Family and friends ‘at a loss’ over Olathe father missing for 10 days in rural Kansas
Family, friends, volunteers and law enforcement have been searching acres of rural Kansas day and night for over a week, looking for an Olathe father of three who has been missing for 10 days.
Longtime friend and brother-in-law Jeff Maxwell, 38, remembers getting a call from Jordan Yust’s wife on March 3. He said she was in hysterics, saying Yust, 38, had gone missing.
That same day, someone found the family van on Highway 69, just north of 247th Street, with Yust’s wallet inside, the engine running and hazards on. Without divulging too much personal information, Maxwell said, Yust suffered a mental break and left his house in a hurry.
“From there, it was just this whirlwind of running out there, seeing if we could find him, and then calling the police,” he said.
Maxwell emphasized Yust is not a danger to anyone, but that he needs to be found soon.
“Jordan is not any harm to anybody, but potentially himself,” he said. “I just wanna make sure people know that he’s an amazing person and we’re just trying to find him and bring him home.”
“We’re at a loss,” Maxwell said, adding they worry about how he is getting food and water after being out this long. Yust does not have extensive outdoor experience, he said.
A kind and generous family man
Maxwell and Yust grew up together in Joplin, Missouri, but became really close after graduating high school. Yust was Maxwell’s best man at his wedding and ended up marrying Maxwell’s wife’s sister, making them into brother-in-laws.
“He’s a great father, a great friend, a great husband and he’s just very compassionate and cares about people,” Maxwell said. “He’s the kind of guy who would do anything for you if you call him and need help, he’s there.”
Yust is a software engineer at Garmin, and is described as a dedicated Christian who loved racquetball, building things, and playing with his kids — twin girls who are six, and a son who is three.
Yust is known as the goofy uncle, Maxwell said, because at family parties he plays basketball and Nerf guns with his nieces and nephews.
His wife, Beth Yust, is a stay-at-home mother who is currently juggling searching for her husband and caring for their three children.
“His wife is a very strong woman, and she’s holding it together about as bast as I can think anybody would,” Maxwell said.
“She’s heartbroken, she’s exhausted.”
Search for missing man continues
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Officials with the Miami County Sheriff’s Department say they’ve found evidence Yust was alive in the area of 247th Street and Ridgeview Road as recently Sunday or Monday, according to a Facebook post on Wednesday. Bloodhounds were able to track his sent for a little while west toward Lone Elm but then lost it behind an abandoned residence, according to a sheriff’s Facebook post.
“The past nine days have been exhausting for all involved, as approximately 4000 or more acres have been searched on ground and many more by volunteers, but our team remains committed to finding Jordan and will follow up on any leads to our fullest extent,” said the Miami County Sheriff’s office on Facebook. “We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support from volunteers and organizations.”
Officials continue to urge the public to review available dash camera footage, home or business surveillance, deer blinds or trail cameras for clues.
Maxwell said they are emphasizing the area of 169 Highway to Hillsdale, and 255th Street to 235th Street. Officials Wednesday searched the area near 247th Street between 169 Highway and Columbia Road.
“There’s this potentially a hundred square mile area out there that’s farmland, wooded areas, so we’ve been really trying to get flyers out,” he said.
Yust’s six-year-old twin daughters also created their own flyer, where they wrote a personal message to their father, asking him to come home, Maxwell said.
The biggest thing the group is working on is getting the word out to landowners in the area to check their fields, since they can not search without permission.
“Please keep looking, if you haven’t checked yet, go check, re-check your trail cams,” Maxwell said. “Maybe you missed a spot.”
Yust was labeled as endangered due to statements of self-harm, according to a release. He is 5’7” and around 175 pounds, with a brown beard and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a green Columbia coat and blue jeans.
Yust is normally bald, but authorities said his head hair and beard may have grown since he was last seen.
As of Thursday afternoon, over $11,000 had been raised on a GoFundMe set up to provide support for his wife and three kids as the search continues.
“Jordan and his wife, Beth, have a wonderful village surrounding them, and many are seeking ways to help their family. One significant, immediate way to help would be to provide financial support for Beth and their three young children,” the post said.
Anyone with helpful footage is asked to reach out to Olathe Police at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS hotline at (816) 474-8477. Video footage can be sent to mkelly@sheriffmiamicountyks.gov.
This story was originally published March 13, 2025 at 3:30 PM.
