SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Maya Millete's sister has won custody of Maya's children more than three and a half years after she disappeared from her Chula Vista home, according to court documents obtained by ABC 10News.
The guardianship trial between Maricris Drouaillet, Maya's sister, and Larry Millete's parents began last week after a litany of legal delays over the years; Drouaillet has been fighting for custody since Larry's arrest in Oct. 2021. The three kids had been living with their paternal grandparents after their father was arrested.
A judge granted Drouaillet and other family members visitation rights in Nov. 2021, as the question over guardianship remained pending.
The deposition to determine the guardianship had to wait until Larry Millete was deemed mentally competent to stand trial, which happened during a Sept. 2022 hearing.
The next major step in the case was the two-week preliminary hearing that took place in Jan. 2023. After reviewing the prosecution's evidence during this hearing, the judge ultimately ordered Larry Millete to stand trial despite the fact Maya's body hadn't been found, citing case law allowing murder cases to proceed without the body's presence.
Court documents show on Monday, Aug. 13, a judge granted Drouaillet's petition to be the guardian of the Millete children, denying their grandparents' competing petition in the process.
"The court directs Attorney Finkbeiner and Attorney James to collaboratively prepare a proposed statement of decision due to the Court within 10 days," the document stated.
Larry Millete's murder trial is currently scheduled for Jan. 6, 2025.
Below, you'll find a timeline outlining the major plot points of this case:
