Case by Case | The Trial of Larry Millete Begins

The trial of Larry Miliete, accused of murdering his wife Maya in 2021, has begun after five years of investigation and public scrutiny. Maya, a Filipina immigrant and devoted mother of three, vanished on January 7, 2021, the same day she called a law office to schedule a divorce consultation—afraid her husband would find out. Prosecutors argue that Larry, desperate to keep her in the marriage, orchestrated a sinister campaign of manipulation, including paying online spellcasters to control and harm her. Emails reveal chilling requests to 'incapacitate' Maya, even suggesting an 'accident' or broken bone, and a post-disappearance shift in focus to punishing her alleged lover, Jamie Laird. A vial found in the home tested positive for poison hemlock, and Larry’s Google searches included queries about fast-acting poisons. Despite no body, prosecutors are building a circumstantial case centered on motive, opportunity, and psychological manipulation. The defense, meanwhile, is attempting to shift suspicion toward Laird, pointing to the lack of contact after January 7 and Laird’s alibi during the disappearance. The trial is expected to last three months, with emotional testimony from Maya’s father, who broke down in court, and a jury being asked to weigh intense circumstantial evidence in a case where closure may remain out of reach.