May “Maya” Millete.Photo: Facebook
Larry Milette, the husband of missing California mother May “Maya” Millete, has been arrested in connection with his wife’s murder, PEOPLE confirms.
On Tuesday Larry was arrested, nine months after Maya vanished from their Chula Vista home, his sister-in-law Maricris Drouaillet tells PEOPLE.
“I can’t explain how I’m feeling right now,” Drouaillet says of the news. “It’s just still hard to take. We were still hoping [to find her alive].”
Police announcedin a statementTuesday that Larry was taken into custody. At a press conference later that day, authorities announced that Larry has been charged with murder as well as the illegal possession of an assault weapon.
“I can’t look at what people are sending me,” she says. “Like the news of his arrest being for murder … that hurts. That’s so hard. And it’s not sinking in yet.”
Maya, 40, vanished from her Southern California home on Jan. 7., one day before she and Larry were planning on taking their three children, ages 4, 9 and 11, to Big Bear to celebrate their daughter’s birthday with her family.
In July,police named Larrya person of interest in the case. Speaking toPEOPLE in September,Drouaillet said the news was unsurprising.
“It wasn’t as shocking [as you’d think],” Drouaillet said. “But then again, it’s not a surprise for us, the family, because we kind of knew … he’s the last person that saw her.”
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According to Drouaillet, the last time Maya saw her family was during a camping trip over New Year’s. On the trip, the mother-of-three revealed to her family she was planning on leaving Larry after 20 years of marriage.
Drouaillet said Maya had gone to see a divorce attorney the day she disappeared.
“During our camping trip, when she told us she was filing for the divorce, I just told her to just be careful,” Drouaillet said. “I told her to be careful.”
PEOPLE was unable to identify an attorney for Larry who can speak on his behalf.
source: people.com
