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Luigi Mangione’s shifting defense strategy. A victim’s lover takes the stand. Plus, Keith Morrison's new podcast.
Where this was said
The Maya Millete Trial: Her Lover Takes the Stand
At 17:20 · chapter starts 14:30
Alexis Rivas provides a detailed account of week six of Larry Millete's murder trial in San Diego County, centered on the long-anticipated testimony of Jamey Laird. The courtroom filled to capacity as spectators and media crowded in to hear from the man at the center of the prosecution's motive narrative. Laird described how the affair began roughly six months after he started working with Maya in summer 2019, quickly becoming physical and lasting about a year before the couple attempted to conceal it from colleagues on the naval base where Maya outranked Laird professionally. He revealed Maya's secret code name for Larry — 'V for Voldemort' — and described Larry's controlling behavior, including driving Maya to and from work daily. Most dramatically, Laird contradicted a friend's earlier account that the affair had ended months before Maya vanished: in fact, they were still communicating the week of her disappearance. Two days before she was last seen, Larry had called Laird's wife to expose the affair, sending Laird into a panic. Maya's final texts to Laird, sent on the day she disappeared, reported that her conversation with her oldest child about divorce had gone well. The defense's ability to point the finger at Laird was significantly constrained by a pre-trial ruling barring them from suggesting anyone other than Larry was responsible for Maya's death [1] — Alexis Rivas "Jamey Laird's testimony blew up the narrative that the affair had ended months before Maya vanished. They were still messaging the day she …" 15:58 [2] — Alexis Rivas "Jamey Laird testified that Larry controlled when Maya could drive — he drove her to work and back every day. Maya's secret code name for La…" 16:40 .
Jamey Laird's testimony blew up the narrative that the affair had ended months before Maya vanished. They were still messaging the day she disappeared — and just two days earlier, Larry had called Jamey's wife to expose the affair, sending Jamey into a spiral.
Jamey Laird testified that Larry controlled when Maya could drive — he drove her to work and back every day. Maya's secret code name for Larry was 'V for Voldemort.' She was planning to file for divorce after her daughter's Big Bear birthday trip that never happened.
Jamey Laird's testimony revealed the affair with Maya Millete did not end months before her disappearance — they were still seeing each other and communicating the week she vanished.
Two days before Maya Millete vanished, Larry Millete called Jamey Laird's wife to reveal the affair, sending Jamey into a panic and prompting a flurry of messages with Maya.
