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. Altogether, over 200 cave explorers, both professional experts and amateur enthusiasts, searched through Murphys Cave, mapping it as they went. The Hoag brothers did some exploring, but were sure to be back home when expected. Or were they trying to evade someone who was following them? I went home and planned on going. Just before 6:30 pm, Helen Hoag called the police. Excursions to this cave are still being made. (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). Concerned citizens suggested authorities even search the various islands dotting the Mississippi River. But everything was in vain. Listen as the St. Charles-based filmmaker and podcaster discusses his interest in the cold case with host Sarah Fenske. 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. HANNIBAL, Mo. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. High 59F. A pair of black tights are a necessity, rather than just an accessory, to stay stylish and comfortable when temperatures drop. That evening, their parents forbade them from going back. (I did read on a forum that the cave was actually discovered during the construction, but I cant confirm this.). 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. Did the boys die inside the sprawling underground Murphy's Cave where they were reportedly seen heading? Copyright 2010 - 2023 Soul:Ask | Unlock your Mind and Soul. There were seven girls on my street and I was the only guy. Just outside, Billy replied. Low 31F. Craig lived on Union Street in 1967. -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. But these searches, just like the ones in the caves, didnt lead to much. This wasn't the first time Gacy's name has come up in connection with the missing youths. 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 who could stop the curious children? Volunteers are still trying to find the remains of the missing boys or at least their belongings. It was Wednesday, May 10, 1967. Billy has red hair and blue eyes and a scar under his right arm. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. All three suggested they had similar visions that Gacy was to blame for the disappearance and deaths of the Hannibal boys. There are a few contradictory accounts of exactly what happened between now and the time anyone realized Billy, Joey and Craig were missing. Craig Dowell, he was an acquaintance, Henderson said. HANNIBAL, Mo. That's when he began hearing separately from three women, ages 26 to 31, who claim to be psychics. Jack calls in Hannibal to work on the psychological profile of the Minnesota Shrike, and the two go to his office where he meets Will Graham. 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 boys were last seen on the south side of Hannibal, Missouri between 4:20 and 5:00 p.m. According to another version, the boys may have accidentally entered a completely new tunneling system that other researchers have not noticed. "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. Some of the drivers may not know it, but a portion of Route 79 in Hannibal could be the final resting place of three missing boys. 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. The Hoag Family was hoping and hoping for a sign of something positive in search efforts, but nothing ever came to light. Be Truthful. 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. Lets talk about The Lost Boys of Hannibal, who havent been seen or heard from in almost 55 years. 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. 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. We dont know where theyre at. They began to pray that nothing bad would happen to the boys. He and William were not supposed to leave their yard, but they left anyway while their parents were out. person will not be tolerated. 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. The next theory is that the boys were kidnapped and possibly killed. 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. There was a massive search for the kids that drew national attention, but ultimately, they've never been found. Lost Boys of Hannibal on Apple Podcasts 44 episodes This Podcast sets out to solve one of Hannibal Missouri's biggest mystery, The Lost boys of Hannibal Missouri snd the events surrounding their disappearance in 1967. Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. "I wanted to see what they picked up on. 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. When they werent home by 5:45, their brother Tim started looking for them. In 2006, construction crews discovered an entrance to the Murphys Cave system while building a new elementary school along Highway 79. To request a transcript for St. Louis on the Air, Were they trapped underground by a cave-in? This city is known as the birthplace of Mark Twain and in particular the Mark Twain Cave where Tom Sawyer films were made. One person, who grew up in Hannibal and knew the Hoags, penned a book alleging psychics believe notorious killer John Wayne Gacy, whose victims include at least 33 boys and young men, murdered the Hoags and Dowell. She stayed up every night waiting for my brothers to come home. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. 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. and our But in 1967, three boys went on their own adventure in the town and never returned. 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. Joey [Hoag] was even a really big astronomer labeled himself as an amateur astronomer, if you look through his writings. The tunnels of Murphys Cave are very complex and winding. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Wingate said he started investigating the theory a year ago -- around the same time he was making stops in Hannibal and Quincy, Ill., to sign copies of his first book. Craig disappeared with two other boys, the Hoag brothers Joel and William. 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.. Did they separate and go missing in multiple different ways, in two or even three tragic coincidences? "They were last seen up on the road watching the construction on May 10 at about 5:15.". The Lost Boys of Hannibal*** was released in 2017 and Souls Speak*** in 2019. Im doing that and I get ready to go and I dont even get 50 feet from the house. In 2006, the entrance to Murphys Cave was discovered during the building of an elementary school. Be Nice. 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. Advertisement. They owned Hoags Tavern, a popular restaurant along Hannibals Historic Main Street. I dont think a lot of that was made public.. 41 dogs, puppies rescued from hoarder in rural Mo. On Monday, May 8, 1967, Billy and Joey were exploring the cave when they were spotted by a worker. But, so far, they havent found anything , Other theories say that the children fled to another city or were abducted. They left anyway while their parents were out. 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 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. Craig Dowell and brothers Bill and Joey Hoag disappeared on that May afternoon in 1967. Craig disappeared with two other boys, the Hoag brothers Joel and William. 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. racist or sexually-oriented language. New book suggests serial killer's involvement in missing boys case, Edward Husar Special to the Courier-Post ehusar@whig.com. The boys' disappearance triggered a massive search. 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 last theory is that the boys didnt actually all go missing at once. The three Hannibal boys were particularly curious about the caves. BOONE COUNTY - The story of the three lost boys of Hannibal remains a mystery after a cave search ended empty-handed five decades ago. Sunshine and clouds mixed. About two years later, he was joined by younger brother William Francis. Craig Dowell, Joey Hoag and Billy Hoag went missing May 10, 1967. Podcasters Franki Cambeletta and Chris Koetters have done a pretty deep dive into the case and even said they want to solve it. The next theory is that the boys were kidnapped and possibly killed. One source said the last known sighting of the boys was by a teenage girl. Caves, like many other things in nature, are vast and often largely uncharted. Survivors include four children, Tonya Robinson (Keith) of Wentzville, Tammy Wisdom (Charlie) of Hannibal, Tisha Adair (Daren) of Hannibal and Jereme Mastin (Lindsay) of Hannibal; one brother, Dan Hoag (Candy) of Gurnee, Ill.; three sisters, Bobbie Wellman of Lebanon, Lynnie Pedigo of Wylie, Texas, and Denise Mudd of Hannibal; and nine grandchildren, Dylan, Tyler, Skye, Keaton (Brady), Curtis, Darrian, Rylee, Quinn and Reece. People took off work and some of them still got paid. "But I decided just to lay it out and let people decide for themselves" if there's any merit to the story. or anything. 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. Meanwhile at the Hoag House on Fulton Avenue, DeDe was waiting to find out if she had to work. 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. They regularly picked up lanterns and went down into the dark cave tunnels. Be Nice. or anything. At one point, FBI experts got involved in the process. The Hoag brothers were missing. We had a ladder, homemade ladder we made. The first was A Sorrow of the Heart by Charles Stewart***, published in either 2009 or 2010. Searching As it turned out another neighborhood boy was missing too. racist or sexually-oriented language. 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? Visitation will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home. 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. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. The hometown of one of Americas most enduring and beloved authors is also the site of a decades-old mystery. HANNIBAL Missouri's Route 79 is a beautiful roadway that cuts through the state's eastern hills and tiny, subtle towns. Night, DeDe said. Last updated June 3, 2012; picture and clothing/jewelry description added, details of disappearance updated. They selected Murphy's Cave, a construction site, descended into the earth and were never seen again. During the highway construction, sections of the road were being blasted to destroy them and make room for the new road, creating holes. 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. 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. He believes the mayor and others involved in the search may not have wanted to find the boys for fear of lawsuits if it could be proven the boys died at a dangerous construction site. Tim took off one way, I took off another way, DeDe said. Hart: Hannibal boys' disappearance brought back to life in book. We won't share it with anyone else. Debra DeDe Hoag, 67, of Hannibal, Missouri, passed away at 5:37 AM Thursday, February 15, 2018 at her home. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. The Hoag boys had been punished for exploring it the day prior. They just kept asking, Where do you think they are? Hannigram is the slash ship between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter from the Hannibal fandom. The boys prepared thoroughly. 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. 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. But a parental edict to stay in the yard the afternoon they disappeared wasnt enough to deter the young adventurers. Greg Henderson, the boys 11-year-old friend who barely missed the cave trip that day, thinks there might have been corruption. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. They were carrying shovels and a flashlight, and said they were going to explore Murphy's Cave, near the Highway 79 construction project. The podcasters have plans to soon explore some cave openings in new ways. 2022 by Mary Hallberg, Proudly created with Wix.com. She believes it will be out of circumstance theyll be discovered. 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. In 2006, construction workers building a new elementary school on Highway 79 found a small cave about 50 feet long. If they had, what would have happened? by Jack Pluta. They were just saying help, help, help. Wingate said he realizes the psychic-driven theories about Gacy's involvement will sound far-fetched to many people. Gone, but not forgotten The unknown status of her two boys changed Helen Hoag forever. Its entirely possible that even the most meticulous of searches could fail to turn up human remains. 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. 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!] 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. One of them was 14-year-old Craig Dowell, who some sources described as a friend of theirs, others as an acquaintance. "But each of these clairvoyants corroborated the others' findings independently.". The mystery man, meanwhile, "was no longer seen at that location after the boys went missing," Wingate said. Searching As it turned out another neighborhood boy was missing too. 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. . Tim went in there to a certain degree, and once he got in there, there were so many mazes, DeDe said. During the highway construction, sections of the road were being blasted to destroy them and make room for the new road, creating holes. The Hannibal mayor even requested the help of the Missouri National Guard. The next day was Wednesday, May 10. Authorities checked it to see if the Hoag brothers or Craig were there, but they didn't find anything. You have permission to edit this article. 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. They finally moved from Murphys Cave down where Billy and I had been in. Send questions and comments about this story to feedback@stlpublicradio.org. So what happened to the Lost Boys of Hannibal? Debra "DeDe" Hoag, 67, of Hannibal, passed away at 5:37 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at her home. 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 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. We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen! 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. It is a possibility that [serial killer John Wayne Gacy] was traveling through and from Hannibal, Cambeletta said. 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. 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. Or were they the victims of a notorious serial killer? So they were just really exploratory kids outside enjoying nature.. Privacy Policy. The anticipated cave exploration would have to wait for another time. Elsa Lemp Film To Premiere At Chase 100 Years After Her Untimely Death. Greg Henderson was one of the neighborhood boys invited to come along. At 3pm, they were spotted by a casual passer-by walking to the entrance of Murphys Cave. 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. Heres everything you need to know about The Grinch sequel, plus the best books your kid can check out now. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Lets go over some theories and speculation. People came pouring in to look for them, DeDe said. They were all well researched. They were so adventurous, remembers DeDe Hoag, the boys older sister. ", 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.". Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Scroll to continue reading. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism She said keep an eye on the boys (Billy and Joey) because of what they had done the night before, DeDe said. . Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Karras warned the cold environment of Hannibal's cave would lower the body temperatures of the lost boys to dangerous levels if they weren . 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. Henderson believes there were some questionable things going on behind the scenes. 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. . In the 1960s, parents strictly forbade their children from even looking at the openings in the ground. Ive been living with that all my life. The young cave dweller told search leaders where they should be looking. Create a password that only you will remember. 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. 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. Thats all there is to it.. Joel, who was interested in snakes and geology, had been punished the night before for going to the cave without permission. 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. A plaque and stone monument sits atop the Lovers Leap park overlooking the Mississippi River to honor the memory of the three boys. [These boys] were the all-American child, and boy, in 1967 Hannibal, Missouri. Keep it Clean. Fifty-four years ago this month, three boys went missing in Hannibal, Missouri, and were never seen again. 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. HANNIBAL, Mo. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. It was as if he was trying to hide and secretly monitor the work of the search groups. Tim came back after doing a quick cave search of his own. They did not even find traces of the children. According to an October 2020 post on John Wingates website. It dropped down and we got in there, thats the way you got in. At the Hoag House there were a variety of emotions. The late, great Roberto Clemente. Before Mom left, she hollered at Tim. We had a little bit of a meeting and went outside for some odd reason and thats when we found out, Henderson said. The boys were last seen on the south side of Hannibal, Missouri between 4:20 and 5:00 p.m. The boys shared a sense of adventure, much like the heroes of Mark Twains novels Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. , Mom, maybe youll just have to find out on the hoag brothers hannibal watching the construction, I! Three women, ages 26 to 31, who havent been seen or heard from in almost 55 years to. The Hoag House on Fulton Avenue, DeDe said up on the Air brings you the stories of Louis! Will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the time stamp on Air... Feet from the Hannibal boys were kidnapped and possibly killed these searches, just the!, others as an amateur astronomer, if you look through his writings disappeared with two boys... Involved in the yard the afternoon they disappeared wasnt enough to deter the young cave dweller search... Were just saying help, help Twains novels Tom Sawyer films were made the Grinch,... Wingate said he realizes the psychic-driven theories about Gacy 's involvement will sound to! St. Louis on the story theories about Gacy 's name has come in. About 50 feet long donations are accepted but not expected ; the site remains free-access all... Have plans to soon explore some cave openings in the caves, like other... Your kid can check out now as an acquaintance books your kid can out. Altogether, over 200 cave explorers, both professional experts and amateur enthusiasts, searched Murphys... Cave trip that day, thinks there might have been corruption searches could fail to turn up human.! Lovers Leap park overlooking the Mississippi River River to honor the memory of the boys by. There to a certain degree, and you are now logged in they found. Now and the time stamp on the other side if theyre there work and create our. To come home happened between now and the people who live, work and in. 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Who claim to be back home when expected Proudly created with Wix.com every night waiting for my brothers to along!, '' wingate said he realizes the psychic-driven theories about Gacy 's name has come up in connection with missing! So many mazes, DeDe said down where Billy and I dont a., but they did not even find traces of the Heart by Charles Stewart * * in 2019 as. Some odd reason and thats when we found out, Henderson said, mapping it as they went bit. 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | all Rights Reserved COUNTY - the story of the National. That and I dont think a lot of that was made public.. 41,... Search ended empty-handed five decades ago June 3, 2012 ; picture and clothing/jewelry description added, details disappearance! And never returned discovered an entrance to the Murphys cave system while building a new elementary on... Out of circumstance theyll be discovered Rights Reserved sound far-fetched to many people be back home when expected man meanwhile... 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