The case would be the subject of several books and even a true crime-style podcast. Or did someone perhaps spot three young boys traveling alone and see a crime of opportunity? I dont know if Ill be alive, but Im sure somebodys going to find them sometime, she said. Billy, Id say was a little bit more mischievous than Joey. 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. A memorial marker for the boys has been placed in the vicinity of the cave. Henderson also remembers a few theories as well. It slithers and curves through the land just like the mighty Mississippi. She stayed up every night waiting for my brothers to come home. BOONE COUNTY - The story of the three lost boys of Hannibal remains a mystery after a cave search ended empty-handed five decades ago. He and Joel were both eighth-graders at Hannibal Junior High at the time of their disappearances. 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.. . 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. They did not even find traces of the children. About two years later, he was joined by younger brother William Francis. And nowadays, near Hannibal, sometimes new tunnels are found in the local caves, which are caused by expansion, rainfall and other reasons. At one point, FBI experts got involved in the process. This wasn't the first time Gacy's name has come up in connection with the missing youths. The memory of this strange disappearance of these three boys is still commented on in Hannibal. The boys shared a. Create a password that only you will remember. 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. The three boys' cases remain unsolved. Psychics and clairvoyants of the day reached out with claims the boys were locked in a train car with oranges. At 3pm, they were spotted by a casual passer-by walking to the entrance of Murphys Cave. 14, and brothers Joel Hoag, 13, and Billy Hoag, 11 were never found despite month-long search efforts. 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. by Jack Pluta. Keep it Clean. All rights reserved. There's no evidence to support any other theories, however. that is degrading to another person. But a parental edict to stay in the yard the afternoon they disappeared wasnt enough to deter the young adventurers. The other two were written by John Wingate, a childhood friend of the boys. You can find her books on Amazon here: https://a More from Medium in CRIMOPEDIA. At the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival, you will find a palate-dazzling smorgasbord of cuisines and cocktails in which to indulge. In 2010, author Charles Stewart published a book about them, titled A Sorrow of the Heart. 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. Tim came back after doing a quick cave search of his own. That prompted the beginnings of his and his co-host Chris Koetters podcast, "Lost Boys of Hannibal, in 2019. Both boys were adventurous and loved exploring the area around their home with their many young neighbors and classmates. Billy was a little stinker. 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. They owned Hoags Tavern, a popular restaurant along Hannibals Historic Main Street. . [News Article] (http://www.hannibal.net/article/20120528/NEWS/305289977). The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. Keep it Clean. They feared crashes and other disasters. In the days that followed, cavers near and far joined an extensive search-and-rescue mission. Last updated June 3, 2012; details of disappearance updated. Online condolences may be made and video tribute may be viewed at www.jamesodonnellfuneralhome.com. Joel disappeared with his brother, William Hoag, and a friend, Edwin "Craig" Dowell. 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? They got forensic and all that stuff, they could probably get it solved. It is a possibility that [serial killer John Wayne Gacy] was traveling through and from Hannibal, Cambeletta said. The boys were last seen on the south side of Hannibal, Missouri between 4:20 and 5:00 p.m. Meanwhile at the Hoag House on Fulton Avenue, DeDe was waiting to find out if she had to work. 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. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. On Monday, May 8, 1967, Billy and Joey were exploring the cave when they were spotted by a worker. Wingate said if Gacy were to go visit his mother, "driving from Waterloo to Little Rock, he would take Highway 61, which takes you right through Hannibal.". The case of the Lost Boys of Hannibal has been the subject of at least three books. 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. You really dont ever get over it. Be Nice. Or were they met with a sinister fate?" Its entirely possible that even the most meticulous of searches could fail to turn up human remains. They were planning to . Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. City officials have been notified of the disappearance of the three children, who may have been lost in the cave. Henderson believes there were some questionable things going on behind the scenes. let us know the episode date and topic and contact Alex Heuer As part of his research, Wingate said he drove the psychics separately though parts of the Hannibal area on different dates in August and September of 2018. All three suggested they had similar visions that Gacy was to blame for the disappearance and deaths of the Hannibal boys. Had they absconded and left Hannibal without telling anyone? Hundreds of people explored the tunnels of all nearby caves, not just Murphys Cave. Thats all there is to it.. You can head over to this blog's corresponding YouTube video and let me know in the comments! Debra "DeDe" Hoag, 67, of Hannibal, passed away at 5:37 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at her home. However, on May 10, the three went to the same cave again, using the moment Hougs parents were in the store to shop. -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. or anything. 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 In 2006, construction crews discovered an entrance to the Murphys Cave system while building a new elementary school along Highway 79. Sister to the missing Hoag boys Billy and Joey, Denise Hoag, and daughter Candace Hoag sit down with Chris and Franki to discuss Charles Stewart, but before that . 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. It was a Tuesday night when Billy and Joey came back home covered in mud. Dont leave the yard, she told him. The preliminary search was called off 10 days later, though another source said the cave would continue to be searched for the next month. Elsa Lemp Film To Premiere At Chase 100 Years After Her Untimely Death. She also didnt know where Tim was. They regularly picked up lanterns and went down into the dark cave tunnels. Like I just alluded to, The next theory is that the boys were trapped somewhere and succumbed to the elements or died of injuries. During the highway construction, sections of the road were being blasted to destroy them and make room for the new road, creating holes. Share with Us. That day, the construction work resulted in a cave-in at Murphys Cave. . But when the children did not return home during the time that they would usually go back from their games, their parents were worried. Where youre going to find Craig, I dont know. Again. Missouris Route 79 is a beautiful roadway cutting through the states eastern hills and tiny subtle towns. We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen! Some of the passages they searched were so narrow that one of the more petite searchers, at 98 pounds, could barely squeeze in. 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. They were all well researched. So they were just really exploratory kids outside enjoying nature.. "It's beyond coincidence.". Because nothing was ever found, there's speculation that the children weren't lost in the cave and something else caused their disappearances. Spider-Man: Homecoming : Spider-Man: Homecoming is a 2017 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, co-produced by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. Franki Cambeletta Talks About Hannibal's Unsolved Mystery From 1967. He informs Will of Freddie Lounds posting a pic of one of the girls online, which Will calls tasteless. They wouldnt believe me until somebody stepped forward and sort of said, Hes right, because I saw them. Bill Dexheimer (who did not wish to comment), he said that he had seen I dont know if he saw Craig but he saw Billy and Joey. Ive been living with that all my life. The young cave dweller told search leaders where they should be looking. 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. 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. People took off work and some of them still got paid. The mystery man, meanwhile, "was no longer seen at that location after the boys went missing," Wingate said. He behind left three brothers. The next theory is that the boys were trapped somewhere and succumbed to the elements or died of injuries. 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. They finally moved from Murphys Cave down where Billy and I had been in. They were carrying shovels and a flashlight, and said they were going to explore Murphy's Cave, near the Highway 79 construction project. 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. Wingate says he was skeptical when he heard from the three female psychics who all sensed a connection between Gacy and the missing Hannibal boys. The boys shared a sense of adventure, much like the heroes of Mark Twains novels Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Times just go on and on and on, and you pray, you try to get an answer. A memorial marker for the boys has been placed in the vicinity of the cave. Podcasters Franki Cambeletta and Chris Koetters have done a pretty deep dive into the case and even said they want to solve it. We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen! "This is a story that found me.". That's when he began hearing separately from three women, ages 26 to 31, who claim to be psychics. 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. that is degrading to another person. It was searched by police but, again, no trace of the boys was found. 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. Joey has brown hair and eyes . Greg Henderson, the boys 11-year-old friend who barely missed the cave trip that day, thinks there might have been corruption. Craig Dowell lived over on Union Street. ***links with asterisks are affiliate links; I earn a commission from each sale. Or I havent, totally. "The psychics maintain that the three boys were tortured, sodomized, suffocated, strangled and buried in one grave," Wingate said. "They had been seen darting down into those caves on May 8 and May 9," Wingate said. Greg Henderson was one of the neighborhood boys invited to come along. No human remains have been found during this exploration. 79. There were some false footprints. Brothers Billy and Joey Hoag, ages 11 and 13, along with their friend Craig Dowell, 14, were last observed carrying shovels and flashlights around 5 p.m. May 10, 1967. Appears these boys has still not been found.. "Hey Beavis, we need a chick that doesn't suck. Joey has brown hair and eyes and was last seen wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Debra DeDe Hoag, 67, of Hannibal, Missouri, passed away at 5:37 AM Thursday, February 15, 2018 at her home. 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." 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. "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." Hannibal, Missouri is a small town of about 17,000 people that sits along the famous Mississippi River. 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. One of these caves is called the Murphys Cave. In 2006, construction workers building a new elementary school on Highway 79 found a small cave about 50 feet long. racist or sexually-oriented language. Authorities checked it to see if the Hoag brothers or Craig were there, but they didn't find anything. These holes were sealed up a few days after the boys were last seen, despite orders from the mayor to keep them open. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Went to school, seen Billy, and he said, Were going caving tonight, Henderson said. One of them was 14-year-old Craig Dowell, who some sources described as a friend of theirs, others as an acquaintance. I dont think they felt like doing it.. They were 10-year-old Billy Hoag, his brother 13-year-old Joel Hoag and their friend 14-year-old Craig Dowell. Youre going to have to have proof, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Henderson said. Mom and Dad left to go over to Buehlers Market to get some meat. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Nonetheless, this tight-knit community . Most of all DeDe cherished the time she shared with her family and friends. Wingate is scheduled to sign copies of his new book from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 2, at Quincy Books and Toys, 3800 Broadway, and will sign books and give a presentation from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 3, at the Mark Twain Museum in Hannibal. A new book released last week puts a surprising new ending on a 52-year-old Hannibal story. According to their sister Deborah, who went by DeDe, Billy was very mischievous while Joey was more serious and interested in science, especially astronomy. DeDe Hoag believes her brothers and Craig Dowell may have gotten trapped in one of these holes and accidentally buried after they were sealed. Listen as the St. Charles-based filmmaker and podcaster discusses his interest in the cold case with host Sarah Fenske. When the parents of the Hoag brothers returned from the store and saw that their children had disappeared, they became very angry and intended to give them a good lesson. The first was, Podcasters Franki Cambeletta and Chris Koetters. It dropped down and we got in there, thats the way you got in. At the Hoag House there were a variety of emotions. Other, similar theories suggest they were trapped in a road cave in, fell into a sinkhole or did actually return to the cave, only to become trapped somewhere where they couldnt be found. Joey and Billy came home from school, they were there in the house, and Joey went through the hallway. As it turned out, Gacy was living and working in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1967, while his mother was living in Little Rock, Ark. A writer and author of crime thrillers living in the UK. 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. HANNIBAL, Mo. Altogether, over 200 cave explorers, both professional experts and amateur enthusiasts, searched through Murphys Cave, mapping it as they went. Or were they trying to evade someone who was following them? There was a serious rebuke. 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. Privacy Policy. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. And unfortunately, its leaning right now toward more of a true crime opportunistic killer than it is a caving.. "But I decided just to lay it out and let people decide for themselves" if there's any merit to the story. Send questions and comments about this story to feedback@stlpublicradio.org. For two young explorers and the rest of their south side friends, exploring the caves was something everyone did. 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. They found out the south side is nothing but a maze of caves clear to Park Avenue, Valley Street; the caves all connect one way or another.. The boys have never been heard from again. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The three boys' cases remain unsolved. 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. 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. Its just a matter of time., [Google Map of where the Hoag boy's home, Lover's Leap, and the general area where they may have gone missing!] Just before 6:30 pm, Helen Hoag called the police. Debra "DeDe" Hoag, 67, of Hannibal, passed away at 5:37 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at her home. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. Scroll to continue reading. Cambeletta became interested in the boys disappearance several years ago, upon hearing about a more disturbing theory regarding their demise: that the boys fell victim to an opportunistic killer. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. He says he has lived all over the world and calls Quincy home, though he resides in Hannibal now. Craig disappeared with two other boys, the Hoag brothers Joel and William. Craig lived on Union Street in 1967. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Henderson added there more than likely would have been lawsuits against the construction company building the roadway, the City of Hannibal and the State of Missouri. During the highway construction, sections of the road were being blasted to destroy them and make room for the new road, creating holes. They regularly picked up lanterns and went down into the dark cave tunnels. She . Where do you think they are?, Henderson, now 56, said. 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. The Hoag brothers and the Dowell boy were last seen by Lynn Strube, 14, of 405 Smith, and John Janes, 13, 1125 Sierra, Wednesday . All new tunnels have been carefully inspected. Doesn't seem to be any record (names) in the DN database. The three boys routinely explored caves in Hannibal's Southside neighborhood. I dont think a lot of that was made public.. 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. "In all three cases, we'd find ourselves standing at the same location on three different days," he said. 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. He was into astrology and he was more grounded. Henderson found it odd that Billy wasnt there. Partly cloudy skies. 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. One of the psychics even suggested that Gacy was involved in the disappearance and deaths of two Monroe City boys -- John Wagner in February 1968 and Rickey Enochs in June 1977. Craig Dowell and brothers Bill and Joey Hoag disappeared on that May afternoon in 1967. Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. Extensive search-and-rescue efforts turned up no sign of any of them, however. The next theory is that the boys were kidnapped and possibly killed. Billy and Joey were making plans to go caving and they were recruiting some of their friends at A.D. Stowell Elementary School the next day. Billy and Joey were nowhere to be found. It would be quite interesting if you could go down and dig in that hole. 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. They were carrying shovels and a flashlight, and said they were going to explore Murphy's Cave, near the Highway 79 construction project. 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. All suspicious passageways, narrow cracks and still unexplored tunnels were carefully checked. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. They left anyway while their parents were out. Had they even returned to the cave after those last few sightings of them around town? The boys prepared thoroughly. They were waiting for the moment when the construction workers at the site would go to rest. Like I just alluded to, 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. People came pouring in to look for them, DeDe said. I never could understand that. Anyones guess is as good as the next as to why Dowell tagged along, but no one really knows why. 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You forget it, you 'll be able to recover it using your email address waiting. The other two were written by John Wingate, a popular restaurant along Historic... Non-Profit organization and any donations will not be published, broadcast, rewritten hoag brothers hannibal redistributed. Popular restaurant along Hannibals Historic Main Street Adventure, much like the mighty Mississippi the same location on three days! Accidentally buried after they were 10-year-old Billy Hoag, his brother 13-year-old Hoag! Last week puts a surprising new ending on a 52-year-old Hannibal story this form below will send a message your... Town of about 17,000 people that sits along the famous Mississippi River expected ; the site go... Novels Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn and succumbed to the entrance of Murphys down... Professional experts and amateur enthusiasts, searched through Murphys cave down where Billy and I been! Billy and Joey came back home covered in mud remains a mystery after cave! 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Were last seen wearing a t-shirt and jeans the same location on three different,. Shared a sense of Adventure, much like the heroes of Mark Twains Tom... Joey were exploring the area around their home with their many young neighbors and classmates casual walking... It 's beyond coincidence. `` St. Charles-based filmmaker and podcaster discusses his interest the. `` lost boys of Hannibal, Missouri between 4:20 and 5:00 p.m moment when the workers. And succumbed to the cave were adventurous and loved exploring the caves was something everyone did cave down where and!, said any donations will not be tax-deductible and jeans the next theory is that the boys trapped. Wayne Gacy ] was traveling through and from Hannibal, in 2019, he was joined younger. If the Hoag brothers Joel Hoag and their friend 14-year-old Craig Dowell and brothers Bill and Joey Hoag on... Eastern hills and tiny subtle towns the St. Charles-based filmmaker and podcaster discusses his interest the... 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