DRAPER -- The suspect in the disappearance and death of 16-year-old Alexis Rasmussen was hospitalized briefly after he was stabbed repeatedly inside his cell at the Utah State Prison Monday.
Eric Millerberg was listed in stable condition at a local hospital, Utah Dept. of Corrections officials confirmed Tuesday. His injuries were not considered life threatening, spokesman Steve Gehrke said.
Millerberg was returned to the maximum security prison's infirmary Wednesday.
Millerberg was attacked just before 5 p.m. Monday inside his cell in the maximum security unit of the prison, Gehrke said. His cell mate is suspected in the assault with a crudely made knife.
"He (Millerberg) ended up with multiple stab wounds to his body. It was inside their cell, of course, closed off to other individuals so his cellmate is being treated as a suspect at this time," Gehrke told FOX 13. "The Department of Corrections turned it over to Unified Police Department, so we have an outside, independent agency to look at all the details."
The maximum security unit at the Utah State Prison, which houses gang members, is on lockdown while the investigation is under way, Gehrke said.
Millerberg is facing trial in Ogden's 2nd District Court on charges of child abuse homicide, obstruction of justice, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and desecration of a body in connection with the Sept. 2011 disappearance of Alexis Rasmussen.
Weber County prosecutors claim Millerberg and his wife sold drugs to Rasmussen and engaged in sexual activity with her. The teen died of a drug overdose, and prosecutors claim the couple dumped her body off a road in remote Morgan County, where it was found about a month after she disappeared. Millerberg's wife, Dea, testified against him at his preliminary hearing.
Millerberg is scheduled to go to trial in February 2014.
