Man sentenced for murdering wife as family demands to know where her body is

A judge sentenced Larry Millete to 25 years to life for murdering his wife, Maya, whose body has never been found. Their daughters pleaded with him to reveal where she is, while an emotional confrontation between relatives erupted in court Monday.CHULA VISTA, Calif. (CN) — A San Diego Superior Court judge Monday sentenced Larry Millete to 25 years to life in prison on Monday after an emotional day in court as family members of Maya Millete recalled their memories of a mother, aunt and sister.A jury convicted Larry Millete in July of murdering Maya Millete, who was last seen at her Chula Vista home on Jan. 7, 2021. Her body has never been found.The sentencing followed two hours of victim impact statements from family members who pleaded with the convicted murderer to reveal the location of Maya Millete’s remains.“The search consumes our lives,” Maricris Drouaillet, Maya Millete’s oldest sister and legal guardian of her children, told the court. “I hope he finds peace, and I hope it brings him a change of heart and he tells us where my sister is so we can lay her to rest. Maya deserves to come home. We hope that one day our family can find some peace again.”Although her remains were not recovered, prosecutors established a case based on circumstantial evidence that showed the couple’s marriage had been in trouble and Larry had been controlling, abusive and obsessed.He repeatedly purchased online spells to regain his wife’s affection or to sicken and injure her, prosecutors said. They also presented evidence that he turned off his phone and left his residence for about 12 hours, driving about 444 miles in his vehicle the morning after Maya Millete was last seen.Family members expressed feeling betrayed by someone they had seen as a family member.Speaking for the first time, the couple’s two teenage daughters, Maylani and Lara Millete, also asked their father to reveal where their mother’s body was.“I find myself and my siblings to be stuck in a very complicated position,” Lara told the courtroom. “I am the daughter of the victim and simultaneously the daughter of the defendant."“As his daughter, I cannot stop loving him,” she continued. “He is the only parent we have left.”Larry Millete also addressed the courtroom, insisting he was not a bad person and describing himself as a loving father.“I am not a monster,” he said. “I just hope one day I can make amends and reconcile. Time does heal all wounds."Millete has long denied killing his wife.“My only regret is that I wasn’t able to protect my wife enough,” he said. “She wasn’t just my wife, she was my best friend.”He also told each of his children that he loved them and was proud of them. However, tensions boiled over when he addressed Maya Millete’s other family members.“I know it’s hard to believe, but I really love your sister,” he told her brother, who shook his head. “It’s hard being without her.”“Then why did you kill her?” Maya Millete’s niece, Rica Casino, shouted from across the courtroom before rushing toward him and being restrained by other family members.Presiding Superior Court Judge Enrique Camarena, Jr. also allowed Larry Millete’s family to speak in support of him.“I am not ashamed of you,” his mother, Judith Millete, said. “I am proud of you because you did not murder anybody.”Hi father Benito Millete also defended his son and even went so far as to accuse Maya Millete of having a drinking problem.Deputy District Attorney Christy Bowles objected to these statements, but Benito Millete appeared to suffer from a medical episode and was removed from court.Camarena also criticized Larry Millete.“The record before the court does not demonstrate humility or responsibility,” he said of Larry Millete. “He has maintained a posture of denial and defiance. Of particular gravity is the defendant’s callousness in the immediate aftermath of the murder.”The evidence also showed Millete was uninterested in helping locate his missing wife, the judge said.“Frankly the court finds the conduct abhorrent,” he said.Camarena also granted a protective order prohibiting contact between Millete and his children. The children could seek to modify the order once they become adults, he ruled.Millete’s defense attorneys requested a new trial based on purported juror misconduct, statements made to the media and evidentiary concerns. Camarena denied the request.San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan congratulated prosecutors and law enforcement for securing a conviction and significant prison sentence.“This case is about deadly control,” Stephan told reporters after the sentencing. “If Larry Millete could not have Maya, no one in the world would ever get to enjoy her company, including her three children and loving family. This murder conviction and sentence finally holds Larry Millete accountable, for the cruel murder he committed, taking the life of this mother.”Deputy District Attorney Christy Bowles said it was “the privilege of my life to be a voice for Maya Millete and advocate for justice on behalf of her family and friends.”“But this case is an absolute tragedy," Bowles said. “So many people have suffered as a result of the defendant’s actions in this case, and no one more than his children. It is my sincere hope that one day, we can bring closure to them and bring their mother home so they can lay her to rest.”Categories / Courts, CriminalSubscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads