Los Gatos man accused of murdering wife, hiding body in Santa Cruz mountains

LOS GATOS, Calif. - A Los Gatos man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife and then hiding her body in the Santa Cruz mountains, according to the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department. 

Police were first alerted that the victim, YingYing "Dawn" Yu, 40, of Los Gatos, hadn't been in contact with her employer since New Year's Day. Investigators looked into her disappearance, and LGMSPD says that Yu's husband, John Maxey Yeager, 56, provided inconsistent information to officers. 

Police later learned that a domestic violence incident had been reported on Dec. 31, and Yu was listed as the victim. 

On Jan. 10, LGMSPD worked with a team of experts from several Santa Clara agencies to investigate the case. On Jan. 11, Yeager was arrested and booked into the Santa Clara County jail on charges related to the domestic violence incident on New Year's Eve. 

On Saturday, the investigative team worked with the community along Summit Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where Yeager was believed to have traveled earlier in the year. At the site, investigators found what they believe to be human remains in the mountains, believed to belong to Yu. The remains must be formally identified by the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner.  

Yeager will remain in custody while he awaits additional charges related to the suspected murder of his wife. He faced arraignment in San Jose on Tuesday. This investigation is still ongoing; anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Mike Birley at 408-827-3219 or police@losgatosca.gov.