Its possible, but its not probable., A memorial atop Lovers Leap has since been placed to honor the memory of the boys and the search crews. To request a transcript for St. Louis on the Air, They were waiting for the moment when the construction workers at the site would go to rest. Evie is a producer for "St. Louis on the Air" at St. Louis Public Radio. Authorities checked it to see if the Hoag brothers or Craig were there, but they didn't find anything. A memorial service will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal. Like I just alluded to, The next theory is that the boys were trapped somewhere and succumbed to the elements or died of injuries. William Francis Hoag, Joel Wise Hoag and Edwin Craig Dowell were 11, 13 and 14, respectively, when they were last seen in Hannibal, Missouri on the afternoon of May 10, 1967. At 3pm, they were spotted by a casual passer-by walking to the entrance of Murphys Cave. Times just go on and on and on, and you pray, you try to get an answer. When it was dark, the Hoags went to their neighbors and someone told them that they had seen the Hoag brothers and young Dole near the Murphy Cave. You can head over to, a small town of about 17,000 people that sits along the famous Mississippi River, Billy was very mischievous while Joey was more serious, interested in science, especially astronomy, exploring the cave when they were spotted by a worker, were later found to be missing from the Hoag home, were reportedly in Murphys Cave around 4:35 pm, but gone a few minutes later, a quick search of the cave by Tim turned up nothing, groups like the Mark Twain Emergency Squad and National Speleological Society, the cave would continue to be searched for the next month, the entrance to Murphys Cave was discovered, said case would stay open, but there probably wouldnt be any more searches, John Wingate, a childhood friend of the boys, have done a pretty deep dive into the case and even said they want to solve it, theres a new effort underway to keep mapping out Murphys Cave, they were supposed to be at church that evening, and probably would have had to catch the bus between 5:30 and 5:45 to be there by 6 pm, were sealed up a few days after the boys were last seen, that the boys didnt actually all go missing at once, He believes the mayor and others involved in the search may not have wanted to find the boys. He had on a T-shirt and jeans. DeDe and Billy crossed paths in the house. According to another version, the boys may have accidentally entered a completely new tunneling system that other researchers have not noticed. They were reportedly in Murphys Cave around 4:35 pm, but gone a few minutes later. A flashlight and shovel were later found to be missing from the Hoag home. But because of the intensive construction of Highway 79 in the 1960s, employees sometimes encounter new gaps that lead to unexplored parts of local caves. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. Missouri's recreational marijuana law is in full effect in area, Continental Cement employees begin strike early Wednesday morning, Hannibal junior Cody Culp places second in state, Quintet of Hannibal wrestlers move on to Saturday at state meet. The unknown fate of the children -- Billy Hoag, 10, Joey Hoag, 13, and Craig Dowell, 14 -- is one of Hannibal's greatest mysteries, haunting residents of the small Mississippi River town for 50 years. The Hoag brothers and Craig Dowell were never found. Tim went in there to a certain degree, and once he got in there, there were so many mazes, DeDe said. 13 and 14, respectively, when they were last seen in Hannibal, Missouri on the afternoon of May 10, 1967. Online condolences may be made and video tribute may be viewed at www.jamesodonnellfuneralhome.com. I dont think a lot of that was made public.. Psychics and clairvoyants of the day reached out with claims the boys were locked in a train car with oranges. Billy, Id say was a little bit more mischievous than Joey. A Memorial Service will be held at 7:30 PM Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal. "If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." Many people, including Wingate, speculated that the boys likely became trapped or smothered deep underground by tons of collapsed rock after cave walls and ceilings became cracked and unstable from explosive charges used by road-building crews. We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen! He was an instigator, but not in a bad way. The Hoags were a big family of 11 children and were known around town. Volunteers are still trying to find the remains of the missing boys or at least their belongings. The boys' disappearance triggered a massive search. Being restricted to the yard was the boys punishment. The Lost Boys of Hannibal*** was released in 2017 and Souls Speak*** in 2019. I dont know if it was the first day or the second day, but I was having dreams and everything; about Billy and Joey. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Everyone knew everyone on the south side of Hannibal and when the Hoag brothers decided go caving Dowell probably just happened to be near by and joined them. She enjoyed being around water. There was a serious rebuke. She also didnt know where Tim was. Then in July of last year, a third woman -- an "evidential clairvoyant" in Wyoming who helps police solve crimes -- was looking at photographs of the three Hannibal boys when "all of a sudden she was overwhelmed with these images" of John Wayne Gacy brutalizing and burying the boys, Wingate said. They were 10-year-old Billy Hoag, his brother 13-year-old Joel Hoag and their friend 14-year-old Craig Dowell. Float trips and lazy days at the beach in Florida were always fun. But what quickly began as a neighborhood search expanded to a nation-wide effort. And I said, Mom, maybe youll just have to find out on the other side if theyre there. DeDe herself still struggles with her brothers disappearance despite 45 years passing by. A new Route 79 was being constructed (thats the route everyone knows today) and the deep holes dug into the hillside along the roads that lead into Lovers Leap and Riverside Cemetery had revealed a maze of passage ways which led into the caves. All three suggested they had similar visions that Gacy was to blame for the disappearance and deaths of the Hannibal boys. Searchers checked the cave but there was no evidence of the trio. William Francis Hoag April 17, 2020July 18, 2020 FindtheMissing Left and Right: William circa, 1967 Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance Missing Since: May 10, 1967 Missing From: Hannibal, Marion County, Missouri Classification: Endangered Missing Date Of Birth: circa, 1956 Age: 11 years old Height and Weight: 5'5 and 80 pounds Where do you think they are?, Henderson, now 56, said. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. "In all three cases, we'd find ourselves standing at the same location on three different days," he said. We dont know where theyre at. accounts, the history behind an article. ", Several weeks later, Wingate said, he received a call from a sister of the Hoag brothers who told him she had just visited a psychic in Hannibal who told her: "I can tell you without a doubt the boys were killed by John Wayne Gacy.". Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Missouri's recreational marijuana law is in full effect in area, Continental Cement employees begin strike early Wednesday morning, Hannibal junior Cody Culp places second in state, Quintet of Hannibal wrestlers move on to Saturday at state meet. The openings leading to its tunnels were located very close to the houses of the city of Hannibal, one hundred miles northwest of St. Louis. He says he has lived all over the world and calls Quincy home, though he resides in Hannibal now. racist or sexually-oriented language. Yet they were reportedly sighted near Murphys Cave as late as 5:15, likely with dirty shoes and clothes that they would have then had to go home and clean up. Debra "DeDe" Hoag, 67, of Hannibal, passed away at 5:37 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at her home. Tim (DeDes younger brother by one year) was getting off the bus. Some of the passages they searched were so narrow that one of the more petite searchers, at 98 pounds, could barely squeeze in. When their parents returned home and asked where they were, DeDe had no idea. However, on May 10, the three went to the same cave again, using the moment Hougs parents were in the store to shop. Hannibal asks if he has trouble with taste. Over the course of the afternoon, just like the previous days, the boys were spotted with several of their peers. She . Use the 'Report' link on Wingate said his first encounter with one of the psychics came last spring while he was doing a book signing at the Mark Twain Museum in Hannibal for "Lost Boys." We had a little bit of a meeting and went outside for some odd reason and thats when we found out, Henderson said. That's when he began hearing separately from three women, ages 26 to 31, who claim to be psychics. For example, during the massive cave search for the boys in 1967, there were reports in Hannibal that a "mystery man" had been hanging around for a couple days near the cave openings where road construction was occurring -- a place where the three boys had been playing in the days prior to their disappearance. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. In 2015, Hannibal Police Department Lieutenant John Zerbonia said case would stay open, but there probably wouldnt be any more searches. At one point, near a cave, they found a dried puddle of brown liquid similar to blood, but during the investigation it turned out that the puddle was from a spilled bottle of fertilizer. Lets go over some theories and speculation. The Hoag boys had been punished for exploring it the day prior. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Appears these boys has still not been found.. "Hey Beavis, we need a chick that doesn't suck. So what do you think of this case? This city is known as the birthplace of Mark Twain and in particular the Mark Twain Cave where Tom Sawyer films were made. Henderson, along with Billy and other neighborhood boys, had Royal Ambassadors meetings at the local church Wednesday nights and there wasnt enough time to do both. . If they had, what would have happened? But now, in a new book, Wingate is advancing a different theory -- one that suggests the boys may have been victims of serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who was convicted of murdering 33 boys and men in the Chicago area between 1972 and 1978. Motorists are always making their way along Route 79 at its origin, along the calm banks of Hannibal, and for many its just a daily routine. Every. The boys' disappearance triggered a massive search. Craig Dowell lived over on Union Street. More than likely they were buried. Because of the circumstances, authorities theorized the three boys were trapped inside the cave when it collapsed and weren't able to get out. He went to Murphys Cave and saw some of the boys friends there, who said they saw Billy, Joey and Craig going into the cave earlier. Investigators searched trains that had left Hannibal around the time the boys were last seen, perhaps wondering if they had been snatched without anyone noticing. William and Joel left behind five brothers and four sisters. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Local 17 year old helps in City SCs debut win, Geekie ends drought with 2 goals, Kraken beat Blues, KC Chiefs honored by Pro Football Hall of Fame, Back-to-back jacks from Goldynado in Cardinals win, Comedian Kevin James is coming to Stifel Theatre, TOOTSIE the comedy musical coming to the Fox Theatre, Brewsday Tuesday: Saint Louis Hop Shop -find good, Troy Family Dental in Illinois addresses periodontal, The cure for foundation leaks from Woods Basement, There is a surgery-free option for E.D. Craig Dowell and brothers Bill and Joey Hoag disappeared on that May afternoon in 1967. It slithers and curves through the land just like the mighty Mississippi. "I had no idea this was coming," he said. The parents found out when they saw the characteristic reddish dirt on their clothes. Everyone knew everyone on the south side of Hannibal and when the Hoag brothers decided go caving Dowell probably just happened to be near by and joined them. I walked outside and the girls were jumping rope. There was also a strange message about a man in a black cloak who was not recognized as a city resident, police officer or anyone else. Searching As it turned out another neighborhood boy was missing too. "When this happened it was really devastating," Wingate remembered. Over at the church the Royal Ambassadors were meeting. Two of the psychics told Wingate that "John Wayne Gacy was that mystery man," he said. On March 10th, 1967, the three boys set off with flashlights and a shovel to go on an adventure, but sadly to never return home. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. In 2006, construction crews discovered an entrance to the Murphys Cave system while building a new elementary school along Highway 79. The search crew clung to it as a probable evidence. All suspicious passageways, narrow cracks and still unexplored tunnels were carefully checked. It is a possibility that [serial killer John Wayne Gacy] was traveling through and from Hannibal, Cambeletta said. Create a password that only you will remember. In 1978, after Gacy was arrested "and all of his darkness was revealed," Wingate said, many rumors and questions surfaced in Hannibal about whether Gacy could have been in town when the three boys vanished in 1967. Because nothing was ever found, there's speculation that the children weren't lost in the cave and something else caused their disappearances. Do you think the boys were kidnapped, or did they die of injury on the construction site and their bodies weren't able to be recovered? Debra DeDe Hoag, 67, of Hannibal, Missouri, passed away at 5:37 AM Thursday, February 15, 2018 at her home. Share with Us. You can find her books on Amazon here: https://a More from Medium in CRIMOPEDIA. It was also around that time that another friend of the Hoag brothers stopped by their house to see if they were home. They took shovels, lanterns and other necessary things. 14, and brothers Joel Hoag, 13, and Billy Hoag, 11 were never found despite month-long search efforts. He was into astrology and he was more grounded. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. The next theory is that the boys were kidnapped and possibly killed. Send questions and comments about this story to feedback@stlpublicradio.org. Adjacent to the deep muddy waters, its the perfect route for the countrys Great River Road. Invalid password or account does not exist. According to an October 2020 post on John Wingates website. Listen as the St. Charles-based filmmaker and podcaster discusses his interest in the cold case with host Sarah Fenske. But when the children did not return home during the time that they would usually go back from their games, their parents were worried. Karras warned the cold environment of Hannibal's cave would lower the body temperatures of the lost boys to dangerous levels if they weren . And the cold case, situated as it is in the boyhood home of Mark Twain and his cave-loving characters like Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher, has been the subject of attention and speculation in the decades since. During the highway construction, sections of the road were being blasted to destroy them and make room for the new road, creating holes. "That was the start of it. TU5XDI92lIM. Another says it was a teacher. Joel and William had been punished the night before for going to the cave without permission, and they weren't supposed to leave their yard. I think something bad happened to him., DeDe is hopeful one day her brothers remains will be found. I dont think they felt like doing it.. A new book released last week puts a surprising new ending on a 52-year-old Hannibal story. Night, DeDe said. For two young explorers and the rest of their south side friends, exploring the caves was something everyone did. They did not even find traces of the children. According to an October 2020 post on John Wingates website, theres a new effort underway to keep mapping out Murphys Cave. The aforementioned book Souls Speak also explores the possibility that they were early victims of John Wayne Gacy. The opening was between the ending southbound lanes off the nearby viaduct (the start of Birch Street) and Walnut Street. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. They were just saying help, help, help. The world isn't flat, cats didn't knock them off the edges. Their parents warned them against playing in caves, but the Hoag brothers were two of 11 siblings and let's face it, most normal parents only have four eyes between them. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. But a parental edict to stay in the yard the afternoon they disappeared wasnt enough to deter the young adventurers. Billy and Joey, as they were more commonly called, also had nine other siblings. One of these caves is called the Murphys Cave. A flashlight and shovel, One source said the last known sighting of the boys, It was also around that time that another friend of the Hoag brothers stopped by their house to see if they were home. The first theory is that they ran away, but this isnt very likely. Cambeletta told host Sarah Fenske that since first starting the podcast, he and his co-host have been able to connect with members of the Hoag family and collaborate with entities including the Ralls County Sheriffs Office and the Missouri Department of Transportation. Another such clue is that someone apparently saw the boys out of town alive after the search began, but no children or traces of them were found at that location. Tuesday, May 19th 2015. Billy. The content of this website does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of Soul:Ask and may contain 18+ material. High 59F. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Or did someone perhaps spot three young boys traveling alone and see a crime of opportunity? Wed, 20 May 2015 04:21:51 GMT Joey, Billy, and the Hoag kids had many hobbies while growing up in Hannibal. Fifty-four years ago this month, three boys went missing in Hannibal, Missouri, and were never seen again. That day, the construction work resulted in a cave-in at Murphys Cave. Cookie Notice Henderson believes there were some questionable things going on behind the scenes. You have permission to edit this article. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. He and William were not supposed to leave their yard, but they left anyway while their parents were out. I dont know if Ill be alive, but Im sure somebodys going to find them sometime, she said. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. When that time hit the first night is when she really started to come unglued. Theories and rumors emerged in the aftermath of their disappearance, some seeming more likely than others. These holes were sealed up a few days after the boys were last seen, despite orders from the mayor to keep them open. This file image shows search efforts for three Hannibal boys who were last seen May 10, 1967 near cave openings on Hannibal's south side. New book suggests serial killer's involvement in missing boys case, Edward Husar Special to the Courier-Post ehusar@whig.com. Craig disappeared with two other boys, the Hoag brothers Joel and William. There were seven girls on my street and I was the only guy. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. She stayed up every night waiting for my brothers to come home. He went to Murphys Cave and saw some of the boys friends there, who said they saw Billy, Joey and Craig going into the cave earlier. 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