Authorities arrested a Southern California husband Tuesday on suspicion of murdering his wife, Maya Millete, nine months ago. A SWAT team stormed into Larry Millete’s Chula Vista home with flash bangs and a loudspeaker, taking him into custody.
While investigators said they haven’t found any evidence of May “Maya” Millete’s body, they said nearly 90 hours of witness interviews and dozens of search warrants pointed to her husband, Larry, as the prime suspect in her disappearance.
“These efforts ultimately generated a variety of pieces of evidence that have become clear and overwhelming: Larry Millete, [Maya]’s husband, is responsible for [Maya]'s murder and disappearance," Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy said during a news conference Tuesday.
Police booked Larry, holding him without bail.
“Sometimes missing persons cases remain unsolved, but as the evidence unfolded in this case - meticulously and carefully block by block it pointed in one direction, that Maya was murdered,” San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan said during the press conference.
“I know the hearts of the community are broken, as are the hearts of Maya's family. I wish we had better news for them. The only thing that we can do in the face of this senseless violence is to bring justice,” Stephan continued.
While Millete’s body remains missing, the district attorney said under California law, a missing body is circumstantial evidence of foul play, and murder charges can be filed without finding one.
Stephan shared several details about what led up to Larry’s arrest, noting that in 66 search warrants and 87 interviews of family, friends, neighbors and witnesses, they learned that Maya wanted a divorce after nearly 20 years, but Larry was unwilling to agree.
Maya’s phone call records revealed that she had called a divorce attorney in early January and scheduled an appointment to file the paperwork, Stephan said, adding that investigators believe Larry knew. Police said they found messages Larry sent his boss. One text read, “I think she wants me to snap and I’m shaking inside ready to snap.”
Authorities believe the messages are evidence of Larry’s violent state of mind that day. There are no calls or messages logged from Maya Millete’s phone after Jan. 7.
With few leads on the whereabouts of Millete’s body, her family and investigators are pleading with the public for help.
“We still have a long way to go. We’re still asking the public to please bring my sister home. I still want to see my sister. I still want her to come home to us,” Millete’s sister, Maricris Drouaillet, said through tears.
“Please if you know anything at all, please help us. We made a promise to her 11-year-old daughter that we will bring her mom home.”
The couple has three children – ages 4, 9 and 11 – were not home when police arrested Larry, who is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 21.
Anyone with information about Millete’s disappearance is asked to contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477 or Chula Vista Police at 619-691-5151.
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