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Convicted murderers Joseph Elledge and Lynlee Renick both due in court Monday

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two convicted murderers are both set to continue with court proceedings Monday afternoon in Boone County.

Joseph Elledge

Mengqi Ji and Joseph Elledge

Joseph Elledge was recently sentenced to 28 years in prison for second-degree murder in his wife, Mengqi Ji's death.

Elledge reported Ji missing in October of 2019. After investigators spent months of searching the Lamine River in Cooper County, a hiker found Ji's remains last March at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park.

Current charges against Elledge

A court hearing at 2:30 p.m. Monday is set to address three different felony charges against Elledge.

  • Abuse Or Neglect Of A Child (No sexual contact)
  • Endangering The Welfare Of A Child
  • 3rd Degree Domestic Assault

Previously Elledge pleaded not guilty to these charges against him in March 2020.

Lynlee Renick

Lynlee Renick testifies Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, during her murder trial at the Boone County Courthouse.

Boone County Judge Kevin Crane is scheduled to sentence Lynlee Renick at 2:30 p.m. Monday, according to court records.

Last month, Renick was convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of her husband Ben Renick. The world-renowned snake breeder was found shot to death at the couple's Montgomery County property in June 2017.

Benjamin "Ben" Renick
Undated photo of Benjamin "Ben" Renick.

In court, Lynlee claimed she went to the property with her ex-boyfriend, Michael Humprey, to ask Ben for a divorce when Humphrey shot Ben.

A court convicted Humphrey of first-degree murder in Ben's death. The conviction was later downgraded after Humphrey agreed to a deal with the prosecution to testify against Lynlee and to work with prosecutors.

Humphrey claims Lynlee was the one who shot Ben.

The prosecution recommended Lynlee receive a life sentence for second-degree murder and 15 years for armed criminal action. Instead, the jury came back from deliberations with a shorter sentence of 13 years for second-degree murder and three years for armed criminal action.

Judge Crane will make the final decision in Lynlee's case and decide how many years she will serve in prison.

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Meghan Drakas

Meghan joined ABC 17 News in January 2021.
The Penn State grad is from the Philadelphia suburbs where she interned with several local TV stations.

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