CHULA VISTA (KGTV) — Saturday marks two years since Chula Vista mother Maya Millete disappeared. Her husband was arrested for her murder, but Maya has not been found.
Maya Millete has walked the trail near Mount San Miguel Park many times. When she went missing two years ago, family and friends went there, hoping to track down her footsteps. On Saturday, they walked the trail again in honor of her.
"It’s a very somber moment, but we have to remember her for who she was and what she represents,” said Manita Gordon, a search party member.
Dozens of people came out to Chula Vista for the hike. Many of them have never met Maya, but they share an empathy for her family.
“If I was put in that situation, I would want someone to help me out too,” said Benjamin Hemulgada, a search party member.
“It saddened me a lot to know there are three kids that would be missing their mom and to know she’s out there missing and lost," Gordon said.
These same community members helped search for Maya in the months after she went missing. But the search parties are now on hold since Maya’s husband, Larry Millete, was arrested for her murder.
“Hopefully, God-willing, we’ll have more information so we can start our searches again,” said Richard Drouaillet, Maya's brother-in-law.
Maya’s sister and her husband say his arrest is hard to process.
“He’s still family to us," said Maricris Drouaillet, Maya's sister. "He’s been with us for 20 years. They’ve been married almost 20 years.”
But they’re still holding out hope for more information.
“We hope he has some change of heart," Maricris Drouaillet said. "That he’ll be able to tell us the truth and tell us where my sister is so we can bring her home.”
Larry Millete’s preliminary hearing is on Wednesday. The family plans to be there.
