At the time the boys went missing, machines being used to search the caves could go as far down as 39 feet but the town mayor ordered them to go no further than 37 feet. A new book released last week puts a surprising new ending on a 52-year-old Hannibal story. Craig lived on Union Street in 1967. Fifty-four years ago this month, three boys went missing in Hannibal, Missouri, and were never seen again. Since then, rumors and theories have swirled around the Mississippi River town about what happened to 13-year-old Joey Hoag, 10-year-old brother Billy Hoag, and their friend, 14-year-old Craig. On May 9, 1967, the three children headed to Murphys Cave. We dont know where theyre at. Because of these caves, Missouri is often referred to as the state of the caves, and it is not surprising that they attract many explorers as well as adventurers. Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. at aheuer@stlpr.org. In 1967, the cave was close to the construction site of Highway 79. Lost Boys of Hannibal Shift Films True Crime 4.8 340 Ratings JAN 9, 2023 S4 Episode 4: That man Karras. Tim came back after doing a quick cave search of his own. William and Joel left behind five brothers and four sisters. They did not even find traces of the children. accounts, the history behind an article. Keep it Clean. This wasn't the first time Gacy's name has come up in connection with the missing youths. But when the children did not return home during the time that they would usually go back from their games, their parents were worried. Yet there is a mystery on a portion of this roadway that has yet to be solved, a mystery as cold as a brisk Midwest winter. You can take it all the way down to New Orleans if you wanted to and in Missouri its quite picturesque for travelers making their way between the northeastern portions of the Show-Me State and the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area. Greg Henderson was one of the neighborhood boys invited to come along. Don't knowingly lie about anyone document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Excursions to this cave are still being made. Our house was so full of cave men coming in from out of town. Extensive search-and-rescue efforts turned up no sign of any of them, however. A third theory he and Koetters have explored one that the Hoag boys mother ascribed to, according to Cambeletta is that some kind of cover-up was involved. The boys' disappearance triggered a massive search. Searching As it turned out another neighborhood boy was missing too. Then, searchers began looking around the surrounding forests, abandoned houses and old mines. He said the mayor at the time was aware the machines used in the search for the three boys could go as deep as 39 feet, but instead the mayor told searchers to not go more than 37 feet. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. The boys have never been heard from again. I dont think a lot of that was made public.. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. He said Hannibal police contacted the FBI back then to inquire about any possible Gacy connections. Fifty-four years ago this month, three boys went missing in Hannibal, Missouri, and were never seen again. Two years ago, Hannibal native John Wingate released his first book about the disappearance of three Hannibal boys who were last seen on May 10, 1967, near some cave openings on Hannibal's south side. Concerned citizens suggested authorities even search the various islands dotting the Mississippi River. From here, some of the details become fuzzy. A memorial service will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal. More than 200 cavers from across the country converged on Hannibal to explore the labyrinth of underground passageways, including Murphy's Cave and some newly opened cave entrances where road construction was taking place along what is now Mo. She enjoyed being around water. The Hoag brothers and the Dowell boy were last seen by Lynn Strube, 14, of 405 Smith, and John Janes, 13, 1125 Sierra, Wednesday . A writer and author of crime thrillers living in the UK. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Visitation will be from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM Tuesday. Three adventurous boys, Joel Hoag, 13, his brother Billy, 11, and their friend Craig Dowell, 14, were out exploring Murphy's Cave, which was exposed by highway construction from state highway 79,. In December, Herald-Whig Staff Writer Edward Husar spoke to author John Wingate, who wrote "Lost Boys of. DeDe Hoag believes her brothers and Craig Dowell may have gotten trapped in one of these holes and accidentally buried after they were sealed. If you have any information about this case, you can contact the Hannibal Police Department at 573-221-0987. I was 11-years-old and I heard this was happening, Henderson said. that is degrading to another person. Tim (DeDes younger brother by one year) was getting off the bus. "It was a pretty common thing to do," said Eric Dundon, the Managing Editor of the Hannibal Post- Courier who recently wrote an update on this story. Then, on May 10, 1967, Joey along with brother Billy Hoag and friend Craig Dowell mysteriously disappeared, presumably somewhere under Hannibal in the labyrinthine cave system. 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? Franki Cambeletta Talks About Hannibal's Unsolved Mystery From 1967. There is one last point of speculation I want to go over and, again, I want to emphasize that this is pure speculation, not accusations. Every. The Hoag brothers and the Dowell boy were last seen by Lynn Strube, 14, of 405 Smith, and John Janes, 13, 1125 Sierra, Wednesday . A Memorial Service will be held at 7:30 PM Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal. The Hannibal mayor even requested the help of the Missouri National Guard. They began to pray that nothing bad would happen to the boys. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. It should be noted that they were scrappy young fellows. It was as if he was trying to hide and secretly monitor the work of the search groups. A memorial marker for the boys has been placed in the vicinity of the cave. The boys shared a sense of adventure, much like the heroes of Mark Twains novels Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Missing Since: May 10, 1967 Missing From: Hannibal, Marion County, Missouri Classification: Endangered Missing Date Of Birth: circa, 1953 Age: 14 years old Height and Weight: 5'0 and 100 pounds Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian Male, Edwin usually goes by his middle name "Craig" Details of Disappearance Unexplored caves or not she didnt want her children being somewhere they shouldnt. Choose wisely! They were always home by 9 oclock, DeDe said. A Hannibal mystery 48 years in the making. The boys made plans to go back to the cave after school the following day. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. 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. He noticed that the boys were dragging a makeshift ladder of boards to lower themselves through the opening inside the cave. Invalid password or account does not exist. . When she found out she was going to pass it was just a matter of time she said I sure wish I would find out something before I died. This theory contends Gacy encountered the Hannibal boys near the caves, offered them a ride home, then drove them to a nearby wooded area and assaulted, killed and buried them. Adjacent to the deep muddy waters, its the perfect route for the countrys Great River Road. HANNIBAL, Mo. 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. Altogether, over 200 cave explorers, both professional experts and amateur enthusiasts, searched through Murphys Cave, mapping it as they went. 13 and 14, respectively, when they were last seen in Hannibal, Missouri on the afternoon of May 10, 1967. 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. Had they even returned to the cave after those last few sightings of them around town? Were they trapped underground by a cave-in? Use tab to navigate through the menu items. The late, great Roberto Clemente. In the 1960s, parents strictly forbade their children from even looking at the openings in the ground. After that, they disappear and even traces of them, much less their bodies, were found. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. The podcasters have plans to soon explore some cave openings in new ways. Grandma hollered suppers ready.. They were spotted several more times around town between 4:40 and 5:15 sometimes together, sometimes separately. Most of these caves were well explored in the first half of the twentieth century. Wingate later learned the woman was a psychic from southern Missouri who reportedly "saw the three boys' spirit energy manifest up front when I was speaking," he said. In the days that followed, cavers near and far joined an extensive search-and-rescue mission. Perhaps his brothers were wandering in the unknown areas underground. Im doing that and I get ready to go and I dont even get 50 feet from the house. Joel, who was interested in snakes and geology, had been punished the night before for going to the cave without permission. Joel Wise Hoag was born on July 25, 1954 to mom Helen and dad Mike. Be Proactive. 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. or anything. But who could stop the curious children? Have the latest local news delivered every day so you don't miss out on updates. 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. Will says . HANNIBAL Missouri's Route 79 is a beautiful roadway that cuts through the state's eastern hills and tiny, subtle towns. All three suggested they had similar visions that Gacy was to blame for the disappearance and deaths of the Hannibal boys. 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. But everything was in vain. One particular area the boys loved was Murphys Cave. "I've always been skeptical of this stuff," he said. Nonetheless, this tight-knit community . But at some point, 15-year-old Tim Hoag and 16-year-old DeDe lost track of their younger brothers, who slipped out of the yard and headed for another adventure. In May 1967, the trio left home to explore caves in Hannibal, Missouri. Was this just a case of kids being irresponsible, as kids often are? Youre going to have to have proof, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Henderson said. "This is a story that found me.". The world isn't flat, cats didn't knock them off the edges. Two of the psychics told Wingate that "John Wayne Gacy was that mystery man," he said. She believes it will be out of circumstance theyll be discovered. They were allegedly chased away by construction workers. racist or sexually-oriented language. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism As it turned out, Gacy was living and working in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1967, while his mother was living in Little Rock, Ark. . Local panic quickly brought national attention to the tiny river town in northern Missouri. You think theyre going to close down that highway to build on a speculation? The Hoag brothers were missing. This Podcast sets out to solve one of Hannibal Missouri's biggest mysteries, The Lost boys of Hannibal Missouri and the events surrounding their disappearance on May 10, 1967. . The case would be the subject of several books and even a true crime-style podcast. The families of Joey and Billy Hoag, 13 and 11 years of age, and 14-year Craig Dowell became worried when the boys failed to come home for dinner that evening. . Their parents, who were back from the meat market, said they werent there, but that if their friend saw him to tell them to hurry home. They finally moved from Murphys Cave down where Billy and I had been in. Because nothing was ever found, there's speculation that the children weren't lost in the cave and something else caused their disappearances. The search crew clung to it as a probable evidence. That day, the construction work resulted in a cave-in at Murphys Cave. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. What I dont even get is why he was even with them. In 2006, construction crews discovered an entrance to the Murphys Cave system while building a new elementary school along Highway 79. Wingate's book, "Lost Boys of Hannibal: Inside America's Largest Cave Search," noted that the boys -- Edwin Craig Dowell, 14, and brothers Joel Hoag, 13, and Billy Hoag, 11 -- were never found despite month-long search efforts. There's no evidence to support any other theories, however. Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. Details of Disappearance Joel disappeared with his brother, William Hoag, and a friend, Edwin "Craig" Dowell. During the highway construction, sections of the road were being blasted to destroy them and make room for the new road, creating holes. Craig Dowell lived over on Union Street. There's no evidence to support any other theories, however. The case has also been a subject of a podcast, also called The Lost Boys of Hannibal, which aired its first episode in July of 2019 and appears to still be going. Last updated June 3, 2012; picture and clothing/jewelry description added, details of disappearance updated. At the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival, you will find a palate-dazzling smorgasbord of cuisines and cocktails in which to indulge. Did they separate and go missing in multiple different ways, in two or even three tragic coincidences? And nowadays, near Hannibal, sometimes new tunnels are found in the local caves, which are caused by expansion, rainfall and other reasons. Dundon pointed out witnesses who identified the boys as heading toward Murphy's . Or I havent, totally. They were carrying shovels and a flashlight, and said they were going to explore Murphy's Cave, near the Highway 79 construction project. The next day was Wednesday, May 10. Memorial contributions may be made to Community Loving Care Hospice. I dont know if Ill be alive, but Im sure somebodys going to find them sometime, she said. The worker told them to get out because it was dangerous, but no known precautions were taken after that to keep other explorers away. She ordered them to wash their clothes, and both their parents warned them to never go near the construction site again, or they would be in major trouble. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. Also surviving are one sister-in-law, MaryAnn Hoag; a special friend, Melissa Breeding; seven nieces; 10 nephews; 14 great-nephews;13 great-nieces; and DeDes beloved pet dog, Naomi., DeDe was preceded in death by her parents; two infant sons, James and Jeffrey Mastin; six brothers, Mickey Hoag, Fred Hoag, Tim Hoag, Joey Hoag, Billy Hoag and Robin Hoag; two nephews, Michael J. Hoag and Timmy Hoag; and her special pet dog, Hannibal.. HANNIBAL, Mo. One of the popular south side caves at the time, Murphys Cave, was one of the first places rescuers tried to look. There are no plans to open up the cave system to the public, and the project is limited to skilled and experienced cavers, according to the post. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. "Kids aren't supposed to lose their friends." The three boys have never been heard from again. Sunshine and clouds mixed. from Pine, Learn the work Mary Meachum did to help slaves cross, Make St. Pattys Day cake pops from Amys Cake Pop, made plans to go back to the cave after school, Psychics and clairvoyants of the day reached out, The Grinch is getting a sequel, plus other books, Everything you need to know about the Disney California, 13 stylish black tights to wear this winter, House fire near Dupo, Illinois, early Wednesday morning, Crash involving police car being investigated, Bridgeton Police responding to water main break, Suspect involved in shooting near Galleria mall in, Crews responding to building fire in OFallon, Missouri, Tishaura Jones to sign Safer Streets Bill today, Police warn about Tiktok challenge that causing property, Busch Stadium jobs up for grabs ahead of baseball, Boy Scout trailer found, 1 arrested, 1 still at large, The floor was covered in feces, Humane Society, Execution-style murder in downtown STL caught on, Families of victims in fatal hit-and-run crash mourn, Aurora borealis possible to see in Missouri tonight, Murder suspect on house arrest says system has set, CJC supports Kim Gardner in downtown rally, St. Louis-raised Hollywood star Jon Hamm gets engaged. -Butthead, Hart: Hannibal boys' disappearance brought back to life in book, After 45 years, mystery surrounding missing boys remains, This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our, Porchlight International for the Missing & Unidentified, Hoag,Bill and Joey Howell,Craig May 10 1967, http://www.hannibal.net/stories/042206/ 2003.shtml, http://www.hannibal.net/stories/042706/ 0101.shtml, http://www.whig.com/story/news/RH-Scoop-Column-011910, http://z13.invisionfree.com/PorchlightU c=936&st=0&, http://www.hannibal.net/features/x15264 written-it, http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stori sing-boys/, http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/05/23/lo later.html.