Search for missing Columbia woman ends for the week

COOPER COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The search for a missing Columbia woman has wrapped up for the week because of expected rain and storms.

Brittany Hilderbrand, a spokeswoman for the Columbia Police Department, said Tuesday that crews were wrapping up the search for Mengqi Ji until next week. Police are searching part of the Lamine River near Boonville for the woman who has been missing since October.

Last week crews began building a levee in the area of the river where police are searching. The structure is meant to help provide a platform for heavy equipment used to excavate the river bottom.

Police say cadaver dogs have indicated human remains might be in the area.

Ji's husband, Joseph Elledge, is charged with murder in connection with her disappearance. Investigators have said Elledge drove to the river after his wife went missing and was there for 45 minutes, citing cellphone location data.