Investigators use an unlikely clue to bring young mom's killer to justice

This story originally aired on Dec. 10, 2022. It was updated on July 29, 2023.

On Oct. 15, 2019, Joseph Elledge walked into the Columbia, Missouri Police Department without a lawyer to tell detectives about the mysterious disappearance of his 28-year-old wife, Mengqi Ji — six days earlier.

JOE ELLEDGE (police interview): We didn't have any big fights ... I think the last big fight was actually the week before. And it wasn't really a big fight.