CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — Five years after Maya Millete vanished from her Chula Vista home, dozens of community members gathered Saturday for a prayer hike to honor the missing mother of three and ensure her story is not forgotten.
The hikers, dressed in bright green, made their way up Mount San Miguel Park in Chula Vista — the same trail Maya would often hike before her disappearance on January 7, 2021.
Larry Millete, Maya's husband, was arrested in 2021 on suspicion of murder, though a body has never been located. In 2023, Larry was ordered to stand trial for the disappearance and death of his wife.
For Maricris Drouaillet, Maya's sister, Saturday's prayer hike serves as a metaphor for the family's five-year journey — a constant search for answers.
"It signifies our journey in the last 5 years. The hike itself, it's uphil, it's difficult, it's hard, it's heartbreaking, and yet, we have to keep on moving forward. It gives us so much joy and it gives us renewed strength," Drouaillet said.
For the first time, Maya's children performed some of their mother's favorite songs during the event.
"We're really happy that finally, finally they're able to see what we've been doing for their mom and finally they're able to see what community they have," Drouaillet said.
The activities chosen for the memorial reflect Maya's personality and interests.
"Maya was a hiker. She was a Jeeper, she was an off-roader, so these kind of things are the things that she used to like so that's why we're doing them because this represents who she was," Melissa Noland, a hiker participating in the event, said.
Drouaillet emphasized the importance of keeping Maya's memory alive in the community.
"There's a lot of people rallying around her, that her name matters," Drouaillet said.
The purpose of the hike is to bring awareness and to ultimately bring Maya home, according to loved ones.
After several delays, Larry's murder trial is set to begin March 9. He faces up to 25 years to life in state prison if convicted.
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