Rape and sodomy charges filed against uncle in Elizabeth Shelley case

LOGAN, Utah (KSTU) -- The Cache County Attorney's Office has filed two additional charges against Alex Whipple, the man accused of kidnapping and murdering his niece, 5-year-old Elizabeth Shelley, last month.

Whipple now faces charges of rape and sodomy upon a child, both first-degree felonies.

Police said Elizabeth was last seen at a home in western Logan at 2 a.m. on Saturday, May 25, and she was reported missing eight hours later.

Elizabeth's uncle, 21-year-old Alex Whipple, had arrived at the home Friday evening. He and Elizabeth were both gone by 9 a.m. Saturday.

Cache County deputies located Whipple around 3 p.m. Saturday and took him into custody for a probation violation and possession of drug paraphernalia.

On May 29, Alex Whipple was charged with aggravated murder, child kidnapping and obstruction of justice in connection with Elizabeth's disappearance and death. On that day, Whipple gave his attorney information about the location of Elizabeth's body in exchange for the removal of capital punishment as an option for his potential punishment.