June trial date set for Elledge murder case

A judge sets a June 2 trial date for Joseph Elledge.

He’s the Columbia man charged with first degree murder over the disappearance of his wife, Mengqi Ji. She’s been missing since last October.

Prosecutors now accuse Elledge of strangling his wife and dumping her body. Searchers have looked for the body several times in the Lamine River in Cooper County with no luck.

Elledge is also facing felony child abuse charges.