. >> reporter: then joaquin county prosecutor thomas testa had handled a number of missing persons casesh he heard about the case of larry and elisa mcnabney, he gravitated toward it. >> this is an attorney with a case load who disappeared. this isn't a homeless person who you think took a greyhound and went to nevada. >> reporter: testa began by taking a hard look at elisa. >> she was a person out of a '40s film nor movie. she was a stunner physically, but she had a control over men that just amazed me. she was able to say "jump" and the men would say "how high". >> reporter: it certainly seemed true to larry, so said his old friend fred atchison. >> she was controlling him so the xenlt that she was keeping him away from his family and his former friends. >> did that include the relationship you had with him? >> no question about it. >> you found yourself shut out. >> yeah. >> reporter: so did larry's daughter tavia. >> elisa completely cut me out of the picture, and i was devastated. >> reporter: but why? why was elisa keeping larry away from his family and friends? had what did she ha