Larry Millete Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Wife Maya’s 2021 Disappearance

A Chula Vista jury convicted Larry Millete, 44, of first-degree murder on Thursday for killing his wife, Maya, who vanished from their home on January 7, 2021. The jury deliberated less than a day after six weeks of testimony from over 60 witnesses. Millete faces 25 years to life in prison, though Maya’s body has never been found. Prosecutors argued he killed her because she planned to file for divorce.

How prosecutors built a case without a body

Deputy District Attorney Christy Bowles presented digital evidence and testimony showing Larry’s obsessive behavior toward Maya. He tracked her whereabouts, controlled her finances, and contacted online spell casters requesting they make her fall in love with him again, then obey him, then become sick or dependent on him. When Maya told him on January 7 that she would file for divorce, text messages showed Larry saying “I’m shaking inside and ready to snap” and “I’m about to lose it.” Prosecutors alleged he killed Maya in their home that day, loaded her body into an SUV, and disposed of it during a 12-hour period on January 8 when his whereabouts remain unknown.

Why the first-degree verdict matters

The jury chose first-degree murder over second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, or involuntary manslaughter, indicating they believed the killing was intentional and premeditated. One juror, Beverly Feldman, told reporters outside court that the evidence was “overwhelming” and that “Larry did it.” The conviction shows a case does not depend on recovering a victim’s body, according to prosecutors. Judge Enrique Camarena will impose sentencing at a later hearing.

Family’s plea: bring Maya home

Maya’s sister, Maricris Drouaillet, who organized searches for years and made the initial call to police, spoke outside the courthouse after the verdict. “Justice will have been served today, but we still have my sister out there,” she said. “We still have to bring her to her three children that have been waiting for five years.” Assistant Chief Dan Peak of the Chula Vista Police Department said the department will continue searching for Maya’s remains. Maya was a 39-year-old civilian contract specialist at the Naval Information Warfare Center and a mother of three.

What happens next in court

Sentencing has not been scheduled because an unresolved assault weapon possession charge must be addressed first. Millete will return to court next month for a status conference. He has been in custody since his arrest in October 2021. Defense attorneys are expected to file appeals. Maya’s family and prosecutors both emphasized that while the verdict brings accountability, the case remains incomplete without finding her body so loved ones can lay her to rest.

Final Thoughts

Larry Millete’s first-degree murder conviction closes one chapter in a five-year case but leaves a critical question unanswered: where is Maya? The jury’s swift verdict on circumstantial evidence alone signals prosecutors proved their case, yet her family and police say the real work of bringing her home continues.

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