It has dredged up so much. He probably had enough of McElroy chasing his bar customers away. Alice McElroy Obituary (2006) - Kansas City, MO - Kansas City Star Watch the new and 7th season of BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime! There are always many sides to a person. I heard that some people went to Ken Rexs grave in St. Joe to dig up his body, but they found NO HUMAN REMAINS!! And the girl killed for her baby, and the branson boy. But I also understand why a man whod done (did? I took a deep breath and said he wasnt my uncle and I had never known him. I had law officers tell me that the word was out among the cops that if you found McELroy out on the roads at night along and with a gun you should shoot him. reno lives in langeloth pa washington county. But, I also believe so much evidence was either contaminated by bystanders or simply was taken away. Trena only witnessed Clement with a rifle. I never considered the gunmen as cowards. Send Flowers Send Sympathy Card ), and it looks pretty nice. He did whatever he wanted, often in front of witness, and through a combination of great legal representation and intimidation, McElroy was only convicted once. i just got back to the states this year was in italy taking care of a family member for some time. I was through there last fall bird hutning and it sure seemed as though there was nothing left. That is the the bottom line. I heard stories over the years that a couple of men had been offered a sum of money to kill McElroy. March 10, 2023 . A mean drunk if you could not defend yourself a backpedalling coward if you could. fist fight. Thank you. This six-episode true-crime docuseries comes from Sundance TV and premiered last August. For online condolences and guest book, visit http://www.bramfuneralhome.com. Is the killing of Ken Rex McElroy one of the craziest cold case files If you can find them, Oprah did a full show on the book, as did Larry King. The good people there, many of them are defenseless against these thugs. 3. They made him move. thanks-nicole. Ken was eventually convicted for shooting a local general store owner for accusing his daughters of shoplifting. Alice McElroy Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information 60 Minutes - Bully - Ken McElroy & Skidmore Missouri (1982)Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 - July 10, 1981) was a resident of Skidmore, Missouri, United States. i wonder what wouldve happened if some of the guys in town reached out to him , talk to him , have a beer be pals . I seem to have the feeling that only two people had guns in their hands that day but the whole town had their fingers on the triggers. Ken Rex McElroy (1 Juni 1934 - 10 Juli 1981) adalah warga Skidmore, Nodaway County, Missouri, Amerika Serikat. I was good friends with the town Marshall, David Dunbar. so if your ever passing through skidmore -remember , those people got away with murder, you could be in town talking to someone, passing someone on the street & they could hve been the shooter or a witness to the crime. Who else would shoot a man in the back of the head as he sat in his truck? Shot a man in the stomach with a shot gun! Id like to get the reaction of other readers. As I said, my feelings and comments are not for everyone, and obviously you have taken offense to them but sadly you wont be able to do anything about it so too bad. You steal, and think that makes you a man? A whole new book could start here. Del Clement, in my view, was also a coward. I gentleman said he used to own it. Trena sad she saw him clear as day, what more do you need? The most well known but never verified incident involved a time supposedly in the seventies when he stretched a guy over the railroad tracks around St. Joe and watched as the train ran over him. Until then, mums the word. I cant seem to find much information on the Internet. But there was. In closing here, I have to say that of all I read, I could easily visualize the McElroy Clan. I admire the town for keeping their mouths shut, and the people who took up arms and took care of business. He also had a slow temper. The Strange Killing of Ken Rex McElroy - Fandom I dont blame anyone involved for the fact that there was never any trial in this particular case. I think he probably knew it was the end for him, and I think he might have welcome it, at some level. Timeline | McElroy damn right we were scared to death of him the man was a bully . Is there anyway you could confirm this for me? He could never understand why the townspeople had tolerated so much before acting. I would love to read your writings about this town and man! on the SKIDMORE TOPIS PAGE someone put a post on their something about a photograph a man had taken that morning , he was at the gas station caddy corner & saw something going down , pulled out a camera & snapped off a few shots & threw camera back in car . Sickening There was reasons Kenrex was the way he was.. That area. I know some of the people involved. Interesting. i wonder why a group of ppl didnt grab him and beat him half to death way b4 the shooting. I have found this whole drama so very intriguing for quite a while. The Story Of Ken McElroy, The Vicious Bully Killed By His Town Rod Rex you might be a narcissist but you certainly arent any man. I do not see that you wrote of this in your comments. Ken Rex McElroy, 47, was a big, burly man with bushy sideburns, cold eyes and an ever-present gun. The locals had a lot of fun with the Playboy author, feeding him all sorts of bullshit, then seeing him run it down or put it in his article. In the incident in the bar, I was not asking Del questions. My mother-in-law never believed the stories, of course. On the face of it I have no problems with McElroy having been ended. AND the pedophile I will add, yet again. By the way, In Broad Daylight goes up as a Kindle on Tuesday. We drove back home talking about other things like life and baseball. I think youd do it justice. Why didnt you used them? I knew he was gone from work the same day as Kens funeral but didnt put anything together. From the beginning of his life, on June 1, 1934, Ken Rex McElroy seemed destined for a trouble and cruelty. Anyways, it says this guy shot a 70yo inthe neck? No one recognized him, even though he stopped in several places. How many rounds were fired in total? WE ALL DID TILL DEATH . THAT DESTROYED towns across America! His brother, however, still lives in the Skimore area/. or was he just so mean & un approachable that it wasnt worth the effort. I first heard of this story in a special edition of People Magazine (True Crime Stories; 2005). Didnt want to put it down! it was us against the world , thats the attitude we took & yeah we did bulls#@* with the gentleman from playboy ,lol.. he ate it up like candy , we all had a good laugh when he left town . Or could they have been tested back in the day? Hi, Im doing a school project on the murder of Ken Rex McElroy. i dont know ? My god, the ferocity of the guy to have the balls to shoot an old aged pensioner inthe neck, what guts! I was quickly sent in the house. He did not die in the spring, he did not die slowly. anyway skidmore is gone , the town is dying & its sad to see. Despite being shot in broad daylight in front of various witnesses, the. Ken McElroy - Wikipedia Ken McElroy Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 - July 10, 1981) was an American criminal and convicted attempted murderer who resided in Skidmore, Missouri, United States. The people that shot Ken Rex were cowards. The deputy was too scared to confront him. i seriously doubt the town would have done better then its current state, its a very small village in the middle of nowhere. There is no benefit I can see to having it in the public arena. But I cant help but notice that this comment thread is over two years old and still running, on a 25 year old book. On Del, Ive discussed the notion that he might have been a coward because he shot Ken in the back. In the book, I tried to present the towns side of the killing and to question those who said it is always wrong to take a life outside of the law. its almost like you were their . As cities become larger, small towns (those beyond the suburban area of cities) become smaller, and unless family farmers have some price support, its unlikely theyll survive, and many small towns will die with them. There were other incidents as well but my memory of them has faded. There was a table of much older people in one of the booths but I knew better than to ask anyone any questions. I dont remember any stories about him harassing the Clements in the book. Why dont you get your facts strait. My mother-in-law was a McElroy. Harry, what is your opinion on what happened to the killing files in the Sheriffs office? McElroy was hit by a car in the middle of the day while driving his vehicle McElroy was riding his big vehicle with his spouse, Trena, the day he died. Ken Rex McElroy was born June 1, 1934 to a family of poor tenant farmers who moved near the town of Skidmore, Missouri. He had no social security number and never filed a tax return. Is there a part of you which may sympathize with the certain aspect in his personality which suggests that, at his core, he felt inferior to land-owning farmers? The old man let the child have the candy anyway. lol. The two story house was boarded up and the dogs / cages / pick ups were gone not long after the killing. Judging from the photos on FB, it appears that it may be where the Bowenkamps grocery store was located (judging from photos I saw in your book In Broad Daylight, and some YouTube videos that tourists have posted). I just finished the book in the new version and really enjoyed it. Maybe his hunting area was that additional mile. Skidmore is just one of many victims of small town plight. What then? This is the second time i have read In Broad Daylight. I havent been back to Skidmore in a couple of years, so Im not sure about whether the post office is still open or not. Made me do a bit of searching on my own recently. EVERYONE has a breaking point. The man Im thinking of, one time, was merely asked by the Los Angeles Police to move his double parked 18 wheeler. Burnt their parents homes too. Del and my grandpa has hauled cattle together. These are good people who did what they had to to remedy a nightmare. And using Harrys west side comment, that pile of debris is on the west side of the road after it turns south. My question is: Is there any interviews or documentation regarding Trenas opinions on McElroy as she got older and remarried? skidmore will never be the same since the passing of mcelroy . The town lost faith in itself, is the way I see it. We made several trips to see them after that and while my mother would here from Ronnie and Treva from time to time we never knew where they were . Hi Harry. He waited, like a coward, until the people I was with left the bar, and then came up to me and started doing his drunken short man routine, which everyone in the area is quite familiar with. Gary N. Dowling Good Time Charlies is very clean and much nicer than I had expected. In syrafoam boxes and put it on dads tab to pay later. The law had utterly failed to protect Skidmore or the surrounding communities. But your right, it would have been more polite to just go around to the front of the truck and shoot the SOB in the eye. It brings the story and characters up to date. Probably sobut I also think it might have been mitigated to manslaughter or justifiable homicide. Id really like to read that !! err sorry my grammars for crap) what he had done might be exactly that way. Please move on with your life. Trena, McElroys wife, even told the story that a man showed up at the McElroy farm outside Skidmore to kill McElroy for money, but that McElroy talked him out of it. It seems more sensational in a Rural Setting. (for one thing, murdering a human being isnt easy for most of us). Mine included, reading your untrue account of his life and death does not offer any peace in our mourning. Almost ghost-like in the downtown area. I seen the croud of people on the other side of the street walk. The rapes, arson, shootings were well known. i never took no oath to nothing. R.I.P Kenrex. Is it time to stop talking about Ken McElroy, his reign of terror, and what happened to him more than 30 years ago? Del did not die the way you described. . He stared death in the face and took it like a real man. It was on the west side of the road. If anyone has information on Treena family I would love to know what happened to them all . But to no surprise people wait till its too late then act out in the wrong way if its wrong. dennehey , when I saw him on tv just brought back all the memories . But I will say that incidents like this are why its so important to have a working justice system. (May 1, 1939 June 9, 2014). By this time we was turning at top of the hill Dont hate cuz even cops are corrupt. The real question is: What would drive an entire town, filled with good people, to this desperate act? Who else would shoot a man in the back of the head as he sat in his truck?. I also read Judgement Day, it was worth reading although you can tell its not as accurate. I mean, I guess we all dont want to think our family members could do that. The third person with the shotgun was always a theory, but never proven. Tell me what happened when Alice and the kids move in. Did you know him personally, or just hear this about him? I was there a few years ago, and the bar was open, but I wouldnt be surprised if it was closed now, or maybe just open for parties. Ia dikenal sebagai "tukang rusuh kota". So Ken had. Obviously a rifle. The Chilling Murder of Skidmore Town Bully Remains a Mystery - Medium Things got repeated and repeated until he became almost larger than life. well he kept trying to talk to her & she told me to say something to him . None of those last two incidents is surprising. You dont like it? I am still working through a few. Id imagine Id be sick of it myself. June 16th, 1934: Ken Rex McElroy is born to Mabel and Tony McElroy, the thirteenth out of fourteen children. I was trying to look at the site of Mcelroys farm on google earth. Real tough guys dont need a crew. He had it coming & it came! I know how you feel about Skidmore. I used to trade rides to NWMSU with one of McElroys relatives. I think one of the rifles used in McElroys shooting was a Winchester 94 (or Marlin 336) chambered in 32 Winchester Special. Del and his brother Greg also owned the only tavern in town, the D and G, for Del and Greg, and McElroy was famous for driving away customers. I keep going back to the though of if he knew it was the end for him. She left with her kid and Alice and her the night of the shooting. Is No One Saw A Thing A True Story? The Real-Life Murder Case Revealed I have heard about this case since I was a little girl and remember it on the news but at that time I didnt pay any attention to it. When I talked with Trena, she was no longer defending McElroy. the only hope that we can ever find out who fired the fatal shot is the last person alive who took the oath , as they die one by one , it will be the last person will they make a deathbed confession , will they knowing that their the last will they let the name be known thats the only way it will ever come out. He was of the Christian faith and had attended the Skidmore Methodist Church.. Gary married Marilyn Lou Friend in 1959, they later divorced. I agree with almost everything you said. why did she leave skidmore ? I found Trena in an Obituary this year. Can you talk a bit more about the series? The likelihood that a serious offer was made and accepted seems highly unlikely, given McElroys reputation and his many friends in the area. I hear now and then from others that I should just let the story die, that there is no reason to keep talking about it, etc. Google earth doesnt recognize a Valley Rd. Are you a friend or relative of Ken McElroys? Harry, Rex was starting trouble and was holding a rifle so the shooter came out and confronted Rex annd said put the gun down and lets see how tough you are without it fat boy. Not a single bullet was recovered? Yes some little crazy some very good folk. It was at this time that he died in what appeared to be a freak accident. Its extremely difficult nowadays to operate any kind of small business in such sparsely populated areas like these having to rely on the locals to keep it afloat whether its a local bar, gas station, or corner grocery. In my view, the story is a story that will stand in the annals of crime in America, whether I wrote it or someone else did. What do you think, people? Either on his person or in the vehicle? I find it funny when they get that goofy grin on their face when I confront them just before they say no, I never said that, or try and shake my hand and be my buddy. Cmon people use your head. The other weapon was a .22 mag, but was it identified as a rifle as well? Unfortunately, NBC owns the rights, and they would have to agree to sell them, which they are apparently not likely to do. Shes still alive and well living in Helena mo. If anything, our legal system became his enabler. Hi Im looking into this case as part of my Extended Project Qualification and would like to know whether or not you believe that McElroys murder was justifiable? Dont kid yourselfthere are no tough guys left after one minute in hell. So the debris pile falls at the 2 mile point. No one saw a thing is a piece of junk. Unfortunately the town does seem to be a long downhill slide, with people leaving and places closing. The story would have gone on forever, regardless. Is this not what happened with McElroy? I put it together mainly because the book was out of print other than on Kindleand I felt that a real book should always be available. The authors were in and out of there in a couple of weeks. I found Trena in an Obituary this year. He leaves Sharon to move in with Alice. You know, there are a lot of places out there like Skidmore. 2. I remember Alice and thinking she is not much older then me yet she is with this guy and Treena is having his baby, and yet she was just a child It is assumed that Del was one of the shooters but are you at liberty to name the other two? She just finished installing a new wood burning stove on Friday. I read the Playboy version, wasnt real impressed with it. He abused Alice verbally and physically, and when she gave birth to their son, she moved out to live with her mother and stepfather In St Joseph, the next town over from Skidmore. The death of Ken Rex McElroy is a perplexing case that has hung heavy over the town of Skidmore, Missouri for decades. I walked over to the old d and g, and was going to look in through the window, but thought i had better not push my luck. They understood she had been in essence captured by McElroy as a young girl, but by the end she was riding shotgun for him and pulling weapons on people and threatening to shoot them. I seriously doubt you are 68 and 320 and all muscle. Other accounts say an 8 mm. Waving a shotgun around and shooting old unarmed men doesnt make him look so brave to me. The rifle was probably mis-identified by witnesses (perhaps on purpose) as a 30-30. he was seriously evil. Trena McElroy was sitting next to her husband, Ken Rex, in his Chevy Silverado when rifle shots shattered the rear window and exploded her husbands head onto the dashboard. The case was in court but released as the victims could not identify the assailant due to it being dark. On July 10, 1981, on a hot summer morning in a fed-up town, he. Two additional questions Harry, I have heard that the post office in Skidmore has been closed and the high school was also closed and tore down. Walked out the door. A guy I know used to go to school at NWMSU in Maryville, and a friend of his who was a deputy sheriff told him to stay the hell out of skidmore, because Ken Rex didnt like college kids too well. She is a person of great personal integrity and not prone to exaggeration or gossip. i know she passed on , glad to hear she was happy later on & found a guy who i heard was madly devoted to her. Such evidence is allowed into courts of law as an exception to the hearsay rule on the theory that someone on his deathbed would have no reason to lie. One of these women was 24-year-old. he was wrong for scarring folks. It took a town of cowards, and those cowards in surrounding areas such as yourself, to kill Ken by shooting him in the back no less. Looked at your bio. Ive only heard about this case, its 2019, and I want to know more. THAT wasnt enough for Trena & Ken,( they should had admonished their child) but oh no, they had to make a nuisance of themselves and culminating in Ken shooting an elderly man. Bystanders were aloud to crowd around the vehicle even after Officers arrived. I dont like people taking the Law in their own hands, but in THIS CASE I see nothing else they could do. He took it to the grave with him simply because his personality type thinks that this would put him one over on everyone, and, he was probably too scared to admit it due to reprocussions. You should go to Piedmont Alabama and research the Ronnie Chandler story. He had no use for the successful or the educated. Its what someone says, not how they say it. There were a few. Where I live we have had a NON Stop Crime Waive since 1971. who knows harry might be another award winning edgar prize book in it for you. When we went in, it wasnt busy at all. yeah thats exactely how it happened , it wasnt planned . how do I know I was one of the people who witnessed the killing , or as some people say , murder . Thanks for writing. Ken Rex McElroy, a notoriously brutal man who had terrorized Skidmore, Mo., for years, was killed in 1981. Small minded backwards,2 pack a day hillbillies like yourself are very easy to deal with so I will break down your 4 points real quick. The book Judgment Day (which seemed to be grossly inaccurate on a lot of things) said that he was suspected of killing someone in St. Joe? The last straw was when she sued the town and the mayor of wrongful death of her husband. The too soon death of Del left a large whole in the heart of many. Guest Book | Sign Guest Book | Send Private Condolences The weapons used in the shooting were disposed of by the owners and friends. While you all are shakin in your boots your women will be coming to me, women love a real man, and so will your property. Anyone that has the courage to stand up to a bully and shoot him is no coward in my book. The Life of Ken Rex McElroy - Ashley Blackmon Introduction Although I do understand why some of the locals wish it would just go away. I can promise you youd not roll over me. You wouldnt find one, it didnt exist. Even though Ken Rex was married to his second wife Alice, he couldn't help but notice the pretty girl with long blonde hair. I heard some similar stories about McElroy being harassed by the locals, but not from a family member herself. There has been no prosecution in the death of Ken Rex McElroy. For your information. I believe there was a third gun, but whether it fired or not is another question. At least some of the witnesses surely knew. Fascinating stuff! . Dont say Why dont you MOVE?, unless you are willing to buy it. I was in college (NWMSU) when all of this was happening. They get away with crimes so much they begin to think they are INVINCIBLE. To this day, locals are not welcoming to strangers. I would be very interested to find out your source of information. Valley Road was renamed after 9/11, as a county road, the number of which escapes me at the moment. You on the other hand Id just kick your ass in front of the whole town. I believe that Del Clement was the main shooter on impulse. When we went on the N.W.O. We all seek to find our constraints. Thats how human nature works. I dont agree with calling him a coward, at least not for the shooting. Can you direct me to where this information is? Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 - July 10, 1981) was an American criminal and convicted attempted murderer who resided in Skidmore, Missouri, United States.He was known as "the town bully", and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. You should check out the history of FALLS COUNTY TEXAS sometime. I assume that the Goslee is the same gentleman who you stayed with while you were researching the book. i read that TRENA CLAIMED 2 have known who 1 of the shooters were WHO WAS IT SHE NAMED ? Or into their mouths. Love both your books on the subject, Harry. Rex said fuck you your dead as he walked to his truck he said its no even loaded but wont be for long. This guy needs Jesus. Do you have any sense how the town might have fared had they done the right thing? I think anyone who has been on the receiving end of a bullys wrath or the injustices of the legal system to deal with criminals can put themselves in the plight of the towns people of Skidmore. I think he was trying a stare down and lost. I read one of the posts saying, if this had gone to trial, they [shooters] would have been acquitted.