An Oceanside woman who has been missing since Oct. 1 was in the midst of divorcing her estranged husband when she suddenly disappeared, documents confirmed Thursday.
According to police, 54-year-old Marlane Koue was last seen at Pizza Port in Carlsbad around 6:15 p.m. on Oct. 1. Since then, officials said Koue has not returned to her home or contacted her family.
Investigators said loved ones are extremely concerned because Koue typically calls her daughter daily. Also, there has been no activity on her cell phone or bank accounts since her disappearance, which has led police to deem her case suspicious.
On Thursday, NBC 7 looked deeper into Koue’s divorce.
Our investigation yielded documents that reveal new information about Koue’s husband – who is 23 years old -- and allegations of domestic violence between them.
According to Koue's friend, "Donna," who did not want to appear on camera, Koue and her husband had a rocky relationship.
"She called the police frequently because she did not want to get hurt,” Koue’s friend told NBC 7.
The friend said their marriage had gotten so bad in the last few months that Koue began fearing for her life.
“She was afraid of her husband -- her ex-husband-to-be,” Donna recalled. "I know he had a gun, at least one gun."
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Koue’s husband owns a home on Yacon Street in Vista. According to police, the couple was separated and Koue was currently living with a roommate on Larchwood Drive in Oceanside.
On Thursday, NBC 7 visited the couple's Vista home and found police reports taped to the front window. Donna said Koue had put them up in plain sight so the public would know about the danger she has been dealing with.
The documents show that Koue had pursued restraining orders against her husband and his grandfather, claiming they were violent toward her.
The documents reveal the most recent incident was in June, when Koue accused her husband's grandfather of false imprisonment and grand theft.
"I know that at one point she was in fear for her life, [and] that she was being trapped in her own house,” added Donna.
Donna believes the couple’s home in Vista has been the point of contention in their divorce.
“I think they were fighting over the house that he owned, that he inherited from his mother,” she said.
So far, police have not named Koue’s estranged husband as a person of interest in her disappearance, so NBC 7 is not identifying him by name. Police have only said he is cooperating with their investigation.
As for Koue’s family and friends, they’re just hoping she comes home safe.
Donna said she wants the public to know about the wonderful, dedicated life her friend leads.
"Her job was to advocate for children with learning disabilities. She was a strong person, she was a friendly person, outgoing," she said.
Police said Koue is described as a white female with brown hair and brown eyes. She’s 5-foot-5 and weighs 160-pounds. She was last seen driving her beige 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan with the California license plate number 4SHU678.
Anyone with information regarding Koue’s whereabouts is urged to call Oceanside Police Detective Sgt. Matt Christensen at (760) 435-4639 or the Oceanside Police Department Communication Center at (760) 435-4911.
