Authorities in Utah have released new surveillance video of the suspect being held in the disappearance of his niece, 5-year-old Elizabeth Shelley.
Multiple Utah-based reporters said on Twitter Tuesday afternoon that Alex Whipple, 21, was denied bail at a hearing to review his case. As one reporter noted, Whipple has not yet been charged in connection to Elizabeth’s disappearance, but is being held on related charges, reportedly including a probation violation.
A court-appointed attorney for #AlexWhipple argued he should get bail based on the fact that he hasn't been charged with anything in connection to the disappearance of #LizzyShelley. He is being held on unrelated charges, but judge still denied bail. #ElizabethShelley pic.twitter.com/fOPvHkjANu
— Andrew Reeser (@andrewreeser) May 28, 2019
#BREAKING: No bail for Alex Whipple, the uncle suspected in Elizabeth Shelley’s disappearance. He’s been arrested on an unrelated probation violation. #FindElizabeth #FindLizzy #Utah
— Kelli Pierce (@KelliReports) May 28, 2019
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Logan Police Chief Gary Jensen said in a news conference earlier Tuesday that investigators have DNA evidence linking Whipple to Elizabeth’s disappearance, and that Whipple is the main suspect in the case. The police chief also said that he believes Elizabeth has been hurt, but declined to characterize the search for the little girl, now in its fourth day, as a recovery mission.
“I don’t ever want to take hope out of the equation,” Jensen said.
Whipple reportedly visited the home of his sister — Elizabeth’s mother — on Friday night, and she last saw Elizabeth at around 2 a.m. Saturday. When she awoke later that day, sometime between 9 and 10 a.m., both Elizabeth and her uncle were missing.
Shortly after Tuesday’s news conference, ABC 4 shared a video of surveillance footage that police confirmed shows Whipple walking at 6:46 a.m. on Saturday.
According to the report, the video was captured just a few blocks from the girl’s home, and the person who sent it in reportedly said that Whipple’s pant legs were wet from the knee down. Logan Police could not confirm this.
Police continue to ask Logan residents to come forward with any type of surveillance images that may be of help in the investigation, as law enforcements works to trace Whipple’s steps.
Anyone with possible information is urged to call the Cache County Sheriff’s Office at 435-753-7555.
