Millete denies killing wife after 25 years

Convicted killer Larry Millete denied any involvement in his wife's disappearance during his first public interview since his sentencing. He spoke to NBC 7 Investigates on Tuesday morning, less than 18 hours after a judge handed down his sentence on Monday. Millete, a father from Chula Vista, has been ordered to serve 25 years to life in prison. A jury found him guilty of first degree murder in July based on circumstantial evidence. In the interview, Millete called himself the convenient suspect in Maya Millete's vanishing. He stated that people assume it must be the husband. When asked if he killed Maya, he replied, "No ma'am. I would never."

Millete argued that his wife left the family on her own. His defense lawyers had testified that Maya climbed over a back fence in Rancho San Miguel and hiked past a mountain trail. Millete said he and his daughters heard Maya in the house between the 8th and 9th of the month. This contradicts the prosecution's timeline that she left on the 7th. He refuted evidence of intense arguments, including texts to his boss where he wrote, "I'm not right" and "I'm about to lose it." Millete claimed their last interaction was a normal discussion about child care decisions.

Home surveillance video showed Millete backing his SUV into the garage on the morning of January 8, 2021. Prosecutors argued this was when he loaded Maya's body into the vehicle. Millete said the move was due to obsessive-compulsive tendencies and a need to keep his son, Lazarus, out of the cold. He explained that he transferred the child and car seats to avoid exposing the boy to cold air. The video also showed him driving away for about 12 hours without returning home. Millete said he took his son to the beach but did not inform his family or boss of the plans.

His mobile phone was shut off during that 12 hour stretch. Millete said turning off his phone with family was normal for him. He also cited a potential trip to Big Bear that he might not have been invited to attend. He did not want to bring Lazarus if the girls were with their mother. His two daughters read statements to the court during the sentencing hearing on Monday. They asked where their mother was and hoped for closure. Maylani Millete said, "Where is my mom? I think I could get that bit of closure."

Millete cried in court as his daughters addressed him. The judge granted a protective order for 10 years that bars the children from having contact with their father. They can petition the court for contact when they turn 18. Millete believes he will never be granted parole because he has no information about Maya's whereabouts. He described the situation as a catch-22 where he feels coerced into falsely confessing to gain freedom.

The sentencing hearing marked the first time Millete saw two of his children in person in years. He maintained that Maya went somewhere on her own and that this is the only possible explanation for him. He stated he would never be able to hurt or harm her. The interview ended with Millete reiterating that he does not know who is responsible for his current situation. He suggested public pressure and allegations played a role in his conviction.