On Thursday, court watchers and personnel took their places on a relatively sunny day shortly after 9 a.m., but it wasn't long before the proceedings turned dark when David Garber, a Chula Vista Police forensic specialist, testified regarding a photograph he had taken of a page found in a notebook on a bookshelf in the master bedroom of May Millete and her husband, Larry, who is accused of her first-degree murder.
It was the second day Garber had taken the stand, and on both days, he matter-of-factly discussed how and what he had shot photographic evidence of. As was often the case during his testimony, he confirmed he took the photo and offered a rudimentary explanation of what was in the shot — in this case, Photograph 20-2.
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The document in this case is a handwritten note from May to Larry, possibly never delivered, since it was found inside a notebook in the couple's master bedroom.
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In retrospect, the "letter" offers a glimpse of what a sister of May's, Maricris Drouaillet, testified during the pretrial hearing was an increasingly rocky relationship, conjuring up an image of what could be interpreted as a controlling spouse.
It seems clear that by the time of its writing, May, who at one point quotes author Marianne Williamson, has moved on from the marriage, at least mentally.
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Dear Larry,
You are right. I am not myself anymore. I've turned into this bitter, angry person who is careless with her words. But that's what our marriage has turned me into, and I hate it. I hate that you get me so angry all the time and you speak so righteous while I speak so bitterly.
You want to keep trying too, but each time I'm outside the house and not within your view, we are fighting. It is unhealthy. It's toxic. We need to change, but with the kids in mind, I want to be happy, and happy is not with you. We cannot be doing the same thing expecting the same results.
I've been gone mentally and emotionally for a very long time, which you failed to notice until I found the strength to initiate physically leaving.
I read this and I thought maybe you consider it.
"The EGO says once everything falls into place, I'll find peace. The spirit says find peace and everything will fall into place."
Let me find my peace; I cannot find it with you.
Maya
The note is headed with a handwritten date of Aug. 27, 2020.
On Thursday, Drouaillet confirmed that May had told her in December 2020 — she was last seen on Jan. 7, 2021 — that the couple had separated at one point and that it had not gone well and that she was concerned about how Larry would react if and when he found out May was filing for divorce.
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
