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Uncle accused of killing 5-year-old Lizzy Shelley now faces child sex abuse charges

Cache County prosecutors filed more charges Wednesday against the uncle accused of killing his 5-year-old niece, alleging now that he sexually abused the girl.

Alex Whipple, 21, was charged with rape of a child and sodomy of a child. He already faces charges of aggravated murder, child kidnapping, obstructing justice and abuse or desecration of a human body in the disappearance of his niece, Elizabeth “Lizzy” Shelley.

Lizzy was last seen about 2 a.m. May 25 at her home, where Whipple had stayed the night. When both he and Lizzy were not there later that morning, he became a suspect in her disappearance.