Courtroom Gets Emotional During Larry Millete Murder Trial | Case by Case | Forensic Files

Hello and welcome to Case by Case. I'm 48 hours correspondent Peter Vans and this [music] week we're continuing our
coverage of the riveting Larry Millettee murder trial. He is accused of murdering
his wife and mother to [music] their three children, Maya Millettee. Maya was last seen at their Chula Vista home in
January of 2021. Her body has never been found. This week, big news out of the trial with claims that Larry made
reference to hiring a hitman to kill not his wife, but the man Maya was having an
affair with, Jaime Leard. This was after testimony about Larry emailing spellcasters about Maya and then Jaime.
Now that's a first for me. Mailing people who could cast spells. In these initial few weeks of trial, we have
heard from a wide range of witnesses from family to law enforcement. The prosecution has painted a portrait of an
unraveling marriage, a controlling husband, a wife desperate to leave, and a trail of digital evidence that they
say points to Larry's guilt. However, the defense claims this is a case of tunnel vision. They argue that police
zeroed in on Larry from the start of their criminal investigation, making key oversightes. They also have questioned
why there hasn't been more of a focus on Jaime Leairard. And with me to break down all of this testimony is CBS News
legal reporter Katrina Kaufman. Katrina, welcome. >> Thanks for having me. >> Now, I just wanted to start off by
saying that we did cover the first week of this trial. So, if you want to revisit that coverage, check out our
casebycase podcast feed and 48 hours YouTube channel. This case has generated a lot of
attention so far without even cameras being allowed in the courtroom. >> This is such a compelling story. It's
about this young woman, a mother with a bright future who just disappeared and it has all of these intriguing elements.
We have casting spells. There's an affair. There's this allegation of attempted murder for hire and the fact
that no body was ever found here. So on a human level, it's such a tragic story and legally speaking, it's quite
complicated. >> This is one of those cases, uh, Katrina, where we at 48 hours often say it's like
a screenwriter put this together. >> It really is like a movie, this case. >> And Katrina, could you give us just a
brief recap before we get into what has been unfolding over these past two weeks?
>> Maya and Larry Millettee, they both worked for the US Navy. Maya or she was known as May by her friends. She was 39
years old when she disappeared in January of 2021. In July, her husband Larry, that's when he became a person of
interest in this case. And in October of that same year, he was arrested. But the
reason it's taken so long to actually get to trial is that a lot happened. There were multiple attorneys. There was
a mental competency evaluation for Larry. and and that's something that they do to make sure that a defendant is
actually mentally fit to stand trial. The defense they also tried to remove the prosecutor from the case.
>> And now 5 years later, we are in court. Prosecution is arguing Larry killed her
because of an obsession that grew during this deteriorating relationship. >> Exactly. And from opening statements,
what the defense is trying to argue is that actually there's no evidence that Maya is dead. And even if she is dead,
maybe someone else is responsible for that. >> So now let's get into new updates from
the courtroom. So last week we heard from Chula Vista PD detectives who investigated this case. First up was
police officer Ryan Culver. Culver was among the officers who responded to the Milliete home in January 2021, right
after Maya's sister, Mary Chris, called 911 to report her missing. What are the biggest takeaways from his testimony?
>> Well, Culver was asked by the prosecution to recount his first search of the home, according to reports from
local news outlets who were inside the courtroom that day. What he said he was looking for is any evidence that
indicated Maya might have left on her own. So like a plane ticket, something that indicated that she departed on her
own valition. >> How does the defense in their cross-examination challenged the prosecution's narrative?
>> So what the defense attorneys highlighted is that Larry Millettee when they wanted to do the search, he was
fully cooperative. He didn't argue with the officers. He let them search throughout the house. Um, and they
really emphasized what the officers did not find during that search. They pointed out that the officers looked for
a couple of hours. They went through every room, including the garage, and there were no signs of foul play. So,
nothing was broken, the curtains weren't torn down, and there weren't any signs of a struggle. This all goes towards
casting doubt on the idea that Larry could have committed this crime. And we have to remember the burden is always on
the prosecution here. They're the ones who have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Larry killed Maya.
>> Next, the prosecution called to the stand forensic specialist David Garber. He talked about what he found in Larry's
car. Tell us about that, Katrina. >> So, this is a black Lexus, and it's the same car that Larry actually took for a
long drive. This was on the day following Maya's disappearance. But what Garper talked about in court was they
found spots of fluid in the car. Some were on a cargo mat. And when investigators tested those, they test
with this formula. It's called Blue Star. And it can reveal if there have any blood stains that have been cleaned
up. What they determined is that there was a spot on the mat that could potentially be blood. But importantly,
the defense argued that there needed to be further testing in order to confirm what the fluids were.
>> Garber also talked about streaking he found on the side walls of the car. He said it appeared a liquid had been used
to wipe the cargo area of the SUV. Later in the trial, a former Chula Vista police officer called the car
exceptionally clean, leading her to believe the vehicle was cleaned recently. Is that significant, Katrina?
>> I mean, it does raise questions. Why was this car so clean? But Garber noted that
it wasn't enough to constitute a crime scene, but what he did say that I found so striking was he talked about a search
history that officers found on one of the devices that was in the Millette's house. and Peter. The searches included
quote how to mentally torture someone and quote psychological torture. >> And digital evidence in this case has
been significant from texts to search history. And Larry's emails to these spellcasters.
>> Absolutely. And those emails to spellcasters were so notable. But what investigators talked about is that Larry
was closely tracking Maya's whereabouts. He tracked when she went to Walmart. He
tracked when she had lunch with friends. And he was especially always trying to keep track of where she was when he was
not able to reach her. >> So, while Larry was writing these emails about his wife's comingings and goings
and keeping this log, it appears that Maya was also writing something for Larry. A physical letter that according
to local news reports was found in a notebook in the master bedroom. And Katrina, I have a copy of this emotional
letter. I just wanted to read a portion of it and get your thoughts. It says, "I've been gone mentally and emotionally
for a very long time." Which you failed to notice until I found the strength to initiate physically leaving. I read this
and I thought maybe you'd consider it. The ego says once everything falls into place, I'll find peace. The spirit says,
"Find peace and everything will fall into place. Let me find my peace. I cannot find it with you." Maya, what do
you think, Katrina? >> It's so moving to hear these words that she left behind. And you know, legally
speaking, it gives us a window into her state of mind in the months before she disappeared. We hear her in that letter
talking about how she wasn't happy in her marriage, how she knew she had to leave. And also, if Larry actually saw
this letter, it could point towards motive for him. We know that he went as far as commissioning people to cast
spells to try to keep their relationship together. Now, we have heard from law enforcement
and forensic experts, but we also heard from two more of Maya's family members. When 48 Hours talked to one of Mia's
sisters a few years ago, she described her family as very close and loving, and this was a big family. Mia had five
brothers and sisters. Earlier in the trial, Sister Mary Chris testified along with Ma's father. More recently, brother
JP took the stand and another sister did as well named Jane. >> Hearing from Maya's family is so
powerful for the jury. These are the people who loved Maya. They're the ones who also watched this marriage fall
apart. So, it gives real insight into Maya, Larry, who they were, and what might have happened here.
>> Let's start with Maya's older brother, JP. >> This testimony stood out to me more than
anything. It goes back to Christmas of 2020 and a timeline that's 2 weeks before Maya disappeared. According to
JP's testimony, Larry reached out to him. He was upset about Maya's affair. And what Larry asked him is if he knew
anyone who could quote, "get the other guy." And at a preliminary hearing for this case, JP said that Larry was asking
him if he knew someone who could kill the man that Maya was having an affair with. So, he wasn't going after Maya,
but this man she was having an affair with. And he offered to pay JP $4,000 and then another 20,000 to the person
that did this. JP says that he told Larry he didn't want to get involved. >> And this wasn't a one-time conversation
either. Right. >> Exactly. And that is what makes this so significant for the prosecution.
According to JP, Larry brought it up again on New Year's Day in 2021. Now, that's one week before Maya disappeared.
>> What happened during cross-examination? >> JP told the defense that he never thought Larry would hurt his sister. He
said that he trusted Larry, according to reports from inside that courtroom. >> In addition to JP, Ma's sister, Jane,
also testified. Now, what did she say about the final weeks before Mia's disappearance?
Jane said that Maya had confided in her siblings back in November of 2020. So, this is about two months before she was
last seen. What Mia said is that she wanted to divorce Larry and to co-parent their children. Jane testified that the
family though at first they encouraged her to try to work out the marriage. They said family is important. You
should keep your marriage together. However, as the weeks went on, they started to change their minds. they
began to see this situation differently. Jane also said that just 3 days before Maya was last seen, Maya actually
reached out to both of her sisters and she was asking to borrow money to hire a divorce attorney. She also talked about
pawning some of her purses. These were Louis Vuitton purses to raise money so that she could bring that divorce
attorney on. >> She was taking concrete steps to end the marriage. And then there was Mia's last
text message to her family. Tell us about that one. >> So, this is the last message that Maya's
family ever received from her, and it came on January 7th, 2021 around 8:00 p.m. What she sent them was a picture of
a trailer that was for sale. And her sister Jane explained that the reason they would have wanted that trailer is
they had been planning this family road trip. They all wanted to travel across the country together. And on the stand,
Jane got really emotional. This was according to CBS8 reporters in the courtroom. Jane was asked, "Would Mia
ever leave her children?" Jane said, "Never." >> It's really haunting. >> It is. And we also learned more about
what Maya was like from Jane. She described her as this proud mother. She always thought about her kids. She was
someone who liked to dress in matching outfits with them. So, you know, these are all little details, but for the
jury, they make her more of a human in a way that all of these police evidence and forensic tests, they they just
can't. Um, and according to reporters in the courtroom, people were in tears when
Jane was testifying. >> A very powerful moment. So, this is what's called a nobody case, which could
make it more difficult to prosecute. The defense has leaned on that from the very
beginning, arguing that there's no evidence a murder even occurred. >> That's exactly right. And that's what
makes those cases so complicated. You don't have the body and all of the forensic evidence that goes with that.
So, this family testimony, it's crucial. Each text message, this plan that we learned about to borrow money for a
divorce attorney, the photo of a trailer for this dream road trip, it all points
to someone who was looking forward in their life. So, the circumstantial evidence in a case where the body was
never found, it's extremely relevant and so important for the prosecution's case.
And the thing about nobody cases is sometimes even without a body, there can be a clear indication of a killing. I
covered the case of a famous dog trainer named Mark Stove in the Pacific Northwest. He was missing, but there was
evidence he must have been shot in his home. There was blood and bullet shell casings and a wounded dog. There was
little doubt someone had been shot there. There doesn't seem to be that level of evidence here, though, and that
could be a problem for the prosecution. [music] Katrina, let's get into what happened
during the trial this week. What were some of the major moments? >> So, this week, we heard from more law
enforcement, including Jesse Vicente. He was the lead detective on the case until
about two years ago when he took a new job with the San Diego County DA's office. What he did is he walked the
jury through several pieces of surveillance footage. These came from around the Millete's home and they're
from the day Maya was last seen and the days following. What Vicente said was the most significant finding though was
a video. So Peter, you can see Maya entering the house, but there's no evidence that she ever went out. This is
so crucial to the prosecution's case. And while the defense has repeatedly told jurors that we don't know if Maya
is dead, the prosecution they keep trying to lead them back to the evidence. And then the court also heard
audio which came from one of the neighbors surveillance systems. And on it you can hear multiple loud bangs.
This is from the evening of Maya's disappearance. >> This actually came up in the original 48
hours episode that aired in 2022. Attorney and former criminal defense investigator for the US Navy, Billy
Little took it upon himself to investigate the case after finding out about Ma's disappearance. Here is
correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti from that 48 hours episode. >> The neighbors, do they say, "Oh yeah, we
heard gunshots." >> Yeah. Not only did they tell me that they've got gunshots, but [music]
they've got the audio. A home surveillance system from the neighbor captured these loud bangs around 1000
[music] p.m. that night. Little also believes they are gunshots. >> It's coming from Larry and Maya's house.
>> So, this went through an FBI analysis. They were trying to figure out were those bangs actually gunshots, but it
was inconclusive ultimately. And we also heard some testimony from that same neighbor that was interesting. It was
about a video where you can hear the sound of what could be kids playing outside and it's late at night and it
raises all of these questions. Why were they out there? And that was something that Billy Little
talked about as well to 48 hours in the same episode, saying it was 10:30 p.m. the night Maya was last heard from.
According to Little, it was a cooler night and pretty late for kids to be outside. The sights and sounds of this
evidence must have intrigued those jurors. How does the defense attempt to minimize its impact? What the defense
did to try to poke some holes in this is they pointed to a gap in the surveillance footage. And you have to
remember this was collected from multiple neighbors. It's not just one continuous video stream. The defense
pointed out that there were no cameras that caught the back of the house. They seem to suggest that it's possible
someone could have entered the home from the rear or that maybe Maya went out the
back herself. In addition, they tried to question some of the accuracy of the timestamps and they pointed to the fact
that it was this detective's first homicide investigation. So, they questioned him about his training. Did
he really know how to preserve a crime scene? All of this is a strategy to create doubt for the jury.
>> Was there anything else from the Vicente testimony that stood out to you? >> There was. There was some new
information we learned about which was intriguing. Vicente said that in some of the surveillance footage, he saw that a
freezer was wheeled out on a dolly from the house to a car that belonged to Larry's aunt. This happened on January
9th, 2021. >> And do we know at what time this occurred or what may have been in that
freezer or why it was even being moved? Well, according to reporting from the trial, it happened on January 9th around
4:45 p.m. We didn't hear any more details about what was in the freezer, what might have happened to it. But
another thing that Vende noted is that you see Larry on this footage and he keeps moving Maya's car around. He moves
her Jeep multiple times in the days after she disappeared. >> So, moving forward in this dramatic
trial, what should we be expecting? So, some of the most anticipated testimony could come from Jaime Leair. This is the
man that Maya was having an affair with, and we are also expecting to hear from Jaime Leairard's wife at that time. We
don't know yet when that's going to be. The prosecution, they're keeping this witness list close, so they haven't
shared a complete list of witnesses or when they'll take the stand. You also have to remember this trial, it's
expected to last over two more months. So, we're going to hear from many more people. There is much more to come in
this really wild and intriguing case. And of course, there's always that big question of whether the defendant,
whether Larry will decide to take the stand himself. >> Well, we will continue to track this
case as the trial unfolds. Katrina, thanks so [music] much for joining me. >> Thank you for having me.
>> I'm Peter Vans. This is Case by Case from 48 hours. We will be back next week. And [music] make sure to let us
know which cases you are following in your podcast reviews and comments. [music]

In a trial with no body and no crime scene, is circumstantial evidence enough to convict? Larry Millete's murder trial continues this week with shocking courtroom revelations. He is accused of killing his wife, 39-year-old mother of three Maya Millete. With cameras banned from the courtroom, 48 Hours correspondent Peter Van Sant and CBS News legal reporter Katrina Kaufman break down the past two weeks of testimony, from texts inquiring about a hitman, to a mysterious freezer wheeled out of the home just two days after she disappeared.

Crime. Social justice. Impact. "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. "48 Hours," which premiered in 1988, has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives.

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Brief Summary

The episode discusses the Larry Millettee trial, focusing on evidence against him and family testimonies regarding his wife's disappearance.

Key points

Larry's Alleged Hitman Plot. Claims arise that Larry Millettee considered hiring a hitman to kill Maya's lover, Jaime Leard.
Maya Millettee's Disappearance. Maya Millettee, a mother of three, disappeared in January 2021, and her body has never been found.
Maya's Emotional Letter. Maya's letter reveals her struggles in her marriage and desire to leave.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

"This is such a compelling story.".

Katrina describes the case's intriguing elements.

2:14WatchJul 28, 2026

Tension

75/ 100High tension

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