Overview
- The murder trial of Larry Millete began with opening statements on Monday, May 18, and moved into witness testimony this week as jurors heard emotional family accounts.
- Prosecutors say Millete killed his wife to stop her from divorcing him and pointed to a vial investigators say tested positive for hemlock, online searches about poisons, and hundreds of emails with so‑called spellcasters as evidence of motive and intent.
- The defense has repeatedly highlighted that no body, no crime scene and no direct physical evidence tie Millete to a homicide and has raised alternate leads including an alleged affair involving Maya and a co‑worker.
- Maya’s father and sister gave emotional testimony in court, with the father shouting at Millete and the judge briefly clearing the courtroom before denying a defense request for a mistrial.
- Judge Enrique Camarena has barred cameras and live streaming, the trial is expected to last months, and its outcome may hinge on contested forensic findings and jurors’ views of circumstantial proof and witness credibility.