By CHRISTOPHER LEONARD, Associated Press Writer
14 minutes ago



BEAUFORT, Mo. - A 13-year-old boy missing since the beginning of the week was found alive in a suburban St. Louis home, along with a 15-year-old boy missing since 2002, authorities said Friday.

The boys were found in a Kirkwood home belonging to Michael Devlin, 41, who has been charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping, Sheriff Gary Toelke said.

William Ownby, who goes by Ben, disappeared after he stepped off his school bus on Monday. The straight-A student and Boy Scout was last seen running the few hundred feet down a gravel road to his home.

A friend who left the bus with the boy told authorities that after the two parted, he saw a small white pickup with a camper shell speeding away from where Ben had been walking.

Toelke said the break in the case came Thursday night. Kirkwood city police officers were serving a warrant on an apartment complex when they noticed a white truck matching the description of a vehicle authorities had been searching for in the Ownby investigation.

Kirkwood officers contacted the Franklin County Sheriff's Department and determined where the owner of the truck was. Authorities then searched Devlin's house and found both boys.

Toelke said authorities were surprised to find Shawn Hornbeck, who identified himself when found at the home.

Toelke said authorities were still investigating the motive behind the abductions.

"There are a lot of things we don't know right now," Toelke said.

Hornbeck disappeared from his home in rural Washington County in October 2002, when he was 11. He went for a bike ride and never returned.

The sheriff said both boys appeared unharmed. Ownby has been reunited with his family, and the Hornbeck's parents were coming to meet their son in Union, the Franklin County seat, Toelke said.

Franklin County Prosecutor Robert Parks said more charges are likely to be filed.

__________________

Can you believe it?? Do you know what those parents must be feeling? Because these people were "greedy" and kidnapped a second child, the first has been found after nearly FIVE YEARS MISSING?!?! That is nothing short of a miracle. OMG. This is just amazing!

__________________

Wow, that's great news!! I don't even want to imagine what that younger boy (missing since 2002) must have gone thru all these years?? Though i am so happy he will be reunited with his family,i really worry about his emotional well-being in the aftermath of all this.

That is great news! I can only imagine how the families are feeling. Yes the aftermath may not be easy for the one who has been gone 5 yrs, but hopefully with the right help he will be okay!

I live in the county between where the latest boy was abducted and where the boys were found. OMG there are just no words for it. Every one here is just in shock that the boy that has been missing for four years is alive. It is so wonderful.

However it is just heartbreaking to think that this man was "hiding" the boy in plain site in an apartment complex in a very busy, populated town. This shows just how disconnected people are from their neighbors that this could happen.

Also a reminder to talk to your kids about what to do if you are abducted. He was probably threatened that his family would be hurt if he ran. We have to tell our kids that they have to do anything to get away no matter what. My husband and I are planning what we will be talking to our daughters about.

Just an amazing day but definately a lesson for us all.

__________________
AMY

When I saw this, I just could not believe it. I pray for both boys. That older boy is going to have some lasting issues, I fear. I hope he comes out of it as well as Elizabeth Smart seems to have come out of it. His parents sound like awesome people. I cannot imagine their happiness.

Finally something good on the news. I was up w/ my dd last night and saw the breaking news and was so happy that they were ok. I bet their parents are so happy!! Sometimes there is something on worth watching.

Does anybody remember a made for tv movie called "My name is Steven". THis totaly reminds me of that. The older boy will have a hard time going back to his old life.

It is so hard to imagine that those parents got up on Friday morning just like they had for the past 4 years and got that phone call that night!!!! What a blessing!!! I also hope that both of these boys will be okay emotionally. This has to be one of a parent's worst nightmares - your child kidnapped!!! I know I prayed that this young one would be found unharmed and what a blessing that they found the 2nd one. If you can say there was a silver lining to the last kidnapping it would be that they found the one that had been missing for 4 years.

God works in mysterious ways...and this is a perfect example.

__________________