Both younger than i.. Was at the D&G He simply declined the offer knowing that the cattle were hot. Valley Road was renamed after 9/11, as a county road, the number of which escapes me at the moment. My grandfather rarely left his farm farther than 20 or 30 miles. Who was the the second alleged shooter? I never met or knew Del Clement so I cant comment on him. But I will say that incidents like this are why its so important to have a working justice system. McElroy had been indicted a total of 21 times for crimes such as: child molestation, arson, cattle rustling, and stealing. The town did what needed to be done.. Cheryl has been married a few times, but never as far as I know to the mayor or sheriff. I have a first issue hard copy that was my grandfathers and he left to me after his passing in 2006. Dont say Why dont you MOVE?, unless you are willing to buy it. If that had happened, I doubt there would have been much of an outcry, and surely no book entitled In Broad Daylight. If I had been there, I would have been under the pool table with the rest of the town. I honestly dont think it matters who killed McElroy; might as well say all of Skidmore committed a justifiable homicide, in self defence. you see i was in skidmore in early 1981 , me & my girlfreind were in the general/grocery store owned as i later came to know as the bowencamps we were passing through & went in the store ,mcelroy was in the store & he was looking my gf up & down & even said something to her which i didnt hear . She had our food ready to go According to the Movie (which was shot near Elgin Texas) a Missouri State Trooper had to Break the Law and threaten McElroy with murder to get him to stop stalking the Troopers wife and family. I think he probably knew it was the end for him, and I think he might have welcome it, at some level. Looking at Google Maps, it appears the Delta runs North/South from V, and then after the first curve, runs East/West for a bit, and then after another sharp curve, heads North/South again. Are you a friend or relative of Ken McElroys? At least some of the witnesses surely knew. I am not sure if he was the same Mr Sumy in the book. The person I met was a prominent person in the town. She was always a heavy smoker, and I heard that it was from lung cancer, although I dont knwo for sure. Im so glad I had nothing to do with it. Sickening There was reasons Kenrex was the way he was.. That area. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. I can not put into words how painful it is to read these untruths on the internet. I will post a link once I have all the pictures posted. a) Ken moved out of his family home so he could be with Alice. There might be some truth to it, but, frankly, most of the people I knew were scared to death of the man and wouldnt have done anything to draw attention to themselves. 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. if i was a true crime writer this is a story i wouldve liked to write. Or is it a numbered road?? When the legal system was unable to catch him, the community took it upon themselves to stop him themselves. Shooting an innocent elderly unarmed man is cowardice. I tried to give the towns point of view, but to also be fair to the other people and institutions involved. It would be interesting to know how this incident changed Skidmore and its people. 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. Love both your books on the subject, Harry. For online condolences and guest book, visit http://www.bramfuneralhome.com. This was before I knew my first husband. I would appreciate if you would please address a couple of questions. I do not see it that way. Rex said fuck you your dead as he walked to his truck he said its no even loaded but wont be for long. 1. The town has not changed much, a few places have really gone to hell; I have pics of the junk place that man needs to be strung up. Yes I know at this point most involved are dead or very old and forgot it. walked around the back of the old grocery, then looked at the buildings and grocery, out front. Associated Press 6. i never took no oath to nothing. It also tells the story of The Lost Son of Ken Rex McELroy. it too was spontaneous. I relied on the FBI report on stating on the caliber of the shells. The worst by this individual was still to come for this town and they knew it. I currently live in Springfield, Missouri, and may just have to take a trip to Trenas grave site in Conway. My feeling is that he did, but he could not show fear. I already found a news item where one of his sons (Juarez) had been arrested at age 26 for knifing a man. What McElroy would say about his portrayal in the book is another subject, and one which I would hesitate to hazard a guess on. He was a man with a black soul and got exactly what he deserved. 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. I read it when it was first published. Ive seen diagrams of plans to shoot McElroy on the backroads of Nodaway County; Intersections where he would have to stop on his way home, with a gunman or gunmen in the trees or behind the bushes. Gary N. Dowling Why wasnt the pickup secured immediately by the first Officer who arrived on scene? so , ill just stay where I am outside of kc . what a fascinating story. Too bad Skidmore closed the only Discipline and Grammar school in town when McElroy bullied the town. Good riddance to bastards like Ken! Second. When one feels all hope of finding justice is gone. I think, though I do not have any data, this is not my field but in Urban areas of high crime it is very common for people to be killed and nobody sees a thing. At the time, McElroy was still married to his third wife, Alice Woods. He was a fabulous man and I truly believed he ALWAYS tried to do the right thing. Youre right about how the shooting went down. And here we are in 2021 & some insist the shooter of Ken was a coward. It was pretty gruesome. In No One Saw A Thing we only saw her defending him but I wonder what her opinion was when she was older and able to feel her freedom from him and the rest of his family. The raging celebrations in all the bars around ..was to me Hi Harry I loved reading the book I have a question I know there was a made for TV movie made, have you been approached on making a newer version of a movie? He wasent killed by a skidmore resident! A misanthrope that even treated his dogs, that he apparently loved, badly. Over time lawlessness usually kills a community whether it is Rural or Urban. Rod Rex, You sure are full of your 68 350 pounds of muscle. fist fight. The irony of this entire story is too rich to ignore. speculation will never be useful or needed. As Juarez left the court room, the news item specifically mentioned he was smiling. What they were afraid of was prosecution. But I cant help but notice that this comment thread is over two years old and still running, on a 25 year old book. But there are a lot of these places, the killing in public and a rural towns solidarity which I am sure is based somewhat on Loyalty and for others FEAR. It has made a pauper out of me. A town surrounded by cornfields with only 437 residents. 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. Its easy to sit in judgment of these people when youre not the one who has to live in constant fear of this evil bastd. Guest Book | Sign Guest Book | Send Private Condolences A year or so after the book was published, I met one of Kens kids who had been adopted out as a child. Looked at your bio. Im sure the people of the town didnt care how it happened, only that it happened. I can promise you youd not roll over me. 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. However, in his book, former professional Harley Race (who is from Quitman, MO) says that he had a confrontation with McElroy. The movie was shot in Elgin, Texas, which youll note bears no resemblance to Skidmore. I can remember them going into hiding after the house fire. You are full of shit. reno lives in langeloth pa washington county. I suspect well never know the truth. However, he had gotten away with all of them. The town cannot seem to catch a break it seems. I bet not one of them had the gnads to look him in the eye and do it, even with the crowd around let alone one on one, both with guns in hand. Ken McElroy obviously relied on his gun anywhere he went. And you need to learn how to spell: strait is straight. They made him move. did they like her or not , was she mean too ? ), and it looks pretty nice. I was their that day I was watching from the old gas station on the corner I know who fired the first shot & no I WONT TELL , I TOOK THE OATH TOO. 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. 2. Over the course of his life, McElroy was accused of dozens of felonies, including assault, child molestation, statutory rape, arson . 3. Maybe if the District Attorney would offer immunity to anyone who witnessed or was involved in McElroys death the rest of the story could be told and the case closed. Still, thanks for writing there are two sides to every story. How would you attempt to relate to him? On July 10, 1981, on a hot summer morning in a fed-up town, he. THAT DESTROYED towns across America! He was bold, to say the least. They get away with crimes so much they begin to think they are INVINCIBLE. My first teaching job ended up being in Skidmore. Yesterday I came across an obituary of Trooper Richard Stratton, may he rest in peace. I believe Ken got what he deserved. I guess thats understandable. Sheesh. As for myself, and this lends itself to my statement about the passage of time and how it can cleanse some of the more untoward facts in the drama, Ive always cheered for the bad guy wrestlers. When I first traveled to Skidmore in 1982, the first name I heard as the shooter was Del Clement. I read the Playboy version, wasnt real impressed with it. NO one talks about it, not even to family who werent there that day.. it happened they decided what they felt they needed to do after and it was done. Never saw anyone over 64. we just thought he was some creepy dude, then when the story broke about him & i saw pics i was literally shocked. This has certainly been an interesting read. He was a pedophile that raped 12 year old girls. It is very obvious the whole thing was planned. That is the the bottom line. If I may ask, just suppose for a moment you were able to speak with him. Unless I missed something, I do not see anyone being connected with that gun, the one that shot the fatal bullet. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5D Vigilante justice, or. If you can find them, Oprah did a full show on the book, as did Larry King. Thank you. Thoughts? The two story house was boarded up and the dogs / cages / pick ups were gone not long after the killing. As for his height, he was probably normal height if you included the cowboy hat he always wore. I believe there was a third gun, but whether it fired or not is another question. As for the guy threatening you, he literally wrote like everyone else in his level of life. Interesting. thanks-nicole. Someone who was loved. A few years after the book came out, I encountered Del one evening in a bar in nearby Maryville. Some of the witnesses to the crime left town, and as time wore on a few of them died. Harry MacLean. I thought Judgment Day was pretty much of a joke, but you could understand my bias. Finally, there is some confusion on the rifles used. When we went in, it wasnt busy at all. I ended up moving from skidmore after his death , glad he got what was coming to him .sorry bastard , now I hope he is burning in hell . 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 Del, a short man with a chip on his shoulder and a hot temper, wore a cowboy hat and drank heavily. Pushed in a CORNER people will ACT, coward or NOT. There were other incidents as well but my memory of them has faded. Thanks for your thoughts. The witch might be dead.. and you should just go your way. Especially when the truth of his death is available with easy and proper research. Del Clement died of liver disease this last spring. 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. as we paid for our items he followed us out the door & watched us get into our car & leave. just happened . ALL cowards that rape children, burn peoples homes, shoot close range into unarmed peoples stomach & shoot hard working elderly frail innocent people deserve a shot in the back of their heads. He told me Ken had a presence but that he wasnt scared or intimidated by him. i seriously doubt the town would have done better then its current state, its a very small village in the middle of nowhere. Thoroughly engrossing, its easy to see how this became a bit of an obsession for you, for lack of a better word, and Ive turned a few of my friends onto the subject along the way. Watch the 60 Minutes episode here. My house on Safari Drive backed up to the cemetery where McElroy is now buried. Granted, one needs to gloss over the statutory rape. In 1981, I dont know if anyone (states) had terroristic threatening laws on their books and if they did, I never heard of anyone using them. They TRIED EVERYTHING, it did not work. Let sleeping dogs lay in this tragedy. RELATED: 10 Of The Best Docuseries You Should Be Watching Now Each episode is around 40 minutes each and contains dramatic and intimate . I wouldnt be surprised if they werent reading from prepared scripts. why did she leave skidmore ? This has been a fascinating read indeed. I agree with you that we need to be careful about judging the town of Skidmore. I happened on this story a couple of years ago via the Sundance program. He was drunk and became outright hostile to me. You steal, and think that makes you a man? but the shooters are dead now and wives. I would love to find someone in the area who would describe this drunken short man routine you speak of. Shot an old man because the old mans wife told Kens daughter that stealing was not nice. He pointed out all the untrue facts in the booksuch as that he was shortand seemed on the verge of throwing a punch, until a friend stepped in. As far as the short man comments, that just seems like frat-boy rhetoric, not something a mature man, who writes for a living should use as a defense. dennehey , when I saw him on tv just brought back all the memories . This normally occurs when we are children, from our parents. I visited Skidmore in 2014. No testing of weapons was performed,as far as I am aware. Honestly, she has the townspeople to thank for that because his death was the reason she was able to move on and find her happiness with another man. The posts didnt sound like it. I had NO idea he was related and he had grown up in California, so he didnt really talk about his moms family. There are more facts, but Id have to dig into my research for them. Is it time to stop talking about Ken McElroy, his reign of terror, and what happened to him more than 30 years ago? I spent years in Skidmore. I never saw a time when he was anything but pleasant to be around. And for a WHOLE town to stay silent since 1981 is astonishing..I lived in St. Louis at the time and remember all the media stories on it. As for how he died, if you will submit the autopsy report confirming the massive heart attack, I will correct the record. Harry. enough was enough, McElroy had pushed his last button & lit the fuse that led to his death , he sat their , just like in the movie calmly & looked in his mirror to see the crowd behind him , he knew I believed that it was the end for him & that he was about to die , no way in hell was that crowd letting him leave. So Ken had. When I was on the Larry King Show, he was very sympathetic during the show, and when it was over he muttered to me, I dont think its every all right to take another persons life, or something to that effect. I remember Ken well. Mr. McClean, no disrespect intended, I understand this is a best seller for you and become a part of your life and your research entitles you to some first hand accuracy, but it seems that you have spent some time on Mr. McElroy and what made him tick and his character makeup. Really??? I also understand that he lost his job as an auctioneer in St. Joe because of this problem. No one saw a thing is a piece of junk. The classic print edition is now available at: http://tiny.cc/KeepsakeEdition My point on his courage was, that I doubt he would have done it if he had been face to face with McElroy. Harrys book says there was a smaller house on the property, too, where the younger brother Tim lived after the killing. 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. He didnt deserve any better. Ive been watching No One Saw a Thing on Sundance. I also read Judgement Day, it was worth reading although you can tell its not as accurate. Her folks were always nice people. I know how hard it is for loved ones to take an honest look at a member of their family. How do they know that he was shot with a .22 and a .308 if they didnt run ballistics? I heard that some people went to Ken Rexs grave in St. Joe to dig up his body, but they found NO HUMAN REMAINS!! The scum-bag lawyer and family members were genuinely angry that the killers had not been brought to justice. Many people i knew standing around. 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. I later heard that there were suspicions that he had been driven off of the road. He did not die in the spring, he did not die slowly. In closing here, I have to say that of all I read, I could easily visualize the McElroy Clan. While it had some Hollywood necessaries (I suppose) in it, I was surprised to see some aspects of the movie were depicted just as I have read and appreciated that. In the middle of the second curve on Valley Road. a man who left a legacy of terror & hatred. He was a nice, smart kid, but he had blue eyes and a compelling stare. I was 10 years old and saw the whole thing. ..why do you think those small I keep going back to the though of if he knew it was the end for him. [1] Kasus pembunuhannya yang belum terselesaikan sampai sekarang menjadi perhatian internasional. This sparked my interest, but did not pursue any additional information until I recently viewed the movie In Broad Daylight. If the action against McElroy was spontaneous, wouldnt Clement expect to be held accountable for his actions? I am planning a trip back to the area for some hunting next month and I will make the drive through Skidmore just to see how things have changed. But when it comes to killing, there are very few fair fights. (Lets just say me and my sisters definitely dont blend in with the locals). I cant seem to find much information on the Internet. no one in their right mind ever believe someone like mcelroy would just keep getting away with things. towns are mear gone now? its to bad he died the way he did . I would be very interested to find out your source of information. The law had utterly failed to protect Skidmore or the surrounding communities. he is suppossedly dying & wants truth to come out . From what I have read, it appears he provided for his family and the kids loved him? Tell me what happened when Alice and the kids move in. He ended up having six children and many grandchildren. Your characterization of the man who seems to have shot him as a coward is interesting. Harry, I enjoyed In Broad Daylight immensely. Harry do you think McElroy would have been proud to have a movie made about him and played by none other than the ultimate bad-guy actor Brian Dennehy? Just a note of interest. I just finished the book Judgement Day and although not as detailed as yours I also enjoyed it. I saw the new restaurant on Facebook (called Goodtime Charlies of Skidmore, Mo. Not a single bullet was recovered? The death of Ken Rex McElroy is a perplexing case that has hung heavy over the town of Skidmore, Missouri for decades. Ken Rex was a hero to some and was running the area with the back of his hand and had a great run. McElroy was a brutal bully who kept a town terrified for years. He could never understand why the townspeople had tolerated so much before acting. Actually, I think Del Clements act was totally impulsive. Ive written several other true crime books and one novel. and it holds to this day. Im sure theyre out there somewhere in cyberspace. Compelling read. But you wouldnt know anything about that. He always denied any role in the killing. Anyone else care to? Especially while drinking in the presence of overly curious people. (May 1, 1939 June 9, 2014). Ken McElroy did this to Alice, and probably Trena too. I spent many many weeks and weekends with my grandparents there. If someone would have cut his hands off for stealing some years before it got so bad things wouldnt have gone as far as they did either.. I worked with a guy in the 80s that said he had met Ken a couple at times and that he come across as a real a-hole. 2. Do you believe that Baird agreed to allow you access tot he files because he already knew they were gone? Im sure his wife at one time loved him, although I understand she divorced him because of his uncontrollable drinking. Little more than a manipulative bully, who exploited weaknesses in our legal system. He had no respect for the law or those who enforced it. In an earlier post you stated Del Clement, in my view, was also a coward. Did Baer ever provide you any additional details that would have changes your conclusions? The vast majority of these rifles were chambered in 30-30; the Winchester 94 is practically synonymous with the 30-30 chambering. Was anyone from Law Enforcement in that area ever disciplined or fired for their utter failure in protecting the people of the area from this piece of trash? Gary N. Dowling And the girl killed for her baby, and the branson boy. One thing I wanted to do and did not was park my truck in the same spot as McElroys and then take a photo from the vantage point of the shooter, but after having everyone in town wave to me and be overly nice I just could not bring myself to do that. I understand that people may disagree. I was in Skidmore last Thursday. Its in the book In Broad Daylight, toward the end. Do you think it might be Delta RoadI was looking on Google earth. Bystanders were aloud to crowd around the vehicle even after Officers arrived. What is also fascinating to me is how McElroy was able to defy the men who were actually hired to kill him. I know you have a lot of loyalty to the town, but how do you balance that with the law? I agree that Ken McElroy haunts the town, and always will. He died quite suddenly and for those of us who loved him too soon. (Tongue firmly in cheek.). I suspect there are hundreds more out there. What accounts for the discrepancy? Id like to get the reaction of other readers. Over the years he learned a well spoken threat, a well placed punch or the look, was enough to quail opposition, in most instances. You wouldnt find one, it didnt exist. 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. That said, I dont think youve ever lived a day where you had to risk your life for anything and as such, I dont think youre in any position to call another person a coward. So the debris pile falls at the 2 mile point. The image by Google is dated 2019. Ken would had sooner or later murdered. will they tell , or will they take it to the grave too. And even if something of a glimmer came to pass, who would believe it after all this time? Why didnt you used them? I think when the last person involved in KRMcs killing dies, then the truth will be told. It seems more sensational in a Rural Setting. And yes, Dennehey was excellent. Tonight I rooted for the New England Patriots to beat the Chiefs! Why wasnt the surrounding area taped off and secured by law enforcement for the investigation? I heard that Lois also died a few years ago, and I am sure that Bo Bowenkamp died back in the late 80s or so; but didnt they have a couple of daughters? That County has a long history of bullies and criminals. Without justice, people *will* resort to extra-legal violence to right wrongs and settle scores. I went to high school with his 3 daughters (from Sharon). I wondered if his TX neighbors even know about his involvement in this Skidmore event. I hear more and more stories as time goes on. The gas station across from Sumys is falling down, the roof has caved in. McElroy was accused of raping two young women, as young as 12 years old, both of whom he was said to have "married" to keep them from testifying against him. Did he live on the east or west sidethanks. Im pleased that your grandfather and you liked the book so much. He also had a slow temper. Or could it have been a semi-auto pistol? Further on, not too far, is the lot where Kens house once stood. Denehey had the McElroy stare down perfectly, and I think Ken reveled in being able to scare people just by looking at them. Anyone that has the courage to stand up to a bully and shoot him is no coward in my book. His problems, but who dont? When I talked with Trena, she was no longer defending McElroy. Thanks for the comment. One night, he came by completely distressed because KRM had cornered him in an alley and threatened him not to testify. 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. Remember how young she was when he got a hold of her. Ask yourself: who smiles instantly after beating the criminal rap in court? And where can you find his photo? I assume that the Goslee is the same gentleman who you stayed with while you were researching the book. So, on July 10, 1981, they reached their point of no return, reacted to an impulsive decision to take the law into their hands, and thats exactly what they did. I commented on how nice the station was, and asked if they worked on cars, as i noticed what looked to be an attached garage. 1. Del Clement died without a word about who shot Ken McElroy. Well then it appears Ken Rex was done in by a fellow coward. Shot a man in the stomach with a shot gun! and actually spent time there with Del when he visited, as well as traveled to his ranch outside of Skidmore over a three and a half year span. The govt built a new post office on the east end of town. Last i heard she was in Columbia. I never verified any of these facts, but I really didnt spend a lot of time trying either. This year being the 40th anniversary of the killing, brought it back into focus for me. Last I checked: Real men dont have to use guns to intimidate. The justice system failed in releasing this revengeful, dangerous man back to his community.
Rms Republic Shipwreck Gold Found, Helen Graham Obituary Near Berlin, Law Enforcement Instructor Conference, Articles A