He put those skills to work rustling hogs and cattle, MacLean recounts. He was nonplussed. He showed back up in front of their house that night, and he and Trena sat there and watched them, Monte said. We had shoplifting, but a lot of people were on hard times. The final straw for Skidmore was when he was let out on bond. A lot of them didnt even tell their wives and children. She eventually filed a wrongful death against the town, the county, and some citizens but the matter was settled out of court. His hunch paid off, and McElroy found himself handcuffed and charged with assault. 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. Things reached a boiling point in 1980 when Ken McElroy got into a confrontation with the towns elderly grocer, Ernest Bo Bowenkamp. That they had guns at the ready wasnt unusual. [1] To date, no one has been charged in connection with McElroy's death. Nodaway County Sheriff Dan Estes suggested they form a neighborhood watch. I dont believe youre coming nowafter we needed your help all this time.. How did this uneducated person how is he able to outwit the criminal justice system for 20 years? said MacLean. Still, the panel didnt return an indictment, giving rise to conspiracy theories about a law enforcement coverup, also a theme in No One Saw a Thing.. A couple of men hustled Trena to a nearby bank, away from the gunfire. 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. A man who turned out to be McElroy pointed a shotgun at me, Margaret tells A&E True Crime. As Ken McElroy sat in his truck, he was shot at several times. There is pretty much nothing in existence that was not stolen by McElroy during his 47 years. Despite the efforts of police, prosecutors and McElroys family, no one has been charged in the murder. 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. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. McCloud was McElroy's third "wife," though all unions were suspicious due to the fact that some of his marriages overlapped. Its never going to happen.. On July 10, 1981, Ken Rex McElroy was killed in one of the strangest instances investigators ever saw. He made no deathbed confession, but someone wrote in a memorial tribute that he . Didnt see a thing. Thats the response investigators repeatedly received when they questioned people over the death of Ken McElroy. McElroy was known to have stolen grain, alcohol, gasoline, antiques, and even livestock. He was hit twice and died in his truck. A&E, Rolling Stone, Playboy, 60 Minutes, and other media outlets covered the story in print or television. He was charged with wading through the sensational details and moral ambiguities of the case to ensure that, in his words, justice was served. They settle in Skidmore. October 20th, 1974: Ken McElroy marries Trena McCloud to get out of a statutory rape charge with Trena. McElroy was furious when he learned of the incident. He was known as "the town bully", [1] and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. [3] McElroy was acquitted. Another was McElroys intimidation tactics, MacLean writes. But in a dramatic act of solidarity with the gunman, every witness, save the dead mans wife, denied seeing who had pulled the trigger. McElroy began stalking the Bowenkamp family, and eventually threatened Bo Bowenkamp in the back of his store with a shotgun in hand. Instead of playing out in court, the details emerged in newspaper and magazine accounts, as well as a best-selling book, In Broad Daylight: A Murder in Skidmore, Missouri, which was later made into a television movie. They know how everybody thinks.. Women had a harder time with it than the men. Now, nearly 30 years later, that prosecutor, David A. Baird, is preparing to leave office with his first and most famous case still unsolved. Then you can read about chilling cold cases where the murderers and victims were both unknown. McElroy was spinning so hard out of control, I have no doubt he would have tried to kill my dad again, given the chance. (Editors Note: Patch Deputy National Editor Beth Dalbey grew up on a farm about 10 miles from Skidmore, Missouri.). Many wondered: Why didnt Baird press charges against the man Trena McElroy fingered as her husbands killer? He knew which people to pick on the weak people and he followed through on his threats just often enough to make people believe he was going to do what he said he was going to do. The sheriff said, If you have to shoot him, let us know and well come get him before he starts stinking, Monte said. It's worth noting that the abused defending their abuser often occurs in domestic violence cases. A lot of people were not happy about what happened, MacLean said. It was a misunderstanding, but one that made the Bowenkamps lives a living hell for months. The Cold Case Murders That Keep Retired Detectives Up at Night, Citizen Detectives Uncover Crime Clues on Websleuths Online Forum. 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]. And he has already asked the sheriffs office to re-examine some of the unsolved cases. 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. There were as many as 60 witnesses, yet the crime remains unsolved. In Broad Daylight: A Murder in Skidmore, Missouri. McElroy was hit twice and died. The Story Of Ken McElroy The Vicious Bully Killed By His Town. More awful crimes have taken place in the small town. He then returned to Trena's parents' home when they were away and, once again, shot the family dog and burned the house down. No one called for an ambulance. They just went stone silent. 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. Two people decided in the midst of that whole incident theyd had enough, MacLean said. I dont know what happened,' Boyer recalls witnesses saying. One account even said that McElroy rode into town on a horse and was shot and killed, Baird, the former prosecutor, said. During the meeting, McElroy arrived at the D&G Tavern with Trena. His unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. Someone warned her, Youre about to meet Ken Rex McElroy, Monte said. July 8th, 1980: The Bowenkamps filed a legal proceeding against Ken McElroy after the incident in their store. 1964: Ken meets another girlfriend named Alice Wood. She died in 2012. No one has any idea what a nightmare we lived.. The people of Skidmore were becoming more and more frustrated with the failures to protect them in the justice system. Reached by phone, Mr. McElroys wife, who has since remarried and left the state, said she was not interested in talking about the case. The clerk, Evelyn Sumy, was at the back of the store when the doors swung open. E-mail: ramzywritersofficial@gmail.com. Often, witnesses changed their mind about testifying before trials began, MacLean said, and if a case did make it to trial, a juror might open the mailbox to find a rattlesnake. The stories of McElroy's relationships contain some troubling details, but the information is important to paint the full picture. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5D Vigilante justice, or cold-blooded murder?MERCH: We've got it! He would intimidate anyone who got in his way, usually by repeatedly harassing them or threatening them with a bullet. I have no doubt hed have tried to kill my mom. When the call went out, State Police Cpl. July 10th, 1981: The Townspeople gather in the Legion to discuss what should be done about Ken McElroy. No one was ever accused of shoplifting, or stealing. 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 out showing a trainee the ropes when he got the call of a shooting in Skidmore. It's hard to believe that this small town was once a bustlingcommunity. [14] Trena remarried and moved to Lebanon, Missouri, where she died of cancer on her 55th birthday on January 24, 2012.[15]. Why are you doing this? . And his deeds were as daunting as his appearance. We went everywhere we could, but justice would stay delicately out the way, she said. He said he was not at all disappointed to leave office with the case still unsolved. Town Mute for 30 Years About a Bullys Killing, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/us/16bully.html. The case was later settled out of court by all parties for $17,600, with no one admitting guilt, for the stated reason of avoiding costly legal fees should the suit proceed. The justice system just crashed and burned over this case.. 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Perversely, the towns share of tragedy has grown. No one was surprised. She took her complaint to at-the-time Nodaway County Sheriff Roger Cronk. All Rights Reserved. Again, there were no indictments, and the McElroy murder case was tossed back to Baird. He was known as the town bully, but they may be putting it mildly. [9] McElroy was convicted at trial of assault, but freed on bail pending his appeal. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! Still working within the justice system, witnesses who saw McElroy with the gun gave the information the county prosecutor needed to request a bond revocation hearing. However, when the matter came to trial, McElroys attorney produced a pair of witnesses who testified they were hunting with McElroy that day and he was nowhere near the scene of the shooting. [1] McElroy successfully appealed the conviction and was released on bond, after which he engaged in an ongoing harassment campaign against Bowenkamp and others who were sympathetic to Bowenkamp, including the town's Church of Christ minister. There were so many nights Dad couldnt go out and mow the yard or water the flowers because there was a truck parked down the street, and they were watching the house, Monte said. But Ken rarely had to wrestle with the But justice is a loaded term in a case that challenges the usual assumptions of victim and perpetrator. A federal grand jury was convened. We didnt have sufficient evidence to go to trial.. Before you tell yourself the case closed, no, this case still remains unsolved. [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. He begins to rant about how he is going to ruin Bo Bowenkamp. No one has been indicted for the murder of McElroy. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In all, he was indicted 21 times but escaped conviction each time, except for the last. On the morning of July 10, 1981, townspeople met at the Legion Hall in the center of town with Sheriff Estes to discuss how to protect themselves. Born in 1934, Ken Rex McElroy was a resident of Skidmore, Missouri. In 1981, McElroy was convicted of shooting . About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . That became the pattern. [2], In all, he was indicted 21 times but escaped conviction each time, except for the last. The DA declined to press charges and the following investigation proved to be futile. The man identified by the widow as the main gunman recently died, something Mr. Baird raised in suggesting that the case may never be reopened. Posted on July 14, 2011 by Harry. As his long tenure comes to an end questions about the lack of resolution in the murder case perhaps the most infamous in the area since Jesse James was shot nearby a century earlier continue to follow Mr. Baird. There may never be an answer to the question of who killed Ken Rex McElroy. McElroy denied he was at the scene. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. Trena claimed to have seen someone pull a rifle from the back of the truck, take aim at McElroy, and fire shots that shattered the truck's windows. As he sat drinking at the bar, word got back to the men at the Legion Hall that he was in town. McElroy was also accused of abusing his first two wives, Sharon and Alice, but Alice defended him in an interview shortly after his death. 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. He was arrested, booked, arraigned, and released on $2,500 bail. Once there, he threatened Bo, and shot him in the neck at close range with a shotgun. We might not see him for three or four days, and then wed see him every day for weeks, Monte said. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. But if tried by a jury of their peers, I doubt anybody around here would have convicted the shooters. In 1981, vigilantes in Skidmore, Mo., took justice into their own hands and killed town bully Ken Rex McElroy but no one was charged with the crime. Anticipating McElroys typical moves, Stratton waited on a back road near the Kansas border. MacLean doesnt believe the men gathered at the Legion hall that morning ever made a group decision to kill McElroy. [6], Based on Trena's story, McElroy was indicted in June 1973 for arson, assault, and statutory rape. The townsfolk were infuriated. In Broad Daylight by Harry N. MacLean / Via. Stratton knew McElroy from a previous stop when he threatened the trooper with a shotgun. The bar that provided the backdrop for the shooting is closed and for sale for $20,000. 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. After McElroy finished his drinks, he purchased a six pack of beer, left the bar, and entered his pickup truck. [1][3] The next day, McElroy was shot to death in broad daylight as he sat with his wife Trena in his pickup truck on Skidmore's main street. But unless a very credible witness came forward, its not likely to happen., The Burger Chef Cold Case: Four Murders Still Unsolved Over 40 Years Later. On July 10, 1981, McElroy was sitting in his truck with his wife Trena McElroy on Skidmore's main drag when a crowd of residents surrounded his vehicle and shot at him several times. According to court records, McElroy tracked them down and brought them back. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Everyone was keeping an eye on us. The streak ended when a jury convicted Mr. McElroy of second-degree assault in the grocers shooting. There were plenty of eyewitnesses, as well as the attack happened in broad. Gene McFadin, McElroys nickel-slick lawyer from Kansas City could get Ken off every time, Kirby Goslee, a 71-year-old Skidmore farmer who still works the land his family homesteaded six generations ago, told Patch. They could have pushed and dug, pushed and dug and gotten nothing, said Huston. 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. We stood up and did the right thing. After dropping out of school in the eighth grade, it didnt take long for Ken McElroy to fall into a life of delinquency. SKIDMORE, Mo. Livestock owners looked the other way when a few head of cattle or hogs vanished in the night or gas barrels used to fuel farm implements were noticeably emptier. Within a few years, she had had four children by him. [11] Only Trena claimed to identify a gunman; every other witness either was unable to name an assailant or claimed not to have seen who fired the fatal shots. 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? I didnt see anything. 1952: Ken McElroy marries his first wife Oleta. Ken Rex McElroy was an American known as "the town bully" of Skidmore, Missouri. To the residents of the small town, he was the town bully. The grocer lived and McElroy was again arrested and charged with attempted murder. Sixteen days after Trena gave birth, both she and Alice fled to Trena's mother's and stepfather's house. Heavy lids veiled cold, steel-blue eyes, making them look like half moons. Murder is still murder. The Vigilantemurder of Ken Rex McElroy still remains a mystery today. No. [8] At the trial, two raccoon hunters testified they were with McElroy the day of the shooting away from Henry's property. Is dumpster diving legal in Missouri and Illinois? Weighing in at approximately 270 pounds with bushy black sideburns, McElroy held the entire . He believes one of the gunmen was the suspect named by the widow. Yes, its against the law, but you know, the law is not the final definitive word on him. Everyone just went home. The town, on the other hand, hated him. Allegedly, even the mayor was in on it. Hed help anyone that needed to be helped, she said in an interview recounted in In Broad Daylight. The Tylenol Murders: Is It Too Late to Solve the Famous Cold Case? Road signs bear a picture of a young man who disappeared nine years ago and is feared dead. McElroy for the most part escaped prosecution and, certainly, conviction for various crimes. April 10th, 1972: After Alice runs away with their son, Ken McElroy gets into an altercation with Alice's stepfather and shoots him. Dunbar talked to him, and [McElroy] pulled a gun on him, Monte said. As there were no witnesses, nobody was able to take the stand. Ken Rex McElroy was shot dead inside his pick-up truck on the 10th of July, 1981, via a storm of bullets. The last three decades have been tough on this agricultural community of 342, about an hour and a half north of Kansas City. He never finished high school but knew how to hunt, drive fast and navigate the back roads of Nodaway County by his early teens. When word spread that McElroy was in town, a couple of the men walked from the Legion hall to the D&G. The larger-than-life bully who menaced the farming community of Skidmore died in seconds. McElroy divorced Alice and married Trena in order to escape charges of statutory rape, to which she was the only witness. The objective is to promote history on Medium and demonstrate the value of historical writing. Reporting on what you care about. Refusing to argue, he and Lois went home. Trena McElroy remarried and had a fairly normal life, refusing interviews after she left Skidmore. Ken Rex McElroy was a 6-foot, 270 pounds, dark-complexioned, blue-eyed man who lived in Skidmore, Missouri. And despite there being dozens of witnesses, no one has ever been arrested or charged in connection with McElroys murder. 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. 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. YouTubeThe towns local bar in Skidmore, Missouri. Over the course of his life, McElroy was accused of dozens of felonies, including assault, child molestation, statutory rape, arson, animal cruelty, hog and cattle rustling, and burglary. Full Worm Moon: Will Conditions Favor A Moonbow? If you liked reading this story on Ken McElroy, the bully who was killed by his town, check out the story of Budford Pussers cold-blooded revenge. The McElroys eventually left the store, but when Bowenkamp closed up that night, he was outside, waiting. A trial took place the following year and for the first time ever, Ken McElroy was convicted. He was known as "the town bully",[1] and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. 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. He grew up hearing the story. Local police, state investigators and FBI agents tried to break the towns silence, without success. However, an incident would occur in 1980 that changed everything. 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. The sheriff suggested they form a neighborhood watch and advised the group not to confront the man. Like so many other small towns, Skidmore has shrunk inside itself, watching businesses close and residents depart. Dozens of them gathered at Skidmores American Legion hall on the morning of July 10, 1981. As a result, he was arrested, but quickly released. 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..
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