May “Maya” Millete.Photo: Facebook
Larry Millete, the husband of missing California momMay “Maya” Millete, has pleaded not guilty to her murder.
The plea was entered during an in-person arraignment on Thursday. Along with one count of first-degree murder, Larry, 40, pleaded not guilty to illegal possession of an assault weapon, a spokesperson for the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office confirms to PEOPLE.
Online jail records show that Larry is currently being held without bail.
Maya was 39 when she was last seen on the evening of Jan. 7 at her Chula Vista home.
Larry was arrested on Tuesday, more than nine months since his wife’s disappearance.
May “Maya” Millete with her family.
In a press conference this week, San Diego County district attorney Summer Stephan released details from an unsealed portion of Larry’s arrest warrant andaccused him of murdering Maya after the mother of three sought a divorce.
California law allows prosecutors to file murder charges even if a body is missing, something that Stephan believes in this case is “circumstantial evidence that there was foul play, and that it was murder, because somebody who took their own life can’t hide their own body.”
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According to Stephan, Maya had been wanting a divorce from Larry since 2020 and had set up a meeting with a divorce lawyer prior to her disappearance.
Describing the couple’s marriage as a “toxic relationship,” Stephan claimed Larry previously contacted “spell casters” — people purporting magical abilities — to “make May stay in the relationship” and asked “for May to become incapacitated, for May to be in an accident, to have broken bones so that she could stay at home, thus displaying his homicidal ideations to harm May.”
Within their investigation, authorities allegedly found an unlawful assault rifle in Larry’s home. They also discovered that one of his firearms — a .40 calibre gun — was never turned in when he was served a search warrant, according to Stephan.
Speaking to press on Tuesday, Maya’s sister, Maricris Drouaillet, said it’s “been really hard” on the family to watch the latest events unfold.
“It’s hard to go against family,” she said. “He’s been with us for 20 years. My sister loved him. She gave him three kids. This is still not the end. We have a long way to go. We’re still asking the public: Please help us bring my sister home. I just want to see my sister.”
source: people.com
