Overview
- Prosecutors presented a 24-day case that called 66 witnesses and the defense rested after a single day in which it called three witnesses; Larry Millete declined to testify in his own defense.
- K9 handlers testified that two search dogs swept the Millete home, garage and yard and did not detect human remains, and the handlers said the dogs were not trained to find lingering decomposition odors.
- Judge Enrique Camarena barred questions about how long a body takes to decompose and excluded uncertified vehicle-search K9 findings, narrowing what scientific and K9 evidence jurors may consider.
- The defense’s private investigator mapped camera angles and showed possible backyard escape routes that could let someone leave undetected, while prosecutors point to the end of Maya Millete’s phone activity and a roughly 12-hour gap in Larry Millete’s whereabouts on Jan. 8, 2021.
- Attorneys will argue jury instructions on Monday before giving closings next Tuesday, after which the 12-member jury will begin deliberations and decide whether the circumstantial record meets the legal standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.