Officials: Metal bat found on suspect picked up after disappearance of his 5-year-old niece, missing from Logan

Alexander William Whipple. Photo: Cache County
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LOGAN, Utah, May 27, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A probable cause statement filed Sunday in the arrest of Alexander William Whipple — the main suspect in the Saturday morning disappearance of his 5-year-old niece, Elizabeth “Lizzy” Shelley — reveals he was carrying a potential weapon when he was taken into custody.

The statement says that Whipple, 21, was found to be carrying a metal bat, which was concealed.

The probable cause statement, filed by an officer of the Cache County Sheriff’s Office, says that Whipple was stopped in Hyrum after officers noted that, in appearance and clothing, he matched the description of Whipple connected to the search for Lizzy.

Whipple refused several times to identify himself to officers, the probable cause statement says. Whipple then tried to leave, then refused an order to put his hands behind his head. Whipple still refused to stop, so a deputy held Whipple by the arms.

“The male (Whipple) attempted to pull his arms away and walked backwards in an attempt to get away from deputies. The male continued to be combative and was assisted to the ground and handcuffed.

“The male had a metal baseball bat tucked in his back pocket and hidden in his jacket along his back. In his back pocket a wallet was found with a picture ID identifying him as Alexander Whipple.”

Whipple also had drug paraphernalia and a substance with the characteristics of marijuana, the statement says. He also had an unopened can of beer, in violation of a no-alcohol clause in his probation.

“Alexander was taken into custody for warrants and transported to Logan City Police Department for questioning in another matter.”

Whipple was booked on suspicion of:

  • Transaction of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a class A misdemeanor
  • Failure to stop at the command of law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor
  • Failure to disclose identity, a class B misdemeanor
  • Unlawful purchase by interdicted person, a class B misdemeanor
  • Possession of a controlled substance — marijuana/spice, a class B misdemeanor
  • Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor

The “dangerous weapon” charge appears to be related to the bat. No other potential weapons were mentioned in the probable cause statement.

The search for Lizzy by hundreds of law enforcement officials continued as of Monday afternoon.

2 COMMENTS

  1. I feel like I could be of some assistance to you if you could please temporarily detained me, grant me immunity, & place in his cell, then just go take a walk, have a cup of coffee, smoke a cigarette, grab some lunch but when you get back I should have all the information you need. Just an idea from a kidnap survivor. The victim’s Rights and Liberties were not observed, why should his?

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