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<p style="font-weight:bold; display: inline; line-height:150%; font-size: 115%;">600 E. Walnut Street
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Columbia, MO 65201</p></div>
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<p style="font-size: 150%; font-weight: bold;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p>
<p style="font-size: 120%; margin-top: -5px; font-weight:bold;">October 7, 2020</p>
<p style="float:right; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 100%; text-align:right;">CONTACT: Jeff Pitts
<br />Community Relations Specialist/Public Information Officer
<br />Columbia Police Department
<br />City of Columbia
<br />573.817.5049
<br />policepio@CoMo.gov
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<br />Brittany Hilderbrand
<br />Community Relations Specialist/Public Information Officer
<br />Columbia Police Department
<br />City of Columbia
<br />573.874.7671
<br />policepio@CoMo.gov</p>
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<div style="font-size: 110%; line-height:150%;"><h1 style="clear:both; margin-top: 75px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 130%;">UPDATE: Columbia Police make another effort to search for evidence of missing Columbia woman, Mengqi Ji</h1>
<div class="content"><span style="padding-left: 50px;">(COLUMBIA, MO)</span> - <p style="display:inline;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since October 2019, the Columbia Police Department has been investigating the disappearance of Mengqi Ji, who was reported missing by her husband Joseph Elledge on Oct. 10. Joseph Elledge is the key suspect in the disappearance of his wife and was indicted for first-degree murder by a Boone County grand jury on Feb. 28, 2020.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With assistance from City of Columbia Utilities, a levee was constructed at the DeBourgmont Access of the Lamine River to allow the search to extend further into the river. During the construction of the levee and the subsequent search, no evidence of Mengqi Ji’s remains was located. The search was then concluded, and CPD detectives began taking further direction from the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"The river has been monitored since the conclusion of the search," said Assistant Police Chief Jeremiah Hunter. "Recently we’ve found the water level at the Lamine River has substantially decreased. With the water level down, we discovered part of the levee we constructed was still present," said Hunter. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">City Utilities will remove the remaining parts of the levee. While Utilities is excavating the rocks from the levee, CPD’S Criminal Investigation’s Division (CID) will continue to search through the rocks/debris as the material is removed for any evidence of the missing woman.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is still the possibility of not finding any evidence while the levee is being removed. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Columbia Police have been assisted by many local, state, federal and community organizations that have contributed funding, time and skill during extensive searches at several locations including near Ashland Lake in Boone County; Pine Ridge Recreation Campground in Callaway County, and the DeBourgmont Access.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If anyone has any information, they are encouraged to contact the Columbia Police Department at 573.874.7652 or call CrimeStoppers at 573.875.TIPS (8477) to remain anonymous. Columbia Police will refer all future inquiries to the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office, as there are no further details that can be released by CPD.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Case number: 2019-010707</strong></p>
<p><strong>Related press release(s)<br /><br /></strong></p>
<p> <a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6401"><strong>Columbia Police asking for public's help locating Mengqi Ji Elledge</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6421"><strong>UPDATE: Columbia Police begin a criminal investigation into the disappearance of Mengqi Ji Elledge</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6473"><strong>UPDATE: Search for missing Columbia woman, Menigqi Ji Elledge</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6615"><strong>Columbia Police release Community Briefing video on the missing Columbia woman, Mengqi Ji Elledge</strong></a></p>
<p><strong> <br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-KdUZPafys&t=18s">Community Briefing Case No. 2019-010707</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6644"><strong>Columbia Police continue the search for the body of missing Columbia woman, Mengqi Ji Elledge</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6726"><strong>Columbia Police release Community Briefing video on the continued search for missing Columbia Woman, Mengqi Ji</strong></a></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj-9iLdOi1o">Community Briefing Case No. 2019-010707</a></strong></p></div>
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