In the ongoing murder trial of Larry Millete, prosecutors on Tuesday introduced a letter allegedly written by his missing wife, Maya Millete, months before her disappearance. The note, containing a chilling 11-word message — “Let me find my peace . . . I cannot find it with you” — was presented as part of the case that contends Larry killed Maya, whose body has yet to be recovered.

Maya, a 39-year-old mother from Chula Vista in the San Diego area, vanished on Jan. 7, 2021. The letter, reportedly dated August 2020 and read aloud in court on the fifth day of testimony, depicted a troubled marriage. In the note, Maya expressed deep unhappiness and described their relationship as “unhealthy” and “toxic,” saying it had turned her into a “bitter, angry person” and that she had been “gone mentally and emotionally” for a long time.

Alongside the letter, testimony from forensic and law enforcement experts revealed further evidence investigators uncovered during the course of the investigation. Former Chula Vista Police Department forensic specialist David Garber testified that search history on devices from the Millete household included phrases such as “how to mentally torture someone with words,” “psychological torture,” and “how to mentally torture someone.” Garber also indicated that investigators found what may be a small bloodstain in the trunk of Larry Millete’s Lexus amid streaks suggestive of an attempt to clean the area, though the vehicle was not officially designated a crime scene.

Detective Ryan Culver recounted officers’ initial entry into the Millete family residence on Paseo Los Gatos on the night Maya was reported missing. He noted that officers observed no signs of a struggle or foul play, and that Larry Millete had allowed them into the home and cooperated fully at that time.

Digital forensic evidence presented in court provided additional context. Amy Voight, a digital forensic examiner with NCIS, testified she decrypted Maya’s Navy-issued laptop in February 2021, a device originally secured due to her work with the Navy. Detective Lorenzo Ruiz confirmed investigators discovered no activity on Maya’s credit cards or cell phone after her disappearance date, apart from scheduled automatic payments. He also stated that no rideshare usage, cross-border travel, or other similar movements were detected following Jan. 7. Neighborhood security footage showed no indication Maya left the home that day.

The prosecution’s evidence portrays a severe breakdown in the Milette marriage and ongoing tensions preceding Maya’s disappearance. Larry Millete faces charges of murder in connection with her case, which remains unresolved as authorities continue the search for her remains.