Police have identified the 21-year-old man being questioned about the disappearance of his 5-year-old niece this weekend.
CNN reports that 21-year-old Alexander Whipple, the uncle of Elizabeth Shelley, was arrested on a probation violation on Saturday afternoon in Logan, Utah. The family of the missing 5-year-old girl reportedly told police they last saw her at about 2 a.m. on Saturday, and when they awoke around 10 a.m., she was gone — along with her uncle.
The girl was not with Alexander Whipple when he was spotted walking around the town, which is near the Idaho border. According to NBC News 4, Whipple had visited the home on Friday night.
@Logancitypolice have arrested Alexander William Whipple, 21, for absconding from probation on Sunday. Whipple is the "main suspect" in the case of missing 5-year-old Elizabeth "Lizzie" Shelley. https://t.co/PYvwTPZH4I
— KUTV 2News (@KUTV2News) May 26, 2019
Authorities have released few details about the disappearance, and CNN reports they are working to obtain search warrants and follow up on leads.
Logan City Police Captain Tyson Budge told CNN that the investigation is “not going to end well.”
The suspect has reportedly been uncooperative with police. In a Facebook post, the department acknowledge the lack of public information about the investigation.
“They do not have all the information because we cannot release everything pertinent to this investigation … There are many agencies in a coordinated effort working around the clock and will continue to work until she is found. We will update Facebook as information becomes available.”
Elizabeth Shelley is described in the report as 3 feet, 6 inches tall, with shoulder-length curly brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information about Elizabeth’s disappearance is urged to call the Cache County Sheriff’s Office at 435-753-7555.