Someone warned her, Youre about to meet Ken Rex McElroy, Monte said. There was a kind of silent charity on the part of my parents, and they never prosecuted. This was something that the "town bully," Ken Rex McElroy, staunchly rebelled against. Everyone claimed they didnt see who fired the shots. In Broad Daylight: A Murder in Skidmore, Missouri. 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.
The McElroys eventually left the store, but when Bowenkamp closed up that night, he was outside, waiting. Anticipating McElroys typical moves, Stratton waited on a back road near the Kansas border. 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 (1934 - 1982) - Genealogy - geni family tree Everyone involved continues to keep the secret and gives no answers. The larger-than-life bully who menaced the farming community of Skidmore died in seconds. October 20th, 1974: Ken McElroy marries Trena McCloud to get out of a statutory rape charge with Trena. When talking about McElroy, MacLean wondered how he was able to be so crafty. Everyone was so uncomfortable and scared.. 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.
No One Saw a Thing S01E01 The Killing of Ken Rex McElroy Del Clement, the man Trena named as McElroy's killer, died of cirrhosis of the liver in 2009. [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. We went to the courts. We had shoplifting, but a lot of people were on hard times. Town Mute for 30 Years About a Bullys Killing, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/us/16bully.html. 1964: Ken meets another girlfriend named Alice Wood. The people of the town keep their heads down and prefer to not speak about the incident. There were plenty of eyewitnesses, as well as the attack happened in broad daylight, therefore 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. [10] No one called for an ambulance. Looking back, the justice system had as much to do with killing Ken McElroy as anyone in Skidmore did.. 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. Never miss a story by signing up for the newsletter now. 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. 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.. Neither Baird nor MacLean, whose crime novel has been praised as an accurate account of McElroys killing, buy that. Then, on a warm July night, McElroy shot my dad as he sat on the back loading dock of his store, waiting for an air conditioner repairman, Monte said. The couple then moved to Colorado. 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 Vigilantemurder of Ken Rex McElroy still remains a mystery today.
Bully's murder remains a secret in Missouri town for 40 years - FOX 2 He was a goodhearted person. He torched the home and shot the dogagainafter the girl went into hiding with her and McElroys baby. Biography Mini Bio (1) Ken Rex McElroy Jr. is known for No One Saw a Thing (2019). [Stream episodes of Accused: Guilty or Innocent? Tensions in Skidmore soared as McElroys trial neared. Somebody would hear his name, and the legend grew bigger. His lifelong career as a criminal started with petty offenses, but he increasingly became more violent, amassing a rap sheet that included nearly two dozen felony charges for assault, child molestation, statutory rape, arson, burglary, grain theft, and hog and cattle rustling enterprises that kept a thick roll of hundred-dollar bills in his pocket. So the townspeople held a meeting. 2023 by Catlyn Brady, Jennifer Partridge, & Kara Severson. Both Sally and Sharon begin having Ken's children. 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. What could legally be done about McElroy, they asked Sheriff Danny Estes, who had been elected months earlier. In July 1976, McElroy pulled a shotgun on farmer Romaine Henry and shot the man in the stomach. Watch the new and 7th season of BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime! She gathered her strength and put the car in reverse. Its been over 30 years. Three grand juries heard evidence.
Who Killed Ken Rex McElroy: Town Keeps Its Secret For 38 Years 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. Additional charges were filed against McElroy.[7]. We didnt have sufficient evidence to go to trial.. Posted on July 14, 2011 by Harry. 1, it is murder. During the meeting, McElroy arrived at the D&G Tavern with Trena. Allegedly, even the mayor was in on it. Then McElroy, described by veteran journalist Phil Conger as a big brute of a guy with slicked-back hair like Elvis, took the stand. Witnessing the murder were McElroys wife, Trena, screaming in the passenger seat and dozens of local residents. I didnt know what to do. He quit.. McElory was struck by two different firearms and died behind the wheel of his truck. In fact, anywhere between thirty and ninety people witnessed the .
'No One Saw a Thing': A town torn apart by 38 years of violence The clerk, Evelyn Sumy, was at the back of the store when the doors swung open. But justice is a loaded term in a case that challenges the usual assumptions of victim and perpetrator. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. McElroy and Trena returned to the truck, where he lit a cigarette while she was in the passenger seat. 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. The noted sites in the story are gone or boardedup. His last wife, Trena, became pregnant with their first child at age 14. (Editors Note: Patch Deputy National Editor Beth Dalbey grew up on a farm about 10 miles from Skidmore, Missouri.). No. Everyone just went home. They delivered messages in code. McElroy was hit twice by two different guns and died from injuries to his head and neck. Theoretically, [the murder] could be re-investigated, veteran Kansas City criminal defense attorney J.R. Hobbs tells A&E True Crime. Once freed, McElroy didnt just quietly celebrate his victory. McElroys wife was not injured and escaped the vehicle. McElroy would just sit and glower at you just stare at you and youd never know what he was thinking.. A conviction should have been a victory for the people of Skidmore, but the jury set a maximum sentence of two years, and the judge, without protest from Mr. Baird, released Mr. McElroy on bond pending appeal. This led to several patrons deciding to see what they could legally do to prevent McElroy from harming anyone else. Author Harry MacLean wrote a book McElroys story called In Broad Daylight. The 12-year-old's parents initially opposed the relationship, but after McElroy burned their house down and shot the family dog, they relented and agreed to the marriage. His foot fell to the accelerator when he was shot, causing the engine to run at full bore. Many buildings are closed and falling apart. 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.
18 Facts About The Murder Of Ken Rex McElroy, One Of The Most She died in 2012. The sheriff suggested they form a neighborhood watch and advised the group not to confront the man. 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. The story of Ken Rex McElroy began on June 1, 1934. He was hit twice and died in his truck. 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. Trena McElroy fingered a local rancher as one of the gunmen, but he denied the claim. He was represented by defense attorney Richard Gene McFadin of Gallatin, 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. He met his last wife, Trena McCloud (19572012), when she was 12 years old and in eighth grade. 1969 or 1970: Ken McElroy becomes involved with a young girl named Trena McCloud. 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. However, he was also charged with various crimes. 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. No one has any idea what a nightmare we lived.. Anthony was born on August 27 1890, in Shelton, Knox County, MO, USA. That was the last failure of criminal justice.. There were as many as 60 witnesses, yet the crime remains unsolved. 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. She eventually filed a wrongful death against the town, the county, and some citizens but the matter was settled out of court. Reporting on what you care about. When Estes and state troopers arrived back in town, the streets were empty and quiet, save the rumbling, smoking engine of McElroys truck. 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. 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. [8] At the trial, two raccoon hunters testified they were with McElroy the day of the shooting away from Henry's property. McElroy allegedly stole livestock, grain, gasoline, and antiques. The man asked, what are you doing here? Boyer remembers. Local police, state investigators and FBI agents tried to break the towns silence, without success. When he got off on a trial, it grew even bigger. [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. 1. A lot of them didnt even tell their wives and children. McElroy began backing out too, then tailed Margaret until she radioed Richard and squad cars showed up. She died of cancer on Jan. 24, 2012; it was her 55th birthday. 1 or 2 men (unclear) took guns and shot Ken Rex McElroy dead in his truck. He said he was not at all disappointed to leave office with the case still unsolved. [2], In all, he was indicted 21 times but escaped conviction each time, except for the last. McElroy was spinning so hard out of control, I have no doubt he would have tried to kill my dad again, given the chance. Some of these things are simply assumed to be factual, Baird said.
Case #8: the Mysterious Death of Ken Rex Mcelroy 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. In 1981, McElroy was convicted of shooting . If they thought it was getting too out of hand, they would send one of us up and down the aisle. His attorney, Richard McFadin, said he routinely defended Ken McElroy in three or four felonies a year. The guns were never recovered. April 10th, 1972: After Alice runs away with their son, Ken McElroy gets into an altercation with Alice's stepfather and shoots him. No one was surprised. This six-episode true-crime docuseries comes from Sundance TV and premiered last August. [4], McElroy fathered more than 10 children with different women. 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. Nobody called an ambulance. McElroy was born in 1934, the fifteenth of sixteen children born to a poor .
In Broad Daylight: A murder in Skidmore, Missouri|Paperback She died in 2012. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Worse felonies included assault and arson. Get out of town, they said. 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. McElroy was a resident of Skidmore, Missouri. Known as 'the town bully', his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention.
Investigators dug and dug, but Skidmore residents maintained their silence. McElroy's appeal hearing was again delayed.
The Craziest Cold Case in History The Murder of Ken Rex McElroy 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. After McElroy finished his drinks, he purchased a six pack of beer, left the bar, and entered his pickup truck.