Im not gonna lie there were times when it seemed like I was better off dead.. But a chance encounter, the dedication of the boys parents, and the work of a now-famous true crime writer would lead to a remarkable rescue that became known as the Missouri Miracle.. Efforts to reach Willett Tuesday were not immediately successful. The agents asked for Devlins permission to search his truck, which he gave. 90 Day Fiance's Hamza's Green Card Status 'Battle' Amid Memphis Divorce. Even now theyre strong together, said Jason Huncovsky, Akers son-in-law. He also pleaded guilty to all the charges against him. 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. Thats what many folks remember about Craig his selflessness. 'Octomom' Nadya Suleman Is a Proud Mom of 14: See Her Kids Today! You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. Shawn Hornbeck was alive and had been living with Devlin as a hostage for over four years. He was transferred to Western Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri. The pair talked for hours. Kirkwood is about an hour drive from both Richwoods and Beaufort. On October 6, 2002, Shawn, aged 11, was kidnapped by 41-year-old pizza shop boss Michael Devlin. Devlin went to Beaufort, Missouri, where he kidnapped Ben Ownby from his bus stop. He never arrived. Palmer was confident that he now had the identity of the man who tried to abduct him 22 years ago, so he contacted police in Robinson but they suggested he reach out to the FBI since Devlin would have crossed a state line to commit the crime. For the four years that followed, Shawn believed that his family would be harmed if he tried to run. (KFVS) Eleven-year-old Shawn Hornbeck went missing in 2002. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. He was 57. One of Bens friends, Mitchell Hults heard Bens cries and reported the truck to the police. , updated I never forgot his face, he said. 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. Once it started to rain, they asked him if he wanted to sit in their car for shelter. By Since her ordeal made headlines in 2009, Jaycee, now 41, has published two memoirs and continues to speak publicly about her experience. Crystal Britt talked about the emotions of that day as we look back on Shawn and Ben Ownbys remarkable rescue. In April 2011, a fellow inmate attacked and stabbed Devlin with a homemade ice pick. Hornbeck was eleven years old on October 6, 2002, when he was kidnapped while riding his bicycle near his home in Richwoods, Missouri. Email In Touch at contact@intouchweekly.com. They said they stayed close to him to help with his transition. Photo: AP Photo/Tom Gannam; AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, 24 Years After White Supremacists Lynched Her Dad, Daughter Speaks Out About Trauma and Journey to Peace, Daughter Sues Hospital for 'Assault, Battery, and False Imprisonment' of Kidney Patient Father, Retired Mo. Akers served in the United States Air Force and was a member of Patriot Guard. Ownby had been missing for four days when police entered a small apartment in Kirkwood, Missouri, to find both boys. She was found six years later with the help of a grocery store clerk who called the police for her. "I've begun the process of healing and look forward to making up for the time I have lost with my family and education," he. She was kept in an underground bunker for 10 days before being rescued. I just feel like its always going to be part of my life, he said at the time, of his own abduction and captivity. Speaking out for the first time, Shawn Hornbeck says his four years of being held captive . "It's disturbing, but it's not unexpected that there are going to be things revealed from the course of Shawn's captivity that are going to be upsetting to the family," Hornbeck family lawyer Scott Sherman said. Today, Jessica is now 35 years old and lives in Texas with her husband and two children. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | KMIZ-TV FCC Public File | FCC Applications |, Breaking News 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. The shocking photos appear to show Hornbeck, now 15,. Im proud of [the scars], she told Ladies Home Journal in 2002. 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. In 2009, a story about a girl simply called Danielle who was raised in deplorable conditions and treated like a wild animal by her biological mother made headlines. From Elizabeth Smart to Jaycee Dugard, these kids from famous crime cases are both horrifying and inspiring. It was 1980. 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. Craig sadly passed away in 2019 from bladder cancer aged 57, with Pam saying she was 'so grateful he got to spend more time with Shawn'. Devlin pleaded guilty more then 70 times Tuesday to a litany of horrific crimes. One year after Hornbecks release, his parents told PEOPLE he was making progress. Shawn, who was missing since Oct. 2002, was. Your email address will not be published. But like most kidnapped kids who are later found, she still struggles with the aftermath. FBI and Police from across Missouri started searching four days earlier for Ben Ownby who was kidnapped from his rural bus stop in Franklin County, Missouri. Eventually, Willett was able to get a confession from Devlin, and the FBI raided his apartment in search of the boys. Hornbeck was reported missing by his family on Oct. 5, 2002, after he didn't return home from school in Richwoods, Mo. Shawn is grown up. 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Now 30, although Elizabeth has spoken out publicly several times about her ordeal, she keeps a low profile. 'It was surprising. Investigators say the images show a "different side" of Hornbeck, and they hope that they will help them piece together the teen's puzzling disappearance. Following Ownbys abduction, true-crime writer and internet sleuth Michelle McNamara examined the case and discovered a connection between Ownbys kidnapping and Hornbecks disappearance. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. 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. Willett said Devlin told her he was a bad person and admitted to having both Ben and Shawn. A description of the vehicle that was wanted in connection with Ben Ownby's kidnapping led police to an apartment complex in the 400 block of South Holmes Street in Kirkwood. On Oct. 6, 2002, 11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck straddled his lime green bike and headed to a friends house near Richwoods, Missouri, a small town just outside of St. Louis. But that wasnt his only crime. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey just days after being reunited with Shawn, the Akerses said they believed their son was sexually abused during his captivity. Lynn Willett (@lynnwillett9) January 13, 2015. Since then, Shasta has struggled with drug and alcohol abuse, but in a 2015 interview, said she was getting her life back on track and was on her way to being a mother. FBI/GettyThis undated handout photo provided by the FBI shows Shawn Hornbeck as he was pictured on a missing person poster from 2002. That evening, then-Fraklin County Sheriff Glen Toelke made the stunning announcement bothboys had been found and were alive. Two federal agentsLynn Willett and Tina Richterasked permission to search the truck, which Devlin allowed. Who was Kenneth Parnell's accomplice? In 1996, Tanya was abducted by Thomas Hose, her middle school janitor. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Today, shes 33 and admits to still visiting the house where she was kept prisoner. Sgt. Devlin confessed to both kidnappings. She linked the two abductions before the authorities did and even used online maps to guess as to where they were being held. Mitchell Hults of Franklin County saw the truck near the scene of the crime, telling investigators. TwitterShawn Hornbeck hugs his family after being rescued from the home of Michael Devlin. He was 57. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 15:21 GMT 12 Jan 2021 The truck belonged to store manager Michael Devlin, who eventually agreed to a search by agents Lynn Willett and Tina Richter. In 2011, she described her kidnapper as a cool mom.. Required fields are marked *. An 11-year-old went missing in rural Missouri while riding his bike in 2002. 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. Terrified, knowing that the man would soon kill her, Alicia struggled to maintain hope that she would be found. Bens abduction and Hults quick thinking would eventually turn out to be Shawns salvation. 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. During the conversation, Willett cajoled a confession from Devlin. He bound Shawn Hornbeck, tied him to a futon or a couch inside the apartment and duct taped his mouth closed, assistant prosecutor Rob Livergood told the court. With the world transfixed on his story, Shawn spoke to Oprah Winfrey about his experience in 2007. Shawn Hornbeck married and became a father. Now 34, Carlina goes by Netty and her story has been turned into a Lifetime movie, Abducted: The Carlina White Story. His story made national headlines in 2007 as the "Missouri Miracle." In a 2013. Hornbeck was restrained for the first month and nearly strangled by Devlin. Shawn Hornbeck was an 11 year old boy who was kidnapped while riding his bike to a friend's house near Richwoods, Missouri. 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. McNamara also correctly theorized that Devlin was drawn to the boys because they looked much younger than their actual ages. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Mom who lost both sons to fentanyl blasts laughing Biden, Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Bizarre moments in Alex Murdaugh double murder trial so far, Stolen car crashes into another car causing building to collapse, Ukrainian soldier takes out five tanks with Javelin missiles. The couple appeared on The Montel Williams Show shortly after Shawns abduction to raise awareness of the case. She lives in Utah with her husband and two-year-old daughter. Shawn, then 15, told his 41-year-old captor that . When they arrived, Shawn and Ben were inside playing video games. Hornbeck and Ownby were discovered after police noticed Devlins white pickup truck in the apartment complex parking lot. Abducted at the age of 10 in Austria, Natascha was kept in a secret cellar for eight years before she escaped in 2006. Did Elizabeth Smart have a baby while kidnapped? It has been like a dream, and we are afraid that we are going to wake up.'. Since then, Elizabeth, now 34, has been a vocal advocate for child safety rights. Shawn planned to ride his bike to a friends house. ', Shawn replied: 'I was hoping it might give some sort of hint. 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." You look at a lot of things," Nothum said. When the boys were found Gary Toelke, the Franklin County sheriff at the time made the announcement outside his office at a press conference. I dont know what to say to that, because I know thats not what happened, he said. Her case made national news back in 2002 when she was taken from her room at gunpoint at age 14. 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. Thats when he said he came across a story on Shawn Hornbeck and he says he saw a photo of Michael Devlin. DE SOTO, Mo. This undated handout photo provided by the FBI shows Shawn Hornbeck as he was pictured on a missing person poster from 2002. Devlin told FBI agents the reason he began looking for another boy was that Shawn was getting too old. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. That evening, then-Fraklin County. Shawn Hornbeck hugs his family after being rescued from the home of Michael Devlin. Her ordeal was later turned into a Lifetime film in 2018 called Girl in the Bunker. He was 57. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. In 2013, the now 26-year-old gave her first interview since the kidnapping where she said she was attending college and planning to be a veterinarian. The comments below have not been moderated, By Ownby was taken for five days in January 2007 and the search for him inadvertently solved both cases. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Devlin eventually allowed Shawn to go out with friends, get a cellphone and go on dates, but he didn't go to school. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In the same interview, Shawn said he spent his days sleeping and playing video games and was instructed to tell people he was being homeschooled. She still has a scar on her forehead from the incident. Palmer said he remembers the face of the man who tried to abduct him 22 years ago, but it wasnt until recently he put the name of Michael Devlin, to that face. 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On October 6, 2002, Shawn, aged. What is Shawn Hornbeck doing today? Chris Jewers For Mailonline The Hornbecks hope that the photos can be used as evidence to build a case against Devlin, Sherman said. Since then, Tanya, now 40, has released a memoir, Memoir of a Milk Carton Kid: The Tanya Nicole Kach Story, and lives in Pennsylvania. Scroll through the gallery below to see before-and-after photos of famous kids from criminal cases. On Monday night, friends and family arrive at the Mahn Funeral Home in DeSoto for the visitation of Craig Akers. Shawn Hornbeck (center) talks with the media about missing women found in Cleveland during interviews in downtown St. Louis on Wednesday, May 8, 2013. Shawn Hornbeck was an 11 year old boy who was kidnapped while riding his bike to a friend's house near Richwoods, Missouri. Ill. coroner explains how wife didnt notice body, Check out these new must-see Missouri attractions, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Hornbeck, now. In 2012, a few of the victims spoke out for the first time about their ordeal, a few admitting that they still suffer from psychological trauma from the experience. He sat with Willett in the back seat, she told the Post-Dispatch. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more. One of the store managers, a man named Michael Devlin, owned the truck. 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. 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