Chula Vista, CA–Family, friends, and community members gathered at Chula Vista Community Park Sunday for a “March for May” community rally for missing Chula Vista mother, May “Maya” Millete.
The event was held in conjunction with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring missing women home and to support families of murdered victims.
The native American-led interfaith rally featured remarks, blessings and a song dedicated to Maya, and other indigenous missing women.
Teyana Viscarra, founder of Way of the Sacred Mountain, led the three hour rally and march.
“We’re at a point where we really need to put pressure, and the way we do that by putting public pressure is raising awareness in a broader scope,” Viscarra said. “Every month we have been doing something for Maya Millete. Last month we did a march here, and we decided that we needed to elevate and amplify the voices of our missing indigenous women, along with Maya.”
Early Sunday morning, Viscarra also led a group of runners at Mother Miquel Mountain in honor of Maya.
Maya’s sister Maricris Drouaillet spoke to the crowd about her continued search efforts to find her sister without the help of Maya’s husband, Larry who stopped communicating with the family.
After the rally, community members carried signs in support of Maya for a brief march near the park. Members of a motorcycle group controlled traffic as the marchers walked down the road, some shouting “justice for Maya.” The group returned to the park for a prayer vigil.
It’s been three months since Millete’s disappearance. The 39-year-old mother of three was last seen on January 7 by family members at her residence located in east Chula Vista. She has not answered phone calls or text messages since that date.
On January 10, at approximately 1 a.m., Chula Vista police responded to a report of a missing person in the 2400 block of Paseo Los Gatos in Chula Vista.
In February, Maya’s husband had not participated in the weekly searches for his missing wife. He also has not cooperated with Chula Vista police investigators.
Investigators served a search warrant at Maya’s residence to obtain any evidence and clues to her current whereabouts.
This week, two local news stations obtained audio from a resident’s surveillance camera of alleged sounds of ‘gunshots’ coming from Maya’s residence. According to reports, the Chula Vista police are aware of the audio.
Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy released a statement regarding the disappearance of Maya.
“As we near the three-month anniversary of May’s disappearance, I want to reassure May’s family, and our community that she is not forgotten and that bringing her home safely remains our number one priority. The Chula Vista Police Department has been actively and continuously investigating her disappearance.
We understand and recognize the sense of frustration from May’s family and the community with each passing day. We all want answers. Our detectives have been conducting searches, follow-ups and following every tip or lead received. We are in frequent communication with our regional partners to include the FBI and San Diego County District Attorney’s Office about this case and are working to identify and analyze evidence and follow wherever it leads. Every resource available is being utilized.
We want to stress the importance of sharing any information about May’s disappearance directly with the Chula Vista Police Department. The sharing of information on social media or through media outlets instead of the police department leads to misinformation and complicates the investigation.
We continue to keep May, and her family in our thoughts every day and pray for her safe return. I want to thank those that have reached out with information and tips to our detectives. Cases like this can hinge on the smallest piece of information which may lead to a break in the investigation. Due to the sensitivity of this case, we will not share details and compromise this investigation.”
If you have any information, please contact the Chula Vista Police Department at (619) 691-5139 or San Diego Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888)580-8477.
