Hed help anyone that needed to be helped, she said in an interview recounted in In Broad Daylight. What set off McElroy and put the local grocer in his crosshairs was the pettiest of offenses. They were witnesses. 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. He was known as "the town bully",[1] and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. Not only that, they recommended he spend no more than two years in prison. When the news that Ken and Trena went to the local bar that evening, everyone got up and made their way over. McElroy was found not guilty. Trena McElroy accused Skidmore residents of turning her husband into a scapegoat. Luckily, Bowenkamp survived, and McElroy was charged with attempted murder. The person(s) responsible for firing the shots that killed McElroy remains unsolved. 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. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. Calling the sheriff about his threats was risk few were willing to take not that it would have done much good, Goslee said. Of the most serious, McElroy was accused of child molestation and statutory rape. He appeared in a local bar, the D&G Tavern, armed with an M1 Garand rifle and bayonet, and later threatened to kill Bowenkamp. The murder took place on July 10, 1981, the day after McElroy had threatened Bowenkamp at the tavern. Why are you doing this? A trial took place the following year and for the first time ever, Ken McElroy was convicted. It was a matter of self-preservation. 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. Bully's murder remains a secret in Missouri town for 40 years - FOX 2 There were plenty of eyewitnesses, as well as the attack happened in broad daylight, therefore McElroy made a living leasing land near his farm, and trading and racing dogs. It's hard to believe that this small town was once a bustlingcommunity. Carjackers Steal More Cars Many With Kids Still Inside, After Indulgent Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday Signals Abstinence, Fasting. 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! 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. According to a report, no one called an ambulance. More awful crimes have taken place in the small town. Tucked away in the northwest corner of Missouri is a small, dusty town 46 miles north of St. Joseph with a decades-old secret. So what was left?. Tensions in Skidmore soared as McElroys trial neared. 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. Ken McElroy Wiki & Bio - Everipedia No one has any idea what a nightmare we lived.. The DA declined to press charges and the following investigation proved to be futile. However, he was also charged with various crimes. His unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. The noted sites in the story are gone or boardedup. They slept in shifts, with some friend or family member keeping an eye on the street. McElroy was hit twice and died. 1952: Ken McElroy marries his first wife Oleta. They settle in Skidmore. After dropping out of school in the eighth grade, it didnt take long for Ken McElroy to fall into a life of delinquency. Bullet casings from two guns were found. Trena dove from the truck and was taken to safety. 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&E, Rolling Stone, Playboy, 60 Minutes, and other media outlets covered the story in print or television. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It was a misunderstanding, but one that made the Bowenkamps lives a living hell for months. What started with hunting raccoons escalated into petty crime until McElroy ultimately emerged as a full-fledged criminal. 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. The grocer lived and McElroy was again arrested and charged with attempted murder. Boyer was taking trajectory measurements at the crime scene when a town official chided him. It was so out of the blue, almost to the point of being surreal, said Monte, who occasionally worked in her parents store. McElroy was spinning so hard out of control, I have no doubt he would have tried to kill my dad again, given the chance. 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. Hed leave, then hed come back, Monte said. Everyone involved continues to keep the secret and gives no answers. She took her complaint to at-the-time Nodaway County Sheriff Roger Cronk. Obsessed with travel? Everyone in town seemed to know McElroy had done it, yet he spent only a single night in jail for nearly killing the man. McElroy was hit twice by two different guns and died from injuries to his head and neck. The Strange Killing of Ken Rex McElroy - YouTube She gathered her strength and put the car in reverse. Known as 'the town bully', his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. Absolutely not, he said. One assumption Skidmore hasnt been able to shed is that McElroys killing was an act of vigilante justice. During the meeting, McElroy arrived at the D&G Tavern with Trena. 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. McElroy was a resident of Skidmore, Missouri. No one was charged, and the FBI closed the case. A deer slug in one chamber tore through Bowenkamps neck, coming within 3 inches of his head. He didnt have a bank account, didnt have a Social Security number, he didnt read. It really is that it was never spoken of they had an instinctive reaction to close up. 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. He put those skills to work rustling hogs and cattle, MacLean recounts. McElroy appealed the case and was released on bond. McElroy burned down the girls home and shot her familys dog to force her parents to agree to the marriage. Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 - July 10, 1981) was a resident of Skidmore, Nodaway County, Missouri. 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). I dont believe youre coming nowafter we needed your help all this time.. Yet in a conspiracy of silence that has spanned the past 38 years, the townsfolk have held the secret close. One night after he pulled a speeding pickup truck over, Boyer came face to face with McElroy. Additional charges were filed against McElroy.[7]. In the summer of 1981, a jury handed McElroy his first-ever felony conviction for the lesser charge of second-degree assault. Nobody wanted to talk to us, retired Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dan Boyer tells A&E True Crime. The Vigilantemurder of Ken Rex McElroy still remains a mystery today. But not that one. The police would not or could not help us or Skidmore. Bullet casings from two different guns were found. Our law enforcement never went after him very hard, he said. Everyone claimed they didnt see who fired the shots. Ken Rex Melroy was born on June 1st, 1934 to a family of poor tenant farmers who moved to Skidmore. He left town just as Ken and Trena McElroy were driving in, likely passing McElroys Chevrolet Silverado pickup in his cruiser on the road. Another was McElroys intimidation tactics, MacLean writes. 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. McElroy was a big man with cold eyes who always carried a gun. I said it in 1981, and Ill say it now, Baird told Patch. His father was a tenant farmer, his mother a housewife swamped with feeding and caring for the sprawling family. As a result, he was arrested, but quickly released. 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? [2][3] In 1981, McElroy was convicted of attempted murder in the shooting of the town's 70-year-old grocer Ernest "Bo" Bowenkamp. 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. The town got away with murder, Mr. McFadin said. He then returned to Trena's parents' home when they were away and, once again, shot the family dog and burned the house down. The murder of Ken Rex McElroy isn't 'unsolved' in the typical sense of the word. But Ken rarely had to wrestle with the And his deeds were as daunting as his appearance. 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. 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. Born in 1934, Ken Rex McElroy was a resident of Skidmore, Missouri. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Ken was 18 and Oleta was 16. Despite three grand juries, no one has been indicted for the . He believes one of the gunmen was the suspect named by the widow. 1955 or 56: Ken and Oleta McElroy move back to Missouri after Ken's accident in Colorado. But even after a federal prosecutor forwarded to Mr. Baird what he called substantial new evidence, no one was indicted. As many as 60 Skidmore residents attended, including the mayor and the sheriff. Dec. 15, 2010. No one called for an ambulance. He was known as the town bully , but they may be putting it mildly. 1969 or 1970: Ken McElroy becomes involved with a young girl named Trena McCloud. [9] McElroy was convicted at trial of assault, but freed on bail pending his appeal. 2023 by Catlyn Brady, Jennifer Partridge, & Kara Severson. 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. 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. It's hard to believe that this small town was once a bustlingcommunity. Ken Rex McElroy The Movie Database (TMDB) The death of Ken Rex McElroy is a perplexing case that has hung heavy over the town of Skidmore, Missouri for decades. Alice and Ken eventually separate. One account even said that McElroy rode into town on a horse and was shot and killed, Baird, the former prosecutor, said. SKIDMORE, Mo. 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. 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. 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. In Broad Daylight | Harry N. MacLean McElroy denied he was at the scene. We might not see him for three or four days, and then wed see him every day for weeks, Monte said. This six-episode true-crime docuseries comes from Sundance TV and premiered last August. 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. When the shooting ended, McElroy was slumped over the steering wheel. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5D Vigilante justice, or. Someone shot at McElroy while he was sitting in his truck. He was represented by defense attorney Richard Gene McFadin of Gallatin, Missouri. I think its something thats going to define this town forever.. . On July 8, 1980, McElroy drove to the alley behind the Bowenkamp general store. April 25th, 1980: A few of Ken's children go to the local grocery store and is accused of stealing by Mrs. Bowenkamp. I heard shooting and got down. He was charged with wading through the sensational details and moral ambiguities of the case to ensure that, in his words, justice was served. The citizens decided to go to the tavern en masse. Ken McElroy died in a hail of gunfire on the morning of July 10, 1981, while sitting in his truck outside a local tavern. Once there, he threatened Bo, and shot him in the neck at close range with a shotgun. [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. McElroys wifewhom he victimized as a childremarried and moved to Lebanon, Missouri. 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. Im never going to answer that question. Theoretically, [the murder] could be re-investigated, veteran Kansas City criminal defense attorney J.R. Hobbs tells A&E True Crime. McElroy allegedly stole livestock, grain, gasoline, and antiques. The objective is to promote history on Medium and demonstrate the value of historical writing. Even with these raw wounds, the memory of the nightmare surrounding Mr. McElroy during his years of troublemaking and after a killing that many here feel was forced by an impotent criminal-justice system continues to loom large. Who Killed Ken Rex McElroy: Town Keeps Its Secret For 38 Years Trena McElroy fingered a local rancher as one of the gunmen, but he denied the claim. 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 townsfolk were infuriated. An extensive federal investigation did not lead to any charges. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. Three grand juries heard evidence. 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.. A memorial in the tiny downtown park displays the name of an expectant mother murdered six years ago, her fetus cut from her womb. This is How a Town Ganged Up Against a Serial Bully 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. Yet the identity of McElroys killer is a public secret Skidmore has kept for 38 years. Harry MacLean, author of "In Broad Daylight". 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. After McElroy finished his drinks, he purchased a six pack of beer, left the bar, and entered his pickup truck. Ken was 18 and Oleta was 16. It failed McElroy, too, because it failed to protect him from himself. He was hit twice and died in his truck. But in a dramatic act of . It's said the county's law enforcement officials were afraid of encountering McElroy, who was known to be heavily armed. To the residents of the small town, he was the town bully. And he has already asked the sheriffs office to re-examine some of the unsolved cases. Estes then drove out of town in his police cruiser. He was arrested, booked, arraigned, and released on $2,500 bail. Ken McElroy issues threats against the Bowenkamp family. Here are 13 things you need to know about Ken McElroy and his death before you tune into No One Saw A Thing, premiering this Thursday, Aug. 1, pulled from sources including Harry MacLean,. Ken Rex McElroy, a notoriously brutal man who had terrorized Skidmore, Mo., for years, was killed in 1981. Never miss a story by signing up for the newsletter now. We didnt have sufficient evidence to go to trial.. 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. Actually, I think those shooters saved lives in the end, she said. Everyone involved continues to keep the secret and gives no answers. 1952: Ken McElroy marries his first wife Oleta. One of the killers has died. 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. On July 10th, 1981 Ken Rex McElroy was shot dead in the street in broad daylight infront of 60 witnesses. 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. Title Directed by Original air date U.S. viewers (millions) 1 "The Killing of Ken Rex McElroy" Avi Belkin: August 1, 2019 (): N/A: Known as the town bully, Ken Rex McElroy terrorized tiny Skidmore, Missouri, for decades.On July 10, 1981, the town had had enough and 60 people surrounded his pick-up truck and shot him dead on Main Street--but no one claimed to have seen a thing. His foot fell to the accelerator when he was shot, causing the engine to run at full bore. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5D Vigilante justice, or cold-blooded murder?MERCH: We've got it! 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. McElroy was eventually convicted, but the charge was lessened from "attempt to kill" to "knowingly caused serious physical injury" to ensure a conviction. Lessons from History is a platform for writers who share ideas and inspirational stories from world history. A reported crowd of up to 60 men had largely dispersed, but some onlookers remained, staring at the pickup. After dropping out of school in the eighth grade, it didn't take long for Ken McElroy to fall into a life of delinquency. The town has seen more than its share of tragedy. He had been terrorizing Skidmore for years and he kept getting away with it. If they thought it was getting too out of hand, they would send one of us up and down the aisle. He was shot at several times and hit twice, once by a centerfire rifle and once by a .22 rimfire rifle. When Daylight Saving Time 2023 Begins, Will It Be For The Last Time. July 10th, 1981: The townspeople gather around Ken's truck once he and Trena exit the bar. He begins to rant about how he is going to ruin Bo Bowenkamp. The police chief who oversaw the investigation, Hal Riddle, disagrees. The man asked, what are you doing here? Boyer remembers. *In Broad Daylight by Harry N. MacLean 1988. 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. In all, McElroy was indicted 21 times and managed to escape conviction every time. Everyone was so uncomfortable and scared.. Local police, state investigators and FBI agents tried to break the towns silence, without success. A few days later, a pickup truck showed up in the wee hours outside Boyers remote country house. The larger-than-life bully who menaced the farming community of Skidmore died in seconds. The Town That Got Away With Murder - Ken Rex McElroy - Morbidology About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . McElroys wife named one person as a possible gunman, but no one couldor wouldidentify who fired the shots. There has been books written, movies, documentaries and more made about the killing. Consisting of around 440 residents and a number of small family-run businesses, the farming town revolved around work ethic. It's said that the meeting adjourned, and the crowd quietly descended upon the tavern, flanking McElroy's truck. "[13], McElroy was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Joseph, Missouri. June 16th, 1934: Ken Rex McElroy is born to Mabel and Tony McElroy, the thirteenth out of fourteen children. A swarthy, physically intimidating man who carried about 270 pounds on his more than 6-foot frame, McElroy had thick black eyebrows and bushy sideburns. He was known as "the town bully", [1] and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. That they had guns at the ready wasnt unusual. Over the next two years, three grand juries were empaneled and testimony taken. 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. But in a dramatic act of solidarity with the gunman, every witness, save the dead mans wife, denied seeing who had pulled the trigger. The verdict was second-degree assault and two years. Yes, its against the law, but you know, the law is not the final definitive word on him. To the residents of the small town, he was the town bully. His successor, Robert Rice, already knew how Mr. McElroy died. Once the shroud of silence fell, there was going to be no one talking, said Cheryl Huston, whose elderly father had been shot by Mr. McElroy and who watched the killing of Mr. McElroy from her familys grocery store but, like the others, said she did not see the gunman. McElroy was convicted of assault but let out of jail awaiting appeal. No. Mable was born on February 28 1897, in Dover, Shawnee County, KS, USA. Those who spoke out were taciturn. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! McElroy was never a popular man. 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. Ken Rex McElroyThe Thirtieth Anniversary of his Killing Recent leaks into killing of town bully Ken Rex McElroy - reddit As he sat drinking at the bar, word got back to the men at the Legion Hall that he was in town. Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 - July 10, 1981) was an American criminal and convicted attempted murderer who resided in Skidmore, Missouri, United States. Its never going to happen.. McElroy wound up shooting Bowenkamp in the neck, nearly killing him. Ken Rex McElroy was an illiterate hog farmer who lived on the outskirts of a small town in Northwest Missouri. Things reached a boiling point in 1980 when Ken McElroy got into a confrontation with the towns elderly grocer, Ernest Bo Bowenkamp. The couple then moved to Colorado. Anyone can read what you share. You know how he oppressed and threatened us. He grew up hearing the story. I am a History Educator and a Lifelong Learner with a Masters in Global History. 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. Need help with the site? - A&E