Jury Convicts Larry Millete in Chula Vista Wife’s Murder After Investigators Trace Spellcaster Search in Missing Mother Case

CHULA VISTA, CA — A California jury on July 9 found Larry Millete guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Maya Millete, who disappeared from her Chula Vista home in January 2021. Maya, a mother of three, has never been found.

The verdict closed a case that began when friends and relatives grew worried after her disappearance and the couple’s marital troubles became public. Investigators later said Millete had been increasingly desperate to keep her from leaving the marriage.

A marriage under strain

According to the case details cited in the report, Maya had said she wanted to end the relationship before she vanished. That raised suspicions early among people close to the family, especially as her husband offered a different account of what happened.

Millete has said his wife left to start a new life. He was arrested in October 2021 and later pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

Searches for a spellcaster

Investigators say Millete left behind an unusual digital trail as he searched online for people who could cast spells to bring Maya back or make her more affectionate. The case also included a review he wrote for one of those spellcasters, a detail that drew attention from those helping the family.

Billy Little, a former U.S. Navy criminal defense investigator who assisted the family early on, said the online activity added to the evidence against Millete. He described the behavior as the kind of trail that can unintentionally make a suspect look more guilty, not less.

Children placed with sister

The case also affected Maya’s children. In August 2024, a judge granted custody of the three children to Maya’s sister, Maricris, according to the report.

The custody ruling came while the murder case was still moving through the courts, underscoring how long the family had been waiting for answers after Maya vanished.

What the verdict means

The guilty verdict on first-degree murder brought a major legal turn in a case that had remained unresolved for years. Even with the conviction, Maya Millete’s remains have not been located.

Investigators and family members had long pressed for accountability after her disappearance, and the July 2026 jury decision marked the strongest conclusion yet in a case that began with a missing-person report and ended with a murder conviction.

TNSO covers California, Nevada, and Arizona as the story unfolds.