Michael Devlin Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping Charge

Michael Devlin, a former pizza restaurant manager accused of multiple charges related to the kidnappings of Ben Ownby and Shawn Hornbeck, pled guilty on Monday to two of those charges involving Ownby.

According to Devlin’s attorney the 41-year-old accused was looking to spare his family as well as the families of the victims any pain a trail may have caused. Monday was just the first step in Devlin’s guilty pleas as he is faced with more than 80 counts in the kidnappings that shocked the country.

Devlin is facing charges in four separate jurisdictions and is expected to enter guilty pleas for each of the charges leveled against him.

On Jan 12 of this year police arrived at Devlin’s Kirkwood, Missouri apartment and found Ownby. The 13-year-old had been missing for five days after disappearing from an area close to his home. Police were then shocked to find Hornbeck, who had disappeared in 2002, inside the apartment as well.

Devlin has been in jail since the police found the two boys.

Michael Kielty, the attorney representing Devlin, shed light as to why a guilty plea was being entered, “Here's why Mike is pleading guilty — at one trial or four trials, he didn't think he could get any better of a deal.”

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