But, Within a few days, the boys still hadnt been found and people started to wonder if they really were in the cave. 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 content of this website does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of Soul:Ask and may contain 18+ material. Billy Hoag, Joel Hoag, and Craig Dowell; Hannibals Lost Boys. (Courtesy: Hannibal Courier-Post). They selected Murphy's Cave, a construction site, descended into the earth and were never seen again. We had a ladder, homemade ladder we made. They were carrying shovels and a flashlight, and said they were going to explore Murphy's Cave, near the Highway 79 construction project. Were they trapped underground by a cave-in? Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The last theory is that the boys didnt actually all go missing at once. These holes were sealed up a few days after the boys were last seen, despite orders from the mayor to keep them open. The show is now into its third season, and Cambeletta has also begun working on a documentary film about the case. A plaque and stone monument sits atop the Lovers Leap park overlooking the Mississippi River to honor the memory of the three boys. I really have a hard time dealing with it. 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. Nonetheless, this tight-knit community . Searchers checked the cave but there was no evidence of the trio. 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. Or were they the victims of a notorious serial killer? During the highway construction, sections of the road were being blasted to destroy them and make room for the new road, creating holes. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. 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. 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. Thats all there is to it.. Some of the passages they searched were so narrow that one of the more petite searchers, at 98 pounds, could barely squeeze in. It slithers and curves through the land just like the mighty Mississippi. The opening was between the ending southbound lanes off the nearby viaduct (the start of Birch Street) and Walnut Street. He just had that red hair and those blue eyes and those freckles. There was a serious rebuke. Henderson believes there were some questionable things going on behind the scenes. Again. -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. accounts, the history behind an article. All rights reserved. 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. Where are you going, DeDe asked Billy. That evening, their parents forbade them from going back. 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. The worker told them to get out because it was dangerous, but no known precautions were taken after that to keep other explorers away. Their family owned Hoag's Tavern, a popular restaurant on Main Street. They left anyway while their parents were out. William and Joel left behind five brothers and four sisters. Cookie Notice You can head over to this blog's corresponding YouTube video and let me know in the comments! 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. Hundreds of people explored the tunnels of all nearby caves, not just Murphys Cave. Joey and Billy came home from school, they were there in the house, and Joey went through the hallway. . 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. Brother Bill Dexheimer will officiate. DeDe Hoag believes her brothers and Craig Dowell may have gotten trapped in one of these holes and accidentally buried after they were sealed. As he further explored the possibility of Gacy's involvement, Wingate kept finding other connections. Hes very certain the boys are buried beneath the southbound lanes of Route 79 just before the Lovers Leap tourist sign. "I've always been skeptical of this stuff," he said. 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. 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. They were 10-year-old Billy Hoag, his brother 13-year-old Joel Hoag and their friend 14-year-old Craig Dowell. 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. But a parental edict to stay in the yard the afternoon they disappeared wasnt enough to deter the young adventurers. Joel Hoag, 13, Billy Hoag, 11, and Edwin Craig Dowell, 14, vanished May 10, 1967. Greg Henderson, the boys 11-year-old friend who barely missed the cave trip that day, thinks there might have been corruption. Youre going to have to have proof, beyond a shadow of a doubt, Henderson said. This city is known as the birthplace of Mark Twain and in particular the Mark Twain Cave where Tom Sawyer films were made. It was as if he was trying to hide and secretly monitor the work of the search groups. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. They were carrying shovels and a flashlight, and said they were going to explore Murphy's Cave, near the Highway 79 construction project. Create a password that only you will remember. 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. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. 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. 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. 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. Lets talk about The Lost Boys of Hannibal, who havent been seen or heard from in almost 55 years. Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004. 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.". One of the popular south side caves at the time, Murphys Cave, was one of the first places rescuers tried to look. Billy, Id say was a little bit more mischievous than Joey. 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. The perfect weather for being outside. In 2006, construction workers building a new elementary school on Highway 79 found a small cave about 50 feet long. But, again without result. Send questions and comments about this story to feedback@stlpublicradio.org. Threats of harming another However, on May 10, the three went to the same cave again, using the moment Hougs parents were in the store to shop. If you have any information about this case, you can contact the Hannibal Police Department at 573-221-0987. The Lost Boys of Hannibal*** was released in 2017 and Souls Speak*** in 2019. In the days that followed, cavers near and far joined an extensive search-and-rescue mission. Or were they trying to evade someone who was following them? 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 finally moved from Murphys Cave down where Billy and I had been in. They just kept asking, Where do you think they are? They did not even find traces of the children. Joey has brown hair and eyes and was last seen wearing a t-shirt and jeans. But a quick search of the cave by Tim turned up nothing. On March 10th, 1967, the three boys set off with flashlights and a shovel to go on an adventure, but sadly to never return home. He noticed that the boys were dragging a makeshift ladder of boards to lower themselves through the opening inside the cave. Craig disappeared with two other boys, the Hoag brothers Joel and William. Because nothing was ever found, there's speculation that the children weren't lost in the cave and something else caused their disappearances. For more information, please see our Tim came back after doing a quick cave search of his own. 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. The show is hosted by Sarah Fenske and produced by Alex Heuer, Emily Woodbury, Evie Hemphill and Lara Hamdan. It slithers and curves through the land just like the Mighty Mississippi River. You have permission to edit this article. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. We'd love to hear eyewitness 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,. Craig Dowell, he was an acquaintance, Henderson said. 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. Henderson also remembers a few theories as well. (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). 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. This large-scale search of the missing went on for 10 consecutive days and was among the most popular searches in Missouris history. Memorial contributions may be made to Community Loving Care Hospice. racist or sexually-oriented language. 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. All suspicious passageways, narrow cracks and still unexplored tunnels were carefully checked. We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen! Concerned citizens suggested authorities even search the various islands dotting the Mississippi River. When it was dark, the Hoags went to their neighbors and someone told them that they had seen the Hoag brothers and young Dole near the Murphy Cave. That day, the construction work resulted in a cave-in at Murphys Cave. Missouris Route 79 is a beautiful roadway cutting through the states eastern hills and tiny subtle towns. 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. 2022 by Mary Hallberg, Proudly created with Wix.com. Don't Threaten. So what do you think of this case? They feared crashes and other disasters. The anticipated cave exploration would have to wait for another time. "I wanted to see what they picked up on. The boys shared a sense of adventure, much like the heroes of Mark Twains novels Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Ive been living with that all my life. The young cave dweller told search leaders where they should be looking. She stayed up every night waiting for my brothers to come home. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. A memorial marker for the boys has been placed in the vicinity of the cave. 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. DeDe retired after working many years in retail sales as a manager. Local panic quickly brought national attention to the tiny river town in northern Missouri. The parents found out when they saw the characteristic reddish dirt on their clothes. What would have been the ramifications? We won't share it with anyone else. A Memorial Service will be held at 7:30 PM Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at the James O'Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Low 31F. Adjacent to the deep muddy waters, its the perfect route for the countrys Great River Road. The three boys' cases remain unsolved. Heres everything you need to know about The Grinch sequel, plus the best books your kid can check out now. The sun shined brightly in the blue sky and the temperature was very pleasant. Tim (DeDes younger brother by one year) was getting off the bus. But boys will be boys. 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. He says he has lived all over the world and calls Quincy home, though he resides in Hannibal now. Craig Dowell lived over on Union Street. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. 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. Joey Hoag, Billy Hoag, and Craig Dowell had simply vanished without a trace. "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 . The three Hannibal boys were particularly curious about the caves. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Local 17 year old helps in City SCs debut win, Geekie ends drought with 2 goals, Kraken beat Blues, KC Chiefs honored by Pro Football Hall of Fame, Back-to-back jacks from Goldynado in Cardinals win, Comedian Kevin James is coming to Stifel Theatre, TOOTSIE the comedy musical coming to the Fox Theatre, Brewsday Tuesday: Saint Louis Hop Shop -find good, Troy Family Dental in Illinois addresses periodontal, The cure for foundation leaks from Woods Basement, There is a surgery-free option for E.D. Its entirely possible that even the most meticulous of searches could fail to turn up human remains. Don't Threaten. 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. Advertisement. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. That prompted the beginnings of his and his co-host Chris Koetters podcast, "Lost Boys of Hannibal, in 2019. Joel disappeared with his brother, William Hoag, and a friend, Edwin "Craig" Dowell. Perhaps his brothers were wandering in the unknown areas underground. 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. 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. After a long search, the conclusion was reached however no one is for certain that the boys were exploring and the walls of the cave collapsed and trapped them. Billy was a little stinker. 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. If they had, what would have happened? He says he has lived all over the world and calls Quincy home, though he resides in Hannibal now. He and Joel were both eighth-graders at Hannibal Junior High at the time of their disappearances. Have the latest local news delivered every day so you don't miss out on updates. Billy has red hair and blue eyes and a scar under his right arm. I walked outside and the girls were jumping rope. DeDe was born January 15, 1951, in Hannibal, Missouri to Michael T. and Helen V. McCullough Hoag. Billy. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The boys' disappearance triggered a massive search. "But now this whole situation has rewritten that history and changed the ending from missing' to murder.' The Hannibal mayor even requested the help of the Missouri National Guard. There are a few contradictory accounts of exactly what happened between now and the time anyone realized Billy, Joey and Craig were missing. The boys were last seen on the south side of Hannibal, Missouri between 4:20 and 5:00 p.m. Copyright 2010 - 2023 Soul:Ask | Unlock your Mind and Soul. Because nothing was ever found, there's speculation that the children weren't lost in the cave and something else caused their disappearances. Wanted to see what they picked hoag brothers hannibal on site remains free-access to all questionable things going on the... And comments about this story to feedback @ stlpublicradio.org this story to feedback @ stlpublicradio.org its entirely that. Characteristic reddish dirt on their clothes cutting through the hallway resulted in a cave-in at Murphys down... 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