Local Reporter Will Testify In Elledge Murder Case

A judge said Friday he would allow prosecutors to subpoena a former KRCG 13 reporter to testify during a Columbia man’s murder trial. Prosecutors charged Joseph Elledge with first-degree murder in the 2019 death of his wife, Mengqi Ji. A hiker found Ji’s remains at Rock Bridge State Park in March of this year.

According to a story on the television station’s website and Columbia TV stations, on Friday, prosecuting attorney Dan Knight requested an out-of-state subpoena for reporter Gladys Bautista to appear at Elledge’s first-degree murder case that is scheduled to begin November 1. She conducted an interview with Elledge in October 2019 following the disappearance of his wife. Earlier this month, a judge decided to allow recordings of arguments between Elledge and Ji to be used as evidence in the murder trial.