Shawn Hornbeck hit the eleven-year-old mark back when he lived in Missouri. He liked to ride his bike and spend time outdoors. While Shawn enjoyed spending his leisure time this way, he one day decided to change his routine. However, he never knew that this would be the day he would disappear. In the past, Shawn used the same route to ride to his friend’s location. Things changed this time because he never completed the trip to his friend’s place. Additionally, Shawn never made it back home. He disappeared, which was a significant mystery to the people who knew him because there was no evidence. Upon further investigation, the evidence showed that he was the victim of a kidnapping. His parents, Craig and Pam, went ahead and informed law enforcement authorities. The police were instrumental in the search for Shawn.
They were thorough with the process, and this included interviews with everyone who knew the child. The parents were even inclined to use funds from their retirement finances to accommodate the investigations. However, there child or evidence about his disappearance never came up during criminal investigations. There was no evidence of the child, even after four years of investing in resources to find his whereabouts. Things took changed in early 2008 when another boy in the area also disappeared. His name was Ben Ownby. However, things were different in this case, as there was evidence in the form of a witness. Someone had seen him get into a truck that sped away into the horizon. Without hesitation, the neighbor informed the police and provided a few details about its appearance. Using this evidence, law enforcement officers managed to find the owner. They noticed a few things that were helpful for investigations. It was a mind-blowing discovery as the police stumbled upon a notable criminal investigation resolve. When Shawn finally got the chance to share his story, he mentioned that the abduction occurred fast. He also mentioned Mike Delvin, who had bumped into him as Shawn was walking to his destination. Delvin then invited Shawn to take a ride, and it was a decision that he would regret forever.
Delvin was a man with bad intentions, and he used his truck to manipulate kids into taking a ride with him. While it’s not clear whether he had a criminal past, he was used to taking advantage of children. Things changed things time because law enforcement officers were able to catch up with him this time. The kids shared awful experiences during the time in the hands of Delvin. He exposed the children to sexual abuse and even used weapons such as guns to threaten the children. Delvin went further to kidnap another child when he felt that Shawn was too old for his preferences. Luckily, fate had a different plan, and the law caught up with him eventually for his criminal acts. The swift actions of the FBI, who were fast in acting on the kidnapping evidence was a major resource in solving this case. The conclusion of the case is also thanks to the efforts of the public. They kept a keen eye since the notification for kidnappings in the area increased. The discovery was a significant step in reducing the kidnappings that puzzled many parents in the area.
