Craig Akers died July 15, 2019, from bladder cancer. Daily News & Weather Updates "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. Sherman said the Hornbecks were unaware of the photos until they were contacted by KTVI, but said that the family is prepared to deal with any trauma their son might have experienced during his time in captivity. Craig was a dedicated family man. . Speaking at the time, Craig said: 'It is the phone call I will remember most for the rest of my life. Hornbecks life suffered a severe schism when he was allegedly kidnapped at the age of 11. All Rights Reserved. When they arrived, Shawn and Ben were inside playing video games. He wont be eligible for parole until hes 100. On Jan. 8, 2007, Devlin abducted Ben Ownby at a bus stop in Beaufort, Missouri. I had a sense very early on, based on the way he was answering questions, that it wasnt quite adding up.. Abducted as an infant from the hospital, Carlina had no idea she was being raised by her kidnappers and she eventually solved her own case when she saw a photo of herself on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Childrens website. News 4 contacted the FBI but a spokesperson said they could neither confirm nor deny a complaint had been filed and an investigation was underway. 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 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. 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. 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. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Teenage kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart has given birth to her third child. Both he and Ben Ownby still live in the St. Louis area. 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. Click here to watch the original report from KTVI. Its their story to tell.. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. We located Ben this afternoon in the City of Kirkwood and we also located Shawn Hornbeck, who was at the same residence. The news spread all across the world. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He sat with Willett in the back seat, she told the Post-Dispatch. Driving his pickup, he knocked Hornbeck off his bike and kidnapped him. 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. For Smart, she was able to turn her traumatic experience with being kidnapped at 14 into an advocacy career. 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. 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. It has been like a dream, and we are afraid that we are going to wake up.'. @shawn_hornbeck Today will always have great meaning for me and my team. Theres hardly any place he can go that somebody doesnt recognize him and want to give him a hug, his mom said. We have some good news for you and probably some unbelievable news. A man behind the wheel of a white pickup truck knocked young Shawn off his lime-green bike. Their cases made national news. I have them because I survived.. Your email address will not be published. Abducted at the age of 10 in Austria, Natascha was kept in a secret cellar for eight years before she escaped in 2006. Listen Now On Jan. 12, 2007, Ben Ownby, 13, and Shawn Hornbeck, 15, were saved from Michael Devlin's apartment in St. Louis County. Severe Weather Shes now a spokesperson for the anti-pornography group, Fight the New Drug. Shawn Hornbeck was missing for over four years before being discovered on January 12, 2007, along with another teenage boy, Ben Ownby. After 13 hours, and with the help of their bus driver, they managed to break free and were rescued. FBI/GettyThis undated handout photo provided by the FBI shows Shawn Hornbeck as he was pictured on a missing person poster from 2002. Who was Kenneth Parnell's accomplice? She still stays in touch with her colleagues who helped solve the case. 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. I just wanted to walk away and the guy got upset, I dont know, irritated. 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. Devlin eventually allowed Shawn to go out with friends, get a cellphone and go on dates, but he didn't go to school. 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. 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. ', Shawn replied: 'I was hoping it might give some sort of hint. Contrary to what Browne told the family on national television, Shawn was still alive. 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. What did you feel doing that? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. That evening, then-Fraklin County. In Touch Weekly is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. "Craig was a dedicated family man. Shes now 25 years old, has two sons and lives in Idaho. On a daily basis you get so many weird, out there message.'. The couple appeared on The Montel Williams Show shortly after Shawns abduction to raise awareness of the case. 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But that wasnt his only crime. Driving his pickup, he knocked Hornbeck off his bike and kidnapped him. After a dozen days later, Patty was spotted wielding an assault weapon on a bank surveillance camera during an SLA bank robbery. Sgt. All rights reserved. Did Elizabeth Smart have a baby while kidnapped? One of Bens friends, Mitchell Hults heard Bens cries and reported the truck to the police. His story made national headlines in 2007 as the "Missouri Miracle. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. 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. She was found six years later with the help of a grocery store clerk who called the police for her. Kirkwood is about an hour drive from both Richwoods and Beaufort. 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 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'. Thats what many folks remember about Craig his selflessness. Share this story with your friends and family. 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. 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. 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. 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. Its a good feeling knowing somebody that would do good for anybody, said Hattie Wall. During the conversation, Willett cajoled a confession from Devlin. Her ordeal was later turned into a Lifetime film in 2018 called Girl in the Bunker. McNamara also correctly theorized that Devlin was drawn to the boys because they looked much younger than their actual ages. 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. Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox. "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. I never forgot his face, he said. 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. The Oct. 6, 2002 kidnapping of Richwoods 11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck while riding his bike to a friend's house, . Another child, 13, went missing five years later. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Shawn Hornbeck was an 11 year old boy who was kidnapped while riding his bike to a friend's house near Richwoods, Missouri. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. 10 years after the 'Missouri Miracle': Shawn Hornbeck speaks out about his ordeal. Among them, kidnapping then 11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck at gunpoint, then submitting him to years of sexual abuse. 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.. 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Ownby had been missing for four days when police entered a small apartment in Kirkwood, Missouri, to find both boys. At 14, Elizabeth was kidnapped on her way home from school. 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. Finding out, what Palmer is convinced is, the identity of the man who tried to abduct him, has taken an emotional toll. He spoke to reporters in 2013 following the dramatic discovery. Once it started to rain, they asked him if he wanted to sit in their car for shelter. Shawn, then 15, told his 41-year-old captor that . Legal Statement. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. He even reportedly attended a local school dance in December with a girl students described as his "girlfriend.". 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. She admitted to still getting scared when walking the streets at night. .error{color:#000; font-size:14px; font-weight:bold} In 2016, Burke, now 34, broke his silence and gave his first interview on Dr. Phil. Copyright 2023 RiverBender.com.com All rights reserved. The man who kidnapped Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby was identified as Michael J. Devlin, a pizza-restaurant manager. Hornbeck was eleven years old on October 6, 2002, when he was kidnapped while riding his bicycle near his home in Richwoods, Missouri. They had been kidnapped by Michael J. Devlin. It was 1980. 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. Palmer has gone so far as to write out his story and sign a sworn affidavit that his claims are accurate. His story made national headlines in 2007 as the "Missouri Miracle." In a 2013. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. She was 46. 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. The Shawn Hornbeck Foundation ceased operations in 2013. 1, 'Welcome to Plathville' Kim Plath's DUI Case Closed: Fine, More Details, Sister Wives Kody, Robyn Were With a Mystery Blonde: Identity Revealed, Megan Fox and MGK's Relationship Is 'Toxic': 'There Is Concern for Her', Farrah Abraham Slams Mom-Shamers Over Daughter Sophias Piercings, Jon Gosselin Is 'Open' With Kids Collin, Hannah About Their Dating Lives. Following Ownbys abduction, true-crime writer and internet sleuth Michelle McNamara examined the case and discovered a connection between Ownbys kidnapping and Hornbecks disappearance. The white beat-up white truck that Mitchell described to police sat outside the apartment. A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more. 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! Today, St. Louis Talks spoke to then Franklin County sheriff Gary Toelke, who led much of the investigation after Ownby was taken four days earlier. 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. Using the name Shawn Devlin, he cryptically wrote, How long are you planning to look for your son?. The pair talked for hours. Devlin pleaded guilty more then 70 times Tuesday to a litany of horrific crimes. In 2013, she said that she has moved on.. Alicias Law directs $5 million of leftover state lottery funds to locate and prosecute people participating in the sexual exploitation of children. Shawn Hornbeck was an 11 year old boy who was kidnapped while riding his bike to a friend's house near Richwoods, Missouri. 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. We were sitting in the back seat, he was turned to look at me and I was turned to look at him. What is Shawn Hornbeck doing today?
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. Palmer said he was scrolling through stories on YouTube about children whod been abducted and were able to escape later. Hornbeck was eleven years old on October 6, 2002, when he was kidnapped while riding his bicycle near his home in Richwoods, Missouri. 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. Chris Jewers For Mailonline, Republican minority leader Kevin McCarthy says he opposes impeachment but tells House caucus Donald Trump DOES bear 'some responsibility' for MAGA mob and floats censure motion, Reprieve for only woman on federal death row after judge grants 11th hour stay of execution for womb raider killer Lisa Montgomery pending a competency hearing, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Beaming Harry and Meghan enjoy date night at private members' club, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Shawn planned to ride his bike to a friends house. Later, Devlin admitted he kidnapped Ben because Shawn was getting too old for his liking, unwittingly confirming McNamaras theory. 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. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Danielle, whos now a teenager, still suffers from developmental issues, but it was last reported that she was enjoying high school. One year after Hornbecks release, his parents told PEOPLE he was making progress. LOUIS - Six months ago, Shawn Hornbeck disappeared again. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. One of the store managers, a man named Michael Devlin, owned the truck. 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. When Shawn came up missing he was 11 years old and. Speaking to the host, he said that he had used the internet to ask his parents a heartbreaking question. Scroll through the gallery below to see before-and-after photos of famous kids from criminal cases. As you know, police found 15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck in an apartment of 41-year-old Michael Devlin last week, along with 13-year-old Ben Ownby.