McElroy was known to have stolen grain, alcohol, gasoline, antiques, and even livestock. He was known as the town bully, but they may be putting it mildly. Why are you doing this? The town, on the other hand, hated him. In August of 1980, McElroy made attempts to intimidate the Bowenkamp family and their supporters to prevent them from testifying. He then returned to Trena's parents' home when they were away and, once again, shot the family dog and burned the house down. Its been over 30 years. He was sure it was Mr. McElroy who had done the shooting. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Someone shot at McElroy while he was sitting in his truck. Estes, the sheriff some tried to implicate in a conspiracy, is dead. According to a report, no one called an ambulance. He showed up to the towns local bar, armed with a rifle and bayonet, threatening to kill the elderly grocer. He dropped out of school before he reached high school, and by 13 was already a familiar character to the cops around Nodaway County. However, he was also charged with various crimes. Many wondered: Why didnt Baird press charges against the man Trena McElroy fingered as her husbands killer? Author Harry MacLean wrote a book McElroys story called In Broad Daylight. 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. 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. Witnessing the murder were McElroys wife, Trena, screaming in the passenger seat and dozens of local residents. This past weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the killing of Ken Rex McElroy of Skidmore. McElroys wife named one person as a possible gunman, but no one couldor wouldidentify who fired the shots. [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. In the summer of 1981, a jury handed McElroy his first-ever felony conviction for the lesser charge of second-degree assault. [3] McElroy was acquitted. When word spread that McElroy was in town, a couple of the men walked from the Legion hall to the D&G. Richard Stratton was ready. They slept in shifts, with some friend or family member keeping an eye on the street. Calling the sheriff about his threats was risk few were willing to take not that it would have done much good, Goslee said. July 10th, 1981: The Townspeople gather in the Legion to discuss what should be done about Ken McElroy. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. McElroy was a big man with cold eyes who always carried a gun. August 18th, 1980: Ken's preliminary trial begins. Alice and Ken eventually separate. Somebody would hear his name, and the legend grew bigger. How did this uneducated person how is he able to outwit the criminal justice system for 20 years? said MacLean. [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. [Stream episodes of Accused: Guilty or Innocent? After McElroy finished his drinks, he purchased a six pack of beer, left the bar, and entered his pickup truck. In 1980, after a misunderstanding about a candy purchase from a Skidmore grocery store involving McElroys daughters, McElroy shot popular owner Bo Bowenkamp in the neck. That was the last straw, MacLean said. 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. There's a long list of crimes said to have been committed by McElroy, including shooting multiple people. Del Clement, the man Trena named as McElroys killer, died of cirrhosis of the liver in 2009. He torched the home and shot the dogagainafter the girl went into hiding with her and McElroys baby. Meanwhile, major media outlets descended onto Skidmore and reports of its vigilantes became water-cooler talk across the U.S. For some residents, resentment against McElroy was projected onto the police. The rumor was that he had drowned her father in a bathtub when he had objected to what he was doing to his daughter. He was known as the town bully , but they may be putting it mildly. McElroy was found not guilty. We went everywhere we could, but justice would stay delicately out the way, she said. A writer and storyteller out in the world to write about True-Crime and History. In Broad Daylight by Harry N. MacLean / Via. A federal grand jury was convened. Additional charges were filed against McElroy.[7]. I didnt see anything. E-mail: ramzywritersofficial@gmail.com. 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]. 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. In fact, anywhere between thirty and ninety people witnessed the . THE KILLING OF KEN REX MCELROY THIRTY YEARS LATER. Boyer was out showing a trainee the ropes when he got the call of a shooting in Skidmore. 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. You just didnt do that.. Shortly after being released, McElroy was at D&G Tavern making threats about murdering Bowenkamp. Stratton knew McElroy from a previous stop when he threatened the trooper with a shotgun. Missouri-based journalist Steve Booher described the attitude of some townspeople as, "He needed killing. All Rights Reserved. Charismatic, with jet-black hair and piercing eyes, McElroy could sweet-talk his way around women and had been married three times by his early 40s. He had a legendary status, and it all got to be bigger than he was. The bar that provided the backdrop for the shooting is closed and for sale for $20,000. 1948: Approximately the time when Ken begins his small thefts as a young teenager. Ken McElroy died in a hail of gunfire on the morning of July 10, 1981, while sitting in his truck outside a local tavern. Almost everyone, with the exception of Bo Bowenkamp, backed down. Filmmaker Avi Belkin's 'No One Saw a Thing . Before you tell yourself the case closed, no, this case still remains unsolved. Sixteen days after Trena gave birth, both she and Alice fled to Trena's mother's and stepfather's house. 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. 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! Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 - July 10, 1981) was a resident of Skidmore, Nodaway County, Missouri. June 25th, 1981: McElroy returns to Skidmore out on bail until an appeal hearing. Mable was born on February 28 1897, in Dover, Shawnee County, KS, USA. McElroy's appeal hearing was again delayed. The last three decades have been tough on this agricultural community of 342, about an hour and a half north of Kansas City. Were the citizens justified in taking matters into their own hands? We stood up and did the right thing. 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. Ken Rex McElroy was shot dead in Skidmore, Missouri on July 10, 1981. A bond hearing was ordered. Both Sally and Sharon begin having Ken's children. Farmers carried them to kill varmints, or for hunting displaying them in plain sight in rear window gun racks. Retribution was slow coming to Ken McElroybut lightning fast when it happened. The larger-than-life bully who menaced the farming community of Skidmore died in seconds. He was punctual, always said he didnt do it, paid in cash and kept coming back.. One account even said that McElroy rode into town on a horse and was shot and killed, Baird, the former prosecutor, said. 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. He was a goodhearted person. The townspeople organized a caravan to escort the witnesses to the hearing both to protect them and to show solidarity. Weighing in at approximately 270 pounds with bushy black sideburns, McElroy held the entire . The murder of Ken Rex McElroy isn't 'unsolved' in the typical sense of the word. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5D Vigilante justice, or. [4], McElroy fathered more than 10 children with different women. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. It was a matter of self-preservation. 1952: Ken McElroy marries his first wife Oleta. See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro Ken Rex McElroy Jr. 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. He didnt have a bank account, didnt have a Social Security number, he didnt read. 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. He was shot at several times and hit twice, once by a centerfire rifle and once by a .22 rimfire rifle. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Ken Rex McElroy was an illiterate hog farmer who lived on the outskirts of a small town in Northwest Missouri. 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. I have no doubt hed have tried to kill my mom. Sheriff Estes instructed the assembled group not to get into a direct confrontation with McElroy, but instead seriously consider forming a neighborhood watch program. McElroy began backing out too, then tailed Margaret until she radioed Richard and squad cars showed up. He was represented by defense attorney Richard Gene McFadin of Gallatin, Missouri. SKIDMORE, Mo. [2][3] In 1981, McElroy was convicted of attempted murder in the shooting of the town's 70-year-old grocer Ernest "Bo" Bowenkamp. McElroy was a resident of Skidmore, Missouri. His father was a tenant farmer, his mother a housewife swamped with feeding and caring for the sprawling family. No one has been indicted for the murder of McElroy. Few were criticized as mightily as Baird over the lack of prosecution in McElroys murder. There has been books written, movies, documentaries and more made about the killing. Shortly after, McElroy was arrested and charged with attempted murder. One of the killers has died. 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April 25th, 1980: A few of Ken's children go to the local grocery store and is accused of stealing by Mrs. Bowenkamp. July 1981: During the 1st week of July it was announced that there would be a delay in McElroy's bond hearing. 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. 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. Ken Rex McElroy 1934-1981. After McElroy fired a gun outside her house, Evelyn Sumy appealed to Dave Dunbar, the town marshal. After Sally had had three kids, Ken kicks her out of the house. You dont take cases to trial to see what might happen, the former prosecutor said. There has been books written, movies, documentaries and more made about the killing. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Joyce Monte, daughter of injured grocer. There were plenty of eyewitnesses, as well as the attack happened in broad daylight, therefore McElroy four years earlier had pumped a couple of rounds of buckshot into the stomach of local farmer Romaine Henry as he tried to run the blackguard off his land. What could legally be done about McElroy, they asked Sheriff Danny Estes, who had been elected months earlier. His hunch paid off, and McElroy found himself handcuffed and charged with assault. But even after a federal prosecutor forwarded to Mr. Baird what he called substantial new evidence, no one was indicted. Mr. McElroy was quickly rearrested after he appeared in town with a rifle, but he was again released. A trial took place the following year and for the first time ever, Ken McElroy was convicted. 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 towns local bar in Skidmore, Missouri. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 1969 or 1970: Ken McElroy becomes involved with a young girl named Trena McCloud. She was present at the time of his death. And its likely to stay that way. April 10th, 1972: After Alice runs away with their son, Ken McElroy gets into an altercation with Alice's stepfather and shoots him. [6], Based on Trena's story, McElroy was indicted in June 1973 for arson, assault, and statutory rape. McElroy first began his relationship with McCloud when she was 14 and the two had a child shortly thereafter. 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. Some attributed his bizarre and violent behavior to a head injury suffered in this event. As many as 60 Skidmore residents attended, including the mayor and the sheriff. Ken Rex McElroy was born on month day 1934, at birth place, Missouri, to Anthony Wyatt McElroy and Mable Marie McElroy (born Lister). Only July 10, 1981, there was a meeting at the town hall, down the street from D&G Tavern. 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. 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. Ive never thought there was a series of phone calls that went around dont say this or that. Those farmers have known each other since they were children. The Vigilantemurder of Ken Rex McElroy still remains a mystery today. McElroy was reportedly a large man (270 pounds), and a local farmer's description of him (seen above) was that he wanted to appear "big and important" and make people "afraid.". What set off McElroy and put the local grocer in his crosshairs was the pettiest of offenses. The grocer lived and McElroy was again arrested and charged with attempted murder. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! 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. He made no deathbed confession, but someone wrote in a memorial tribute that he was a good, brave man. McFadin, the lawyer who once told The New York Times the town got away with murder, is dead, too. 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. The murder occurred in broad daylight, with as many as sixty eye-witnesses present . When they met him on the street, parents steered their children, especially their daughters, away from McElroy, a notorious womanizer who favored young women and was married multiple times including to a child bride he was accused of raping and fathered 15 children. Ken Rex McElroy was an American known as "the town bully" of Skidmore, Missouri. 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. [10] No one called for an ambulance. When the call went out, State Police Cpl. However, he was also charged with various crimes. He was accused or suspected of dozens of crimes, including theft, livestock rustling, burglary, arson, assault, rape, and child molestation. During the meeting, McElroy arrived at the D&G Tavern with Trena. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Murder is still murder. 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 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. Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. As there were no witnesses, nobody was able to take the stand. That became the pattern. McElroy was eventually convicted, but the charge was lessened from "attempt to kill" to "knowingly caused serious physical injury" to ensure a conviction. She eventually filed a wrongful death against the town, the county, and some citizens but the matter was settled out of court. 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. 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. One night after he pulled a speeding pickup truck over, Boyer came face to face with McElroy. Watch the new and 7th season of BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime! Our law enforcement never went after him very hard, he said. 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. McElroys wifewhom he victimized as a childremarried and moved to Lebanon, Missouri. Evelyn tried to explain what had happened, that nobody had accused the children of stealing, and Trena said, Why would my effing daughter lie? . When he got off on a trial, it grew even bigger. His attorney, Richard McFadin, said he routinely defended Ken McElroy in three or four felonies a year. Tensions in Skidmore soared as McElroys trial neared. He was charged with wading through the sensational details and moral ambiguities of the case to ensure that, in his words, justice was served. [1] To date, no one has been charged in connection with McElroy's death. [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. As the story has been told by MacLean and others, McElroy showed up at the D&G tavern and pool hall the next day toting a rifle with a bayonet a violation of his bond and threatened to finish off the Bowenkamps. Del Clement, the man Trena named as McElroy's killer, died of cirrhosis of the liver in 2009. The Mirny Diamond Mine Might Be The Most Mysterious Hole Ever, The Story Of Alain Lamare The Cop Who Moonlit As The Murderer He Was Trying To Catch, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. He had been terrorizing Skidmore for years and he kept getting away with it. If those responsible for killing McElroy are vigilantes, its because the justice system made them that way, Monte said. Never miss a story by signing up for the newsletter now. Nobody wanted to talk to us, retired Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dan Boyer tells A&E True Crime. McElroy was hit twice and died. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. You know what he was like. I am a History Educator and a Lifelong Learner with a Masters in Global History. Again, there were no indictments, and the McElroy murder case was tossed back to Baird. In 1981, McElroy was convicted of shooting . Boyer was taking trajectory measurements at the crime scene when a town official chided him. Ken had 13 siblings: Hershell Eugene McElroy, Orvil O McElroy and 11 . 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 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 1980, one of McElroy's children got into an argument with a clerk, Evelyn Sumy, in a local grocery store owned by 70-year-old Ernest "Bo" Bowenkamp and his wife Lois, allegedly because the young McElroy child tried to steal some candy. June 25th, 1981: Ken McElroy is sentenced to two years in jail. [2], In all, he was indicted 21 times but escaped conviction each time, except for the last. The noted sites in the story are gone or boardedup. Nodaway County Sheriff Dan Estes suggested they form a neighborhood watch. The law wasnt going to help the people of Skidmore. So what was left?. Ken Rex McElroy Jr. - Biography - IMDb Edit Ken Rex McElroy Jr. Road signs bear a picture of a young man who disappeared nine years ago and is feared dead. 1. He was known as "the town bully",[1] and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. There is pretty much nothing in existence that was not stolen by McElroy during his 47 years. It was a sunny, clear summer day. But in a dramatic act of solidarity with the gunman, every witness, save the dead mans wife, denied seeing who had pulled the trigger. Some of these things are simply assumed to be factual, Baird said. RELATED: 10 Of The Best Docuseries You Should Be Watching Now Each episode is around 40 minutes each and contains dramatic and intimate . His father was a tenant farmer, his mother a housewife swamped with feeding and caring for the sprawling family. He reportedly began stalking the Bowenkamp family. However, an incident would occur in 1980 that changed everything. SKIDMORE, Mo. It really is that it was never spoken of they had an instinctive reaction to close up. As of 2019, many of the main players in McElroys story have died, including McFadin, Trena McElroy, Bowenkamp and the rancher accused of pulling the trigger, MacLean writes in his blog. He appeared in a local bar, the D&G Tavern, armed with an M1 Garand rifle and bayonet, and later threatened to kill Bowenkamp. In all, there were 46 potential witnesses to the shooting, including Trena McElroy, who was in the truck with her husband when he was shot. After dropping out of school in the eighth grade, it didn't take long for Ken McElroy to fall into a life of delinquency.