By Matt Sepic, Maria Hickey & Tom Weber, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – More charges could be filed today (Wednesday) in the case of two missing boys who were found last week in Kirkwood.
Michael Devlin is so far charged with kidnapping Ben Ownby, in Franklin County. But Washington County's prosecutor is holding a press conference this afternoon. Washinton County is where Shawn Hornbeck was abducted from four years ago. Ben and Shawn were found last week in Devlin's apartment.
Devlin is scheduled to make his first court appearance tomorrow (Thursday).
As for Ben Ownby, his parents say he's spending time watching television and playing computers games in between appearances before the press.
William and Doris Ownby say they're not ready to let him out of their sight. "He says he's ready to go back to school, but he understands that we have things we have to do," noted Ben's father, William. He wanted to go back to school [Tuesday]. He was ready, but we're not quite ready.
"We assured him we'll get him some homework."
The Ownby family appeared on NBC's Today show Tuesday morning and might be on the Oprah Winfrey show later this week.
TIPSTER RECOGNIZED
Meanwhile, the boy who gave a description of a white truck that led to the discovery of two missing boys last week is getting more accolades.
Investigators told Mitchell Hults and an audience at Union High School Tuesday that they never could have broken the case without Mitchell. Ben Ownby disappeared January eighth after getting off a school bus with Mitchell, who spotted a white pickup fleeing the scene.
"When we interviewed Mitch, he was so accurate in what he'd told us, we were kind of wondering if he wasn't making it up," noted Franklin County Sheriff Gary Toelke, while speaking at the assembly. "So we interviewed Mitch until about two in the morning; he got to know us real well.
"This gentleman saved two lives, no doubt, and he's a true hero."