Theres hardly any place he can go that somebody doesnt recognize him and want to give him a hug, his mom said. Akers served in the United States Air Force and was a member of Patriot Guard. Devlin eventually allowed Shawn to go out with friends, get a cellphone and go on dates, but he didn't go to school. 'This is the best day of our lives. Shawn Hornbeck, 15, gets a hug from his mother Pam Akers as his stepfather Craig Akers touches his head Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007 in Richwoods, Mo. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. How many years was Shawn Hornbeck missing? We were sitting in the back seat, he was turned to look at me and I was turned to look at him. Five years later, we watched together as Shawn Hornbeck was found alive. In the interview, he revealed what he really thought about suspicions that he and his parents were involved with his sisters death. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. Shawn Hornbeck was alive and had been living with Devlin as a hostage for over four years. Pam Akers watched her son, Shawn Hornbeck, leave their home in Richwoods, Missouri, about 55 miles southwest of St. Louis, on the afternoon of Oct. 6, 2002. He will be missed," said Dawn . The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. A white truck had been seen speeding away after Ownby had been snatched, and when police tracked down Devlin's cluttered one bedroom apartment home, they found Shawn Hornbeck toositting on the couch. On Jan. 12, 2007, police serving an unrelated warrant at the apartment complex where Devlin lived in Kirkwood, Mo., spotted a white pick-up truck that matched the description of the one reportedly used in the abduction of Ownby four days earlier in Beaufort, Mo. He was held by his abductor 200 miles away in Mendocino County, California until he was 14, when he managed to escape with another of Parnells victims, Timothy White. Driving his pickup, he knocked Hornbeck off his bike and kidnapped him. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. On this day in 2007, Shawn Hornbeck was finally reunited with his parents after he vanished without trace while riding his bike in Missouri four years earlier. Meanwhile, for his tip and information, Mitchell Hults received a reward that included a new pickup truck. How to get started raising backyard, Windshield covers and other handy gear you need for, 18 trendy cowboy boots to wear this winter, 18 books youll want to read on Dr. Seuss Day, STL Co. stakeholders look for juvenile crime solutions, STL County school district still recovering from, Block party kicks off history making weekend for, Woman shot in Schnucks parking lot in St. Peters, Mo lawmakers back ban on Chinese ownership of land, Lawsuit: Muslims praying at Missouri prison pepper-sprayed, Local organization host fundraiser for Janae Edmondson, Heavy rain, wind slam St. Louis region on Friday, Man shot and killed on his front porch in Illinois, New contract, pay raises expected soon for STL police, Warren County man charged in counterfeit money scheme, TSA at Lambert warns travelers about flights ahead. It has touched everyone, what this familys been through, and what Craig did for other families also, said Todd Mahn, the owner of the funeral home. Shawn was 11 when he was kidnapped by Michael Devlin in 2002 near his home in Washington County, Mo. Hornbeck, now 25, attended private school after his rescue and later got a factory job in Missouri, according to the Post-Dispatch. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Kevin Palmer of North Bay, Ontario Canada is hoping the FBI office in St. Louis will launch a new investigation into Devlin that leads to charges for an attempted abduction in December 1998. Her case made national news back in 2002 when she was taken from her room at gunpoint at age 14. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Severe Weather Hornbecks life suffered a severe schism when he was allegedly kidnapped at the age of 11. But like most kidnapped kids who are later found, she still struggles with the aftermath. DE SOTO, Mo. Their discovery became known as the Missouri Miracle.. Im a bad person, she said he confessed to her. He is serving 74 life sentences. Market data provided by Factset. Hornbeck was restrained for the first month and nearly strangled by Devlin. Your email address will not be published. The second boy was Shawn Hornbeck, who had disappeared more than four years earlier from his own rural neighborhood of Washington County. Devlin went to Beaufort, Missouri, where he kidnapped Ben Ownby from his bus stop. Tortured and threatened with death, Hornbeck had allowed Devlin to present him as his son. The two lived alternatively as father and son, or family friends. And he said, Ill never forget this, he said, Nah, boy just get in the truck. And thats when I bolted and I ran, said Palmer. We have some good news for you and probably some unbelievable news. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. After 13 hours, and with the help of their bus driver, they managed to break free and were rescued. Ill. coroner explains how wife didnt notice body, Check out these new must-see Missouri attractions, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. All Rights Reserved. Patriot Guard members will escort Akers to his final resting place Tuesday in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, where he will be laid to rest with full military honors. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. On October 6, 2002, Shawn Hornbeck left home on his bicycle in the rural area of Richwoods, Missouri. Just one day before the miraculous discovery, McNamara theorized Ownby was targeted because of his youthful appearance. Terrified, knowing that the man would soon kill her, Alicia struggled to maintain hope that she would be found. It's one of the most perplexing questions to emerge from the tale of the two missing Missouri boys who were found last Friday: why didn't Shawn Hornbeck, 15, the older of the two, simply flee?. When Shawn came up missing he was 11 years old and was riding his bike alone on October 6, 2002, when Michael Devlin was patrolling quiet roads for months searching for a young victim. 18:50 GMT 12 Jan 2021. Retired Franklin County Sheriff Gary Toelke was heavily involved in the search for Ownby and subsequent investigation of Devlin since Ownby was kidnapped in Beaufort. She was 46. He admitted to abducting Ownby. , updated In the final novel of the series, The Man with the Golden Gun, Ms full identity is revealed as Vice Admiral Sir Miles Messervy KCMG; Messervy had been appointed to head of MI6 after his predecessor had been assassinated at his desk. Speaking to the host, he said that he had used the internet to ask his parents a heartbreaking question. Devlin confessed to both kidnappings. But he was able to send them a message on a website that had been set up to help find him, using his real name. About 19 years (January 2003)Shawn Hornbeck Foundation / Age. In 2005, serial killer Joseph E. Duncan III broke into 8-year-old Shastas home, killing her mother, stepfather and brother and kidnapping Shasta, who was tortured for two months before being found by a Dennys employee, who called the police. That night, Franklin County Sheriff Glen Toelke announced that both boys were found and alive. LOUIS - Six months ago, Shawn Hornbeck disappeared again. Driving his pickup, he knocked Hornbeck off his bike and kidnapped him. Only 9 years old at the time, the older brother, along with his parents, became a prime suspect in the death of his sister, a crime that today is still unsolved. She was found alive nine months later and her kidnappers, Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Ileen Barzee, were both arrested and charged with kidnapping and rape. Meanwhile, Shawn Hornbeck was allowed to see friends and even use a cellphone after Devlin believed that the boy wouldnt try to run or reach the authorities. It has been like a dream, and we are afraid that we are going to wake up.'. I dont know what to say to that, because I know thats not what happened, he said. Shawn is grown up. Legal Statement. In 1972, when he was just 7 years old, a stranger convinced him that his mother had asked him to pick Stayner up and bring him home. Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox. @shawn_hornbeck Today will always have great meaning for me and my team. Finding out, what Palmer is convinced is, the identity of the man who tried to abduct him, has taken an emotional toll. Is dumpster diving legal in Missouri and Illinois? This time it was from the lives of those who had known and cared for him during the four years he was missing, those who had unwittingly. Willett and the others saw two boys playing video games in the apartment: Ben Ownby, whom they immediately recognized, and a now 15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck. Shawn planned to ride his bike to a . He is currently serving 71 life sentences after being convicted of kidnapping and child sexual abuse atWestern Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri. Have a tip? Devlin pleaded not guilt to two counts of kidnapping and one count of armed criminal action, and is being held on $1 million bond. 15:21 GMT 12 Jan 2021 Both he and Ben Ownby still live in the St. Louis area. In an interview on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Hornbeck said he was too "terrified" to try to escape from Devlin's clutches. When You Breathe In Your Diaphragm Does What. Bens abduction and Hults quick thinking would eventually turn out to be Shawns salvation. The young boy believed his family would be harmed if he attempted to escape or contact the police. That fall Devlin pleaded guilty to multiple counts of kidnapping and sexual assault and was sentenced to 74 life . See the 'Counting On' Kids' Houses, Look How Much the Little Couple's Kids Will and Zoey Have Grown Up, Every Look From the Kardashian-Jenner Family at the 2021 Met Gala, Take a Tour of All the Houses (and Apartments) the Duggars Call Home, Smart spoke out after Gabby Petitos missing person case, Janelle Loves How Christines Boyfriend David Treats Her, Return to Amish's Sabrina and New BF Are 'Happy' After Baby No. Palmer told News 4 that his father married a woman from Robinson,. By Due to lack of funds and time, The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation was closed, but members helped found the Missouri Valley Search and Rescue Team to continue the work. The guy tried to entice me to his vehicle. Following Ownbys abduction, true-crime writer and internet sleuth Michelle McNamara examined the case and discovered a connection between Ownbys kidnapping and Hornbecks disappearance. Task force officials say the images are a top priority, but are not sure at this point how important they will be to their ongoing investigation. He wont be eligible for parole until hes 100. Both boys were discovered inside Devlin's apartment shortly thereafter. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. The agents asked for Devlins permission to search his truck, which he gave. Shawn Hornbeck was an 11 year old boy who was kidnapped while riding his bike to a friend's house near Richwoods, Missouri. Copyright 2023 RiverBender.com.com All rights reserved. The bill was sponsored by Arizona Representative Paul Boyer. Shawns case had gone cold, and very little information about Ben was known. The comments below have not been moderated, By Thats my first clue. Craig was a dedicated family man. On January 12, 2007, police and FBI agents entered the apartment and located Ben Ownby and a second boy sitting on a sofa quietly. He was 14 years old at the time. Although he did not attend school during the time he was missing, Hornbeck was apparently allowed to leave the apartment unsupervised while Devlin worked as a manager at a local pizza parlor. On Monday night, friends and family arrive at the Mahn Funeral Home in DeSoto for the visitation of Craig Akers. I dont remember his exact words, but he realized the time had come, Willett said. In 2011, she described her kidnapper as a cool mom.. Shawn, who was missing since Oct. 2002, was. Devlin was handed multiple life sentences for a total of more than 4,000 years. The Most Binge-Worthy True Crime Docs You Have to Watch Now, Why Did the Menendez Brothers Kill Their Parents? A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He was 57. "Craig was a dedicated family man. Retelling of the case of Shawn Hornbeck, who as an 11 year old, was kidnapped, and miraculously survived several years of abuse. Devlin pleaded guilty to all the charges and received 74 life sentences and an additional term of 2,020 years. Listen Now On Jan. 12, 2007, Ben Ownby, 13, and Shawn Hornbeck, 15, were saved from Michael Devlin's apartment in St. Louis County. 10 years after the 'Missouri Miracle': Shawn Hornbeck speaks out about his ordeal. On October 6, 2002, Shawn, aged 11, was kidnapped by 41-year-old pizza shop boss Michael Devlin. Its a good feeling knowing somebody that would do good for anybody, said Hattie Wall. He remains on death row as of July 2021, but there have been zero executions in the state of California since a 2006 court ruling on the flaws found in the management of capital punishment. In 1996, Tanya was abducted by Thomas Hose, her middle school janitor. Today, Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby have found some sense of normalcy, living peacefully with their families in St. Louis. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. In response to the tragedy, Shawns parents, Pam and Craig Akers, founded the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation and the Hornbeck Search and Rescue Team to assist in searches of abducted children. Scroll through the gallery below to see before-and-after photos of famous kids from criminal cases. Visit FOXNews.com's Crime Center for complete coverage. Contrary to what Browne told the family on national television, Shawn was still alive. Willett said Devlin broke after she told him that tire tracks could be crucial evidence in Ownbys disappearance. She was kept in an underground bunker for 10 days before being rescued. Shawn told no one about his situation, and nobody in Kirkwood suspected that he was the missing boy from Richmond - 50 miles away. In 1976, 26 children and their bus driver were kidnapped and buried alive in an underground van that survivors would later describe as a "coffin." Then read more about Dennis Martin, the six-year-old boy who disappeared in the Great Smokey Mountains. 10 years after the 'Missouri Miracle': Shawn Hornbeck speaks Loaded Progress 0:00 / 2:40 Video Quality 576p 540p 360p 270p Video: Ten years after the 'Missouri Miracle', ex-FBI agent recalls. This undated handout photo provided by the FBI shows Shawn Hornbeck as he was pictured on a missing person poster from 2002. He was 57. Al Nothum of the Missouri Highway Patrol said the first thing police want to know is who took the photos. Legal Statement. The Hornbecks hope that the photos can be used as evidence to build a case against Devlin, Sherman said. The driver, Mike Devlin rushed to Shawn and appeared to be concerned for his safety. Authorities say Devlins confession that January day ended years of abuse, threats and manipulation for Hornbeck, whom Devlin abducted in October 2002. It was the case of Steven Stayner, who escaped from his abductor after the man took another child. Willett and the others saw two boys playing video games in the apartment: Ben Ownby, whom they immediately recognized, and a now 15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck. 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