Body of Chinese woman missing since 2019 found, Missouri authorities say

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Authorities in Missouri on Thursday said they believe that human remains found at a state park are those of a Chinese woman who has been missing since October 2019.

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The lawyer representing Mengqi Ji’s parents, Ke Ren and Xiaolin Ji, confirmed to KOMU-TV that the remains found at Rock Bridge State Park belong to the missing woman.

Attorney Amy Salladay told the television station that officials from the Columbia Police Department called them, and said they believed they had found the missing woman. Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and Columbia police Chief Geoff Jones announced the find on Thursday evening during a news conference.

Police said during the news conference that the “remains and property found at the park might be consistent with Ji.” Authorities said they cannot say with absolute certainty that the remains are Mengq Ji’s. Authorities said DNA testing will be conducted to confirm the identity of the remains, The Associated Press reported.

Ji’s husband, Joseph Elledge, was arrested Oct. 15, 2019, and charged with first-degree murder in February, The Missourian of Columbia reported. Elledge pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to related charges of child endangerment and domestic abuse.

Elledge’s trial is scheduled for November.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Kyle Green confirmed to KOMU that remains were found at the park by a hiker. Authorities said they found Ji’s driver’s license in the area near the body’s discovery, the television station reported.

Elledge told police he woke up on the morning of Oct. 9, 2019, to find his wife missing, The Missourian reported. Elledge did not tell anyone about his wife’s disappearance until the next day, when a friend visited their home, authorities said.

Police have spent months trying to find Ji’s body but have not been successful, the newspaper reported.

Authorities said DNA testing would be conducted to confirm that the remains are Ji’s, The Associated Press reported.

Ji and Elledge were married in September 2017, The Missourian reported. The couple has a 2-year-old child.

According to court records, Boone County Chief Prosecutor Dan Knight described Elledge as a “jealous, controlling, manipulative psychopath.” Knight played four audio recordings of the couple arguing, the AP reported.

In the recordings, Elledge allegedly said, “I don’t like being with you,” ″I’m eager to end it” and “I will bury the earth under you,” The Missourian reported.

Elledge also allegedly said that he wanted a divorce, “the sooner the better.”

Cox Media Group