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SAN DIEGO — The second week of the preliminary hearing for Larry Millete, who is accused of murdering his wife May “Maya” Millete, is underway Tuesday.
Larry is accused of murdering Maya, who was last seen on Jan. 7, 2021 near her home in the 2400 block of Paseo Los Gatos in Chula Vista. Two days later, her sister reported Maya as missing.
The hearing began last Wednesday at the downtown San Diego courthouse and is expected to last several weeks, with over 20 witnesses expected to testify.
Courts were closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Several people gave testimony last week, including Maya’s siblings Maricris Drouaillet and Jay-R Tabalanza.
Drouaillet, Maya’s sister, was on the stand for several hours Thursday and Friday. She testified that Larry told her on Jan. 9, to wait until 2/2:30 a.m. on Jan. 10, before calling authorities to alert them Maya was missing.
Drouaillet testified that Larry had told her he and Maya had a big argument on Thursday, Jan. 7, which is the last day Maya was seen alive.
Tabalanza, Maya’s younger brother, also testified Larry had told him the same thing.
Tabalanza said he was one of the first people to go to Maya’s home in search of her. He said on Jan. 8, one day after Maya was last seen, he could not get ahold of his sister, so he went to their home in Chula Vista and found Larry upstairs and his nieces and nephews at the home.
The preliminary hearing is not a jury trial, but works as a mini-trial, without a jury, where counsel can call witnesses, display evidence and cross-examine witnesses.
At the end of the preliminary hearing, the judge can rule that there is enough evidence to believe Larry committed a crime and a trial will be scheduled, or, on the other hand, the judge can rule the evidence does not establish probable cause Larry committed a crime and the judge has the ability to dismiss charges.
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