Devlin pleaded guilty more then 70 times Tuesday to a litany of horrific crimes. Theres hardly any place he can go that somebody doesnt recognize him and want to give him a hug, his mom said. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. He was 57. For Smart, she was able to turn her traumatic experience with being kidnapped at 14 into an advocacy career. The late Walter. 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. Devlin pleaded not guilt to two counts of kidnapping and one count of armed criminal action, and is being held on $1 million bond. Driving his pickup, he knocked Hornbeck off his bike and kidnapped him. 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. 'We knew the world knew the answer to that, we had been saying all along we would never stop looking for our son. 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. Listen Now On Jan. 12, 2007, Ben Ownby, 13, and Shawn Hornbeck, 15, were saved from Michael Devlin's apartment in St. Louis County. It was strange. Its finding out who that guy was and what he did to two other kids and that he would have done the same to me. Inside The Terrifying Kidnapping And Miraculous Rescue Of Shawn Hornbeck. Devlin will spend the rest of his life in prison, but not until one last court appearance today. 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'. Speaking to the host, he said that he had used the internet to ask his parents a heartbreaking question. or redistributed. That night, Franklin County Sheriff Glen Toelke announced that both boys were found and alive. One of Bens friends, Mitchell Hults heard Bens cries and reported the truck to the police. The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation ceased operations in 2013. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Hornbeck was reported missing by his family on Oct. 5, 2002, after he didn't return home from school in Richwoods, Mo. 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. @shawn_hornbeck Today will always have great meaning for me and my team. Shawn always took the same route and his parents trusted him to ride alone. An 11-year-old went missing in rural Missouri while riding his bike in 2002. Authorities say Devlins confession that January day ended years of abuse, threats and manipulation for Hornbeck, whom Devlin abducted in October 2002. The young boy believed his family would be harmed if he attempted to escape or contact the police. 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. . Shawn Hornbeck was an 11 year old boy who was kidnapped while riding his bike to a friend's house near Richwoods, Missouri. In Gabbys case in particular, I mean, I was alive, and I came home, and hers tragically has not ended that way, Smart said during a sit-down interview with Jada Pinkett Smith and Jadas mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, which aired in October 2021. While she was missing, her kidnapper kept her in a shed in the backyard where she was routinely raped and gave birth to two children that were fathered by the kidnapper. They said they stayed close to him to help with his transition. Craig was a dedicated family man. Stayner got in the car and wasn't seen again for eight years. 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?. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. She was 46. 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. The comments below have not been moderated, By 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. Hornbeck was restrained for the first month and nearly strangled by Devlin. Was that a way to connect with them? The officers questioned Devlin, but he refused to let them search his apartment. Driving his pickup, he knocked Hornbeck off his bike and kidnapped him. Another child, 13, went missing five years later. Now 34, Carlina goes by Netty and her story has been turned into a Lifetime movie, Abducted: The Carlina White Story. He was told to go in first, so as to not raise any alarm with the boys. Nurse Allegedly 'Savagely Beaten' to Death by Her Neighbor with a Baseball Bat, Timeline of Gabby Petito Tragedy 1 Year After Killer Brian Laundrie's Body Was Found, How Jayme Closs, Elizabeth Smart, Jaycee Dugard and Others Survived Headline-Making Abductions, Ahead of Sherri Papini's Sentencing, Look Back at PEOPLE's 2017 Cover Story on the Bizarre Case, TexasGirl'sAbduction Inspired the Lifesaving 'Amber Alert,' but 26 Years Later Her Own Case Remains Unsolved, N.C. Man Charged with 1986 Murder of 4-Year-Old Girl, Who Was Taken from Bed While Family Slept, the retired agent remembered in a recent interview, ended years of abuse, threats and manipulation for Hornbeck. When they arrived, Shawn and Ben were inside playing video games. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Shawn would even reach out to his parents on a website they set up to receive tips on his disappearance. In Beaufort, on January 8, 2007, he kidnapped Ben Ownby from a bus stop, with Shawn in the pick up truck with him. I never forgot his face, he said. Today, Jessica is now 35 years old and lives in Texas with her husband and two children. Both boys allegedly had been kidnapped by Devlin . Willett retired from the FBI in 2010. Shawn had taken this path many times before but this time, Shawn passed by Mike Devlin who bumped him with his truck. Shawn is grown up. 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. 15:21 GMT 12 Jan 2021 A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more. In 1996, Burkes sister, JonBenet Ramsey, was murdered in their Colorado home. On Monday night, friends and family arrive at the Mahn Funeral Home in DeSoto for the visitation of Craig Akers. Shawn planned to ride his bike to a . The man who kidnapped Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby was identified as Michael J. Devlin, a pizza-restaurant manager. Shawn Hornbeck married and became a father. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Terrified, knowing that the man would soon kill her, Alicia struggled to maintain hope that she would be found. On October 6, 2002, Shawn Hornbeck was abducted while riding his bike in Richwoods, Missouri. When his 11-year-old son was kidnapped in October 2002, Craig became very dedicated in finding his boy. I dont remember his exact words, but he realized the time had come, Willett said. The second boy was Shawn Hornbeck, who had disappeared more than four years earlier from his own rural neighborhood of Washington County. Im not gonna lie there were times when it seemed like I was better off dead.. The white beat-up white truck that Mitchell described to police sat outside the apartment. 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. Other members of the organization founded the Missouri Valley Search and Rescue Team to continue the mission of helping families of missing children and adults. He was 57. 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. His widow, Pam, and son Shawn apparently share a special bond that is helping them during this time of loss. Im a bad person, she said he confessed to her. Speaking last week, ahead of the 10th anniversary of the boys discovery, she told the Post-Dispatch, I want the story to be theirs to tell. The two lived alternatively as father and son, or family friends. 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. Later, Devlin admitted he kidnapped Ben because Shawn was getting too old for his liking, unwittingly confirming McNamaras theory. After being attacked with an ice pick behind bars, Devlin was placed in protective custody to live out his sentence. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved At the time of his arrest, Hornbeck also lived with Shawns older sisters, Jackie and Jennifer, who were then 7 and 6, respectively. She still has a scar on her forehead from the incident. He spoke to reporters in 2013 following the dramatic discovery of three trapped women in Cleveland. In 2013, with the help of a local radio station, she attended her first prom. Shawn, who was missing since Oct. 2002, was. Efforts to reach Willett Tuesday were not immediately successful. Ownby, 23, lives and attends school in the St. Louis area, according to the Post-Dispatch. Though Ben was two years older than Shawn, he looked young for his age, and both. The pair talked for hours. 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. FILE Shawn Hornbeck and his parents, Pam and Craig Akers, in 2013. The shocking photos appear to show Hornbeck, now 15,. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | KMIZ-TV FCC Public File | FCC Applications |, Breaking News Police went on a search for Hornbeck, but were unable to discover the boys whereabouts. After Shawns disappearance, Pam and Craig Akers dedicated every second of their lives to finding their son. Hes gotten to where it doesnt bother him anymore., There wasnt a day when I didnt think he was just gonna kill me, Hornbeck told CBS in 2008. 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. They also started the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation to help other families find their missing and abducted children. A man behind the wheel of a white pickup truck knocked young Shawn off his lime-green bike. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. On October 6, 2002, Shawn Hornbeck left home on his bicycle in the rural area of Richwoods, Missouri. Have a tip? ", In a 2013 interview, Shawn, then 21, said, "You cant give up. 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. Adding to his isolation, he was apparently never re-enrolled in school and evidently made few friends in Devlins apartment complex. 18:50 GMT 12 Jan 2021. He was 14 years old at the time. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The Most Binge-Worthy True Crime Docs You Have to Watch Now, Why Did the Menendez Brothers Kill Their Parents? We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Devlin confessed to both kidnappings. 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. . Legal Statement. Devlin went to Beaufort, Missouri, where he kidnapped Ben Ownby from his bus stop. 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. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Most recently, Smart spoke out after Gabby Petitos missing person case took the nation by storm. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Teenage kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart has given birth to her third child. In an interview on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Hornbeck said he was too "terrified" to try to escape from Devlin's clutches. Ownby was taken for five days in January 2007 and the search for him inadvertently solved both cases. 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. They had been kidnapped by Michael J. Devlin. 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. The driver, Mike Devlin rushed to Shawn and appeared to be concerned for his safety. Hornbeck, now 25, attended private school after his rescue and later got a factory job in Missouri, according to the Post-Dispatch. But that wasnt his only crime. Palmer said he was scrolling through stories on YouTube about children whod been abducted and were able to escape later. He was transferred to Western Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri. If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Tortured and threatened with death, Hornbeck had allowed Devlin to present him as his son. On Monday night, friends and family arrive at the Mahn Funeral Home in DeSoto for the visitation of Craig Akers. Al Nothum of the Missouri Highway Patrol said the first thing police want to know is who took the photos. How old is Shawn Hornbeck today? 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. Authorities are investigating pictures of Shawn Hornbeck that were apparently taken during the four years the Missouri teen was missing. 10 years after the 'Missouri Miracle': Shawn Hornbeck speaks out about his ordeal. He is serving 74 life sentences. Shawn Hornbeck hugs his family after being rescued from the home of Michael Devlin. I just wanted to walk away and the guy got upset, I dont know, irritated. 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! Hornbeck and Ownby were discovered after police noticed Devlins white pickup truck in the apartment complex parking lot. What is Shawn Hornbeck doing today? Email In Touch at contact@intouchweekly.com. On a daily basis you get so many weird, out there message.'. He will be missed," said Dawn . Looking at the side of his neck, I could see the pulse quicken, I could see a physiological change, when we would talk about the abduction.. , updated Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? We were sitting in the back seat, he was turned to look at me and I was turned to look at him. Who Can Benefit From Diaphragmatic Breathing? What They've Said, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). Hornbeck was eleven years old on October 6, 2002, when he was kidnapped while riding his bicycle near his home in Richwoods, Missouri. Both boys were discovered inside Devlin's apartment shortly thereafter. On October 6, 2002, Shawn, aged 11, was kidnapped by 41-year-old pizza shop boss Michael Devlin. In 2016, Burke, now 34, broke his silence and gave his first interview on Dr. Phil. 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. 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. 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. The truck belonged to store manager Michael Devlin, who eventually agreed to a search by agents Lynn Willett and Tina Richter. The Oct. 6, 2002 kidnapping of Richwoods 11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck while riding his bike to a friend's house, . 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. Craig Akers died July 15, 2019, from bladder cancer. Share this story with your friends and family. Their discovery would become known as the Missouri Miracle. Some thought they would never be found alive and their abductor was hiding in plain sight. 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.. His story made national headlines in 2007 as the "Missouri Miracle. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. That fall Devlin pleaded guilty to multiple counts of kidnapping and sexual assault and was sentenced to 74 life . Hes into video production and has shown me some of his work.. Hornbecks life suffered a severe schism when he was allegedly kidnapped at the age of 11. Since her ordeal made headlines in 2009, Jaycee, now 41, has published two memoirs and continues to speak publicly about her experience. Authorities are investigating pictures of Shawn Hornbeck that were apparently taken during the four years the Missouri teen was missing. . It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. 'Octomom' Nadya Suleman Is a Proud Mom of 14: See Her Kids Today! I dont know what to say to that, because I know thats not what happened, he said. Today, Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby have found some sense of normalcy, living peacefully with their families in St. Louis. That fall Devlin pleaded guilty to multiple counts of kidnapping and sexual assault and was sentenced to 74 life sentences in Missouri and 170 years of federal time. Im proud of [the scars], she told Ladies Home Journal in 2002. I have them because I survived.. 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 was the case of Steven Stayner, who escaped from his abductor after the man took another child. Then read more about Dennis Martin, the six-year-old boy who disappeared in the Great Smokey Mountains. The couple appeared on The Montel Williams Show shortly after Shawns abduction to raise awareness of the case. Shawn planned to ride his bike to a friends house. She still stays in touch with her colleagues who helped solve the case. Lynn Willett (@lynnwillett9) January 13, 2015. 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. 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. She linked the two abductions before the authorities did and even used online maps to guess as to where they were being held. Pictured with Hornbeck are his parents. Did Patty Hearst have Stockholm syndrome? According to Palmer, while walking back from a video rental store, a man in a pickup pulled up and tried to get Palmer to accept a ride. The agents asked for Devlins permission to search his truck, which he gave. Among them, kidnapping then 11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck at gunpoint, then submitting him to years of sexual abuse. It is hard to even come up with words to express the feeling. On Jan. 8, 2007, Ben Ownby was taken while waiting at a bus stop in Beaufort, located in Franklin County. Devlin was handed multiple life sentences for a total of more than 4,000 years. 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. The second boy was Shawn Hornbeck, who had disappeared more than four years earlier from his own rural neighborhood of Washington County. 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. His story made national headlines in 2007 as the "Missouri Miracle." In a 2013. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Devlin remains at the state prison in Cameron under protective custody. 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. KIRKWOOD - Fourteen years ago today in a suburb of St. Louis called Kirkwood, Missouri, the term Missouri Miracle came about. "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. Hornbeck was eleven years old on October 6, 2002, when he was kidnapped while riding his bicycle near his home in Richwoods, Missouri. Shawn later reported that Devlin physically abused him and threatened to kill him if he tried to call for help or escape. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. [He] is doing really well, a retired sheriff who worked on his case told the paper. Her case made national news back in 2002 when she was taken from her room at gunpoint at age 14. Your email address will not be published. Crack the case in FOXNews.com's Crime Center. Its their story to tell.. In his first interview, he tells 48 Hours Mystery his four-year ordeal would "send psychiatrists insane". 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. He runs right into me., I put my hands on his shoulders, she said. Willett and Richter joined other FBI agents and local police in going to Devlins apartment in the 400 block of S. Holmes Avenue. Devlin later pleaded guilty to dozens of counts in both boys disappearances. Mitchell Hults of Franklin County saw the truck near the scene of the crime, telling investigators. The discovery that Hornbeck was still alive after his abduction near Richwoods in 2003, was dubbed, "The Missouri Miracle". Shawn Hornbeck (center) talks with the media about missing women found in Cleveland during interviews in downtown St. Louis on Wednesday, May 8, 2013. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. After reading about Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownbys kidnappings, read the story of Lauren Spierer, the college student who disappeared without a trace. This undated handout photo provided by the FBI shows Shawn Hornbeck as he was pictured on a missing person poster from 2002. Did Patty Hearst have Stockholm syndrome? TwitterShawn Hornbeck hugs his family after being rescued from the home of Michael Devlin. Required fields are marked *. But thats exactly what happened, the retired agent remembered in a recent interview looking back on the Missouri Miracle, when two missing boys were discovered abducted by the same man. Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox. Shawn Hornbeck was missing for over four years before being discovered on January 12, 2007, along with another teenage boy, Ben Ownby. Willett said Devlin broke after she told him that tire tracks could be crucial evidence in Ownbys disappearance. The bill was sponsored by Arizona Representative Paul Boyer. Im an important cog in it, but its a personal thing for each boy and their family. From Elizabeth Smart to Jaycee Dugard, these kids from famous crime cases are both horrifying and inspiring. LOUIS - Six months ago, Shawn Hornbeck disappeared again. Jessica O'Connor is a public historian focusing on Deep South Black History with degrees from Winston-Salem State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. .success{color:#000; font-size:14px; font-weight:bold} 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.
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