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On July 10, 1981, Ken Rex McElroy was killed in one of the strangest instances investigators ever saw. The law had plenty of chances, plenty of times to lock him up., Added Monte: Justice failed everybody. But if tried by a jury of their peers, I doubt anybody around here would have convicted the shooters. A lot of them didnt even tell their wives and children. Vigilante justice is certainly a slippery slope, but after years of dealing with Ken McElroy, the people of Skidmore reached their boiling point. A couple of men hustled Trena to a nearby bank, away from the gunfire. They had to look out for themselves. They settle in Skidmore. Allegedly, even the mayor was in on it. Luckily, Bowenkamp survived, and McElroy was charged with attempted murder. Boyer was out showing a trainee the ropes when he got the call of a shooting in Skidmore. It was a misunderstanding, but one that made the Bowenkamps lives a living hell for months. But justice is a loaded term in a case that challenges the usual assumptions of victim and perpetrator. 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. Once, he even got out and fired a shotgun up in the pine tree by their house. After McElroy fired a gun outside her house, Evelyn Sumy appealed to Dave Dunbar, the town marshal. Harry MacLean, author of "In Broad Daylight". Watch the new and 7th season of BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime! Of the potential 40 or so witnesses, with the exception of Trena, none could name a shooter. He put those skills to work rustling hogs and cattle, MacLean recounts. The couple then moved to Colorado. Ken is later charged and arrested. The mere mention of his surname was enough to cause anxiety, if not full terror. Carjackers Steal More Cars Many With Kids Still Inside, After Indulgent Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday Signals Abstinence, Fasting. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5D Vigilante justice, or cold-blooded murder?MERCH: We've got it! McElroy wound up shooting Bowenkamp in the neck, nearly killing him. The murder occurred in broad daylight, with as many as sixty eye-witnesses present . 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. 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. It's hard to believe that this small town was once a bustlingcommunity. You dont have a town full of people who were hiding a guilty conscience, he said. 1969 or 1970: Ken McElroy becomes involved with a young girl named Trena McCloud. Within hours, Mr. Baird heard that there had been a shooting downtown. No one was ever accused of shoplifting, or stealing. The sheriff said, If you have to shoot him, let us know and well come get him before he starts stinking, Monte said. BuzzFeed McElroy allegedly stole livestock, grain, gasoline,. July 10th, 1981: The townspeople gather around Ken's truck once he and Trena exit the bar. Additional charges were filed against McElroy.[7]. They delivered messages in code. McElroys wife named one person as a possible gunman, but no one couldor wouldidentify who fired the shots. A writer and storyteller out in the world to write about True-Crime and History. They could finally sleep peacefully at night, especially Bo and Lois Bowenkamp and their children. Anyone can read what you share. Police had charged him with various alleged crimes from stealing hogs to assault, but nothing stuck. They just went stone silent. Not only that, they recommended he spend no more than two years in prison. It went beyond just hammering people and being mean-spirited. McElroy was in town and behaving belligerently. No one has been charged in connection with McElroys death. McElroy was hit twice by two different guns and died from injuries to his head and neck. Missouri-based journalist Steve Booher described the attitude of some townspeople as, "He needed killing. But even after a federal prosecutor forwarded to Mr. Baird what he called substantial new evidence, no one was indicted. She eventually filed a wrongful death against the town, the county, and some citizens but the matter was settled out of court. The town has seen more than its share of tragedy. I think its something thats going to define this town forever.. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. He grew up hearing the story. Dec. 15, 2010. 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. A man who turned out to be McElroy pointed a shotgun at me, Margaret tells A&E True Crime. June 25th, 1981: McElroy returns to Skidmore out on bail until an appeal hearing. 1. McFadin, McElroys lawyer, got the hearing postponed. McElroy would just sit and glower at you just stare at you and youd never know what he was thinking.. The noted sites in the story are gone or boardedup. Ken Rex McElroy was an illiterate hog farmer who lived on the outskirts of a small town in Northwest Missouri. 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. He was punctual, always said he didnt do it, paid in cash and kept coming back.. Few were criticized as mightily as Baird over the lack of prosecution in McElroys murder. SKIDMORE, MO Four decades after Ken Rex McElroy was gunned down on the main drag of Skidmore, Missouri, in one of Americas most infamous cold cases, the story of the notoriously brutal town bully has refused to die with him no matter how much the farmers and blue-collar workers who live in the small farming town wish it would. He was charged 21 times in theft cases but was said to have avoided conviction through witness intimidation, either by direct confrontation or by parking his truck outside their home. Within a few years, she had had four children by him. Former Nodaway County prosecutor David Baird, Its proceedings are secret, but in news interviews at the time, McElroys widow said she told a county grand jury who murdered her husband. The guns were never recovered. That was the last straw, MacLean said. 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. Filmmaker Avi Belkin's 'No One Saw a Thing . Ken was 18 and Oleta was 16. He was a goodhearted person. McElroy sat outside the foster home for hours at a time staring at it. McElroy eventually left the tavern and got into his pickup truck with his wife, but the mob of people followed the pair outside. The people of Skidmore were becoming more and more frustrated with the failures to protect them in the justice system. It was a commemoration of sorts: thirty years ago to the day after Ken Rex McElroy had been shot to death as he sat in his truck on the main street of . However, in 1981, Trena told People magazine that the fire was a result of "faulty wiring.". McElroy denied he was at the scene. He said he was not at all disappointed to leave office with the case still unsolved. 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. Perversely, the towns share of tragedy has grown. 1954: While working for his sister's husband in construction, McElroy suffers a traumatic head injury that leaves him with lifelong pain. [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. Ken McElroy died in a hail of gunfire on the morning of July 10, 1981, while sitting in his truck outside a local tavern. There were as many as 60 witnesses, yet the crime remains unsolved. Farmers carried them to kill varmints, or for hunting displaying them in plain sight in rear window gun racks. What happened in Skidmore that day wasnt much different than the completely predictable result from shaking a carbonated beverage until the top finally blows. Investigators found shell casings from two weapons a .22-caliber Magnum rifle and an 8 mm Mauser, a German World War I-era long-range rifle. Part of his teeth were lying on the dashboard, Boyer recalls. Known as 'the town bully', his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. His attorney, Richard McFadin, said he routinely defended Ken McElroy in three or four felonies a year. Maryville, Missouri, lawyer David Baird, the Nodaway County prosecutor at the time, said the crime is fairly unremarkable in the context of current-day gang shootings witnessed by many, but seen by few willing to risk their safety by ratting out the crew. Ken Rex McElroy was born on month day 1934, at birth place, Missouri, to Anthony Wyatt McElroy and Mable Marie McElroy (born Lister). Trena jumped from the truck and a man helped her to safety. 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. Town Mute for 30 Years About a Bullys Killing, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/us/16bully.html. 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. 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. He had been terrorizing Skidmore for years and he kept getting away with it. A federal grand jury was convened. The murder occurred in broad daylight, with as many as sixty eye-witnesses present, including the wife of the deceased. A reported crowd of up to 60 men had largely dispersed, but some onlookers remained, staring at the pickup. Nobody wanted to talk to us, retired Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dan Boyer tells A&E True Crime. All Rights Reserved. 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.. 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. He appeared in a local bar, the D&G Tavern, armed with an M1 Garand rifle and bayonet, and later threatened to kill Bowenkamp. She gathered her strength and put the car in reverse. He met his last wife, Trena McCloud (19572012), when she was 12 years old and in eighth grade. July 8th, 1980: The Bowenkamps filed a legal proceeding against Ken McElroy after the incident in their store. 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. [3] McElroy was acquitted. McElory was struck by two different firearms and died behind the wheel of his truck. I said it in 1981, and Ill say it now, Baird told Patch. 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. Known for stealing livestock, harassing women, destroying property and threatening lives, Mr. McElroy had been charged with numerous felonies over the years his lawyer estimated at least three a year but had never been convicted. There were plenty of eyewitnesses, as well as the attack happened in broad. And its likely to stay that way. 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. Neither Baird nor MacLean, whose crime novel has been praised as an accurate account of McElroys killing, buy that. To the residents of the small town, he was the town bully. 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. According to reports, some 50 people were outside the tavern when the shooting started. 1960: Ken moves his young girlfriendSally into his house with Sharon. Im never going to answer that question. According to court records, McElroy tracked them down and brought them back. He was known as the town bully , but they may be putting it mildly. 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 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. When the call went out, State Police Cpl. There were plenty of eyewitnesses, as well as the attack happened in broad daylight, therefore Some attributed his bizarre and violent behavior to a head injury suffered in this event. The Vigilantemurder of Ken Rex McElroy still remains a mystery today. McElroy was hit twice and died. I got in the car and was shaking so bad.. McCloud attempted to escape to her parents' house, but McElroy allegedly responded by burning down Trena's parents' home and shooting their dog. Full Worm Moon: Will Conditions Favor A Moonbow? Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 July 10, 1981) was an American criminal and convicted attempted murderer who resided in Skidmore, Missouri, United States. This six-episode true-crime docuseries comes from Sundance TV and premiered last August. When talking about McElroy, MacLean wondered how he was able to be so crafty. Born in 1934, Ken Rex McElroy was a resident of Skidmore, Missouri. 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. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. MacLean doesnt believe the men gathered at the Legion hall that morning ever made a group decision to kill McElroy. Author Harry MacLean wrote a book McElroys story called In Broad Daylight. Watch the new and 7th season of BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime! Another was McElroys intimidation tactics, MacLean writes. Shortly after, Strattons wife Margaret was headed to church when she saw a strange truck in the driveway. 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. After dropping out of school in the eighth grade, it didnt take long for Ken McElroy to fall into a life of delinquency. The verdict was second-degree assault and two years. He torched the home and shot the dogagainafter the girl went into hiding with her and McElroys baby. 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. In fact, anywhere between thirty and ninety people witnessed the . 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. As Trena told the story to reporters, a group of men followed them as they left the D&G. Once freed, McElroy didnt just quietly celebrate his victory. I didnt know what to do. McElroy was a resident of Skidmore, Missouri. 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. 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. The people of the town keep their heads down and prefer to not speak about the incident. I had my service weapon drawn, and I wouldnt have been the least bit surprised if he tried to do something, Boyer recalls. If you were to go to Skidmore today, there isn't much to see. A few days later, a pickup truck showed up in the wee hours outside Boyers remote country house. In the end, fear is what killed him, Goslee said.