Columbia police ‘confident’ in search for missing woman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) -

A high-ranking Columbia Police Department official said Tuesday that authorities are "confident" they're looking in the right place to find the body of a missing Columbia woman.

Divers resumed a search for Mengqi Ji Elledge Tuesday morning. The Mid-Missouri Sheriff's Dive Team searched part of the Lamine River in Cooper County under the direction of the Columbia Police Department.

"So far we're pretty confident that we're in the right direction," CPD Assistant Chief Jeremiah Hunter said Tuesday.

"Last week we used different cable camera systems and we're focusing on a different side of the bank today."

On Nov. 26, the Mid-Missouri Sheriff's Dive Team said on Facebook it had searched the river all day for Elledge, but did not find her.

Elledge was reported missing by her husband, Joseph Elledge, on Oct. 8.

During an interview with detectives shortly after reporting his wife missing, Joseph Elledge told authorities he had taken a drive through rural areas of surrounding counties, according to a news release. That interview led authorities to a specific search area in Cooper County.

Joseph Elledge is currently in the Boone County Jail on child abuse charges. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Knight has also called Joseph Elledge the prime suspect in Mengqi's disappearance.

Officials said they will continue the search at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4.