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. Im never going to answer that question. But in a dramatic act of solidarity with the gunman, every witness, save the dead mans wife, denied seeing who had pulled the trigger. No one was surprised. The killing was a shocking end for a notoriously brutal man who had terrorized the area for years with seeming impunity from the law until he was struck down in a moment of vigilante justice. Boyer was among the first responders to arrive outside the D&G tavern where McElroy was ambushed. He dropped out of school before he reached high school, and by 13 was already a familiar character to the cops around Nodaway County. When word spread that McElroy was in town, a couple of the men walked from the Legion hall to the D&G. 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. Genealogy profile for Ken Rex McElroy Ken Rex McElroy (1934 - 1981) - Genealogy Genealogy for Ken Rex McElroy (1934 - 1981) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. On July 10, 1981, Ken Rex McElroy was killed in one of the strangest instances investigators ever saw. It's hard to believe that this small town was once a bustlingcommunity. He met his last wife, Trena McCloud (19572012), when she was 12 years old and in eighth grade. (Editors Note: Patch Deputy National Editor Beth Dalbey grew up on a farm about 10 miles from Skidmore, Missouri.). The stories of McElroy's relationships contain some troubling details, but the information is important to paint the full picture. Witnessing the murder were McElroys wife, Trena, screaming in the passenger seat and dozens of local residents. Sheriff Estes instructed the assembled group not to get into a direct confrontation with McElroy, but instead seriously consider forming a neighborhood watch program. Nobody called an ambulance. McElroy divorced Alice and married Trena in order to escape charges of statutory rape, to which she was the only witness. April 10th, 1972: After Alice runs away with their son, Ken McElroy gets into an altercation with Alice's stepfather and shoots him. September 2nd, 1982: Keven though there were over sixty witnesses, no one came forward to name the shooter. Watch the new and 7th season of BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime! We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Ken is later charged and arrested. 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.. Stratton knew McElroy from a previous stop when he threatened the trooper with a shotgun. Again, there were no indictments, and the McElroy murder case was tossed back to Baird. Everyone involved continues to keep the secret and gives no answers. [2] He was struck by bullets from at least two different firearms, in front of a crowd of people estimated as numbering between 30 and 46. McElroy mounted a daily vigil outside Bowenkamps house, his daughter Cheryl Brown recounts in In Broad Daylight: The town emptied out every time he came to town. That was the last failure of criminal justice.. And his deeds were as daunting as his appearance. McElroy sat outside the foster home for hours at a time staring at it. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. When a court hearing was postponed, there was a meeting in town, with the mayor and the sheriff attending, to discuss Mr. McElroy. McElroy was spinning so hard out of control, I have no doubt he would have tried to kill my dad again, given the chance. Trena dove from the truck and was taken to safety. Some of these things are simply assumed to be factual, Baird said. Just to be aware, he explained. He was known as "the town bully",[1] and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. 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. 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. You could talk to everybody in this case, and theyd give you a different answer, he said in an interview at his office in the red brick county courthouse in nearby Maryville. Never miss a story by signing up for the newsletter now. Ken Rex McElroy was born on month day 1934, at birth place, Missouri, to Anthony Wyatt McElroy and Mable Marie McElroy (born Lister). Before you tell yourself the case closed, no, this case still remains unsolved. 1964: Ken meets another girlfriend named Alice Wood. Not only that, they recommended he spend no more than two years in prison. McElroy escaped jail on an appeal bond and could remain free until he exhausted his appeals, free to taunt his victims with what had become painfully clear: He would never go to jail. 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. The rumor was that he had drowned her father in a bathtub when he had objected to what he was doing to his daughter. Trena McElroy fingered a local rancher as one of the gunmen, but he denied the claim. That they had guns at the ready wasnt unusual. The sheriff said, If you have to shoot him, let us know and well come get him before he starts stinking, Monte said. It really is that it was never spoken of they had an instinctive reaction to close up. McElroys wife was not injured and escaped the vehicle. Ken Rex McElroy was shot dead inside his pick-up truck on the 10th of July, 1981, via a storm of bullets. Retribution was slow coming to Ken McElroybut lightning fast when it happened. Ken Rex McElroy was an illiterate hog farmer who lived on the outskirts of a small town in Northwest Missouri. Best client I ever had, McFadin said in an interview. An extensive federal investigation did not lead to any charges. I got in the car and was shaking so bad.. Tensions in Skidmore soared as McElroys trial neared. Tell us what you think in the comments below. He was indicted as many as 21 times, but escaped conviction all but once. Everyone claimed they didnt see who fired the shots. Ken was 18 and Oleta was 16. Richard Stratton was ready. The FBI entered the case stiff-arming and threatening people, is how Monte, the Bowenkamps daughter, relates it. Ken was 18 and Oleta was 16. The law wasnt going to help the people of Skidmore. No one was ever accused of shoplifting, or stealing. In 2019, the McElroy killing was the subject of a docuseries on SundanceTV. Nobody wanted to talk to us, retired Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dan Boyer tells A&E True Crime. On July 10th, 1981 Ken Rex McElroy was shot dead in the street in broad daylight infront of 60 witnesses. Watch the new and 7th season of BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime! One assumption Skidmore hasnt been able to shed is that McElroys killing was an act of vigilante justice. He was arrested, booked, arraigned, and released on $2,500 bail. Local authorities, including a coroners jury and a local grand jury, and even the FBI, investigated the killing but to no avail. Why are you doing this? He testified that Bowenkamp attacked him with a knife and he acted in self-defense, MacLean writes. 1954: While working for his sister's husband in construction, McElroy suffers a traumatic head injury that leaves him with lifelong pain. In 1980, McElroy shot the 70-year-old town grocer in the neck following a months-old dispute over an accusation about a piece of stolen candy. The noted sites in the story are gone or boardedup. When Estes and state troopers arrived back in town, the streets were empty and quiet, save the rumbling, smoking engine of McElroys truck. 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Perversely, the towns share of tragedy has grown. As the case dragged on without a court date, Henry said McElroy had parked outside his home at least 100 times. SKIDMORE, Mo. A girl from a poor, rural family, McElroy had begun having sex with her when she was barely fourteen. Bullet casings from two guns were found. However, he was also charged with various crimes. October 20th, 1974: Ken McElroy marries Trena McCloud to get out of a statutory rape charge with Trena. 1952: Ken McElroy marries his first wife Oleta. McElroy eventually left the tavern and got into his pickup truck with his wife, but the mob of people followed the pair outside. At least some of the witnesses surely knew who fired the bullet that shattered the back window of McElroys truck and blew off the back of his head. "[13], McElroy was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Joseph, Missouri. At some point in his life, McElroy was believed to have been seriously injured on a construction site, causing him to suffer from chronic pain. He then returned to Trena's parents' home when they were away and, once again, shot the family dog and burned the house down. 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. This led to several patrons deciding to see what they could legally do to prevent McElroy from harming anyone else. Missouri-based journalist Steve Booher described the attitude of some townspeople as, "He needed killing. No One Saw A Thing centers around the 1981 murder of Ken Rex McElroy in Skidmore Missouri and other crimes committed in the town and surrounding area over the years. Once you boil away to the facts of what occurred, you can probably point to hundreds of similar reports every week across the United States., If McElroy had been shot by a lone gunman on a dark road at night, it would have made the Maryville paper for a day, MacLean said. In Broad Daylight by Harry N. MacLean / Via. The Vigilantemurder of Ken Rex McElroy still remains a mystery today. A deer slug in one chamber tore through Bowenkamps neck, coming within 3 inches of his head. SKIDMORE, Mo. 1952: Ken McElroy marries his first wife Oleta. Hed help anyone that needed to be helped, she said in an interview recounted in In Broad Daylight. Bottles, glasses for restaurants and barsincomible/Getty ImagesFull of Audienceuschools/Getty ImagesAn American police officer posing arms folded beside cop carDarrenMower/Getty ImagesCar Wash Truck SprayA-Digit/Getty ImagesCity People Setedge69/Getty ImagesSilhouette of people in action4x6/Getty ImagesCaucasian farmer standing in irrigated fieldHill Street Studios/Getty ImagesYoung woman on the streetSensorSpot/Getty ImagesShot Truck Driverwwing/Getty ImagesOlder Caucasian man standing with hands in pocketsSam Diephuis/Getty ImagesOutlines of rebellionsshironosov/Getty Imagesmain street remote rural prairie towndlerick/Getty ImagesBlank magazine on wooden backgroundgrinvalds/Getty ImagesEmpty Country Road In UsaDan Thornberg / EyeEm/Getty ImagesCaucasian farmer wearing gloves leaning on wooden fenceSteve Smith/Getty ImagesJudge holding gavel in courtroomChris Ryan/Getty ImagesAuthentic Cowboy Rancher Portraitavid_creative/Getty ImagesSilhouettes of three cowboys on a white backgroundheartbar/Getty ImagesCaucasian security officers posing with flashlightKirk Marsh/Getty ImagesPrivate investigator reports what he seestzahiV/Getty ImagesThis farm is my pride and joypixdeluxe/Getty Imagesdark portrait of a man in a hoodserikbaib/Getty ImagesWhite colored house with blue doorMableen/Getty ImagesYoung couple havi EXTERNAL CREDITSGrant Henderson - Editor+Rick Weller- GFX Artist Almost everyone, with the exception of Bo Bowenkamp, backed down. In August of 1980, McElroy made attempts to intimidate the Bowenkamp family and their supporters to prevent them from testifying. That it was a vigilante killing is not true for a lot of reasons; if they had decided to kill him, they wouldnt have stood in the street to watch the murder unfold, he said. [1], McElroy was born in 1934, the 15th of 16 children born to a poor, migrant tenant-farming couple named Tony and Mabel (ne Lister) McElroy, who had moved between Kansas and the Ozarks before settling outside of 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. [6], Based on Trena's story, McElroy was indicted in June 1973 for arson, assault, and statutory rape. McElroy burned down the girls home and shot her familys dog to force her parents to agree to the marriage. Its never going to happen.. There was a kind of silent charity on the part of my parents, and they never prosecuted. For more than two decades, McElroy was suspected of being involved in theft of grain, gasoline, alcohol, antiques, and livestock, but he avoided conviction when charges were brought against him 21 timesoften after witnesses refused to testify because he allegedly intimidated them, frequently by following his targets or parking outside their homes and watching them. His attorney, Richard McFadin, said he routinely defended Ken McElroy in three or four felonies a year. All Rights Reserved. Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 July 10, 1981) was an American criminal and convicted attempted murderer who resided in Skidmore, Missouri, United States. But not that one. There wasn't much parental supervision, but McElroy had a knack for taking care of himself. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. Reporting on what you care about. She was present at the time of his death. The murder of Ken Rex McElroy took place in plain view of dozens of residents of this small farm town, under the glare of the morning sun. In all, he was indicted 21 times but escaped conviction each time, except for the last. A reported crowd of up to 60 men had largely dispersed, but some onlookers remained, staring at the pickup. Del Clement, the man Trena named as McElroys killer, died of cirrhosis of the liver in 2009. Many buildings are closed and falling apart. 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. What gave rise to that theory is that they were in the Legion hall for a meeting, then went down to the D&G [when they heard McElroy was in town]. In what could only be described as vigilante justice, they conspired to kill Ken McElroy. Both Sally and Sharon begin having Ken's children. The courts would not help us or Skidmore. The grocer lived and McElroy was again arrested and charged with attempted murder. Henry survived and McElroy was charged with assault with intent to kill. In the decades preceding his murder, McElroy terrorized the denizens of Skidmore. There just wouldnt have been a story.. We might not see him for three or four days, and then wed see him every day for weeks, Monte said. But even after a federal prosecutor forwarded to Mr. Baird what he called substantial new evidence, no one was indicted. July 1981: During the 1st week of July it was announced that there would be a delay in McElroy's bond hearing. Once there, he threatened Bo, and shot him in the neck at close range with a shotgun. Like so many other small towns, Skidmore has shrunk inside itself, watching businesses close and residents depart. I have no doubt hed have tried to kill my mom. He was a goodhearted person. It was a misunderstanding, but one that made the Bowenkamps lives a living hell for months. His father was a tenant farmer, his mother a housewife swamped with feeding and caring for the sprawling family. 1969 or 1970: Ken McElroy becomes involved with a young girl named Trena McCloud. The story of Ken Rex McElroy began on June 1, 1934. Despite being shot in broad daylight in front of various witnesses, the . What happened in Skidmore that day wasnt much different than the completely predictable result from shaking a carbonated beverage until the top finally blows. McElroy denied he was at the scene. To the residents of the small town, he was the town bully. It was a matter of self-preservation. [Stream episodes of Accused: Guilty or Innocent? Trena McElroy accused Skidmore residents of turning her husband into a scapegoat. Local police, state investigators and FBI agents tried to break the towns silence, without success. The streak ended when a jury convicted Mr. McElroy of second-degree assault in the grocers shooting. I dont believe youre coming nowafter we needed your help all this time.. Theoretically, [the murder] could be re-investigated, veteran Kansas City criminal defense attorney J.R. Hobbs tells A&E True Crime. A writer and storyteller out in the world to write about True-Crime and History. Mr. McElroy was quickly rearrested after he appeared in town with a rifle, but he was again released. Everyone was keeping an eye on us. Another was McElroys intimidation tactics, MacLean writes. Henry was forced to admit in court, under questioning by McElroy's attorney Richard Gene McFadin, that he had concealed his own petty criminal conviction from more than 30 years previous. Mr. McElroy has been dead for almost three decades now, a round number that has residents here bracing for the next round of visits by reporters. He went back home and was shot within a couple of days, explains Conger, editor of the Bethany Republican-Clipper. On July 27, 1976, Skidmore farmer Romaine Henry said McElroy shot him twice with a shotgun after Henry challenged him for shooting weapons on Henry's property. Is dumpster diving legal in Missouri and Illinois? Someone warned her, Youre about to meet Ken Rex McElroy, Monte said. 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. We stood up and did the right thing. 1. On July 9, 1984, Trena McElroy filed a $5 million wrongful death lawsuit against the Town of Skidmore, County of Nodaway, Sheriff Danny Estes, Steve Peters (Mayor of Skidmore), and Del Clement (whom Trena accused of being the shooter, but who was never charged). Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. He was represented by defense attorney Richard Gene McFadin of Gallatin, Missouri. One of the killers has died. No. McElroy would just sit and glower at you just stare at you and youd never know what he was thinking.. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. MacLean doesnt believe the men gathered at the Legion hall that morning ever made a group decision to kill McElroy. But if tried by a jury of their peers, I doubt anybody around here would have convicted the shooters. Richard McFadin, 87, a lawyer, now retired, who represented Mr. McElroy in numerous cases and, after the killing, his widow, said he believed there was enough evidence for a prosecution. Instead, he continued to harass Bowenkamp. McElroy first began his relationship with McCloud when she was 14 and the two had a child shortly thereafter. He was nonplussed. McCloud was McElroy's third "wife," though all unions were suspicious due to the fact that some of his marriages overlapped. YouTubeThe towns local bar in Skidmore, Missouri. 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. We went everywhere we could, but justice would stay delicately out the way, she said. In the summer of 1981, a jury handed McElroy his first-ever felony conviction for the lesser charge of second-degree assault. So what was left?. He divorces Oleta and marries Sharon to get out of a chargeof assault after shooting Sharon during an argument. A&E, Rolling Stone, Playboy, 60 Minutes, and other media outlets covered the story in print or television. Its been over 30 years. The local major-cases squad investigated, then the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The towns local bar in Skidmore, Missouri. It's said the county's law enforcement officials were afraid of encountering McElroy, who was known to be heavily armed. On the morning of July 10, 1981, several townspeople met with the Nodaway County sheriff at a local hall to discuss what could be done about McElroy. In the plainspoken manner of speaking in Skidmore, McElroy simply needed killing, like a gangrened leg needs to be severed to save the whole body. Three grand juries heard evidence. 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. 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. It wasn't the kind of murder which goes unsolved for decades and eventually someone comes forward with the tip that breaks the case open. The couple then moved to Colorado. The larger-than-life bully who menaced the farming community of Skidmore died in seconds. [2], In all, he was indicted 21 times but escaped conviction each time, except for the last. The people of Skidmore were becoming more and more frustrated with the failures to protect them in the justice system. The people of the town keep their heads down and prefer to not speak about the incident. [6] Trena and her baby were placed in foster care at a home in Maryville, Missouri. In the end, fear is what killed him, Goslee said. McElroy was known to have stolen grain, alcohol, gasoline, antiques, and even livestock. What started with hunting raccoons escalated into petty crime until McElroy ultimately emerged as a full-fledged criminal. In April 1980, Trena McElroy told her husband a clerk in the Bowenkamps store had accused their 4-year-old daughter of stealing penny candy. [5] She became pregnant when she was fourteen, dropped out of school in the ninth grade, and went to live with McElroy and his second wife Alice. They know how everybody thinks.. No one has been indicted for the murder of McElroy. The final straw for Skidmore was when he was let out on bond. As many as 60 people were reported to have been at the scene, but not one of them would say who had wielded the weapons. 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. McElroy made a living leasing land near his farm, and trading and racing dogs. And he has already asked the sheriffs office to re-examine some of the unsolved cases. June 12th, 1973: After continuing his involvement with Trena McCloud, Ken McElroy burns down Trena's parents' house. Women had a harder time with it than the men.
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