Detectives probe whether photos of boy missing since '91 have ties to Devlin B

Wednesday, January 24th 2007, 8:55 pm

By: News On 6

ST. LOUIS (AP) _ Detectives investigating accused kidnapper Michael Devlin have shown photographs to relatives of a child missing since 1991 that look like they could be of the long-lost boy, the family members say.

Charles ``Arlin'' Henderson was 11 when he disappeared in July 1991 while riding his bike on a rural road in Moscow Mills, about an hour's drive north of St. Louis.

Devlin, 41, is charged with kidnapping Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby in similarly remote areas. Shawn, now 15, and Ben, 13, were found Jan. 12 at Devlin's suburban St. Louis apartment. Authorities are investigating whether he could be linked to Arlin's disappearance.

The Lincoln County sheriff's detectives who showed Henderson's relatives the photos this week said the pictures came from someone who claims to know Devlin and who said the boy pictured was an acquaintance of Devlin's from years ago, said James McWilliams, Arlin's uncle.

Lincoln County Sheriff Department Lt. Rick Harrell did not return phone messages seeking comment. He said last week the department would not comment on the Henderson investigation.

The photos are roughly 10 years old and show a teenager of about 17, the relatives said. Arlin would have been 17 in 1997.

The teenager looked like he could be her son, Debra Henderson said.

``Yeah, he really did,'' she said. ``But I am not getting my hopes up.''

McWilliams said there was a ``strong, strong'' resemblance to Arlin, but he couldn't say for sure if it was him.

``There are some characteristics there that are the same. We're keeping an open mind,'' McWilliams said.

Detectives were investigating whether the source did in fact know Devlin, McWilliams told The Associated Press.

Lincoln County detectives are part of a state and federal task force investigating Devlin to see if he is linked to other child abductions. Devlin is being held in lieu of $1 million bail and faces two counts of kidnapping and one count of armed criminal action.

Lincoln County detective Chris Bartlett said this month that Devlin became the ``most viable lead'' in the Henderson case after his arrest. Detectives cited the fact that all three abductions happened in remote areas, all about the same distance from Devlin's home. All three boys were about the same size.