was. Larry should have been worried, Tabalanza testified.
"Why wasn't he worried? Because it's his wife that's missing" Tabalanza wondered aloud to the court.
Soon after, Tabalanza said, Larry tried to assure Tabalanza that May was OK.
Larry, the court was told by Tabalanza, at one point put his arm around the older man and said, "Don't worry, Papa, there is nothing going on."
And, Tabalanza said Larry told him, "I will never do that because I love Maya."
Larry didn't explain what he meant by "doing that," Tabalanza said.
"That I do not know, " Tabalanza said, "what he meant by that."
The Maya Millete Case: This is an entry in NBC 7's live blog coverage of the Larry Millete Hearing. To read past entries, CLICK HERE
