Testimony Begins In Trial Of Larry Millete, Accused Of Murdering Missing Wife

CHULA VISTA, CA — A sister of missing and presumed dead Chula Vista woman May "Maya" Millete testified Wednesday that after she went missing, her husband seemed unconcerned about his wife's disappearance and did not help in the search efforts that followed.

The testimony from Maricris Drouaillet came in the second day of testimony in the trial of Larry Millete, 44, who is charged with the murder of his wife, who vanished on Jan. 7, 2021.

After May failed to show up for a pre-planned trip to celebrate her daughter's birthday in Big Bear, Drouaillet and other family members went to the Milletes' Chula Vista home to find her, to no avail.

Drouaillet said she and her husband went to the home on Jan. 9 and encountered Larry, who told them May had left and "probably went for a hike."

He also said, "She'll come home. This is what she does," Drouaillet testified.

When Drouaillet said she wanted to call the police, she testified Larry said, "No, just wait. She'll be home."

Drouaillet and her husband stayed over at the Chula Vista residence that night to wait for May to come back. The following day, they began combing the neighborhood to see if any residents had video footage that captured May.

Drouaillet's testimony also covered the efforts she and other family members and friends undertook in the months that followed to spread the word of her sister's disappearance, including appearances on the syndicated talk show "Dr. Phil," disseminating flyers, creating a website dedicated to locating May, paying for billboards, and making social media posts.

She also arranged searches for May, first on hiking trails because Larry had indicated May was hiking, then later in desert areas like Ocotillo Wells and Glamis.

But while she initially agreed to handle the search efforts so Larry could care for the couple's children, she said he did not aid in searching for his wife even after his parents moved into the Chula Vista home and could presumably take over watching the children.

Regarding his demeanor, Drouaillet testified "It was like, `Hey, Maya's missing, oh well."'

May did not divulge much about the couple's marital issues to her sister, as part of what Drouaillet described as a family custom to not worry other family members.

However, during a number of family trips throughout 2020, Drouaillet testified that there were "obvious tensions" between Larry and May.

On a New Year's trip to Glamis, less than a week before May disappeared, Drouaillet said May finally disclosed to her and other family members that she wanted a divorce.

Though Drouaillet advised May to think it over, she testified that May said, "No, I've made up my mind."

On Jan. 7, May scheduled a consultation with a divorce attorney for Jan. 12.

A client service manager for the law firm testified earlier this week that she detected "red flags" during her phone conversation with May, which included May's aversion to going to their office in-person because Larry might find out and May's inability to access funds in order to pay the firm.

Prosecutors have contended Larry was controlling and possessive of his wife and went to extreme lengths to monitor her whereabouts and communications before allegedly murdering her because she sought to divorce him.

His alleged methods for convincing his wife to stay in the marriage included purchasing "spells" from supposed magic practitioners that he believed could make May fall back in love with him or depend on him.

Deputy District Attorney Christy Bowles told jurors that as Jan. 7 neared, the requests to spell casters grew more and more troubling, some of which called for the spell casters to "punish" May or have her incapacitated so she could not leave the home. He told one spell caster, "I'm shaking inside ready to snap" on Jan. 7, not long before May's last known sighting, Bowles said.

Larry was arrested in October 2021 on suspicion of murdering May.

In opening statements, Bowles did not specifically state how she believes May was killed, but that it likely occurred in the couple's home on the night of Jan. 7 or early morning hours of Jan. 8.

Based on surveillance footage of the Milletes' neighborhood, there is no evidence of May ever leaving the family home after the afternoon of Jan. 7, Bowles said.

At around 1:30 a.m., May's cellphone was shut off and has never been recovered, the prosecutor said.

Later that morning, Larry allegedly left the home in an SUV and didn't return until about 12 hours later and the prosecutor said his whereabouts during that time period remain unknown.

By JASON KUROSU / City News Service