Remains founded in Columbia park could be those of Chinese women missing since 2019

COLUMBIA, MO – AP – Missouri authorities say they believe that human remains first spotted by someone out walking in a state park Thursday afternoon are the body of a Chinese woman who has been missing since October 2019.

The skeletal remains, some clothing, a driver’s license and some credit cards with Mengqi Ji Elledge’s name on them were found in a remote area of Rock Bridge State Park in Boone County.

Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones announced the findings Thursday evening.  Assistant Chief Jeremiah Hunter described the identification of the remains as preliminary.

Hunter, Jones and Treece emphasized the importance of this development in beginning to provide closure to Ji’s family. Police officials said DNA and potentially other testing would be done to confirm that the remains are Ji’s. Ji’s husband,

Joseph Elledge, was charged in February 2020 with first-degree murder in her disappearance. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to related charges of child endangerment and domestic abuse.

The couple has a 2-year-old daughter.

Elledge, a University of Missouri student, is jailed without bond. His trial is set for Nov. 1 Prosecutors have speculated that Elledge strangled his wife to avoid a costly divorce and stop her from fleeing to China with their daughter.