A judge denied bail on Thursday for Larry Millete, the California father who is accused of murdering his missing wife, Maya Millete, nearly 10 months ago.
Superior Court Judge Maryann D’Addezio noted that Larry allegedly sent threatening messages to a man that he believed Maya was having an affair with, failed to comply with a gun violence restraining order in May, and most recently violated a criminal protective order that was supposed to prevent him from contacting his children while in jail.
Maya Millete disappeared from her family's Chula Vista home on Jan. 7, the same day that she made an appointment with a divorce attorney after at least a year of marital problems.
Deputy District Attorney Christy Bowles called Larry "a desperate man who became more dangerous" in the months leading up to Maya’s disappearance.
Larry Millete will remain in jail after being denied bail by Superior Court Judge Maryann D’Addezio on Thursday. (KSWB)
"The desperation is what led to his desire to hurt anyone who he felt might be a threat to his family unit. His family unit was everything to him. He did not have a lot of outside interest, a lot of outside friends," Bowles told the judge.
"A threat to his family unit resulted in his desire to harm anyone who might get in the way of keeping that family whole, and is ultimately what led to the murder of [Maya]."
MAYA MILLETE ENCOURAGED TO GO TO SAFE HOUSE BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED, FRIEND SAYS
Larry's defense attorney, Bonita Martinez, argued that bail should be set at a reasonable amount and said her client is willing to comply with any conditions the court sets.
"The defendant is not a flight risk and he is not a danger to society," Martinez told the judge.
"There is still no record of any violence or any misconduct whatsoever."
Larry Millete flanked by his attorney, Bonita Martinez. (KSWB)
Judge D’Addezio noted the most serious allegations against Larry Millete and said that the "court is required to assume that the charges are true when addressing the issue of bail."
"Mr. Millete is alleged to have killed his wife in their home while his three children were present. He is also alleged to have taken their 4-year-old son with him to dispose of the body," the judge stated.
"On two occasions in 2020 and early 2021, he inquired about finding someone to get the other guy, referring to someone with whom he suspected his wife had an affair. On one occasion, he even stated he was willing to pay $20,000 to accomplish this."
Fox News exclusively reported in April that Larry allegedly started planning that murder-for-hire scheme in summer 2020 and mentioned it as recently as Jan. 4, just a few days before Maya disappeared.
MAYA MILLETE'S HUSBAND LARRY CHOKED HER UNTIL SHE PASSED OUT, GOOGLED DATE-RAPE DRUGS: WARRANT
The couple's three children – ages 5, 10, and 11 – are currently staying with Larry's parents.
The prosecutor said Thursday that it is "a tragedy in and of itself" that the couple's kids are being told that "their mother walked away, didn’t love them, abandoned them."
Larry Millete has been in jail for more than two weeks and pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and illegal possession of an assault weapon during his first court appearance on Oct. 21.
Last week, the judge revoked his phone privileges after prosecutors said that he spent more than nine hours on the jail phone with his children, allegedly violating a criminal protective order that was supposed to prevent him from contacting them.
MISSING MAYA MILLETE: HUSBAND LARRY ARRESTED FOR MURDER 9 MONTHS AFTER CALIFORNIA MOM VANISHED
Maya Millete's family has said that they are praying Larry will reverse course and lead authorities to Maya's remains, which have never been found.
"We're praying he'll do it for his kids, that he'll let them know where mommy is," Maya Millete's older sister, Maricris Drouaillet, previously told Fox News. "We believe he's not that evil and hopefully he'll have a change of heart."
Some of Maya's friends were so concerned for her safety before she went missing that they set up a safe house for Maya to go to if she ever found herself in danger.
"I gave her an address that if she needed to go to, she could go to. She had just told me she was going to need to use that address," one of Maya's friends, who asked to remain anonymous for her safety, told Fox News.
"I had given it to her in person, but I told her, ‘You’re not taking the paper, you’re not writing it down, I’m not texting it to you.’ And I said, 'This is where you can go if you need to go. Memorize this address, and this is the code to get in.’"
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Larry Millete is due back in court for a readiness hearing on Dec. 16, then a preliminary examination on Feb. 28.
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