DeDe was born January 15, 1951, in Hannibal, Missouri to Michael T. and Helen V. McCullough Hoag. 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 case would be the subject of several books and even a true crime-style podcast. Henderson also remembers a few theories as well. Billy and Joey were nowhere to be found. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. [News Article] (http://www.hannibal.net/article/20120528/NEWS/305289977). Nearly 55 years ago, two young brothers and their friend gathered. The world isn't flat, cats didn't knock them off the edges. Invalid password or account does not exist. But in 1967, three boys went on their own adventure in the town and never returned. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. 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. I dont think they felt like doing it.. Create a password that only you will remember. It was searched by police but, again, no trace of the boys was found. that is degrading to another person. . Hannibal, Missouri is a small town of about 17,000 people that sits along the famous Mississippi River. They were carrying shovels and a flashlight, and said they were going to explore Murphy's Cave, near the Highway 79 construction project. 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 feared crashes and other disasters. You think theyre going to close down that highway to build on a speculation? They even summoned a few psychics who claimed they could feel the place where the children had disappeared. Extensive search-and-rescue efforts turned up no sign of any of them, however. Ive been to psychiatrists, neurologists, counselors. 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. Hart: Hannibal boys' disappearance brought back to life in book. Fifty-four years ago this month, three boys went missing in Hannibal, Missouri, and were never seen again. HANNIBAL Missouri's Route 79 is a beautiful roadway that cuts through the state's eastern hills and tiny, subtle towns. Online condolences may be made and video tribute may be viewed at www.jamesodonnellfuneralhome.com. We hollered, we yelled.. Searching As it turned out another neighborhood boy was missing too. These holes. According to an October 2020 post on John Wingates website. They regularly picked up lanterns and went down into the dark cave tunnels. 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. 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. He says he has lived all over the world and calls Quincy home, though he resides in Hannibal now. Like I just alluded to, The next theory is that the boys were trapped somewhere and succumbed to the elements or died of injuries. Many people, including Wingate, speculated that the boys likely became trapped or smothered deep underground by tons of collapsed rock after cave walls and ceilings became cracked and unstable from explosive charges used by road-building crews. Partly cloudy skies. 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. They were 10-year-old Billy Hoag, his brother 13-year-old Joel Hoag and their friend 14-year-old Craig Dowell. A writer and author of crime thrillers living in the UK. The opening was between the ending southbound lanes off the nearby viaduct (the start of Birch Street) and Walnut Street. All new tunnels have been carefully inspected. 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. A third theory he and Koetters have explored one that the Hoag boys mother ascribed to, according to Cambeletta is that some kind of cover-up was involved. "They were last seen up on the road watching the construction on May 10 at about 5:15.". or anything. They left anyway while their parents were out. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 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. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Im having a big time still struggling with it. Or were they met with a sinister fate?" (I did read on a forum that the cave was actually discovered during the construction, but I cant confirm this.). Hannibal Police checked all departing trains the day the boys left to make sure they werent attempting to run away or, worse yet, had been kidnapped. Most of these caves were well explored in the first half of the twentieth century. The case of the Lost Boys of Hannibal has been the subject of at least three books. Despite the workers warning, the boys went back the next with two of their friends. 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. Ive got to have closure we havent found a thing. Last updated June 3, 2012; picture and clothing/jewelry description added, details of disappearance updated. For example, during the massive cave search for the boys in 1967, there were reports in Hannibal that a "mystery man" had been hanging around for a couple days near the cave openings where road construction was occurring -- a place where the three boys had been playing in the days prior to their disappearance. 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. The boys made plans to go back to the cave after school the following day. They were always home by 9 oclock, DeDe said. Wed, 20 May 2015 04:21:51 GMT Joey, Billy, and the Hoag kids had many hobbies while growing up in Hannibal. 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. No. Karras warned the cold environment of Hannibal's cave would lower the body temperatures of the lost boys to dangerous levels if they weren . There are a few contradictory accounts of exactly what happened between now and the time anyone realized Billy, Joey and Craig were missing. Partly cloudy skies. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. Be Proactive. Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, 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. (AP) The rescue missions more than 50 years apart parallel one another, demonstrating the dangers of amateur caving and the painstaking process to rescue those trapped. The boys' disappearance triggered a massive search. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Joey was a little more serious. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. There wasnt much evidence I could find that they would want to do this, and they all had plans for that evening that they never showed up for. Billy, Id say was a little bit more mischievous than Joey. The aforementioned book Souls Speak also explores the possibility that they were early victims of John Wayne Gacy. Cookie Notice Billy Hoag, Joel Hoag, and Craig Dowell; Hannibals Lost Boys. (Courtesy: Hannibal Courier-Post). He eventually showed and couldnt account for his younger brothers, so Helen sent him and DeDe out in the neighborhood to find them. 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. DeDe loved St. Louis Cardinals baseball. In 2010, author Charles Stewart published a book about them, titled A Sorrow of the Heart. 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. The preliminary search was called off 10 days later, though another source said the cave would continue to be searched for the next month. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Did the boys die inside the sprawling underground Murphy's Cave where they were reportedly seen heading? Billy and Joey, as they were more commonly called, also had nine other siblings. 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. The Hoag brothers and the Dowell boy were last seen by Lynn Strube, 14, of 405 Smith, and John Janes, 13, 1125 Sierra, Wednesday . My kids cant understand it and I cant understand it, other than we all think and feel different, DeDe said. 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. 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. Psychics and clairvoyants of the day reached out with claims the boys were locked in a train car with oranges. "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 . Henderson found it odd that Billy wasnt there. Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. 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. 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. Its entirely possible that even the most meticulous of searches could fail to turn up human remains. Before Mom left, she hollered at Tim. I dont know if it was the first day or the second day, but I was having dreams and everything; about Billy and Joey. A new book released last week puts a surprising new ending on a 52-year-old Hannibal story. Just before 6:30 pm, Helen Hoag called the police. 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. Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004. The three boys' cases remain unsolved. I cant speak for him, but he saw them walking up toward the highway, Henderson said. During the highway construction, sections of the road were being blasted to destroy them and make room for the new road, creating holes. I dont think he was really good friends with Joey, but he wasnt no big friend of Billy and I. I can tell you that. He said all three women identified some of the same key locations in connection with Gacy and the missing boys. The boys shared a sense of adventure, much like the heroes of Mark Twains novels Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. All rights reserved. So they were just really exploratory kids outside enjoying nature.. Be Truthful. Caves, like many other things in nature, are vast and often largely uncharted. Joel and Craig were both eighth-graders at Hannibal Junior High at the time of their disappearances. Lost Boys of Hannibal Shift Films True Crime 4.8 340 Ratings JAN 9, 2023 S4 Episode 4: That man Karras. "I've always been skeptical of this stuff," he 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 tunnels of Murphys Cave are very complex and winding. Again. Share with Us. Lets go over some theories and speculation. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Hundreds of people explored the tunnels of all nearby caves, not just Murphys Cave. Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004. BOONE COUNTY - The story of the three lost boys of Hannibal remains a mystery after a cave search ended empty-handed five decades ago. I dont think a lot of that was made public.. One of these caves is called the Murphys Cave. As a result, only one probable trace of the boys was found a baby sock lying near the entrance to the cave. We'd love to hear eyewitness A memorial marker for the boys has been placed in the vicinity of the cave. The three boys' cases remain unsolved. Franki Cambeletta Talks About Hannibal's Unsolved Mystery From 1967. But Dowells and the Hoags bodies have never been found. There's no evidence to support any other theories, however. Visitation will be from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM Tuesday at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home. Podcasters Franki Cambeletta and Chris Koetters have done a pretty deep dive into the case and even said they want to solve it. 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. Craig disappeared with two other boys, the Hoag brothers Joel and William. 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.. HANNIBAL, Mo. The first was A Sorrow of the Heart by Charles Stewart***, published in either 2009 or 2010. 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. by Jack Pluta. For more information, please see our Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. She also didnt know where Tim was. Have the latest local news delivered every day so you don't miss out on updates. 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. The Hoag brothers and the Dowell boy were last seen by Lynn Strube, 14, of 405 Smith, and John Janes, 13, 1125 Sierra, Wednesday . They were reportedly in Murphys Cave around 4:35 pm, but gone a few minutes later. Be Truthful. Theyre not sleeping, Im not sleeping till they get home. Where do you think they are?, Henderson, now 56, said. When they werent home by 5:45, their brother Tim started looking for them. "For 52 years, the consensus has been that the three Hannibal boys were lost in a calamitous collapse inside the cave," Wingate said. From here, some of the details become fuzzy. There was a serious rebuke. Don't Threaten. 41 dogs, puppies rescued from hoarder in rural Mo. The other two were written by John Wingate, a childhood friend of the boys. 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