Valley businessman Dalen Ware went in front of a Maricopa County judge accused of murdering his ex-wife, army veteran, Julia Jacobson.
Jacobson, who lived in San Diego, disappeared this past Labor Day weekend.
Her body has yet to be found.
Last Friday, Phoenix police arrested Ware on a first-degree murder warrant out of California.
Investigators say evidence found in Jacobson's car led them to believe she was no longer alive and pointed to Ware’s alleged involvement.
Jacobson’s family had previously spoken out, fearing the worst.
“Since my mom passed away in February, she's called my dad every single day and those calls stopped on Friday,” her brother told the NBC affiliate in San Diego.
Jacobson is a retired Army captain who served two tours of duty in Iraq.
Detectives say she went missing while on a road trip with her beloved dog, Boogie.
She was last seen alive at a convenience store in Ontario, California, which is around 40 miles east of Los Angeles.
Her dog also hasn’t been found.
12 News has learned Ware, who lives in Laveen, is a former ASU football player who currently owns a cyber security business in Tempe.
Police say he and Jacobson divorced about a year and a half ago.
While Ware didn't have much to say during his initial appearance at the 4th Avenue Jail in downtown Phoenix, California authorities believe he knows where Jacobson’s body is and he is the only person who can give her family closure.
Police haven't said whether it was DNA evidence they found in her car.
If you have any information you're asked to call California authorities at 1 -800-78-CRIME.
Loved ones have started a Facebook page to help investigators develop leads as to where her body may be located.