One of the most disturbing of the more than a dozen images obtained by KTVI appears to show Hornbeck with his face shrouded in a red bandana pointing a gun at the camera. "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. Sgt. 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Listen Now On Jan. 12, 2007, Ben Ownby, 13, and Shawn Hornbeck, 15, were saved from Michael Devlin's apartment in St. Louis County. 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. In the interview, Oprah asked: 'I had read that you had gone to the Internet site to asked 'how long will you be looking for your son'. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Upon learning the 22-year-old blogger died by strangulation three to four weeks before her body was found in Grand Teton National Park, Smart shared her thoughts onRed Table Talk. In the interview, he revealed what he really thought about suspicions that he and his parents were involved with his sisters death. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The kidnapper put the 13-year-old in a white Nissan pickup truck and sped away, but not before Mitchell Hults, one of Ownbys friends, got a good look at the vehicle and provided a detailed description to authorities. When the boys were found Gary Toelke, the Franklin County sheriff at the time made the announcement outside his office at a press conference. Shawn Hornbeck In 2002, Shawn was abducted while riding his bike with a friend and was found five years later. Then read more about Dennis Martin, the six-year-old boy who disappeared in the Great Smokey Mountains. They said they stayed close to him to help with his transition. Devlin confessed to both kidnappings. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. 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. Their cases made national news. Shawn would even reach out to his parents on a website they set up to receive tips on his disappearance. Alicias Law directs $5 million of leftover state lottery funds to locate and prosecute people participating in the sexual exploitation of children. I dont know what to say to that, because I know thats not what happened, he said. The pair talked for hours. ', Shawn replied: 'I was hoping it might give some sort of hint. All Rights Reserved. Shawn always took the same route and his parents trusted him to ride alone. 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. The Most Binge-Worthy True Crime Docs You Have to Watch Now, Why Did the Menendez Brothers Kill Their Parents? 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. He even reportedly attended a local school dance in December with a girl students described as his "girlfriend.". Their discovery became known as the Missouri Miracle.. He was 11 years old. Thats my first clue. In 2011, she described her kidnapper as a cool mom.. Scroll through the gallery below to see before-and-after photos of famous kids from criminal cases. But that wasnt his only crime. 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. Willett retired from the FBI in 2010. He wont be eligible for parole until hes 100. 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. Since then, Elizabeth, now 34, has been a vocal advocate for child safety rights. "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. 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. Devlin remains at the state prison in Cameron under protective custody. In 1987, the world watched in anticipation as Jessica, then 18 months old, was pulled out of a well after being trapped there for two days. Desperate for help, they appeared on an episode of The Montel Williams Show, where the self-proclaimed medium Sylvia Browne told the couple falsely that their son was dead. 10 years after the 'Missouri Miracle': Shawn Hornbeck speaks out about his ordeal. Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google or Facebook password. Shes now a spokesperson for the anti-pornography group, Fight the New Drug. 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. Hornbeck was eleven years old on October 6, 2002, when he was kidnapped while riding his bicycle near his home in Richwoods, Missouri. My Spidey-senses were up, almost immediately.. Kirkwood and Glendale police spoke with Shawn Devlin on more than one occasion in the years prior to Michael Devlins arrest. Akers served in the United States Air Force and was a member of Patriot Guard. Most recently, Smart spoke out after Gabby Petitos missing person case took the nation by storm. Im not gonna lie there were times when it seemed like I was better off dead.. It was a bittersweet Christmas for Craig and Pam Akers and their 16-year-old son, Shawn Hornbeck. After Mitchell Hults report, the FBI received a tip that a truck matching the description of Devlins was parked at a pizza restaurant in Kirkwood. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Stayner got in the car and wasn't seen again for eight years. Who Can Benefit From Diaphragmatic Breathing? It was strange. They've changed, but I could recognise them in 20 more years, instantly,' he told Winfrey, before adding that while he had access to the internet and a phone, he was unable to contact them. 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. Devlin told FBI agents the reason he began looking for another boy was that Shawn was getting too old. ", In a 2013 interview, Shawn, then 21, said, "You cant give up. In Touch Weekly is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. The white beat-up white truck that Mitchell described to police sat outside the apartment. An 11-year-old went missing in rural Missouri while riding his bike in 2002. Craig was a dedicated family man. Sweet because Shawn was back home after having been . 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. Inside The Terrifying Kidnapping And Miraculous Rescue Of Shawn Hornbeck. In 2013, with the help of a local radio station, she attended her first prom. She was kept in an underground bunker for 10 days before being rescued. Once it started to rain, they asked him if he wanted to sit in their car for shelter. The Oct. 6, 2002 kidnapping of Richwoods 11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck while riding his bike to a friend's house, . They had been kidnapped by Michael J. Devlin . They had been kidnapped by Michael J. Devlin. Writer Michelle McNamara died in her sleep on April 21, 2016. Shawn said the message had been a cry for hope, and at the time, he just wanted his life to get back to normal - to return to school, to work and to spend more time with his family - including his two sisters. 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. Devlin went to Beaufort, Missouri, where he kidnapped Ben Ownby from his bus stop. Shawn Hornbeck, his mother Pam Akers, left, and step-father Craig Akers, greet friends as they walk into the press conference Saturday, January 13, 2007 at Richwoods School. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. About 19 years (January 2003)Shawn Hornbeck Foundation / Age. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. After a dozen days later, Patty was spotted wielding an assault weapon on a bank surveillance camera during an SLA bank robbery. KIRKWOOD - Fourteen years ago today in a suburb of St. Louis called Kirkwood, Missouri, the term Missouri Miracle came about. During those years of not knowing where Shawn was, Craig reached out to other families. Willett said Devlin told her he was a bad person and admitted to having both Ben and Shawn. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. From Elizabeth Smart to Jaycee Dugard, these kids from famous crime cases are both horrifying and inspiring. Palmer has gone so far as to write out his story and sign a sworn affidavit that his claims are accurate. 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. That evening, then-Fraklin County Sheriff Glen Toelke made the stunning announcement bothboys had been found and were alive. How old is Shawn Hornbeck today? Among them, kidnapping then 11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck at gunpoint, then submitting him to years of sexual abuse. Five years later, we watched together as Shawn Hornbeck was found alive. Theyre doing good. After reading about Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownbys kidnappings, read the story of Lauren Spierer, the college student who disappeared without a trace. Ownby was taken for five days in January 2007 and the search for him inadvertently solved both cases. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Devlin pleaded guilty to all the counts against him and was sentenced to 72 years behind bars. 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. Daily News & Weather Updates 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. We sat and spoke for quite a while, Willett told the paper. Terrified, knowing that the man would soon kill her, Alicia struggled to maintain hope that she would be found. That wouldnt be the last time Browne fabricated details about someones disappearance. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Devlin will spend the rest of his life in prison, but not until one last court appearance today. #subscriptionResponse{color:#000; font-size:14px; font-weight:bold}. Authorities are investigating pictures of Shawn Hornbeck that were apparently taken during the four years the Missouri teen was missing. Hornbecks life suffered a severe schism when he was allegedly kidnapped at the age of 11. Driving his pickup, he knocked Hornbeck off his bike and kidnapped him. California. Another child, 13, went missing five years later. On December 4, 1972, Stayner, age 7, was abducted in Merced, California by child molester Kenneth Parnell. 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." FILE Shawn Hornbeck and his parents, Pam and Craig Akers, in 2013. She still stays in touch with her colleagues who helped solve the case. On Monday night, friends and family arrive at the Mahn Funeral Home in DeSoto for the visitation of Craig Akers. That was more traumatizing than the original event itself, he said. 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. Her case made national news back in 2002 when she was taken from her room at gunpoint at age 14. The bill was sponsored by Arizona Representative Paul Boyer. 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. Devlin later pleaded guilty to dozens of counts in both boys disappearances. Shawns case had gone cold, and very little information about Ben was known. He said, I have Shawn [Hornbeck, missing since 2002]. I said, Take us to him. , Willett told the Post-Dispatch that Devlin took the agents to his ground-floor apartment nearby. 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. What nobody knew at the time was that Shawn was still alive and had been taken to an apartment in Kirkwood, where hed live with his kidnapper for the next four years. 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. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Driving his pickup, he knocked Hornbeck off his bike and kidnapped him. 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. Ownby, 23, lives and attends school in the St. Louis area, according to the Post-Dispatch. Today, Devlin continues serving three life sentences at Crossroads. Abducted at the age of 10 in Austria, Natascha was kept in a secret cellar for eight years before she escaped in 2006. . Legal Statement. Share this story with your friends and family. Devlin eventually allowed Shawn to go out with friends, get a cellphone and go on dates, but he didn't go to school. Who was Kenneth Parnell's accomplice? In his first interview, he tells 48 Hours Mystery his four-year ordeal would "send psychiatrists insane". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. On Jan. 8, 2007, Devlin abducted Ben Ownby at a bus stop in Beaufort, Missouri. But despite his ordeal, Hornbeck remains optimistic about his future. He was 14 years old at the time. On January 12, 2007, police and FBI agents entered the apartment and located Ben Ownby and a second boy sitting on a sofa quietly. 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A Missouri man who became part of an international story is being remembered for his selflessness. Three days later, two Kirkwood police officers answered another unrelated call at Devlin's apartment building, but as they were leaving, spotted the truck outside. Hornbeck, now 25, attended private school after his rescue and later got a factory job in Missouri, according to the Post-Dispatch. You look at a lot of things," Nothum said. Hornbeck and Ownby were discovered after police noticed Devlins white pickup truck in the apartment complex parking lot. . This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Shawn was 11 when he was kidnapped by Michael Devlin in 2002 near his home in Washington County, Mo. Is dumpster diving legal in Missouri and Illinois? A man behind the wheel of a white pickup truck knocked young Shawn off his lime-green bike. 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. Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. Mitchell Hults of Franklin County saw the truck near the scene of the crime, telling investigators. Legal Statement. In Beaufort, on January 8, 2007, he kidnapped Ben Ownby from a bus stop, with Shawn in the pick up truck with him. With the world transfixed on his story, Shawn spoke to Oprah Winfrey about his experience in 2007. 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. Since her 2003 rescue, Smart credits her Mormon faith and her supportive, loving family as helping her deal with the aftermath of trauma. We were sitting in the back seat, he was turned to look at me and I was turned to look at him. On Jan. 8, 2007, Ben Ownby was taken while waiting at a bus stop in Beaufort, located in Franklin County. Im a bad person, she said he confessed to her. Palmer said he was scrolling through stories on YouTube about children whod been abducted and were able to escape later. When Craig Akers son, Shawn Hornbeck, went missing, Akers also helped other parents find children who had disappeared. When You Breathe In Your Diaphragm Does What. .success{color:#000; font-size:14px; font-weight:bold} He also pleaded guilty to all the charges against him. After hearing the news of Ownbys abduction, true crime investigator and late wife of comedian Patton Oswalt, Michelle McNamara began investigating the boys abduction. He was 57. Since then, Tanya, now 40, has released a memoir, Memoir of a Milk Carton Kid: The Tanya Nicole Kach Story, and lives in Pennsylvania. And Devlin would later admit to prosecutors that Shawn was getting too old for him, and he abducted Ben because he looked younger, which proved McNamaras theory. In her post, Smart says So happy to welcome Olivia to our family! In 2002, Smart was kidnapped at age 14 from her Salt Lake City bedroom by street preacher Brian David Mitchell and held captive for nine months. 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. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Knowing what its like being on the other side and potentially what may have happened and what may have led up to her final moments and understanding probably a lot of what she was feeling, its heartbreaking.. 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. During the show, self-proclaimed psychic Sylvia Browne told them Shawn was dead and provided details about the crime that were later proven to be falsehoods. Shawn Hornbeck hugs his family after being rescued from the home of Michael Devlin. Thats what many folks remember about Craig his selflessness. He glanced up once and then he didnt look at all, she said. Today, Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby have found some sense of normalcy, living peacefully with their families in St. Louis.