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His widow, Pam, and son Shawn apparently share a special bond that is helping them during this time of loss. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Al Nothum of the Missouri Highway Patrol said the first thing police want to know is who took the photos. The truck belonged to store manager Michael Devlin, who eventually agreed to a search by agents Lynn Willett and Tina Richter. "The family looks at it like this: With what they've been through in the last four and a half years in getting Shawn back, they can deal with anything," Sherman said. Efforts to reach Willett Tuesday were not immediately successful. Devlin was sentenced to 74 life sentences and 170 years of federal time after the 2007 kidnapping of Ben Ownby and 2002 kidnapping of Shawn Hornbeck. 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. In the interview, he revealed what he really thought about suspicions that he and his parents were involved with his sisters death. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Legal Statement. In 1996, Tanya was abducted by Thomas Hose, her middle school janitor. Send it to us! Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, BEFORE YOU GO: What to know for CITY SCs home opener, Win a Midday Makeover from Studio STL and West County, Hold my beer its time to sign up for the St. Patricks, Tims Travels: Dreaming in silestone and slabs its, Downtown is turning green for St. Patricks Day Parade, The 7brew Crew brings kindness, joy and of course,, Freshen up finds: Give your skin a slug-hug, What the Cluck! During those years of not knowing where Shawn was, Craig reached out to other families. 'It was surprising. We would talk about a lot of nonsignificant things, and then, once I would steer the conversation back, our focus was on Ben, Willett said. Was that a way to connect with them? Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. 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. Speaking at the time, Craig said: 'It is the phone call I will remember most for the rest of my life. After 13 hours, and with the help of their bus driver, they managed to break free and were rescued. Shawn Hornbeck was an 11 year old boy who was kidnapped while riding his bike to a friend's house near Richwoods, Missouri. He will be missed, said Dawn Robertson, a family friend. In April 2011, a fellow inmate attacked and stabbed Devlin with a homemade ice pick. That evening, then-Fraklin County. Finding out, what Palmer is convinced is, the identity of the man who tried to abduct him, has taken an emotional toll. Hornbeck and Ownby were discovered after police noticed Devlins white pickup truck in the apartment complex parking lot. McNamara, who also led the investigation into the Golden State Killer, found many connections between the two boys. Washington. .success{color:#000; font-size:14px; font-weight:bold} 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Hornbeck was eleven years old on October 6, 2002, when he was kidnapped while riding his bicycle near his home in Richwoods, Missouri. Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. Sgt. In 2014, it appears Hornbeck tweeted about Willett by name, writing, Thank you to Lynn Willet for giving me back freedom., She later replied, on the 2015 anniversary of his freedom, Today will always have great meaning for me and my team. The disappearance and reunion with Shawn made international headlines. Hornbeck, now 25, attended private school after his rescue and later got a factory job in Missouri, according to the Post-Dispatch. ABC 17 News is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Eventually, Willett was able to get a confession from Devlin, and the FBI raided his apartment in search of the boys. In a split second, Devlin kidnapped Shawn, telling the boy that he, was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Five years later, Devlin kidnapped 13-year-old Ben Ownby in the same truck. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In 2013, with the help of a local radio station, she attended her first prom. Market data provided by Factset. One of Bens friends, Mitchell Hults heard Bens cries and reported the truck to the police. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Driving his pickup, he knocked Hornbeck off his bike and kidnapped him. Devlin was handed multiple life sentences for a total of more than 4,000 years. During the investigation we found out that he did go looking for other children and he had about a sixty-mile radius around the area where he lived going over into Illinois and into Missouri, said Toelke. 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. Her ordeal was later turned into a Lifetime film in 2018 called Girl in the Bunker. Craig Akers died July 15, 2019, from bladder cancer. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Shawn Hornbeck stays close to his mother, Pam Akers, during a press conference Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, in Richwoods, the morning after he was found along with Ben Ownby in a Kirkwood. How many years was Shawn Hornbeck missing? Both he and Ben Ownby still live in the St. Louis area. Bens abduction and Hults quick thinking would eventually turn out to be Shawns salvation. It was 1980. About 19 years (January 2003)Shawn Hornbeck Foundation / Age. Writer Michelle McNamara died in her sleep on April 21, 2016. . Daily News & Weather Updates Find out where she is today following the death of her daughter, Caylee. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. The man who kidnapped Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby was identified as Michael J. Devlin, a pizza-restaurant manager. Abducted from the street in 2002 when she was just six years old, Erica made national news when she managed to break free from her kidnappers by chewing through the duct tape that was bound around her wrists. What did you feel doing that? Devlin confessed to both kidnappings. Its a good feeling knowing somebody that would do good for anybody, said Hattie Wall. I just feel like its always going to be part of my life, he said at the time, of his own abduction and captivity. Shawn would even reach out to his parents on a website they set up to receive tips on his disappearance. On Monday night, friends and family arrive at the Mahn Funeral Home in DeSoto for the visitation of Craig Akers. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved By That is, until April 2020 after he started volunteering for a non-profit in Canada called, Operation Underground Railroad, that works to combat human trafficking. ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) Ten years ago today, the FBI stormed into a small Kirkwood apartment complex and rescued Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby, marking the day many call The Missouri Miracle. In October 2002, the then 11-year-old Hornbeck was kidnapped while riding his bike to a friends home in Washington County. He was transferred to Western Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri. The Most Binge-Worthy True Crime Docs You Have to Watch Now, Why Did the Menendez Brothers Kill Their Parents? He spoke to reporters in 2013 following the dramatic discovery. [He] is doing really well, a retired sheriff who worked on his case told the paper. Shawn was 11 when he was kidnapped by Michael Devlin in 2002 near his home in Washington County, Mo. #subscriptionResponse{color:#000; font-size:14px; font-weight:bold}. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. The Hornbecks hope that the photos can be used as evidence to build a case against Devlin, Sherman said. He sat with Willett in the back seat, she told the Post-Dispatch. Shawns case had gone cold, and very little information about Ben was known. The truck matched a description given by 15-year-old Mitchell Hults of a vehicle he spotted in the vicinity of Ownbys abduction. Once a cold case, the Missouri Miracle serves as evidence that determination, quick thinking, and an eye for detail can bring sometimes justice. Now 30, although Elizabeth has spoken out publicly several times about her ordeal, she keeps a low profile. Shawn, then 15, told his 41-year-old captor that . 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. Prosecutors in Franklin, Washington, and St. Louis counties hit Devlin with dozens of charges, including kidnapping, use of a deadly weapon, molestation, and production of child pornography. 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. In an interview on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Hornbeck said he was too "terrified" to try to escape from Devlin's clutches. My Spidey-senses were up, almost immediately.. Once Willett got in line for lunch at the pizzeria, Devlins behavior immediately raised her concerns, she told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in a Wednesday interview. I never forgot his face, he said. It has been like a dream, and we are afraid that we are going to wake up.'. 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. Speaking to the host, he said that he had used the internet to ask his parents a heartbreaking question. Shawn Hornbeck married and became a father. The bill was sponsored by Arizona Representative Paul Boyer. When investigators confronted Devlin, he finally confessed to Ben's kidnapping - and stunned the detectives when he said he also had Shawn. Craig was a dedicated family man. Though Ben was two years older than Shawn, he looked young for his age, and both. The comments below have not been moderated, By Have a tip? On Jan. 8, 2007, Ben Ownby was taken while waiting at a bus stop in Beaufort, located in Franklin County. I remember yelling out, I was scared of waking up my dad, Thats, thats him, Thats the same guy from Robinson.'. Throughout her captivity, Alicia was chained by the neck, sexually assaulted, and her torture was live-streamed. When Shawn came up missing he was 11 years old and. I dont know what to say to that, because I know thats not what happened, he said. 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 was sexually abused, with Devlin later telling FBI agents that as Shawn got older, he had begun looking for a younger boy to take. FILE Shawn Hornbeck and his parents, Pam and Craig Akers, in 2013. . But this time, Devlin was seen kidnapping the boy. LOUIS - Six months ago, Shawn Hornbeck disappeared again. It transpired that Devlin had kept Shawn tied up for a month in his Kirkwood apartment, and even tried to strangle him at one point, but stopped when the boy promised he would never tell anyone. Following Ownbys abduction, true-crime writer and internet sleuth Michelle McNamara examined the case and discovered a connection between Ownbys kidnapping and Hornbecks disappearance. A Missouri man who became part of an international story is being remembered for his selflessness. Shawn Hornbeck stays close to his mother, Pam Akers, during a press conference Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, in Richwoods, the morning after he was found along with Ben Ownby in a Kirkwood apartment. 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. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. The discovery that Hornbeck was still alive after his abduction near Richwoods in 2003, was dubbed, "The Missouri Miracle". 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. Shawn Hornbeck, left, the boy who was held captive for over four years and finally freed in January from the St. Louis area apartment of Michael Devlin, makes a putt as his dad Craig Akers watches . 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. They also started the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation to help other families find their missing and abducted children. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. Their cases made national news. Shawn had taken this path many times before but this time, Shawn passed by Mike Devlin who bumped him with his truck. They said they stayed close to him to help with his transition. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Shawn Hornbeck was missing for over four years before being discovered on January 12, 2007, along with another teenage boy. Shawn was also made to pose as his abductors son. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. She lives in Utah with her husband and two-year-old daughter. Authorities said they are trying to authenticate the images, but are working under the assumption that the photos are genuine, FOX News affiliate KTVI in St. Louis reported. While aiding the investigation of finding the Golden State Killer, Michelle McNamara passed away at the age of 46, just a short time before the killer was found. In May of that year, the Akers family determined they didnt have the time and resources necessary to commit to the foundation and rescue team. Its their story to tell.. Ill. coroner explains how wife didnt notice body, Check out these new must-see Missouri attractions, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The shocking photos appear to show Hornbeck, now 15, inside or near the apartment of Michael Devlin, the 41-year-old man charged with kidnapping him and 13-year-old Ben Ownby. Contrary to what Browne told the family on national television, Shawn was still alive. The pair talked for hours. Crack the case in FOXNews.com's Crime Center. You look at a lot of things," Nothum said. 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. ", In a 2013 interview, Shawn, then 21, said, "You cant give up. Since then, Tanya, now 40, has released a memoir, Memoir of a Milk Carton Kid: The Tanya Nicole Kach Story, and lives in Pennsylvania. Franklin County Sheriff talks day Shawn Hornbeck was found 20 years ago 00:00 / 07:16 Hornbeck suffered physical, psychological and sexual abuse at the hand of Delvin, who reportedly was once a friendly and outgoing person but became more reclusive after some issues with his health. In 2016, Burke, now 34, broke his silence and gave his first interview on Dr. Phil. His story made national headlines in 2007 as the "Missouri Miracle. In 2002, Shawn was abducted while riding his bike with a friend and was found five years later. ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. 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. He admitted to abducting Ownby. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Hornbeck was eleven years old on October 6, 2002, when he was kidnapped while riding his bicycle near his home in Richwoods, Missouri. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. For the four years that followed, Shawn believed that his family would be harmed if he tried to run. Is dumpster diving legal in Missouri and Illinois? If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. I dont remember his exact words, but he realized the time had come, Willett said. ', His father Craig said he could remember the message, telling the host:'I remember reading it, I remember thinking to myself either this is someone with that name or this is someone trying to yank my chain.'. Today, Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby have found some sense of normalcy, living peacefully with their families in St. Louis. Shawn would go on to recount his experience on television where he detailed his abuse, the lies he was forced to tell, and his years in the apartment. 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. 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. Lynn Willett (@lynnwillett9) January 13, 2015. That night, Franklin County Sheriff Glen Toelke announced that both boys were found and alive. Shawn Hornbeck In 2002, Shawn was abducted while riding his bike with a friend and was found five years later. Devlin eventually allowed Shawn to go out with friends, get a cellphone and go on dates, but he didn't go to school. 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. Authorities are investigating pictures of Shawn Hornbeck that were apparently taken during the four years the Missouri teen was missing. Click here to watch the original report from KTVI. He is currently serving 71 life sentences after being convicted of kidnapping and child sexual abuse atWestern Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri. I was looking at him saying, Youre safe. . 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. Inside, Willett said, Hornbeck and Ownby were playing video games., Ben just shot up and was in that fight-or-flight [mode], Willett said.