Born in 1934, Ken Rex McElroy was a resident of Skidmore, Missouri. In the summer of 1981, a jury handed McElroy his first-ever felony conviction for the lesser charge of second-degree assault. McElroy was found not guilty. 7 Good News Stories: Sense Of Belonging; Secrets To 70-Year Marriage, EPA Limits On Toxic Forever Chemicals Could Cost Utilities Billions, The Poop On Free-Range Cats And Your Lawn And Garden [Block Talk], Boeing Worker Claims $754.6M Powerball Jackpot, Barrier-Breaking Black Army Officer Finally Awarded Medal Of Honor, FL Blogging Bill Says Political Writers Should Register With State. Local police, state investigators and FBI agents tried to break the towns silence, without success. Heavy lids veiled cold, steel-blue eyes, making them look like half moons. He was shot at several times and hit twice, once by a centerfire rifle and once by a .22 rimfire rifle. What could legally be done about McElroy, they asked Sheriff Danny Estes, who had been elected months earlier. McElroy was convicted of assault but let out of jail awaiting appeal. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. April 25th, 1980: A few of Ken's children go to the local grocery store and is accused of stealing by Mrs. Bowenkamp. Murder is still murder. Was justice served? According to court records, McElroy tracked them down and brought them back. Its probably accurate that few outside of McElroys family shed tears over his death, but many Skidmore residents still struggle with the spectacle of a man violently and publicly killed. A federal grand jury was convened. I got in the car and was shaking so bad.. Retaliation would be severe. Shortly after, McElroy was arrested and charged with attempted murder. He was known as "the town bully", [1] and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. The couple then moved to Colorado. Bullet casings from two guns were found. SKIDMORE, Mo. He was accused or suspected of dozens of crimes, including theft, livestock rustling, burglary, arson, assault, rape, and child molestation. On July 10, 1981, Ken Rex McElroy was killed in one of the strangest instances investigators ever saw. The bar that provided the backdrop for the shooting is closed and for sale for $20,000. Ken Rex Melroy was born on June 1st, 1934 to a family of poor tenant farmers who moved to Skidmore. Missouri-based journalist Steve Booher described the attitude of some townspeople as, "He needed killing. In the months before McElroy went to trial, the Bowenkamps and Sumy went to bed scared, woke up frightened and lived in terror with every breath. McElroy was known to pay local kids for information about who was where in town at what time, so the Bowenkamps developed their own network of informants. In 2019, the McElroy killing was the subject of a docuseries on SundanceTV. No. Somebody would hear his name, and the legend grew bigger. What happened in Skidmore that day wasnt much different than the completely predictable result from shaking a carbonated beverage until the top finally blows. Within a few years, she had had four children by him. The courts would not help us or Skidmore. Those who witnessed the killing didnt speak of it again, not because they were part of a conspiracy, MacLean believes, but because theyre stoic by nature. It was Richard McFadin, the man who kept Ken McElroy out of jail 21 times, who said it best: The town got away with murder.. Yet in a conspiracy of silence that has spanned the past 38 years, the townsfolk have held the secret close. Ken Rex McElroy was shot dead inside his pick-up truck on the 10th of July, 1981, via a storm of bullets. Its never going to happen.. If we could have proved who done it, he would have prosecuted him, said Mr. Riddle, 72 and also retired, who describes the case as the most frustrating of his career. In Broad Daylight: A Murder in Skidmore, Missouri. He showed up to the towns local bar, armed with a rifle and bayonet, threatening to kill the elderly grocer. He was nonplussed. McElroy began stalking the Bowenkamp family, and eventually threatened Bo Bowenkamp in the back of his store with a shotgun in hand. The FBI entered the case stiff-arming and threatening people, is how Monte, the Bowenkamps daughter, relates it. June 16th, 1934: Ken Rex McElroy is born to Mabel and Tony McElroy, the thirteenth out of fourteen children. He didnt have a bank account, didnt have a Social Security number, he didnt read. McElroy was eventually convicted, but the charge was lessened from "attempt to kill" to "knowingly caused serious physical injury" to ensure a conviction. in the A&E App.]. His foot fell to the accelerator when he was shot, causing the engine to run at full bore. Nobody wanted to talk to us, retired Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dan Boyer tells A&E True Crime. Reporting on what you care about. He said he was not at all disappointed to leave office with the case still unsolved. Author Harry MacLean wrote a book McElroys story called In Broad Daylight. Trena dove from the truck and was taken to safety. Ken Rex McElroy, whose still-unsolved murder outside of the local tavern inspired a book and movie both entitled "In Broad Daylight" was known to both of Scott's parents. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. September 2nd, 1982: Keven though there were over sixty witnesses, no one came forward to name the shooter. Ken was 18 and Oleta was 16. The witnesses all claimed they had seen nothing. Absolutely not, he said. On April 25, 1980 at Ernest "Bo" Bowenkamp's general store, a clerk asked McElroy's 8-year-old daughter to return a piece of candy she had not paid for. Once, a farmer who caught Ken red-handed stealing two horses filed charges but withdrew them after McElroy smashed him across the face with a rifle., Police also felt McElroys ire. McElroys wifewhom he victimized as a childremarried and moved to Lebanon, Missouri. He spent the night in jail before posting bond, then sauntered menacingly back into the D&G tavern and pool hall and took his usual spot. McElroy raped a 12-year-old girl and, to avoid statutory rape charges, he divorced his wife at the time and married the child when she was 14 and pregnant with their baby. Nodaway County Sheriff Dan Estes suggested they form a neighborhood watch. But not that one. Road signs bear a picture of a young man who disappeared nine years ago and is feared dead. McElroy made a living leasing land near his farm, and trading and racing dogs. It was not the kind of justice they shouldve gotten, 60-year-old Joyce Monte, the Bowenkamps daughter, told Patch in a telephone interview from her home in Oklahoma. No. A couple of men hustled Trena to a nearby bank, away from the gunfire. A deer slug in one chamber tore through Bowenkamps neck, coming within 3 inches of his head. As he packed up his office last week, he gave his successor a memo that listed a dozen or so unsolved cases in Nodaway County including, down toward the end, the killing of Mr. McElroy. The townspeople organized a caravan to escort the witnesses to the hearing both to protect them and to show solidarity. She died in 2012. The murder occurred in broad daylight, with as many as sixty eye-witnesses present, including the wife of the deceased. June 12th, 1973: After continuing his involvement with Trena McCloud, Ken McElroy burns down Trena's parents' house. He was as mean as he looked, but there was more to his baleful demeanor, said Colorado lawyer and author Harry MacLean, who lived with a prominent Skidmore farm family off and on for about five years while he researched In Broad Daylight, a New York Times bestseller chronicling McElroys life and death. Unsolved 'Vigilante' Murder in the Heartland: Missouri Town Goes Quiet After Bully Is Shot, https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/ken-rex-mcelroy-vigilante-murder-skidmore-unsolved. He was hit twice and died in his truck. Anywhere from 30 to 90 people watched the 47-year-old McElroy die in an act that ended his decade-long reign of terror over the people of Skidmore. This was something that the "town bully," Ken Rex McElroy, staunchly rebelled against. The morning of July 10, 1981, a group of frustrated and angry men gathered at the Legion Hall in Skidmore, MacLean writes. It was also the first major case for a young county prosecutor, not far removed from law school and just months into the job, who said he was confident that the case would be solved soon. 1955 or 56: Ken and Oleta McElroy move back to Missouri after Ken's accident in Colorado. Police had charged him with various alleged crimes from stealing hogs to assault, but nothing stuck. The noted sites in the story are gone or boardedup. On a steamy Missouri morning of July 10, 1981, a gunman took aim at the 47-year-old as he sat smoking in his Silverado pickup truck outside the local bar. McElroy was getting into his pickup truck with his wife Trena on the main street of Skidmore where there was a crowd of 30 to 50 people. And Mr. Baird, all these years later, is still unwilling to give his own view on whether justice was served even though or because the killer was never tried. But in a dramatic act of solidarity with the gunman, every witness, save the dead mans wife, denied seeing who had pulled the trigger. Everyone involved continues to keep the secret and gives no answers. Just to be aware, he explained. Despite three grand juries, no one has been indicted for the . The Vigilantemurder of Ken Rex McElroy still remains a mystery today. Trena McElroy remarried and had a fairly normal life, refusing interviews after she left Skidmore. It cruised up the street, came back and just sat there for 20 seconds, says Boyer, adding he couldnt prove it was McElroy but waited behind a tree with his shotgun just in case. McElroy divorced Alice and married Trena in order to escape charges of statutory rape, to which she was the only witness. He left town just as Ken and Trena McElroy were driving in, likely passing McElroys Chevrolet Silverado pickup in his cruiser on the road. McElroy sat outside the foster home for hours at a time staring at it. Boyer was taking trajectory measurements at the crime scene when a town official chided him. Del Clement, the man Trena named as McElroys killer, died of cirrhosis of the liver in 2009. His father was a tenant farmer, his mother a housewife swamped with feeding and caring for the sprawling family. Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. [2], In all, he was indicted 21 times but escaped conviction each time, except for the last. The towns local bar in Skidmore, Missouri. Meanwhile, McElroy and his wife arrived at the D&G Tavern for a morning drink. Many buildings are closed and falling apart. Genealogy profile for Ken Rex McElroy Ken Rex McElroy (1934 - 1982) - Genealogy Genealogy for Ken Rex McElroy (1934 - 1982) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. You dont have a town full of people who were hiding a guilty conscience, he said. To the residents of the small town, he was the town bully. Part of his teeth were lying on the dashboard, Boyer recalls. Title Directed by Original air date U.S. viewers (millions) 1 "The Killing of Ken Rex McElroy" Avi Belkin: August 1, 2019 (): N/A: Known as the town bully, Ken Rex McElroy terrorized tiny Skidmore, Missouri, for decades.On July 10, 1981, the town had had enough and 60 people surrounded his pick-up truck and shot him dead on Main Street--but no one claimed to have seen a thing. A man who turned out to be McElroy pointed a shotgun at me, Margaret tells A&E True Crime. Someone warned her, Youre about to meet Ken Rex McElroy, Monte said. The local major-cases squad investigated, then the Federal Bureau of Investigation. However, he was also charged with various crimes. When he got off on a trial, it grew even bigger. Those who spoke out were taciturn. The bar soon filled completely. This led to several patrons deciding to see what they could legally do to prevent McElroy from harming anyone else. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5D Vigilante justice, or cold-blooded murder?MERCH: We've got it! They could have pushed and dug, pushed and dug and gotten nothing., We were so bitter and so angry at the law letting us down that it came to somebody taking matters in their own hands, she said. Instead, he continued to harass Bowenkamp. Some attributed his bizarre and violent behavior to a head injury suffered in this event. He showed back up in front of their house that night, and he and Trena sat there and watched them, Monte said. McElroy was hit twice and died. He was known as the town bully , but they may be putting it mildly. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Weighing in at approximately 270 pounds with bushy black sideburns, McElroy held the entire . He dropped out of school before he reached high school, and by 13 was already a familiar character to the cops around Nodaway County. Of the most serious, McElroy was accused of child molestation and statutory rape. MacLean doesnt believe the men gathered at the Legion hall that morning ever made a group decision to kill McElroy. Some people have attributed his strange behavior with this event. His hunch paid off, and McElroy found himself handcuffed and charged with assault. Del Clement, the man Trena named as McElroy's killer, died of cirrhosis of the liver in 2009. Ken had 13 siblings: Hershell Eugene McElroy, Orvil O McElroy and 11 . American criminal and murder victim, killed by vigilantes, "3 decades on, who killed Skidmore town bully still secret", "Ken McElroy Murderer, rapist and consummate intimidator", "Skidmore, Revisited Part 1: The Death of Ken McElroy", "Ken McElroy Murderer, rapist and consummate intimidator Another Teen Love", "Ken McElroy Murderer, rapist and consummate intimidator Saved by the Law", "Ken McElroy Murderer, rapist and consummate intimidator Intent to Kill", The Death Of Ken McElroy *Interesting History* - YouTube, "AS her daughter Tami listens, Trena McElroy retells how she watched", "3 decades on, who killed Skidmore town bully still secret | McClatchy", "Ken McElroy Murderer, rapist and consummate intimidator Murder in Broad Daylight", "Wrongful death lawsuit settled in re Ken McElroy", "Trena McElroy Passed Away | Harry N. MacLean", "You Get What You Pay For, by Larry Beinhart", "Stream It Or Skip It: 'No One Saw A Thing' On SundanceTV, A Docuseries About How Skidmore, Missouri Has Kept A Murder Unsolved For 38 Years", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ken_McElroy&oldid=1136590059, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Pages using infobox criminal with known for parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Bo Bowenkamp (survived an attempted murder), This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 02:52. Ken Rex McElroy was born on month day 1934, at birth place, Missouri, to Anthony Wyatt McElroy and Mable Marie McElroy (born Lister). After McElroy finished his drinks, he purchased a six pack of beer, left the bar, and entered his pickup truck. In 1981, McElroy was convicted of shooting . McElroy was born in 1934, the fifteenth of sixteen children born to a poor . And his deeds were as daunting as his appearance. Known as "the town bully", McElroy was accused of dozens of felonies, including assault, child molestation, statutory rape, arson, hog and cattle rustling, and burglary. Ken McElroy died in a hail of gunfire on the morning of July 10, 1981, while sitting in his truck outside a local tavern. It was a misunderstanding, but one that made the Bowenkamps lives a living hell for months. They know how everybody thinks.. Witnessing the murder were McElroys wife, Trena, screaming in the passenger seat and dozens of local residents. He stood silently at the back of the store, but his wife tore into Sumy in an argument laced with four-letter bombs, Monte said. They were witnesses. McCloud was McElroy's third "wife," though all unions were suspicious due to the fact that some of his marriages overlapped. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Win a Midday Makeover from Studio STL and West County, Hold my beer its time to sign up for the St. Patricks, Tims Travels: Dreaming in silestone and slabs its, Downtown is turning green for St. Patricks Day Parade, The 7brew Crew brings kindness, joy and of course,, Freshen up finds: Give your skin a slug-hug, What the Cluck! Within hours, Mr. Baird heard that there had been a shooting downtown. We were so bitter and so angry at the law letting us down that it came to somebody taking matters in their own hands, said Bowenkamps daughter, Cheryl Huston. You dont take cases to trial to see what might happen, the former prosecutor said. The group heard McElroy and Trena McCloud were spotted heading to the tavern nearby. There's a long list of crimes said to have been committed by McElroy, including shooting multiple people. As many as 60 Skidmore residents attended, including the mayor and the sheriff. The murder of Ken Rex McElroy isn't 'unsolved' in the typical sense of the word. It was so out of the blue, almost to the point of being surreal, said Monte, who occasionally worked in her parents store. So is Stratton. Refusing to argue, he and Lois went home. Carjackers Steal More Cars Many With Kids Still Inside, After Indulgent Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday Signals Abstinence, Fasting. Over the course of his life, McElroy was accused of dozens of felonies, including assault, child molestation, statutory rape, arson, hog and cattle rustling, and burglary. They settle in Skidmore. No one was charged, and the FBI closed the case. Ken McElroy was born in 1934, one of 16 children, author Harry MacLean explains in his book In Broad Daylight, an account of the case. Just months after Mr. Baird became county prosecutor a post he was encouraged to take because nothing exciting ever happens in Nodaway County he found himself in a courtroom for the first time with Mr. McElroy, who had shot an elderly Skidmore grocer in the neck with a shotgun. However, an incident would occur in 1980 that changed everything. The murder took place on July 10, 1981, the day after McElroy had threatened Bowenkamp at the tavern. When the shooting ended, McElroy was slumped over the steering wheel. . Best client I ever had, McFadin said in an interview. He quit.. McElroy was a big man with cold eyes who always carried a gun. Why are you doing this? A girl from a poor, rural family, McElroy had begun having sex with her when she was barely fourteen. He said that Mr. Baird pushed aggressively to bring a case to trial, but that investigators were never able to secure enough evidence to charge someone with a crime. After dropping out of school in the eighth grade, it didnt take long for Ken McElroy to fall into a life of delinquency. Someone shot at McElroy while he was sitting in his truck. He torched the home and shot the dogagainafter the girl went into hiding with her and McElroys baby. He raped McCloud repeatedly. CHAPTER ONE. The story was thrust back to the forefront this month by No One Saw a Thing, a six-part Sundance TV docu-series exploring the moral ambiguity of frontier justice and the unspoken, yet universally intriguing, question: When, if ever, does someone like McElroy deserve to die? No one has ever been brought to trial in Mr. McElroys death, and, although there is no statute of limitations on murder, most people around here suspect that no one ever will be. His last wife, Trena, became pregnant with their first child at age 14. The townsfolk were infuriated. There just wouldnt have been a story..