IA IA - Johnny Gosch, 12, West Des Moines, 5 Sept 1982 #4

[Betty P]

I agree very much that it's no coincidence that these boys of the same age all disappeared. However-I doubt very much that any of them lived to adulthood unfortunately. For one reason-I think that at some point, 3 or more strong young men could have overtaken their captor and escaped. In my opinion, they were most likely sexually abused and killed rather quickly. People are sick.

I'm not certain, but am inclined to agree. The only case I recall where an abuser abducted multiple boys and kept them was in the case of Michael Devlin, who kidnapped Shawn Hornbeck and kept him captive for 5 years. It all fell apart after Devlin was caught kidnapping another boy.

It seems someone might be able to keep 1 child captive a while with threats and isolation, but not more. Odds are, the situation ends tragically with the child being abducted, abused and killed within a fairly short period of time. The creep then goes quiet for a while before trying it again.

 

[Kingsley]

I'm not certain, but am inclined to agree. The only case I recall where an abuser abducted multiple boys and kept them was in the case of Michael Devlin, who kidnapped Shawn Hornbeck and kept him captive for 5 years. It all fell apart after Devlin was caught kidnapping another boy.

It seems someone might be able to keep 1 child captive a while with threats and isolation, but not more. Odds are, the situation ends tragically with the child being abducted, abused and killed within a fairly short period of time. The creep then goes quiet for a while before trying it again.

The Staynor case would be another example of a second child kidnapped as the first got older. It also fell apart with the introduction of a second captive.

 

[ekardh]

I agree very much that it's no coincidence that these boys of the same age all disappeared. However-I doubt very much that any of them lived to adulthood unfortunately. For one reason-I think that at some point, 3 or more strong young men could have overtaken their captor and escaped. In my opinion, they were most likely sexually abused and killed rather quickly. People are sick.

I'm not certain, but am inclined to agree. The only case I recall where an abuser abducted multiple boys and kept them was in the case of Michael Devlin, who kidnapped Shawn Hornbeck and kept him captive for 5 years. It all fell apart after Devlin was caught kidnapping another boy.

It seems someone might be able to keep 1 child captive a while with threats and isolation, but not more. Odds are, the situation ends tragically with the child being abducted, abused and killed within a fairly short period of time. The creep then goes quiet for a while before trying it again.

I interpreted their theory that the kidnapper kept each boy for an extended period of time before murdering them and kidnapping the next. However, I agree that statistically the chances are that all three were murdered shortly after their respective abductions.

 

[Ciriii57]

Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere but this thread is HUGE!
I was wondering if it is known whether any of Johnny's papers actually got delivered that fateful morning? And if they did, which was the last house to receive one or first not to get one? And also, who was living there? It seems to me this could very well have been someone much closer to home.
Poor Noreen, she has clearly been grasping onto anything that might mean her son is alive and she has been taken advantage of.
I can't see any reason to believe all the paedophile ring or photo conspiracies are connected to this case and I am completely ignoring any subsequent events. Only the events of that morning are relevant. It looks to me like an abduction and murder by a sexual predator and it's probably linked to the other cases in the area. I don't think Johnny ever made it far from where he was abducted unfortunately. JMO

 

[FergusMcDuck]

Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere but this thread is HUGE!
I was wondering if it is known whether any of Johnny's papers actually got delivered that fateful morning? And if they did, which was the last house to receive one or first not to get one? And also, who was living there? It seems to me this could very well have been someone much closer to home.
Poor Noreen, she has clearly been grasping onto anything that might mean her son is alive and she has been taken advantage of.
I can't see any reason to believe all the paedophile ring or photo conspiracies are connected to this case and I am completely ignoring any subsequent events. Only the events of that morning are relevant. It looks to me like an abduction and murder by a sexual predator and it's probably linked to the other cases in the area. I don't think Johnny ever made it far from where he was abducted unfortunately. JMO

Johnny never delivered any papers - he was taken from the start of his route, and two other paperboys saw him sitting by his wagon, likely sorting the papers. It was actually Johnny's father that delivered the papers, after customers called and complained - this was before they realized he hadn't just skipped work.

 

[Markybug]

Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere but this thread is HUGE!
I was wondering if it is known whether any of Johnny's papers actually got delivered that fateful morning? And if they did, which was the last house to receive one or first not to get one? And also, who was living there? It seems to me this could very well have been someone much closer to home.
Poor Noreen, she has clearly been grasping onto anything that might mean her son is alive and she has been taken advantage of.
I can't see any reason to believe all the paedophile ring or photo conspiracies are connected to this case and I am completely ignoring any subsequent events. Only the events of that morning are relevant. It looks to me like an abduction and murder by a sexual predator and it's probably linked to the other cases in the area. I don't think Johnny ever made it far from where he was abducted unfortunately. JMO

Yes, the fact that other paper boys went missing too surely points to a local or someone connected to the newspaper delivery system.

 

[melisa90]

I'm new to this forum. This case just has so many angles. It's heartbreaking. I would love for this case to be solved. There is so many threads and I have looked around online but I have a few questions if someone would be kind enough to answer or attach a link.

1.In the documentary there was a gentleman that I believe lived near the street corner.He was an eye witness.Seemed to offer the most out of anyone. Was he friendly with The Gosch family? Did they socialize either as a couple or independently?

[The house that Paul Bonacci claims that they kept boys and they reported seeing initials on walls]

2. Any information on this would be appreciated. Did they name the owner? If so was he identified and interviewed?

3.I have read conflicting information in regards to this being the first time he was doing the route himself. I've mostly read it was his first time without his father. I have also read that it wasn't the first time but it was a rare occurrence. If in fact this was his first time not being supervised when did the story change? That's assuming there was a change of story but maybe that's been debunked. Requesting clarification.

4.Was Johnny's father ever interviewed without Noreen?

Thanks in advance.

 

[dotr]

Re-fresher videos.

'Aug 29, 2022
Johnny Gosch: History and timeline'

''Sep 1, 2022
It's been 40 years since 12-year-old Johnny Gosch disappeared while delivering newspapers near his Iowa home. His mother, Noreen Gosch, says, "I love you so much. And I am so sorry that this happened in your life."

 

[melisa90]

Thank You

 

[dotr]

2006

Photos surface in 1982 missing child case

The mother of an Iowa boy abducted 24 years ago and who is still missing said she’s bewildered by two photos left at her front door, apparently showing her son and two other children bound and gagged.

www.nbcnews.com

Johnny Gosch is shown in a photo taken shortly before he disappeared on Sept. 5, 1982, while delivering newspapers in West Des Moines, Iowa. Police are examining photographs left Sunday at the front door of Johnny's mother, to determine if they are of the missing boy. The Des Moines Register file

''The mother of a boy abducted 24 years ago said she’s bewildered by two photographs left at her front door, apparently showing her son and two other children bound and gagged.

The old photos appear to show 12-year-old Johnny Gosch with his mouth gagged and his hands and feet tied. The boy is wearing the same sweatpants Johnny was wearing when he disappeared while delivering newspapers on the morning of Sept. 5, 1982, his mother said.


“It’s like reliving it,” Noreen Gosch told The Associated Press on Thursday night. “But the bigger picture is, ’Why are they doing this?’

“Whoever had these photos had them for 24 years. I don’t understand why they would do this now. It must be some kind of message.”

''Gosch said investigators confirmed the photos were authentic and likely taken within “hours or days” of the abduction.''

''The Register said it had received digital copies of the photos but would not publish them “because it's not clear where the images came from, whether they are real or who the (other)boys are.”

''Gosch believes her son was taken by child pornographers. She told authorities he briefly contacted her in 1997 but feared for his life and declined to give details about where he was. She believes his abductors got him involved in crimes, which is why he is hiding his identity.''

 

[MrsWatson]

I'm sure this has been posted before over the many threads, but here is Johnny's Charley Project page.

John David Gosch – The Charley Project

 

[dotr]

I'm sure this has been posted before over the many threads, but here is Johnny's Charley Project page.

John David Gosch – The Charley Project

Thanks, from link..

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''John, circa 1982; Age-progression to age 51 (circa 2020)

• Missing Since09/05/1982
• Missing FromWest Des Moines, Iowa
• ClassificationNon-Family Abduction
• SexMale
• RaceWhite
• Date of Birth11/12/1969 (53)
• Age12 years old
• Height and Weight5'7, 140 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionA white sweatshirt with "Kim's Academy" imprinted on the back, black sweatpants or cutoff jeans, and blue rubber thong sandals.
• Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian male. Light brown hair, blue eyes. John has facial freckles. He had a gap between his upper front teeth at the time of his disappearance. John has a horseshoe-shaped scar on his tongue and a birthmark on his left cheek. His nickname is Johnny.''

 

[MrsWatson]

Thanks for posting the whole thing, @dotr. I could not get it to post right for me.

 

[Markybug]

2006

Photos surface in 1982 missing child case

The mother of an Iowa boy abducted 24 years ago and who is still missing said she’s bewildered by two photos left at her front door, apparently showing her son and two other children bound and gagged.

www.nbcnews.com

View attachment 429249
Johnny Gosch is shown in a photo taken shortly before he disappeared on Sept. 5, 1982, while delivering newspapers in West Des Moines, Iowa. Police are examining photographs left Sunday at the front door of Johnny's mother, to determine if they are of the missing boy. The Des Moines Register file

''The mother of a boy abducted 24 years ago said she’s bewildered by two photographs left at her front door, apparently showing her son and two other children bound and gagged.

The old photos appear to show 12-year-old Johnny Gosch with his mouth gagged and his hands and feet tied. The boy is wearing the same sweatpants Johnny was wearing when he disappeared while delivering newspapers on the morning of Sept. 5, 1982, his mother said.


“It’s like reliving it,” Noreen Gosch told The Associated Press on Thursday night. “But the bigger picture is, ’Why are they doing this?’

“Whoever had these photos had them for 24 years. I don’t understand why they would do this now. It must be some kind of message.”

''Gosch said investigators confirmed the photos were authentic and likely taken within “hours or days” of the abduction.''

''The Register said it had received digital copies of the photos but would not publish them “because it's not clear where the images came from, whether they are real or who the (other)boys are.”

''Gosch believes her son was taken by child pornographers. She told authorities he briefly contacted her in 1997 but feared for his life and declined to give details about where he was. She believes his abductors got him involved in crimes, which is why he is hiding his identity.''

Is this more likely another cruel “joke” on her ?

 

[dotr]

Is this more likely another cruel “joke” on her ?

Reminded of what the mother of still missing Amy Billig went through..

FL - FL - Amy Billig, 17, Coconut Grove, 5 March 1974

Case # SLCSS01422 if the link doesn't take you right to it.

www.websleuths.com

Amy Billig – The Charley Project

''Another sidenote to Amy's disappearance involved harassing phone calls that Susan began receiving shortly after Amy vanished in 1974. A then-unidentified male caller informed Susan that Amy was abducted by members of an illicit sex ring organization and being held captive.

The caller tormented Susan for 21 years until 1995, when FBI agents were able to trace a call the man made using his cellular phone. Until that time, the caller always used a pay phone to harass Susan, making him difficult to apprehend. The caller was identified as Henry Johnson Blair, who worked for the U.S. Customs Department. A photograph of him is posted with this case summary.

Blair claimed that he was an alcoholic and had an obsessive-compulsive disorder which caused him to harass Susan; he also stated that he never met Amy and knew nothing about her disappearance. Blair was sentenced to a two-year prison term for harassing Susan and has since been released. Susan settled a lawsuit against him for five million dollars.''

 

[DS2021]

Is this more likely another cruel “joke” on her ?

I would say so, why would the perpetrator involved in Johnny's disappearance risk getting caught by doing that

 

[FergusMcDuck]

Is this more likely another cruel “joke” on her ?

I wonder, since there were some conflicting accounts in how she got the photos, as detailed here. It really doesn't seem like a credible tale she's telling.

 

[neesaki]

2006

Photos surface in 1982 missing child case

The mother of an Iowa boy abducted 24 years ago and who is still missing said she’s bewildered by two photos left at her front door, apparently showing her son and two other children bound and gagged.

www.nbcnews.com

View attachment 429249
Johnny Gosch is shown in a photo taken shortly before he disappeared on Sept. 5, 1982, while delivering newspapers in West Des Moines, Iowa. Police are examining photographs left Sunday at the front door of Johnny's mother, to determine if they are of the missing boy. The Des Moines Register file

''The mother of a boy abducted 24 years ago said she’s bewildered by two photographs left at her front door, apparently showing her son and two other children bound and gagged.

The old photos appear to show 12-year-old Johnny Gosch with his mouth gagged and his hands and feet tied. The boy is wearing the same sweatpants Johnny was wearing when he disappeared while delivering newspapers on the morning of Sept. 5, 1982, his mother said.


“It’s like reliving it,” Noreen Gosch told The Associated Press on Thursday night. “But the bigger picture is, ’Why are they doing this?’

“Whoever had these photos had them for 24 years. I don’t understand why they would do this now. It must be some kind of message.”

''Gosch said investigators confirmed the photos were authentic and likely taken within “hours or days” of the abduction.''

''The Register said it had received digital copies of the photos but would not publish them “because it's not clear where the images came from, whether they are real or who the (other)boys are.”

''Gosch believes her son was taken by child pornographers. She told authorities he briefly contacted her in 1997 but feared for his life and declined to give details about where he was. She believes his abductors got him involved in crimes, which is why he is hiding his identity.''

That was back in 2006?

 

[dotr]

• 

  Missing Person / NamUs #MP6131

  View NamUs missing person case MP6131 for John David Gosch missing from Des Moines, Iowa. Date of last contact: Sep 05, 1982. NCMEC case number: 601763.

  namus.nij.ojp.gov

• Facial Case Id​

  

• Age Progression​

  
  Child's photo is shown age-progressed to 35 years (9/20/2005)

• Age Progression​

  
  John's photos is shown age-progressed to 40 years.

 

[spartanx]

I have the impression that this boy went unconvinced with someone who told him about something interesting or perhaps offered him money... but I don't see it as something forced, as if he had wanted to go... maybe he asked his friends for something Parents go out alone to deliver the newspapers...
I don't want to offend anyone, it's just my opinion... whatever
rest in peace