Charles Arlin Henderson

Arlin Henderson was riding his white and yellow bicycle in his family's Moscow Mills, Missouri mobile home, about fifty miles north of St. Louis, on July 25, 1991. He was last seen between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m. the day he vanished. Arlin has never been heard from again.

Josh Spangler confessed to Henderson's murder in 2001, ten years after the child disappeared. Spangler was 13 years old at the time of the alleged killing and could not have served prison time for his role in the crime due to the fact that he was a minor when it was committed. Spangler was apparently involved in drug activity in 1991 and was associated with George N. Gibson and his older brother, Charles "Chuckie" Gibson. Charles is currently imprisoned on federal drug and money laundering charges. Both of the Gibson brothers were initially charged in connection with Henderson's case in the spring of 2001. Spangler told investigators that a member of Henderson's family owed money to Charles Gibson, and Spangler was paid to kill Henderson as a warning. Spangler said that he sold drugs for the Gibson brothers in 1991.

Spangler stated that he was riding in a truck with George on July 25, 1991, the day Henderson vanished, and that they abducted him and held him in a house in Davis, Missouri for a few days. Spangler said that they abducted the child and claimed that he shot Henderson in the head with a nine-millimeter pistol in a creek bed near Davis on July 28, 1991, three days after the boy was abducted. He said he was paid $10,000 by the Gibsons for abducting and killing the boy and that his body was buried along the Mississippi River.

Authorities searched a site near Winfield, Missouri in late July - early August 2001 for Henderson's remains. Details about the search have not been released, but Henderson was not located Authorities withdrew charges against both of the Gibsons in October 2001 after learning that Spangler lied regarding their involvement in the crime. Citing numerous discrepancies in Spangler's account, they charged him with perjury in connection with his testimony about Henderson's supposed death. Spangler plead guilty to perjury and was sentenced to seven years in prison. At the time of his plea, he was serving a four-year prison sentence for unrelated charges of burglary and tampering. Authorities now believe Spangler had nothing to do with Henderson's disappearance. They say Spangler made up the story as a malicious joke to make the police look incompetent.

Henderson's bicycle was found in a bean field three months after his disappearance and was taken by the police as evidence. Investigators hope to identify a set of fingerprints discovered on its frame. It is not known if the prints belong to participants involved in the crime. Searches will continue for Henderson's remains as events warrant.

Authorities have not cast aside the theory that Henderson's disappearance may have been drug-related, but Henderson's mother denies allegations that she or any of her family members were involved with drugs. Henderson's mother describes him as a fun-loving boy who enjoyed telling stories. He lived with his mother at the time of his disappearance; his father died of emphysema in 1990. Henderson's sister was murdered ten years after his disappearance, but the crime was not related to his case; his sister was killed by her estranged husband, who subsequently committed suicide. Henderson's mother still lives in the same trailer park where her son used to live, but in a different mobile home. Her husband's name is still listed in the phone book in case Henderson decides to call home.

In 2007, investigators began investigating Michael J. Devlin for possible involvement in Henderson's disappearance and in several other cases, including the 1988 disappearance of Scott Kleeschulte and the 2005 disappearance of Bianca Piper. Shawn Hornbeck, a fifteen-year-old boy who was kidnapped in 2002, and William "Ben" Ownby, a thirteen-year-old boy who disappeared in 2007, were both found alive and well in Devlin's house in January 2007. Ownby had been missing for five days and Hornbeck for over four years. Both boys had been held against their will by Devlin, and have since been reunited with their searching families. It should be emphasized that Devlin has not been charged in any cases besides Ownby and Hornbeck's, and thus far the investigation has not shown any strong links between him and any other children.

Henderson's disappearance remains unsolved.

Arlin Henderson 16th Anniv Vigil Preview

Arlin Henderson 16th Anniv Vigil

Arlin's Mother at 16th Anniv Vigil

Vigil For Arlin - Readings and Prayers