A San Diego jury found Larry Millete guilty of murdering his wife, Maya Millete, who disappeared in May 2021 and whose body was never recovered. The conviction rested primarily on circumstantial evidence, prosecutors argued that Millete killed his wife after discovering her affair with a coworker.

Maya Millete vanished from the family home in Chula Vista, California. Investigators located her remains in a remote area months later, but no direct physical evidence tied Millete to the crime scene. Instead, prosecutors built their case around financial records, text messages, search history, and expert testimony regarding Millete's movements and motive.

The case proceeded despite the absence of a body at the time of trial, a legal hurdle that prosecutors overcame through forensic analysis and witness testimony establishing identity. Detectives found evidence suggesting financial motive, as well as communications indicating marital discord. The state's theory centered on jealousy and rage stemming from the affair.

The defense challenged the circumstantial nature of the prosecution's evidence, arguing reasonable doubt existed regarding Millete's guilt. Without a confession or eyewitness testimony, the case relied entirely on inference and reconstruction.

Millete's conviction on a murder charge carries severe consequences. California treats murder without special circumstances differently than cases with aggravating factors, but Millete faces sentencing that could result in 25 years to life imprisonment depending on the specific murder degree and any enhancements the court applies.

This case reflects modern prosecutorial strategy in homicide investigations where traditional evidence proves unavailable. Prosecutors increasingly rely on digital forensics, pattern evidence, and expert reconstruction to secure convictions in missing-person murders. The Millete verdict demonstrates juries' willingness to convict based on circumstantial evidence when presented systematically and persuasively, provided the totality of circumstances establishes guilt beyond