BOO 

OCT 2 5 2019

CHRISIY 
CLERK CIRCUIT COURT, COLUMBIA, M0

STATE OF MISSOURI 

VS.

 

 

 

JOSEPH DUANE ELLEDGE
9013:?
35m?

PROBABLE CAUSE STATEMENT

I, ALAN MITCHELL II
knowing that false statements on this form are punishable by law,
state that the facts contained herein are true.

1. I have probable cause to believe that on 10/25/2019, at
2607 EASTWOOD DR - 58, COLUMBIA, MO 65202,
JOSEPH DUANE ELLEDGE 
committed one or more criminal offense(s):
568.060-002Y201238 ABUSE OR NEGLECT OF A CHILD UNDER SECTION 568.060.5(1)

COUNTS: CHARGE TYPE: 

2. The facts supporting this belief are as follows:
On 10/18/2019 at approximately 1306 hours detectives were advised that the
suspect, Joseph Elledge had abused the victim, who is currently REDACTED
by striking her on the buttocks hard enougi to cause severe bruiSing ln

THU
REDACTEU

Fe-ruary of 2019. would have been REDACTED at the time of the abuse.



  
 

 

 

K.R., REDACTED of stated in February of 2019 she received a call
over a computer app ication called WeChat from REDACTED M.E., REDACTED

REDACTED K.R. stated M.E. told her that an oca ed bru151ng on 

 

bruising an- denied any knowledge of where the bruising came from. K.R.
stated M.E. told her Joseph said it could have happened when he was giving $333

HEDACTEU
a bath, but M.E. doubted this because they always give a bath together.

REUACTEU

K.R. stated she told M.E. to confront Joseph when he got home and tell him that
she was going to take Egg? to the hospital. K.R. stated M.E. did this and later
told her that Joseph a mitted that he had struck K.R. stated M.E. wanted to
contact the police about the incident but Joseph promised he would never do it

QEOACTED
HEDACTED

again so she gave him another chance. K.R. showed officers the picture of 

asuncnsu

sent to her by M.E. that showed bruising on the buttocks. K.R. allowed officers
to take a screen shot of the picture of -bruise.

    

Officers examining Apple IPad located pictures of bruising on a child's
buttocks that were sent via email on 02/18/2019 at 1144 hours. M.E. sent three
different photographs of bruising via email. Other photographs of injuries on a
child were located on the IPad but were in a thumbnail format that was too small
for detail. The normal accompanying full size image was not present which is
normally due to the photograph being erased. Joseph had access to the IPad for
approximately one week prior to officers gaining control of it.

Page 1 Continued on next page

 

 

Officers examining laptop computer located two pictures with two
accompanying videos of bruising on a child's buttocks. The photographs were
located in a folder used for backing up photographs from an IPhone. The
photographs were taken on 02/12/2019 at 1555 hours. One of the photographs
appeared to be the same photo K.R. had on her phone that she stated was sent
from M.E. to her.

   

On 10/25/2019 Joseph advised, post Miranda, that he did bruise 
approximately 7 to 8 months prior. Joseph stated was REDAU TED
Joseph stated M.E. located the bruise on.?3?g?g but ocks en 3 was anging a
diaper and asked him how it happened. Josep ated he told her at first he did
not know how it happened but then stated he may have done it when he held
by hold her too hard. Joseph stated M.E. was not home the night it occurre- and
was crying and would not stop soehe may have pinched her and caused the
-rUising or just held her too hard. Joseph stated he was pinching Egg? to
distract her from crying. Joseph was shown the screen shot from K. . and asked
if the bruise in the picture was the same bruise he saw and he confirmed that he
thought it was.

The bruise in the picture covers one side of the buttocks of Egg; and is purple
blue and yellow. The injury does not appear to be consistent w1t a pinch or
tight holding but appears like a bruise that would come from some sort of
strike.

Police identified this incident while investigating Joseph in relation to the
suspicious disappearance of his wife M.E. Joseph did not tell anyone about M.E.
being gone for over 24 hours and did not report her missing to the police until
10/10/2019 approximately a day and a half after he said she disappeared. During
the time between when Joseph said M.E. went missing and the time he made the
report he took a long drive through unfamiliar remote areas of Mid?Missouri.

3. For the issuance of a warrant in a misdemeamor case, complete the following
I believe that the defendant will not appear in court in response to
a criminal summons because:
Joseph is the subject of an investigation into the suspicious disappearance of

his wife. At the time of serving a search warrant on Joseph's residence he was
located attempting to leave town with his mother and child.

I believe that the defendant poses

(1) a danger to a crime victim because
Joseph admitted to injuring EIREEDACTED and is the subject of an
IE 
investigation into the suspicious cisappearance of his wife M.E.

(2) a danger to the community or to any other person because
n/a

Page 2

 

 

 

ALAN MITCHELL II 

Date: 10/25/2019 Signature
(re: CPD Case #2019-011282)