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Abduction Suspect To Plead Guilty

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By CHRISTOPHER LEONARD, The Associated Press

Published: October 6, 2007

ST. LOUIS - A former pizzeria manager accused of kidnapping two Missouri boys, one of whom was missing for more than four years, will plead guilty next week to kidnapping, attempted murder and sexual assault, a prosecutor said Friday.

Washington County prosecutor John Rupp said Michael Devlin will plead guilty to all charges in the 2002 kidnapping of Shawn Hornbeck and will be sentenced Tuesday.

Devlin was arrested in January after police found Shawn and Ben Ownby at Devlin's apartment in the St. Louis County town of Kirkwood.

Loyd Bailie, Ben's uncle, told The Associated Press on Friday the family had been briefed by prosecutors that Devlin will plead guilty next week in all four jurisdictions where he is charged: three Missouri counties and federal court. He said he did not know whether Devlin would plead guilty to all of the more than 80 felony charges against him, several of which carry life sentences.

'This is a great day,' Bailie said. 'Just knowing that Ben is not going to have to relive all this through the court system; this is cloud nine.'

Rupp said he could not comment beyond his own county, but St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch made a surprise announcement Friday of a series of hearings early next week to end the cases in all four jurisdictions. He did not specify the purpose for the hearings, and his office did not return several phone calls seeking comment.

U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway declined to comment. Franklin County prosecutor Robert Parks did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Shawn was 11 when he went missing while riding his bike in 2002. Ben, 13, had been missing four days after being abducted after getting off a school bus in Franklin County.

A tip from a classmate describing a white pickup speeding from the scene led police to Devlin, 41, who was was arrested Jan. 12. He is jailed in Franklin County and has pleaded not guilty.

Shawn and Ben were returned to their parents. Shawn has been home-schooled since his return to the Washington County community of Richwoods. He turned 16 this summer. Ben returned to school soon after he was freed.

It is The Associated Press' policy not to identify most victims of sexual abuse, but the boys' stories have been widely publicized, and their names are well-known.

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