Judge set to sentence Chula Vista father in wife's murder

San Diego County Judge Enrique Camarena will determine the length of Larry Millete's prison term on Monday afternoon. The Chula Vista father was convicted in July of first-degree murder for the disappearance of his wife, Maya. The verdict arrived more than five years after Maya walked into her San Miguel Ranch home and vanished.

The only procedural step remaining before sentencing is a defense motion for a new trial. Millete's attorneys argue that jurors were biased against their client. They base this claim on post-verdict interviews that jurors gave to various media outlets. The trial team recently issued subpoenas to obtain video recordings of those conversations. This evidence request delayed the original sentencing schedule.

If the judge denies the motion, Maya's family members will deliver impact statements. Several of these written statements are already part of the pre-sentencing court record. Jay-R Tabalanza, Maya's brother, asked the court to ensure Millete never leaves prison. He specifically requested a life sentence without the possibility of parole to provide the family with assurance.

Jane Fetalvero, Maya's sister, focused on the loss suffered by Maya's three children. She told the court that Millete took the children's mother from them. Fetalvero argued that Millete does not deserve to be free because he kept Maya as a prisoner.

Genesis Tabalanza, Maya's sister-in-law, urged Millete to reveal the location of Maya's body. She stated that providing this information would allow the children to have peace. She noted that knowing their mother did not abandon them would offer the family a sense of closure.

First-degree murder carries a statutory penalty of 25 years to life in prison. Camarena will decide if Millete becomes eligible for parole after serving the minimum 25-year term. Millete also pleaded guilty to an unrelated gun charge. That conviction could add up to three years to his total sentence. Because Millete has been in custody for five years since the incident, that time will count toward his final sentence.