Monster Next Door?

The renewed interest in Arlin's disappearance is welcomed by his mother, Debra Henderson-Griffith. She says Lincoln County authorities told her they were going to interview Devlin after investigators from other jurisdictions had interrogated him.

"I've had so little hope for so long, but now these young boys are back — it's really given me hope," says Henderson-Griffith, whose son disappeared while she was cooking dinner. Then again, she adds, "I'm never really going to give up hope until someone brings me a body."

At an arraignment in Franklin County last week, Devlin showed little emotion as he pleaded not guilty to one count of kidnapping in the Ownby case.

His attorneys, Michael Kielty and Ethan Corlija, declined to comment on their client's purported confession. The attorneys also declined to comment on Shawn's parents' charge that they believed their son was sexually abused.

"The only thing I have is an allegation," Kielty says. "I think it would make it next to impossible to have a fair jury in this county."

Judge David Tobben set Devlin's preliminary hearing for March 15. He is expected to be arraigned later this week in Washington County on charges of kidnapping and armed criminal action. Kielty says his client plans to plead not guilty.

A single kidnapping conviction could carry a sentence of life in prison.

"We're going to take the first crack at him," says Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Parks. "It's my hope that this guy never sees the outside of a jail cell in his natural life."

Contact the author malcolm.gay@riverfronttimes.com