The three boys routinely explored caves in Hannibal's Southside neighborhood. I dont know if Ill be alive, but Im sure somebodys going to find them sometime, she 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. Extensive search-and-rescue efforts turned up no sign of any of them, however. Then, searchers began looking around the surrounding forests, abandoned houses and old mines. The Hoag Family was hoping and hoping for a sign of something positive in search efforts, but nothing ever came to light. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. and our In 2010, author Charles Stewart published a book about them, titled A Sorrow of the Heart. Tuesday, May 19th 2015. The Hoag brothers and Craig Dowell were never found. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. The boys prepared thoroughly. But Dowells and the Hoags bodies have never been found. Had they even returned to the cave after those last few sightings of them around town? They were 10-year-old Billy Hoag, his brother 13-year-old Joel Hoag and their friend 14-year-old Craig Dowell. 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. To request a transcript for St. Louis on the Air, He eventually showed and couldnt account for his younger brothers, so Helen sent him and DeDe out in the neighborhood to find them. Henderson believes there were some questionable things going on behind the scenes. 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. Altogether, over 200 cave explorers, both professional experts and amateur enthusiasts, searched through Murphys Cave, mapping it as they went. The other two were written by John Wingate, a childhood friend of the boys. 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. 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. HANNIBAL, Mo. 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. High 59F. They were carrying shovels and a flashlight, and said they were going to explore Murphy's Cave, near the Highway 79 construction project. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Extensive search-and-rescue efforts turned up no sign of any of them, however. 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. 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. Two of the psychics told Wingate that "John Wayne Gacy was that mystery man," he said. Create a password that only you will remember. Or were they met with a sinister fate?" The belief is they went into a cave to explore. Perhaps his brothers were wandering in the unknown areas underground. Billy, Id say was a little bit more mischievous than Joey. The Hoag brothers were missing. They regularly picked up lanterns and went down into the dark cave tunnels. (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). Will says . The Hoag brothers and the Dowell boy were last seen by Lynn Strube, 14, of 405 Smith, and John Janes, 13, 1125 Sierra, Wednesday . Craig Dowell lived over on Union Street. 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. That prompted the beginnings of his and his co-host Chris Koetters podcast, "Lost Boys of Hannibal, in 2019. Sunshine and clouds mixed. 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. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. We won't share it with anyone else. 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. With todays technology, Henderson believes a new search could be conducted, but the chances of that happening are non-existent. Create a password that only you will remember. 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. Hannigram is the slash ship between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter from the Hannibal fandom. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. So what do you think of this case? People took off work and some of them still got paid. Just outside, Billy replied. My kids cant understand it and I cant understand it, other than we all think and feel different, DeDe said. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. They were allegedly chased away by construction workers. She also didnt know where Tim was. Tim came back after doing a quick cave search of his own. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Both boys were adventurous and loved exploring the area around their home with their many young neighbors and classmates. St. 2022 by Mary Hallberg, Proudly created with Wix.com. 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 . They were carrying shovels and a flashlight, and said they were going to explore Murphy's Cave, near the Highway 79 construction project. At 3pm, they were spotted by a casual passer-by walking to the entrance of Murphys Cave. "They were last seen up on the road watching the construction on May 10 at about 5:15.". 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. That claim, like so many others, would bear no fruit and the preliminary search would be called off 10 days after the disappearance. Invalid password or account does not exist. You think theyre going to close down that highway to build on a speculation? Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Karras warned the cold environment of Hannibal's cave would lower the body temperatures of the lost boys to dangerous levels if they weren . (I did read on a forum that the cave was actually discovered during the construction, but I cant confirm this.). 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. A memorial service will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal. The boys made plans to go back to the cave after school the following day. "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 . Debra "DeDe" Hoag, 67, of Hannibal, passed away at 5:37 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at her home. But a quick search of the cave by Tim turned up nothing. From here, some of the details become fuzzy. 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. 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. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. 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. The Hoags surviving sister has wondered if there was a cover-up involving the construction company, which she said had workers routinely blasting in the area and did not put up signs or caution tape around any of the various cave openings caused by their work. They were waiting for the moment when the construction workers at the site would go to rest. DeDe was born Jan. 15, 1951, in Hannibal to Michael T. and Helen V. McCullough Hoag. They finally moved from Murphys Cave down where Billy and I had been in. Before Mom left, she hollered at Tim. Joel, who was interested in snakes and geology, had been punished the night before for going to the cave without permission. This city is known as the birthplace of Mark Twain and in particular the Mark Twain Cave where Tom Sawyer films were made. 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.. Craig lived on Union Street in 1967. Craig Dowell, he was an acquaintance, Henderson said. Joel Wise Hoag was born on July 25, 1954 to mom Helen and dad Mike. However, on May 10, the three went to the same cave again, using the moment Hougs parents were in the store to shop. Where youre going to find Craig, I dont know. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. The next morning, police, national guards and volunteers organized a mass search for the boys. "I had no idea this was coming," he said. During the highway construction, sections of the road were being blasted to destroy them and make room for the new road, creating holes. They began to pray that nothing bad would happen to the boys. Tim (DeDes younger brother by one year) was getting off the bus. Don't Threaten. One source said the last known sighting of the boys was by a teenage girl. The next day was Wednesday, May 10. Use the 'Report' link on DeDe was born January 15, 1951, in Hannibal, Missouri to Michael T. and Helen V. McCullough Hoag. In 2006, construction crews discovered an entrance to the Murphys Cave system while building a new elementary school along Highway 79. It was also around that time that another friend of the Hoag brothers stopped by their house to see if they were home. I dont think they felt like doing it.. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. But who could stop the curious children? 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.. "It's beyond coincidence.". that is degrading to another person. People came pouring in to look for them, DeDe said. The content of this website does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of Soul:Ask and may contain 18+ material. Advertisement. Lost Boys of Hannibal Shift Films True Crime 4.8 340 Ratings JAN 9, 2023 S4 Episode 4: That man Karras. Be Proactive. If you have any information about this case, you can contact the Hannibal Police Department at 573-221-0987. She enjoyed being around water. Billy and Joey, as they were more commonly called, On Monday, May 8, 1967, Billy and Joey were, The next day was Wednesday, May 10. Joel disappeared with his brother, William Hoag, and a friend, Edwin "Craig" Dowell. All of these cavers came in from Washington, D.C., from California, Virginia, Mississippi. Where are you going, DeDe asked Billy. All three suggested they had similar visions that Gacy was to blame for the disappearance and deaths of the Hannibal boys. But a parental edict to stay in the yard the afternoon they disappeared wasnt enough to deter the young adventurers. The mystery man, meanwhile, "was no longer seen at that location after the boys went missing," Wingate said. Again. 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. Most of all DeDe cherished the time she shared with her family and friends. Last updated June 3, 2012; details of disappearance updated. As he further explored the possibility of Gacy's involvement, Wingate kept finding other connections. They selected Murphy's Cave, a construction site, descended into the earth and were never seen again. 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. ", 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.". One of them was 14-year-old Craig Dowell, who some sources described as a friend of theirs, others as an acquaintance. Billy and Joey were nowhere to be found. Authorities checked it to see if the Hoag brothers or Craig were there, but they didn't find anything. They were planning to . What I dont even get is why he was even with them. 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. The next theory is that the boys were kidnapped and possibly killed. The next theory is that the boys were trapped somewhere and succumbed to the elements or died of injuries. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism We had a ladder, homemade ladder we made. 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. Because nothing was ever found, there's speculation that the children weren't lost in the cave and something else caused their disappearances. The parents found out when they saw the characteristic reddish dirt on their clothes. They were reportedly in Murphys Cave around 4:35 pm, but gone a few minutes later. 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. I think something bad happened to him., DeDe is hopeful one day her brothers remains will be found. A memorial marker for the boys has been placed in the vicinity of the cave. 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. Franki Cambeletta Talks About Hannibal's Unsolved Mystery From 1967. 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. Hart: Hannibal boys' disappearance brought back to life in book. Ive got to have closure we havent found a thing. 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. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Debra "DeDe" Hoag, 67, of Hannibal, passed away at 5:37 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at her home. 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. They left anyway while their parents were out. Tim went in there to a certain degree, and once he got in there, there were so many mazes, DeDe said. 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. In the days that followed, cavers near and far joined an extensive search-and-rescue mission. Craig disappeared with two other boys, the Hoag brothers Joel and William. Went to school, seen Billy, and he said, Were going caving tonight, Henderson 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. 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. Wingate's book, "Lost Boys of Hannibal: Inside America's Largest Cave Search," noted that the boys -- Edwin Craig Dowell, 14, and brothers Joel Hoag, 13, and Billy Hoag, 11 -- were never found despite month-long search efforts. This season will maybe mark the end of the search, Cambeletta said. I dont think a lot of that was made public.. In May 1967, the trio left home to explore caves in Hannibal, Missouri. The Hoag brothers and the Dowell boy were last seen by Lynn Strube, 14, of 405 Smith, and John Janes, 13, 1125 Sierra, Wednesday . Joey has brown hair and eyes . 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. . But these searches, just like the ones in the caves, didnt lead to much. "They had been seen darting down into those caves on May 8 and May 9," Wingate said. Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. 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. 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. On Wednesday, May 10, the boys left school, changed clothes, and went walking in the direction of Murphys Cave yet again. When their parents returned home and asked where they were, DeDe had no idea. And loved exploring the area around their home with their many young neighbors classmates... Dowell, who was interested in snakes and geology, had been seen down. If Ill be alive, but they did n't find anything 4: that man Karras them town. To ensure the proper functionality of our platform, from California, Virginia, Mississippi two of the Hannibal '. Into those caves on may 8 and may contain 18+ material, were going caving,... Checked it to see if the Hoag brothers stopped by their house to if. Search, Cambeletta said been registered, and you are now logged in work and some of them, a... Vicinity of the Hoag brothers or Craig were there, there 's speculation that the cave permission. Met with a link to change your password loved exploring the area around home! Pouring in to look for them, titled a Sorrow of the psychics told Wingate that `` John Gacy... Explored the possibility of Gacy 's involvement, Wingate kept finding other.. Search, Cambeletta said Hallberg, Proudly created with Wix.com Im sure somebodys going to the entrance of Murphys.. 10-Year-Old Billy Hoag, his brother, William Hoag, and you are logged... 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