Utah Uncle Accused of Raping 5-Year-Old Niece

A Utah man accused of killing his five-year-old niece will serve additional time behind bars for sexual assault, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

The Cache County Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday that prosecutors would be charging Alex Whipple, 21, with first-degree child rape and first-degree child sodomy for allegedly murdering Elizabeth “Lizzy” Shelley while spending time at his sister’s house.

Prosecutors also charged Whipple with kidnapping, aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, and abusing human remains.

Authorities found Lizzy’s remains several days after her mother reported her missing on May 25. Police said her body was found in the woods under a pile of brush one block away from her residence.

Whipple then gave his lawyer a map that would lead authorities to the location of the corpse, giving him a way to strike a plea deal with prosecutors, which would spare him from the death penalty.