An Austin man has been sentenced to 27 years behind bars for the 2022 murder of his wife, Yolanda Jaimes, following his guilty plea earlier this month. Jose Villa-Denova, 49, received the sentence after a plea deal that saw an additional charge of tampering with evidence dismissed, reported KXAN.
In response to a missing person report last June, Austin police launched an investigation that eventually led to the grim discovery of human remains later identified as those of Jaimes. A Clear alert was issued for Jaimes after officers visited her home in east Austin, where foul play was immediately suspected, KXAN notes. Villa-Denova was initially arrested on a charge of tampering with evidence after police uncovered a suspiciously clean scene at the couple's home, including significant amounts of blood believed to have been cleaned up.
As the case unfolded, details emerged from the original arrest affidavit for Villa-Denova, obtained by KVUE, that portrayed a harrowing tableau. Reports that the couple had been discussing divorce surfaced during the investigation. Villa-Denova had initially told police and his daughter conflicting accounts of his wife's last known location and what he knew about her missing vehicle.
Subsequent police inquiries and a warranted search of the residence brought to light more evidence. Forensic techniques revealed apparent blood spatter, and large amounts of unnoticeable-without-aid blood on the toilet, in the shower, and the bathroom sink drain. An empty bleach bottle alongside a bucket containing water and a sponge was discovered in the vicinity, suggesting an attempt to clean up after the crime. "Based on the totality of circumstances," the police came to believe that Villa-Denova was involved in the alteration of the crime scene pertaining to his wife's disappearance. The advanced state of decomposition of Jaimes' remains made pinpointing an exact cause of death impossible, but the medical examiner declared her death to be suspicious, according to KVUE.
