CRIME, POLICE + COURTS
Uncle now suspect as search continues for missing Logan girl, Elizabeth Shelley
May 27, 2019, 11:28 AM | Updated: May 28, 2019, 6:44 am
LOGAN — Crews are continuing their search over a 10-mile stretch near Logan for missing 5-year-old Elizabeth Shelly with the help of multiple agencies on this the fourth day of searching.
Police say Whipple arrived at the girl’s home around the same time she was last seen — 2 a.m. Saturday. Authorities said they found evidence near the home and from other scenes, that forensically links the two together. But investigators are struggling to get information from Whipple.
“Mr. Whipple made several inconsistent statements at the very beginning and lied about his whereabouts which were already known. He was uncooperative throughout the interrogation. Several search warrants were obtained and executed throughout the night on several crime scenes and for evidence from Alex Whipple’s person. The evidence obtained from Alex Whipple was tested and there are confirmed forensic evidence from Elizabeth Shelley located from off his person.”
Police continue to urge residents, not just in that city but also in the nearby communities of Hyrum, Nibley and Mount Sterling, to look over surveillance video from doorbell cameras and other sources as the search for a missing five-year-old girl.
Elizabeth Shelley was last seen around 2 a.m. Saturday morning when other family members went to bed. When the household woke up around 10 a.m., she was gone, along with her uncle, Alex Whipple, who was later arrested on an outstanding warrant related to a probation violation.
A probable cause statement from the Cache County Sheriff’s Office said deputies found Whipple walking alone Saturday near 7600 S. 2400 W., southwest of the city of Logan, with a metal baseball bat hidden in his back pocket and under the back of his jacket. Deputies said he refused to identify himself; they confirmed his identity after handcuffing him when they found his wallet.
In a brief news conference Monday morning, Logan City Police Captain Tyson Budge told reporters Whipple had been interviewed extensively while in custody and had given statements police knew to be false.
Elizabeth Shelley was last seen wearing a red tank top and blue jeans. Her family describes her as standing about 3-foot-6, weighing about 40 pounds, with shoulder-length brown hair with bangs. She has brown eyes.
Sunday, Budge told reporters police had found “several locations where we believe we’ve found some evidentiary items that will help link Mr. Whipple to this case.”
To that end, in addition to surveillance video, police asked residents of Logan, Hyrum, Mount Sterling and Nibley to be on the lookout for “suspicious items” on their property. If they find anything, they are asked not to touch the items but to immediately call the non-emergency police dispatch phone number, 435-753-7555.
UPDATE 8:23 PM
Logan City Police is continuing to follow up on video evidence and other leads. Search and rescue teams will be moved to the Cache County Fairgrounds. There will be no more updates or press releases until 11 am on Tuesday, May 28th, 2019.
