Testimony ends in Missouri man’s trial in wife’s death
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man repeatedly denied suggestions from prosecutors Wednesday that he fatally injured his wife by jumping on her back or strangling her during an argument two years ago.
Joseph Elledge testified for the second day in his first-degree murder trial in the death of 28-year-old Mengi Ji, who he married after she came to the U.S. from China to study at the University of Missouri.
The defense rested its case Wednesday afternoon, and closing arguments were scheduled to begin Thursday morning.
During nearly eight hours of testimony on
Tuesday, Elledge said Ji died after she hit her head when he pushed her during an argument on Oct. 8, 2019. He said she went to bed and that he discovered her dead the next morning.
On Wednesday, Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight suggested during cross-examination that Ji died when Elledge hurt her during an argument that began when he was giving her a massage, KOMU-TV reported.
At one point, Knight asked, “Do you want to tell the jury how you really killed your wife, Joe?”
The prosecution accused Elledge of strangling Ji on the bed. Knight noted urine was found on the sheets, adding that people often urinate when being killed or strangled.
“Did you jump on top of her back? Did you strangle her?” Knight asked. Elledge repeatedly denied hurting Ji during the massage.
JI’s remains, which were found in a park near Columbia in March, had three broken ribs. Elledge’s defense attorney has suggested the ribs were broken when animals stepped on her remains.
Evidence presented during the trial has detailed the couple’s difficult and deteriorating relationship, which was marked by frequent arguments.