‘Lock him up’: Uncle accused of murdering 5-year-old Elizabeth Shelley appears in court

The suspect in the kidnapping and murder of 5-year-old Elizabeth “Lizzy” Shelley appeared in court on Monday, where a judge denied him bail.

The Deseret News reports that Alexander Whipple, 21, appeared on Monday at 1st District Court in Logan, Utah, where a judge ordered the suspect to remain in custody without bail.

“Given the recent charges, of course I’m not going to allow bail,” Judge Kevin Allen reportedly said at the hearing.

Whipple is charged with multiple felonies, including aggravated murder and child kidnapping, obstructing justice, and abuse or desecration of a body.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Elizabeth vanished from her Logan home on the morning of May 25, after Whipple had gone to the home to visit his sister, Elizabeth’s mother, and was invited to spend the night on the couch, according to charging documents obtained by Deseret News. Elizabeth’s family called police when they woke that Saturday morning to find both Whipple and the child gone, and a door to the home left wide open.

Authorities apprehended Whipple later the same afternoon and arrested him for a probation violation. After authorities launched a massive search which reportedly yielded incriminating evidence against Whipple, prosecutors charged him with capital murder last week. Whipple later disclosed the location of Elizabeth’s remains as part of an agreement that will reportedly spare him the death penalty.

The little girl’s body was found on Wednesday less than a block from her home.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing Monday, Cache County Attorney James Swink said that prosecutors are determined to  “lock (Whipple) up for the rest of his life,” according to the Deseret News.

Authorities have not yet released a cause of death or a motive for the apparent homicide.