Defense rests in Elledge Columbia murder trial

(AP) — A Columbia 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 Mengqi 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.