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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;">March 25, 2021</p>
<p style="float:right; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 100%; text-align:right;">CONTACT: Brittany Hilderbrand
<br />Public Information Specialist
<br />Columbia Police Department
<br />City of Columbia
<br />573.874.7671
<br />policepio@CoMo.gov
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<br />Jeff Pitts
<br />Public Information Specialist
<br />Columbia Police Department
<br />City of Columbia
<br />573.817.5049
<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%;">Property consistent with missing Columbia woman, Mengqi Ji, has been found in Rock Bridge State Park, March 25</h1>
<div class="content"><span style="padding-left: 50px;">(COLUMBIA, MO)</span> - <p style="display:inline;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">At a news conference on March 25, Columbia Police said that human remains and property found at Rock Bridge State Park might be consistent with Mengqi Ji, reported missing in October 2019.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At approximately 1 p.m., Columbia Police were notified by Missouri State Park Rangers that possible human remains were located at Rock Bridge State Park. It was reported that a hiker in the park came across items that appeared to be human remains and immediately contacted Park Rangers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Due to the property being located at a state park, the Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) was notified and responded to assist in processing the scene. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the investigation, items located at the scene were found to be consistent with items that reportedly belonged to Mengqi Ji. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Columbia Police cannot say with absolute certainty that these remains belong to Mengqi Ji. The identification process will be extensive and will include DNA testing. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the extensive course of this investigation, evidence repeatedly suggested that Mengqi Ji’s body may have been in the Lamine River near the Missouri Route 41 Bridge. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Columbia Police reached out to other local, state and federal agencies requesting assistance for the search at the Lamine River. Special equipment and skills were needed to conduct the search. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We went where the evidence led us and followed every lead," said Police Chief Geoff Jones. "We also knew she might be in another location and will continue to follow up using extensive lab and DNA testing to confirm what we have found."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">CPD is grateful for the ongoing support from Mengji Ji’s family throughout this investigation. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Department will continue to stand with the family during the prosecution phase of this process.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We used a lot of resources and volunteers to make this happen and will forever appreciate their dedication to this case," Jones said. "The time, energy and expertise that was provided were all necessary to bring this search to an end as well as bring the necessary closure to Mengqi Ji’s loved ones."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mayor Brian Treece added he hopes this allows the community to find the answers we have been searching for. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"This case has served as an example that CPD does not give up on providing closure for families and community members impacted by incidents like this," Treece said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anyone with information regarding Mengqi Ji’s disappearance and this case is asked to contact the Columbia Police Department at 573.874.7652 or CrimeStoppers at 573.875.TIPS to remain anonymous.</span></p>
<p><strong>Background information: </strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At approximately 5:45 p.m. on October 10, 2019 Joseph Elledge reported his wife, Mengqi Ji missing. He reported having last seen her on October 8 at approximately 11:30 p.m., when she went to bed. Elledge reported when he</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> woke up Wednesday, Oct. 9, at approximately 5 a.m., she was gone. He waited approximately a day and a half to report her as missing. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the investigation, detectives located evidence of child abuse for the child that Elledge and Mengqi Ji shared. Detectives found probable cause to arrest Elledge for child abuse and has been remanded in the custody of the Boone County Jail. (Case 2019-011282)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the investigation for Mengqi Ji continued, detectives learned Elledge had visited several conservation areas surrounding Boone County prior to reporting her as a missing person to CPD. Moving forward, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">extensive aerial and ground searches were conducted near Ashland Lake and the Pine Ridge Recreation Campground. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Detectives were able to track the route he took from his cellular phone, and learned that there was one specific location that he spent more time at than the other locations. This location was identified as the De Bourgmont Access of the Lamine River at Hwy 41, which is just outside of Boonville, Missouri in Cooper County.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Using the location history of his phone, detectives learned that he was at the De Bourgmont Access for approximately 45 minutes. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Joseph Elledge was indicted for Murder in the first Degree by a grand jury on February 28, 2020 in Boone County while the search for the remains of Mengqi Ji continued</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Case number: 2019-010707</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Previous press release(s):</span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=7082"><span style="font-weight: 400;">UPDATE: Columbia Police make another effort to search for evidence of missing Columbia woman, Mengqi Ji</span></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6644"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Columbia Police continue the search for the body of missing Columbia woman, Mengqi Ji Elledge</span></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6615"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Columbia Police release Community Briefing video on the missing Columbia woman, Mengqi Ji Elledge</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6473"><span style="font-weight: 400;">UPDATE: Search for missing Columbia woman, Menigqi Ji Elledge</span></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6455&tbiframe=1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Columbia Police Department is asking for help from hunters and rural landowners in missing person case</span></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6421"><span style="font-weight: 400;">UPDATE: Columbia Police begin a criminal investigation into the disappearance of Mengqi Ji Elledge</span></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=6401"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Columbia Police asking for public's help locating Mengqi Ji Elledge</span></a></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Link to Community Briefing Videos:</span></p>
<p><a href="https://youtu.be/bj-9iLdOi1o"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://youtu.be/bj-9iLdOi1o</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-KdUZPafys">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-KdUZPafys</a> </span></p></div>
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