The missing children of Hannibal

5 Haunting Unsolved Mass Disappearances

The Murphy’s Cave complex were a big drawing card for the children of
Hannibal. Three boys in particular were very taken with the caves and often
set off to explore them, aluminum ladder and all.
On May 10, 1967, 10-year-old Billy Hoag, 13-year-old Joey Hoag, and 14-
year-old Craig Dowell once again made their way to the caves, carrying a
shovel and flashlights. This was according to 14-year-old Lynn Strube who
said she saw them heading into the direction of the caves that day. They
entered the caves just as they’ve done many times before, but this time they
didn’t return.

The boys were reported missing when they didn’t show up at their homes for
supper and ten days of frenzied searching followed. Rescuers and volunteers
searched the cave complex every day and soon hundreds of spelunkers
joined in.

Soon doubts arose about whether the boys had even entered the caves in the
first place. Rumors of kidnapping started doing the rounds while others
speculated that the boys had run away from home.
After day 10, the search was called off. Every lead police had received had
led them to a dead end.

In 2006, workers uncovered the entrance to the cave during the construction
of a new elementary school, but no trace of the boys were found anywhere.

54 years later, the mystery of what happened to the missing Hannibal children
remains.