Could Michael Devlin have Been Involved in the Death of Dalton Mesarchik
Ever since Michael Devlin was arrested on kidnapping charges of Shawn Hornbeck and 13-year-old Ben Ownby, he has been suspected of being possibly involved in other cases in Missouri. Could Michael Devlin be a serial kidnapper, sexual predator and murderer? Could Devlin be linked to the unsolved Murder of Dalton Mesarchik?
Besides the kidnappings of Shawn and Ben, a special task force made up of federal, state and local police agencies is looking into whether Devlin was involved in other unsolved missing child cases in rural areas of eastern Missouri.
The investigation also has crossed into Illinois, where Livingston County Sheriff Robert McCarty said Wednesday investigators are looking for links between Devlin and the unsolved 2003 killing of 7-year-old Dalton Mesarchik, but so far have found nothing.
Dalton was abducted from his front yard in Streator, Ill., on March 26, 2003. A fisherman found his body in the Vermilion River the next day. (Yahoo News)
7 year old Dalton Mesarchik went missing on March 26, 2003 from the front yard of his home. The following day, Dalton’s body was located in the Vermillion River; however, no suspect was ever arrested for Dalton’s murder. Police at the time interrogated sex offenders in the area, to no avail. Dalton Mesarchik was found with his hands bound and tied.
The 2003 murder case is now receiving national exposure due to the arrest of Michael Devlin and the fact that he had abducted, not just Ben Ownby but Shawn Hornbeck as well.
Grace’s show featured the Mesarchik killing and it’s possible link to Michael Devlin of Kirkwood, Mo., who is accused of kidnapping two teenage boys, including one who was missing for four years.
Livingston County Sheriff Bob McCarty previously told the Pantagraph the department was interested in Devlin.
“We will consider any and all leads,” McCarty said earlier this month. “We will look at a time line to see if he has any ties to the Streator area in 2003.” (Pantagraph)
If Michael Devlin is both a pervert AND a murderer, Shawn Hornbeck might have been days away from being killed. Perhaps Devlin had found Hornbeck’s replacement in Ben Ownby. Shawn may have been on his way out…a chilling thought. Mitchell’s descriptions may have saved the lives of both boys!
Comment by micah | February 3, 2007