Elledge case Archives

Joseph Elledge pleads not guilty to three felony charges.

Boone County Circuit Judge denies motion to dismiss charge in Joseph Elledge case

February 6, 2020 9:03 PM Matt Ragsdale

Online court records show Jacobs denied the motion from Elledge’s attorney John O’Connor after it was taken into advisement on Monday.

Change of venue granted, motion to dismiss charge taken into advisement in Joseph Elledge case

February 3, 2020 10:28 PM Matt Ragsdale

Online court documents show Elledge’s attorney has until 5 p.m. on Feb. 4 to submit a list of proposed counties for jury selection.

Boone County prosecutor objects to change of venue motion in Elledge case

January 23, 2020 9:15 PM Matt Ragsdale

Knight filed the motion to object on Wednesday stating Elledge’s attorney waited too long to file the change the venue motion.

Crews continue search for missing mother 3 months after disappearance

January 8, 2020 2:19 PM Connor Hirsch

COOPER COUNTY, Mo. Authorities were at the Lamine River Wednesday continuing their efforts to find Mengqi Ji Elledge three months after her disappearance. On Wednesday, ABC17 crews saw a team of five people go out on a boat upstream around 12:30 p.m. It appeared divers were a part of that team. The search continued until

Authorities return to search for Mengqi Ji Elledge

January 7, 2020 4:22 PM Zach Boetto

Law enforcement agencies returned to the De Bourgmont Lamine River Access on Tuesday, to search for the missing Columbia mother. The Columbia Police Department along with the Columbia Fire Department and a team of divers took a CFD boat east from the access point on the Lamine River. A CPD detective said this is not

Crews continuing search for Mengqi Ji Elledge

January 3, 2020 5:07 PM Matt Ragsdale

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department confirmed Friday officers are continuing their search for Mengqi Ji Elledge, who’s been missing since October. CPD spokesman Jeff Pitts said officers will start the search for Elledge on the Lamine River in Cooper County. Pitts could not say what day the search will start again. A photo

Authorities continue search for missing Columbia mother for 10th day

December 20, 2019 8:35 AM Zach Boetto

Law Enforcement agencies will continue to search the Lamine river on Friday for Mengqi Ji Elledge.

Missing Columbia woman’s parents seek control of her estate

December 19, 2019 5:52 PM Sydney Olsen

The parents of Mengqi Ji Elledge, Ke Ren and Xiaolin Ji, are asking a judge to give them control of her property and finances. They have filed a petition for a limited conservatorship, meaning they could manage her bank accounts, vehicle, credit cards and debts.

Search for Mengqi Ji Elledge continues into seventh day

December 10, 2019 10:24 AM Zach Boetto

Authorities were back at the De Bourgmont access on the Lamine River on Tuesday to search for a missing Columbia mother.

Search for Mengqi Ji Elledge suspended until Tuesday

December 6, 2019 8:09 AM Zach Boetto

COOPER COUNTY, Mo. Divers will resume their search of the Lamine River for a missing Columbia woman on Tuesday. Columbia Police Department spokesman Jeff Pitts said authorities were pausing their search for the weekend as the sun set Friday. Friday was the fifth day divers were at the De Bourgmont Lamine River Access. Crews also

Change of judge granted in Elledge child abuse case

December 5, 2019 6:17 PM Matthew Sanders

Lawyers for a Columbia man accused of child abuse and suspected in his wife’s disappearance have asked for a change of judge.

Divers enter day four in search for missing Columbia mom

December 5, 2019 5:19 AM Brittany Wiley

The search for a missing Columbia mom will continue for a fourth day Thursday on the Lamine River.

Boone County prosecutor: No body needed to file murder charges

December 4, 2019 12:33 PM Molly Stawinoga

Boone County’s head prosecutor said Wednesday that murder convictions can be won without a body, as divers continued their search for a missing Columbia woman in the Lamine River.

Fire chief speaks about difficulty of dive search for missing woman

December 3, 2019 7:00 PM Sydney Olsen

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Divers with the Mid-Missouri Sheriff’s Dive Team continued their search for missing Columbia woman Mengqi Elledge Tuesday. They have been searching the Lamine River in Cooper County. They first searched the area on Nov. 26. Jack Brade is chief of the Regional West Fire Protection District. He did not assist in the

Columbia police ‘confident’ in search for missing woman

December 3, 2019 5:27 AM Brittany Wiley

The Mid-Missouri Sheriff’s Dive Team and Columbia Police Department will continue their search for a missing Columbia woman Tuesday.

Mid-Missouri authorities search for Mengqi Elledge

November 26, 2019 8:20 PM Matt Ragsdale

VIENNA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Mid-Missouri Sheriff’s Dive Team posted on Facebook Tuesday authorities searched for Mengqi Elledge. The post shows divers didn’t find Elledge they were searching for. It also shows divers are expected to continue searching next week. According to a press release from city spokesman Steve Sapp, the search took place in the

Elledge pleads not guilty in child abuse case

November 26, 2019 9:55 AM Madison Fleck

COLUMBIA, Mo, A Columbia man accused of child abuse pleaded not guilty to two felony charges in court on Tuesday morning. Joseph Elledge, 24, pleaded not guilty to child abuse or neglect and endangering the welfare of a child after he waived his preliminary hearing, said Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight. The case is now

Columbia police follow up on leads in Cooper County in missing woman case

November 20, 2019 6:32 PM Katie Greathouse

A Columbia police source tells ABC 17 News detectives were in Cooper County on Wednesday to follow up on leads in the case of a missing Columbia woman. The police source would not specify the location being searched. Mengqi Ji Elledge, 28, went missing Oct. 8. Her husband, Joseph Elledge, reported her missing a day

Second child abuse count added in case tied to missing Columbia woman

November 18, 2019 3:33 PM Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Prosecutors have added a second child abuse-related count against the husband of a missing Columbia woman. The Boone County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on Monday filed an amended complaint against Joseph Elledge, who had been charged with one count of child abuse last month. The revised complaint also accuses Elledge of one count

Columbia police ask hunters, land owners for help in finding missing woman

November 15, 2019 1:39 PM Madison Fleck

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department asked for hunters and land owners to help them find a woman who has been missing since the beginning of October. Mengqi Ji Elledge went missing on Oct. 8, according to police. Her husband, Joseph Elledge, was later arrested and charged with child abuse, and prosecutors have named