Today, shes 33 and admits to still visiting the house where she was kept prisoner. After 13 hours, and with the help of their bus driver, they managed to break free and were rescued. 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. The truck matched a description given by 15-year-old Mitchell Hults of a vehicle he spotted in the vicinity of Ownbys abduction. 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). Market data provided by Factset. 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. The comments below have not been moderated, By 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. Devlin will spend the rest of his life in prison, but not until one last court appearance today. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The truck belonged to store manager Michael Devlin, who eventually agreed to a search by agents Lynn Willett and Tina Richter. 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. But like most kidnapped kids who are later found, she still struggles with the aftermath. The pair talked for hours. Anytime a child was missing he was the first onesick as a dogget up and try to help, said friend Angela Forshee. Shawn Hornbeck married and became a father. Speaking out for the first time, Shawn Hornbeck says his four years of being held captive . [He] is doing really well, a retired sheriff who worked on his case told the paper. Theyre doing good. He is currently serving 71 life sentences after being convicted of kidnapping and child sexual abuse atWestern Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri. An 11-year-old went missing in rural Missouri while riding his bike in 2002. Shes now 25 years old, has two sons and lives in Idaho. Copyright 2023 RiverBender.com.com All rights reserved. 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. In 1996, Burkes sister, JonBenet Ramsey, was murdered in their Colorado home. 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.. You have to stay strong the whole time and you have to just have that strength and just know one day you will be reunited with your family.. Thats what many folks remember about Craig his selflessness. Among them, kidnapping then 11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck at gunpoint, then submitting him to years of sexual abuse. Shawns case had gone cold, and very little information about Ben was known. 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, now. He was transferred to Western Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri. I dont know what to say to that, because I know thats not what happened, he said. 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. . The officers questioned Devlin, but he refused to let them search his apartment. Stayner got in the car and wasn't seen again for eight years. 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. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Once found, Natascha gave dozens of interviews, released two memoirs, and even had a film based on her ordeal. His story made national headlines in 2007 as the "Missouri Miracle. 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. Today, Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby have found some sense of normalcy, living peacefully with their families in St. Louis. Both he and Ben Ownby still live in the St. Louis area. (KFVS) Eleven-year-old Shawn Hornbeck went missing in 2002. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Following Ownbys abduction, true-crime writer and internet sleuth Michelle McNamara examined the case and discovered a connection between Ownbys kidnapping and Hornbecks disappearance. So, today, at the age of 59, Cary Stayner is incarcerated at the San Quentin State Prison. He was 57. Its a good feeling knowing somebody that would do good for anybody, said Hattie Wall. On Jan. 8, 2007, Devlin abducted Ben Ownby at a bus stop in Beaufort, Missouri. Though Ben was two years older than Shawn, he looked young for his age, and both. 18:50 GMT 12 Jan 2021. On October 6, 2002, Shawn, aged. They spent every penny they had to find Shawn, and made multiple media appearances to raise awareness. Hornbeck was eleven years old on October 6, 2002, when he was kidnapped while riding his bicycle near his home in Richwoods, Missouri. How to get started raising backyard, Windshield covers and other handy gear you need for, 18 trendy cowboy boots to wear this winter, 18 books youll want to read on Dr. Seuss Day, STL Co. stakeholders look for juvenile crime solutions, STL County school district still recovering from, Block party kicks off history making weekend for, Woman shot in Schnucks parking lot in St. Peters, Mo lawmakers back ban on Chinese ownership of land, Lawsuit: Muslims praying at Missouri prison pepper-sprayed, Local organization host fundraiser for Janae Edmondson, Heavy rain, wind slam St. Louis region on Friday, Man shot and killed on his front porch in Illinois, New contract, pay raises expected soon for STL police, Warren County man charged in counterfeit money scheme, TSA at Lambert warns travelers about flights ahead. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. It has been like a dream, and we are afraid that we are going to wake up.'. Today, Devlin continues serving three life sentences at Crossroads. 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. One year after Hornbecks release, his parents told PEOPLE he was making progress. He spoke to reporters in 2013 following the dramatic discovery. 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. Tortured and threatened with death, Hornbeck had allowed Devlin to present him as his son. Shawn later reported that Devlin physically abused him and threatened to kill him if he tried to call for help or escape. Since then, Elizabeth, now 34, has been a vocal advocate for child safety rights. What did you feel doing that? In 2002, Shawn was abducted while riding his bike with a friend and was found five years later. 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. Once it started to rain, they asked him if he wanted to sit in their car for shelter. Shawn Hornbeck married and became a father. Police called his parents, who had never given up hope, and gave them the miraculous news that after four years, their son had been found. I dont remember his exact words, but he realized the time had come, Willett said. A man behind the wheel of a white pickup truck knocked young Shawn off his lime-green bike. Have a tip? She admitted to still getting scared when walking the streets at night. On Jan. 8, 2007, Ben Ownby was taken while waiting at a bus stop in Beaufort, located in Franklin County. Ill. coroner explains how wife didnt notice body, Check out these new must-see Missouri attractions, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 'You get so many of these messages. Devlin remains at the state prison in Cameron under protective custody. In 1996, Tanya was abducted by Thomas Hose, her middle school janitor. Alicias Law directs $5 million of leftover state lottery funds to locate and prosecute people participating in the sexual exploitation of children. 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. 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. Shawn had taken this path many times before but this time, Shawn passed by Mike Devlin who bumped him with his truck. For the four years that followed, Shawn believed that his family would be harmed if he tried to run. 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. 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. 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.