Murder Convict’s Father Suffers Apparent Medical Emergency in Court

Benito Millete grimaced and stumbled while addressing the court, then said he had a pacemaker and apologized to the judge. When he tried to continue speaking, he appeared to be shocked again, said there was static in the courtroom and asked for medical help. Sheriff’s deputies escorted him out, and he was later placed in an ambulance. He remained alert and spoke while being put inside; his condition was not given.

A pacemaker does not deliver shocks, while an implanted defibrillator can, according to the American College of Cardiology. The court episode came as Judge Enrique Camarena sentenced Larry Millete to 25 years to life in prison and denied him parole, calling him a danger to society.

Jurors found Larry guilty of first-degree murder in July, though Maya’s body has never been found. She disappeared in January 2021. Prosecutors argued that Larry was controlling and possessive, and cited his efforts to influence Maya through people he believed could cast spells. The defense said his conduct reflected attempts to investigate an affair.

Maya’s relatives, including the couple’s teenage daughters, asked Larry to reveal where her body was. He said he missed Maya and loved her, while maintaining that he was not a bad person. A niece challenged him from the courtroom, asking why he had killed Maya.

Benito told the judge he believed his son was innocent because Larry had denied harming Maya. His comments about times the family was told not to disturb her drew gasps from the gallery.