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Body Found, Logan Police Announce Murder Charges In Missing Girl Case

Cache County Jail
Alexander Whipple

  Alexander Whipple, the uncle of the missing 5-year old girl in Logan, has been charged with aggravated murder among other charges, Logan police announced Wednesday.

Elizabeth Shelley was reported missing Saturday morning, and Whipple was found later that afternoon. He was originally held on unrelated probation charges without bail. Volunteer search parties have been scouring the valley for the past five days. Her body was found Wednesday near her mother's house.

At a press conference today, Logan Police Chief Gary Jensen emotionally expressed the department’s concerns.

“You guys feel it: this is a five year old girl, and she is still missing, and that is not easy for anybody," Jensen said.

Jensen announced the charges of aggravated murder, child kidnapping, desecration of a human body, and obstruction of justice against the 21 year old uncle. Jensen said the charges come after DNA testing of evidence found around the home.

“The knife was broken which is indicative of dramatic use, a pvc pipe that had red substance on it and a palm print in that substance, a teal skirt which matches a description of Lizzy’s clothes, and on that skirt had blood," he said.

Jensen said there have been hundreds of tips from community members hoping to help with the search.