I really have a hard time dealing with it. These holes were sealed up a few days after the boys were last seen, despite orders from the mayor to keep them open. Obituary: Debra 'DeDe' Hoag, 67, of Hannibal, Online condolences may be made and video tribute may be viewed at. 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,. He eventually showed and couldnt account for his younger brothers, so Helen sent him and DeDe out in the neighborhood to find them. You really dont ever get over it. In 2006, construction crews discovered an entrance to the Murphys Cave system while building a new elementary school along Highway 79. Where do you think they are?, Henderson, now 56, said. 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. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, The aforementioned book Souls Speak also explores the possibility that they were early victims of John Wayne Gacy. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. 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.". 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. To request a transcript for St. Louis on the Air, Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Night, DeDe said. DeDe Hoag believes her brothers and Craig Dowell may have gotten trapped in one of these holes and accidentally buried after they were sealed. Privacy Policy. 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. Im having a big time still struggling with it. Elsa Lemp Film To Premiere At Chase 100 Years After Her Untimely Death. What would have been the ramifications? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. You can head over to this blog's corresponding YouTube video and let me know in the comments! Low 31F. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. In 1967, the cave was close to the construction site of Highway 79. Every restaurant in town made food for my family and the cavers. Franki Cambeletta Talks About Hannibal's Unsolved Mystery From 1967. It should be noted that they were scrappy young fellows. Details of Disappearance Joel disappeared with his brother, William Hoag, and a friend, Edwin "Craig" Dowell. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. 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. let us know the episode date and topic and contact Alex Heuer He and Billy were close friends. The boys were last seen on the south side of Hannibal, Missouri between 4:20 and 5:00 p.m. Karras warned the cold environment of Hannibal's cave would lower the body temperatures of the lost boys to dangerous levels if they weren . About two years later, he was joined by younger brother William Francis. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. This season will maybe mark the end of the search, Cambeletta said. They even summoned a few psychics who claimed they could feel the place where the children had disappeared. 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. Dont leave the yard, she told him. You have permission to edit this article. We dont know where theyre at. Visitation will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Share with Us. But Dowells and the Hoags bodies have never been found. The three Hannibal boys were particularly curious about the caves. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Have the latest local news delivered every day so you don't miss out on updates. Craig Dowell and brothers Bill and Joey Hoag disappeared on that May afternoon in 1967. A pair of black tights are a necessity, rather than just an accessory, to stay stylish and comfortable when temperatures drop. By June, other searches ended with no clues as to the boys whereabouts. The other two were written by John Wingate, a childhood friend of the boys. Did they separate and go missing in multiple different ways, in two or even three tragic coincidences? This was the latest reported sighting of the boys; after 5:15, all traces of them were lost. 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. 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. 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. Doesn't seem to be any record (names) in the DN database. At 3pm, they were spotted by a casual passer-by walking to the entrance of Murphys Cave. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. The opening was between the ending southbound lanes off the nearby viaduct (the start of Birch Street) and Walnut Street. All three suggested they had similar visions that Gacy was to blame for the disappearance and deaths of the Hannibal boys. Then at 10 oclock I was an absolute wreck because it was on TV on the news., DeDe, who was 16 in 1967, began losing sleep and barely ate as the search for her brothers went on. Don't Threaten. 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. . They were all reportedly spotted in and around Murphys Cave on the day they disappeared, but some of these sightings were not of all three of them, meaning they separated at some point. These kids lived up to everything [in Twains books], from caves and from river travels [to] hiking and exploring, St. Charles-based filmmaker Franki Cambeletta, who has spent the last couple of years seeking answers about it all, said Wednesday on St. Louis on the Air. Was this just a case of kids being irresponsible, as kids often are? 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. 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 Craig Dowell, he was an acquaintance, Henderson said. 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. The belief is they went into a cave to explore. Meanwhile at the Hoag House on Fulton Avenue, DeDe was waiting to find out if she had to work. Gone, but not forgotten The unknown status of her two boys changed Helen Hoag forever. "For 52 years, the consensus has been that the three Hannibal boys were lost in a calamitous collapse inside the cave," Wingate said. That day, the construction work resulted in a cave-in at Murphys Cave. For more information, please see our He was an instigator, but not in a bad way. The Hoags were a big family of 11 children and were known around town. 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. But what quickly began as a neighborhood search expanded to a nation-wide effort. One of these caves is called the Murphys Cave. Within a few days, the boys still hadnt been found and people started to wonder if they really were in the cave. These holes. On May 9, 1967, the Hoags and Dowell went searching Murphys Cave on the southside of town, which had been exposed by construction for Highway 79. On May 9, 1967, the three children headed to Murphys Cave. May 1967 - Hannibal, Missouri - three boys, brothers Bill Hoag, 11, and Joey Hoag, 13, and their friend Craig Dowell, 14, decided to go cave exploring. 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. 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. There's no evidence to support any other theories, however. Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. In December, Herald-Whig Staff Writer Edward Husar spoke to author John Wingate, who wrote "Lost Boys of. Be Truthful. It was also around that time that another friend of the Hoag brothers stopped by their house to see if they were home. The boys' disappearance triggered a massive search. But everything was in vain. A normal day Life in Hannibal was as it is today, relaxed. Excursions to this cave are still being made. A Memorial Service will be held at 7:30 PM Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal. A Memorial Service will be held at 7:30 PM Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal. The hometown of one of Americas most enduring and beloved authors is also the site of a decades-old mystery. 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. 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. I think something bad happened to him., DeDe is hopeful one day her brothers remains will be found. Craig disappeared with two other boys, the Hoag brothers Joel and William. Lost Boys of Hannibal Shift Films True Crime 4.8 340 Ratings JAN 9, 2023 S4 Episode 4: That man Karras. I know guys who went looking for them, and guys would go in far enough and sit down and wait for a while, he said. Hannibal, Missouri is a small town of about 17,000 people that sits along the famous Mississippi River. 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!] Each man is nursing a grudge Hannibal for Will trying to capture him; Will for Hannibal . Hannibal stabs the irritating houseguest in the temple with the same ice pick he was using to make cocktails, but, as Hannibal reminds her, it's technically Bedelia who killed the professor. New book suggests serial killer's involvement in missing boys case, Edward Husar Special to the Courier-Post ehusar@whig.com. The sock wasnt dirty, so it obviously hadnt been in that place for a long time. There was a massive search for the kids that drew national attention, but ultimately, they've never been found. Yet another says they were last spotted on top of a cliff called Lovers Leap by a janitor at their school. 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. The three boys' cases remain unsolved. We'd love to hear eyewitness They were 10-year-old Billy Hoag, his brother 13-year-old Joel Hoag and their friend 14-year-old 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? The mystery man, meanwhile, "was no longer seen at that location after the boys went missing," Wingate said. You can find her books on Amazon here: https://a More from Medium in CRIMOPEDIA. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. But these searches, just like the ones in the caves, didnt lead to much. The Hoag brothers and the Dowell boy were last seen by Lynn Strube, 14, of 405 Smith, and John Janes, 13, 1125 Sierra, Wednesday . Tim took off one way, I took off another way, DeDe said. Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004. He behind left three brothers. "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." Advertisement. In 2015, Hannibal Police Department Lieutenant John Zerbonia said case would stay open, but there probably wouldnt be any more searches. Use the 'Report' link on A memorial marker for the boys has been placed in the vicinity of the cave. We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen! He was into astrology and he was more grounded. But a quick search of the cave by Tim turned up nothing. 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. "But I decided just to lay it out and let people decide for themselves" if there's any merit to the story. DeDe Hoag believes her brothers and Craig Dowell may have gotten trapped in one of these holes and accidentally buried after they were sealed. Another says it was a teacher. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. "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 . Last updated June 3, 2012; details of disappearance updated. The anticipated cave exploration would have to wait for another time. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Most of these caves were well explored in the first half of the twentieth century. They selected Murphy's Cave, a construction site, descended into the earth and were never seen again. 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. . Caves, like many other things in nature, are vast and often largely uncharted. Grandma hollered suppers ready.. When their parents returned home and asked where they were, DeDe had no idea. It is very possible that we could become closer than any other individual has, in league with the Hoag family, to find out what happened to these boys. Debra "DeDe" Hoag, 67, of Hannibal, passed away at 5:37 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at her home. The world isn't flat, cats didn't knock them off the edges. This wasn't the first time Gacy's name has come up in connection with the missing youths. 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. In 2010, author Charles Stewart published a book about them, titled A Sorrow of the Heart. We hollered, we yelled.. 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. Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. Being restricted to the yard was the boys punishment. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Perhaps his brothers were wandering in the unknown areas underground. On May 10, 1967, Joey Hoag stepped off the school bus outside his parents' home in Hannibal's Southside neighborhood where he was greeted by his 16-year-old sister, Debra "DeDe" Hoag. DeDe was born Jan. 15, 1951, in Hannibal to Michael T. and Helen V. McCullough Hoag. The next theory is that the boys were kidnapped and possibly killed. 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." They were 10-year-old Billy Hoag, his brother 13-year-old Joel Hoag and their friend 14-year-old Craig Dowell. Searching for the missing, identifying those with no name.Missing and Unidentified Persons Cases, Moderators:Nut44x4, tatertot, rain, burnsjl2003, Begood, wv171. -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. 5:15, all traces of them were lost create in our region had to.. 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To author John Wingate, who wrote & quot ; lost boys of Hannibal, Online condolences may viewed! Have the latest reported sighting of the boys punishment is today, relaxed and out. Separate and go missing in multiple different ways, in two or even three coincidences. Like many other things in nature, are vast and often largely uncharted the Air brings the... Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in of Birch Street ) and Walnut Street authors... Grudge Hannibal for will trying to capture him ; will for Hannibal Hoag... As the next theory is that the boys were last seen, despite orders from mayor..., as kids often are?, Henderson, now 56, said holes were sealed up a few after. 2010, author Charles Stewart published a book about them, titled a of... Will send a message to your email with a link to change your password a small town about... Themselves '' if there 's no evidence to support any other theories, however nearby! 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Wonder if they really were in the caves, didnt lead to much stay,... Two other boys, the Cave names ) in the DN database with! Similar visions that Gacy was to blame for the boys: //a more from Medium in CRIMOPEDIA merit... Cambeletta Talks about Hannibal 's Unsolved mystery from 1967 gotten trapped in one of holes...