http://sullivannews.com/articles/publish/article_670.shtmlReward Increases In Hornbeck Case
By James B. Bartle, sullivannews.com
Nov 13, 2002, 20:20:00
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The case surrounding the disappearance of Shawn Hornbeck took several turns this week, concluding with a one-time $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for his disappearance.
The reward is in addition to a $20,000 reward donated anonymously for the safe return of Hornbeck.
The latest reward has been raised by the family of Hornbeck who, at this point, is beginning to suspect the worst for the missing 11-year-old from Richwoods.
This past week, family and authorities held a press conference on Thursday, November 7. The group announced that a search of a nearby lake in Richwoods found no evidence of Hornbeck.
Craig Akers, stepfather to Hornbeck, announced at the conference that a confidential female informant has told authorities that on the afternoon that Hornbeck disappeared, a male, allegedly operating a pickup truck and high on methamphetamine, struck Hornbeck on his bicycle while riding on Highway H in Richwoods.
The truck possibly held five passengers who panicked when they allegedly struck the young boy.
The group is then alleged to have loaded Hornbeck and the bicycle into their pickup truck and returned to the accident scene, where they covered the roadway with water, washing away any evidence from the accident.
The group is then alleged to have chopped the bicycle into pieces and then torched any remaining items.
The body of Hornbeck was then alleged to have been dropped into a well in the area of Cedar Hollow Road, off Highway 47.
The informant claimed to know several of the alleged suspects. Authorities are continuing to investigate these new items along with several other tips.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the Shawn Hornbeck Volunteer Command Post at 573-678-2999 or the Washington County Sheriff at 573-438-5478.
Hornbeck was last observed riding his lime green mountain bike at Highway 47 and Highway A in Washington County on Sunday, October 6, around 4:30 p.m.