Larry Millete Was Found Guilty Of First-Degree Murder Thursday And His Wife Maya Has Never Been Found

A Chula Vista jury found Larry Millete guilty of first-degree murder Thursday in the death of his wife Maya Millete, a 39-year-old mother of three who disappeared on January 7, 2021 and whose body has never been recovered.

The jury deliberated for less than a day after nearly two months of testimony from more than 60 witnesses before reaching a unanimous verdict.

Applause and cheers broke out in the courthouse as supporters of Maya wearing green, her favorite color, embraced and wept.

Prosecutors argued that Larry, 44, killed Maya in their Chula Vista home after she sought a divorce, loaded her body into an SUV and disposed of it during a 12-hour window on January 8 when his whereabouts remain unknown.

There was no murder weapon, no body and no confession. The case was built entirely on circumstantial and digital evidence, including online searches for poison hemlock, spellcasting activity prosecutors described as an escalating pattern of obsession and control, and the fact that Maya had not been seen or heard from in more than five years.

Juror Beverly Feldman told reporters afterward that the verdict was unanimous on the first vote.

"If he wouldn't have done the spellcasting, we probably wouldn't be here today," she said. "He wanted her to himself and I think he has accomplished that."

Maya's sister Maricris Drouaillet, who first called police when Maya went missing, was in the courtroom when the verdict was read.

"Justice has probably been served today," she said. "But we still have the second step to go through. We still have to bring my sister home."

Larry faces up to 25 years to life in prison. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. A separate assault weapons charge will be resolved first.