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Notice: A previous version of this story mentioned that the prime suspect may have been from Utah, that report has not been confirmed. Media in St. Louis immediately began linking the case to a man on the Utah sex offender registry who has the same name and age. However, police have not released a photo of the suspect, and it appears their suspect has been in the St. Louis area for years and may not be the Utahn by the same name. BEAUFORT, Mo. (AP) -- 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.
Ben Ownby and Shawn Hornbeck were found in a Kirkwood home belonging to Michael J. Devlin, Sheriff Gary Toelke said. Devlin, 41, has been charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping.
Ownby was last seen Monday, when he stepped off his school bus. The straight-A student and Boy Scout was last seen running the few hundred feet down a gravel road to his home.
Police said a tip about a white truck led them to the Devlin's home.
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Toelke said authorities were surprised to find 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.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
