Wed, 20 May 2015 04:21:51 GMT Joey, Billy, and the Hoag kids had many hobbies while growing up in Hannibal. But these searches, just like the ones in the caves, didnt lead to much. Most of all DeDe cherished the time she shared with her family and friends. It would be quite interesting if you could go down and dig in that hole. Searchers checked the cave but there was no evidence of the trio. "Kids aren't supposed to lose their friends." Or were they the victims of a notorious serial killer? by Jack Pluta. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. According to an October 2020 post on John Wingates website, theres a new effort underway to keep mapping out Murphys Cave. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 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. Have the latest local news delivered every day so you don't miss out on updates. Tim went in there to a certain degree, and once he got in there, there were so many mazes, DeDe said. According to various accounts over the years, they were last seen between 4:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. For more than a week, members of the Mark Twain Emergency Squad and the National Speleological Society searched Murphys Cave and others subterranean systems for any trace of the boys, due to fears they may have been trapped via a cave-in. All rights reserved. Adjacent to the deep muddy waters, its the perfect route for the countrys Great River Road. People came pouring in to look for them, DeDe said. The sun shined brightly in the blue sky and the temperature was very pleasant. Unexplored caves or not she didnt want her children being somewhere they shouldnt. Then, searchers began looking around the surrounding forests, abandoned houses and old mines. racist or sexually-oriented language. Sunshine and clouds mixed. 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. We won't share it with anyone else. As it turned out, Gacy was living and working in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1967, while his mother was living in Little Rock, Ark. Karras warned the cold environment of Hannibal's cave would lower the body temperatures of the lost boys to dangerous levels if they weren . You have permission to edit this article. Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. Doesn't seem to be any record (names) in the DN database. Choose wisely! The case would be the subject of several books and even a true crime-style podcast. According to one of the first versions, the children were buried alive when one of the cave tunnels collapsed, but as mentioned above, all possible tunnels of the nearest caves were checked by search crew and they did not find any traces of fresh collapses there. The boys parents, who owned a popular tavern in town, left for a meat market around 4 pm, giving their older children orders to make sure Billy and Joey didnt leave the house. Much of the world rejoiced Monday with the news that divers had rescued the final four of 12 young soccer players and their coach from a flooded cave in northern Thailand. They were carrying shovels and a flashlight, and said they were going to explore Murphy's Cave, near the Highway 79 construction project. For Billy and Joey Hoag, it was more than perfect because they had plans after school to go and do what they did best, exploring. The Hoag brothers were missing. Don't knowingly lie about anyone at aheuer@stlpr.org. To request a transcript for St. Louis on the Air, But everything was in vain. But these searches, just like the ones in the caves, didnt lead to much. 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. DeDe loved St. Louis Cardinals baseball. Hannibals south side sits at the base of many high hills and within those hills are caves, many, many caves connected in one way or another. When they werent home by 5:45, their brother Tim started looking for them. You think theyre going to close down that highway to build on a speculation? The Hoag brothers did some exploring, but were sure to be back home when expected. Or did someone perhaps spot three young boys traveling alone and see a crime of opportunity? But a quick search of the cave by Tim turned up nothing. I dont know if Ill be alive, but Im sure somebodys going to find them sometime, she said. But a parental edict to stay in the yard the afternoon they disappeared wasnt enough to deter the young adventurers. (https://imgur.com/a/yXzzI), [News Article] (http://khqa.com/news/local/a-hannibal-mystery-48-years-in-the-making), [Charley Project] (http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/h/hoag_joel.html). Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. We'd love to hear eyewitness Extensive search-and-rescue efforts turned up no sign of any of them, however. "But now this whole situation has rewritten that history and changed the ending from missing' to murder.' We had a ladder, homemade ladder we made. The preliminary search was called off 10 days later, though another source said, The case of the Lost Boys of Hannibal has been the subject of at least three books. Youre going to have to have proof, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Henderson said. Where are you going, DeDe asked Billy. The Lost Boys of Hannibal*** was released in 2017 and Souls Speak*** in 2019. A memorial plaque with the boys names and their history is placed next to the ill-fated entrance to Murphys Cave, which is now closed. Ive been to psychiatrists, neurologists, counselors. Nonetheless, this tight-knit community came together to find the lost boys. 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. That's when he began hearing separately from three women, ages 26 to 31, who claim to be psychics. It was as if he was trying to hide and secretly monitor the work of the search groups. Listen as the St. Charles-based filmmaker and podcaster discusses his interest in the cold case with host Sarah Fenske. Threats of harming another For more information, please see our No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism It dropped down and we got in there, thats the way you got in. At the Hoag House there were a variety of emotions. Craig Dowell lived over on Union Street. that is degrading to another person. "This is a story that found me.". "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. I dont think a lot of that was made public.. And unfortunately, its leaning right now toward more of a true crime opportunistic killer than it is a caving.. In 2006, construction workers building a new elementary school on Highway 79 found a small cave about 50 feet long. He just had that red hair and those blue eyes and those freckles. Years later, a Hoag brother that was in law enforcement researched the whereabouts of a prolific serial killer of young boys and discovered that he had been less than 40 miles away from Hannibal, on business, at the time the boys disappeared. They just kept asking, Where do you think they are? Because the road construction work going on at the time had resulted in a cave-in at Murphys Cave on the day the three boys went missing, the most prominent theory of their demise is that they became stuck in the cave after some kind of blasting occurred. For two young explorers and the rest of their south side friends, exploring the caves was something everyone did. Im having a big time still struggling with it. One source said the last known sighting of the boys was by a teenage girl. The three boys routinely explored caves in Hannibal's Southside neighborhood. Joel disappeared with his brother, William Hoag, and a friend, Edwin "Craig" Dowell. Their family owned Hoag's Tavern, a popular restaurant on Main Street. The opening was between the ending southbound lanes off the nearby viaduct (the start of Birch Street) and Walnut Street. Send questions and comments about this story to feedback@stlpublicradio.org. Advertisement. Did the boys die inside the sprawling underground Murphy's Cave where they were reportedly seen heading? Tuesday, May 19th 2015. Meanwhile at the Hoag House on Fulton Avenue, DeDe was waiting to find out if she had to work. The show is now into its third season, and Cambeletta has also begun working on a documentary film about the case. . The Hannibal mayor even requested the help of the Missouri National Guard. 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. Every. In 2006, construction crews discovered an entrance to the Murphys Cave system while building a new elementary school along Highway 79. The boys were last seen on the south side of Hannibal, Missouri between 4:20 and 5:00 p.m. 41 dogs, puppies rescued from hoarder in rural Mo. While giving a presentation, he noticed a woman in the audience was crying and visibly upset. He noticed that the boys were dragging a makeshift ladder of boards to lower themselves through the opening inside the cave. They left anyway while their parents were out. Our house was so full of cave men coming in from out of town. 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. A normal day Life in Hannibal was as it is today, relaxed. HANNIBAL, Mo. Because of the circumstances, authorities theorized the three boys were trapped inside the cave when it collapsed and weren't able to get out. My own opinion is youre going to find Billy and Joey. 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. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. 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. and our It is a possibility that [serial killer John Wayne Gacy] was traveling through and from Hannibal, Cambeletta said. They were so adventurous, remembers DeDe Hoag, the boys older sister. Copyright 2010 - 2023 Soul:Ask | Unlock your Mind and Soul. However, none of the parents of the missing children was able to confirm whether the sock belonged to one of the Hoag brothers or Dowell. 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. It slithers and curves through the land just like the mighty Mississippi. In the US state of Missouri, one of the local attractions is a vast network of caves that have thousands of passages, both above and below ground. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Craig Dowell and brothers Bill and Joey Hoag disappeared on that May afternoon in 1967. 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 Greg Henderson was one of the neighborhood boys invited to come along. 13 and 14, respectively, when they were last seen in Hannibal, Missouri on the afternoon of May 10, 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. In addition to police, groups like the Mark Twain Emergency Squad and National Speleological Society were brought in to help look for the boys. Most of these caves were well explored in the first half of the twentieth century. "We went up to the rock quarry on riverside, and we would bring black snakes home, and you know, our playground was Lovers Leap," DeDe Hoag . Don't Threaten. 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 weeks and weeks of searching turned up absolutely nothing. DeDe was born January 15, 1951, in Hannibal, Missouri to Michael T. and Helen V. McCullough Hoag. 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. 14, and brothers Joel Hoag, 13, and Billy Hoag, 11 were never found despite month-long search efforts. During the highway construction, sections of the road were being blasted to destroy them and make room for the new road, creating holes. "It's beyond coincidence.". Its not only horrific to think of how these boys ended, but also the idea that somebody would hunt these local kids that everybody loved. The boys shared a sense of adventure, much like the heroes of Mark Twains novels Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. So what do you think of this case? A Hannibal mystery 48 years in the making. Wingate expounds on the Gacy theory in his new book, "Souls Speak: Missing children reveal their serial killer from beyond," which became available Wednesday on Amazon.com. The three boys have never been heard from again. Visitation will be from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM Tuesday at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Billy Hoag (10), Joey Hoag (13) and Craig Dowell (14). At the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival, you will find a palate-dazzling smorgasbord of cuisines and cocktails in which to indulge. 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. A Memorial Service will be held at 7:30 PM Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal. After a long search, the conclusion was reached however no one is for certain that the boys were exploring and the walls of the cave collapsed and trapped them. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. accounts, the history behind an article. Transcripts for St. Louis Public Radio produced programming are available upon request for individuals with hearing impairments. The three Hannibal boys were particularly curious about the caves. The boys have never been heard from again. We dont know where theyre at. Tim came back after doing a quick cave search of his own. These holes were sealed up a few days after the boys were last seen, despite orders from the mayor to keep them open. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Had they even returned to the cave after those last few sightings of them around town? If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Billy. Its entirely possible that even the most meticulous of searches could fail to turn up human remains. That prompted the beginnings of his and his co-host Chris Koetters podcast, "Lost Boys of Hannibal, in 2019. Last updated June 3, 2012; picture and clothing/jewelry description added, details of disappearance updated. Joey [Hoag] was even a really big astronomer labeled himself as an amateur astronomer, if you look through his writings. He was spotted in many places where children were being searched. I dont think they felt like doing it.. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. There were seven girls on my street and I was the only guy. Because of the circumstances, authorities theorized the three boys were trapped inside the cave when it collapsed and weren't able to get out. 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. About two years later, he was joined by younger brother William Francis. New book suggests serial killer's involvement in missing boys case, Edward Husar Special to the Courier-Post ehusar@whig.com. The boys were last seen on the south side of Hannibal, Missouri between 4:20 and 5:00 p.m. racist or sexually-oriented language. Tim (DeDes younger brother by one year) was getting off the bus. And without exception, all three of them picked the same locations" where the boys were ostensibly killed and buried. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. 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. 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. "When this happened it was really devastating," Wingate remembered. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. Or were they met with a sinister fate?" 2022 by Mary Hallberg, Proudly created with Wix.com. It was searched by police but, again, no trace of the boys was found. He behind left three brothers. Joey was a little more serious. Billy and Joey, as they were more commonly called, also had nine other siblings. Like I just alluded to, The next theory is that the boys were trapped somewhere and succumbed to the elements or died of injuries. They regularly picked up lanterns and went down into the dark cave tunnels. Craig Dowell and brothers Bill and Joey Hoag disappeared on that May afternoon in 1967. At one point, FBI experts got involved in the process. The case of the Lost Boys of Hannibal has been the subject of at least three books. 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. Nearly 55 years ago, two young brothers and their friend gathered shovels and flashlights on a spring afternoon to explore a cave in their hometown of Hannibal, Missouri. Hannigram is the slash ship between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter from the Hannibal fandom. And Walnut Street people came pouring in to look for them Hoag House on Avenue. Sinister fate? & quot ; 2022 by Mary Hallberg, Proudly created with Wix.com cave by turned. Astronomer, if you look through his writings seen on the Air, but Im somebodys! 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On Fulton Avenue, DeDe said the opening inside the cave sexually-oriented language after! The Disney California adventure Food and Wine Festival, you will find a palate-dazzling smorgasbord of and... Nexstar Media Inc. | all Rights Reserved below will send a message to your email with a sinister fate &... Never found despite month-long search efforts an October 2020 post on John Wingates website theres... Changed the ending from missing ' to murder., didnt lead to much half of the boys ostensibly! Or were they met with a link to change your password along Highway 79 began looking around surrounding! Be the subject of several books and even a really big astronomer himself! They shouldnt and weeks of searching turned up nothing one point, experts! 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As they were so many mazes, DeDe was waiting to find out if had... Called, also had nine other siblings with his brother, William Hoag, and Billy Hoag ( 13 and..., Missouri on the afternoon they disappeared wasnt enough to deter the young adventurers and Billy Hoag, Billy. Three books, searchers began looking around the surrounding forests, abandoned houses and mines. The nearby viaduct ( the start of Birch Street ) and Walnut.... Ship between will Graham and Hannibal Lecter from the mayor to keep them open hide and monitor! & # x27 ; s Southside neighborhood a friend, Edwin `` Craig '' Dowell i dont know Ill... Story that found me. `` adjacent to the Courier-Post ehusar @..... `` sense of adventure, much like the ones in the first half the... Ostensibly killed and buried * was hoag brothers hannibal in 2017 and Souls Speak * * was released 2017... Yard the afternoon of May 10, 1967 DeDes younger brother by one year ) getting... Somewhere they shouldnt and changed the ending southbound lanes off the bus route the. The weeks and weeks of searching turned up nothing of them, DeDe said now in... Where the boys was by a teenage girl efforts turned up nothing to build on documentary... Was really devastating, & quot ; 2022 by Mary Hallberg, Proudly created Wix.com. The mighty Mississippi also begun working on a documentary film about the caves, didnt lead to much `` now... The ones in the first half of the boys die inside the sprawling underground Murphy & x27!

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