AUSTIN (KXAN) — Jose Villa-Denova, a 49-year-old Austin resident, has been handed a 27-year prison sentence following his guilty plea for the murder of his wife, as revealed in court documents. The conviction, which took place on December 14, saw Villa-Denova admit to the charge of murder, resulting in the dismissal of an additional charge of tampering with evidence.

In June 2022, law enforcement in Austin responded to a missing person report regarding Yolanda Jaimes, who resided in the eastern part of the city. Following their investigation, officers began to suspect foul play and subsequently issued a CLEAR alert for Jaimes, as confirmed by the Austin Police Department.

After conducting interviews with members of Jaimes’ family, authorities took Villa-Denova into custody, charging him with evidence tampering. In late June, the police discovered unidentified human remains, which were later identified as belonging to Jaimes in July, providing crucial evidence in the case.