On October 4, two prominent murder cases involving wives from the Chinese community in Silicon Valley unfolded at the Santa Clara County Courthouse. Liren Chen, a Google engineer accused of murdering his wife Xuanyi Yu, has postponed his plea hearing to January 10, 2025. On the other hand, John Yeager, who allegedly killed his wife Yingying “Dawn” Yu and disposed of her remains in the mountains, is set to appear in court on November 1.
In the morning session of October 4, Chen did not enter a plea. His attorney, Wesley Schroeder, explained to the judge that a health evaluation is ongoing, which includes translating and reviewing extensive material from China—a process that has proven time-consuming. Prosecutor Michael Gadeberg countered that this homicide case should not face unnecessary delays. Nonetheless, Judge Cynthia A. Sevely accepted the defense’s request for postponement, scheduling the next hearing for January 4, 2025.
Chen was arrested on January 16 under suspicion of murdering his wife. By the time the next court date arrives, nearly a year will have elapsed since the incident. Should he decide against pleading guilty, the legal proceedings would move towards a preliminary hearing, potentially followed by a jury trial. Gadeberg remarked that the timeline for such cases largely depends on the defense, and the process—from indictment to trial—may extend up to five years.
Later that day, also in the same courtroom and before the same judge, a hearing was conducted regarding a protective order for the child of Yeager and his ex-wife. After listening to both sides, the judge approved supervised phone contact between the minor and Yeager, scheduling a follow-up hearing for November 1. Santa Clara County prosecutor O’Bryan Kenney indicated that Yeager is expected to plead not guilty in his upcoming court appearance.
