Investigator Says Larry Millete Searched Death Methods Before Wife Vanished in 2021
Updated
Updated · Patch · Jun 12
Investigator Says Larry Millete Searched Death Methods Before Wife Vanished in 2021
1 articles · Updated · Patch · Jun 12
Summary
James Rhoades testified that an email account tied to Larry Millete made 2020 searches on "painless" death, gunshots, hemlock, carbon monoxide, sleeping pills, suicide and whether life insurance is voided by suicide.
The same account also searched hypnosis and control topics — including how to hypnotize someone to love you — as prosecutors argue Millete was trying to stop May Millete from divorcing him.
Rhoades said the "whistleblower" account that accused May of workplace fraternization matched Larry Millete through a repeated misspelling also found in his requests to spell casters.
Prosecutors have paired that digital trail with testimony that May described Larry as possessive and controlling, while alleging he later sought spells to incapacitate her, break her will and cut off her job and friends.
May Millete has not been seen since Jan. 7, 2021, and prosecutors say Larry's obsessive efforts to control her contrasted with his lack of urgency after she disappeared.
Can a husband's digital trail of spells and death searches prove murder five years after his wife vanished without a trace?
When do disturbing internet searches cross the line from private thoughts to the key evidence in a murder trial?
The Larry Millete Murder Trial: Digital Evidence, Coercive Control, and the Ongoing Search for Maya Millete (2021–2026)
Overview
The ongoing murder trial of Larry Millete, as of June 2026, centers on technical evidence and witness testimonies that highlight the troubled marriage and disappearance of Maya Millete. The prosecution relies on digital forensics and accounts from friends like Kristeen Timmers to show Maya had future plans, while the defense challenges the credibility of this evidence. The case reveals a pattern of coercive control and escalating hostility from Larry, including attempts to manipulate Maya and evidence of premeditation. Maya’s family remains convinced she would never abandon her children, and her unresolved disappearance continues to deeply affect her loved ones and raise public awareness about domestic violence.