This book will still be important 100 years from now not only for the decendants from this area but for the entire midwest and beyond. Why bring the past back up?? The people that shot Ken Rex were cowards. The people in Skidmore were by and large very hostile to her. As we Following driving instructions laid out in the book I attempted to find the McElroy farm. Yea he stole hogs, but no ones perfect. Ken Rex McElroy was shot dead inside his pick-up truck on the 10th of July, 1981, via a storm of bullets. He and his brother owned the D & G Tavern, in front of which McElroy was parked when he died and which had recently begun closing whenever he came to town. Rod Rex you might be a narcissist but you certainly arent any man. In 2002 I convinced him to take a road trip with me for the day and headed to Skidmore. The case was in court but released as the victims could not identify the assailant due to it being dark. These are good people who did what they had to to remedy a nightmare. I look forward to getting your new POD paperback. & those who witnessed the crime are accessories to murder- plain & simple skidmore will always have mcelroys ghost hanging over the town. The Good Ole Boy rural thug culture killed that whole county pretty much. Ken McElroy terrorized his town for years. For decades, the man held the town of Skidmore virtually hostage. 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. On my first day of teaching, a little hand went up in the back of the class and this sweet boy said, Youre uncle shot my dad. Ken McElroy was a functional illiterate. I remember Ken well. It is a FARM by the way. I just finished the book Judgement Day and although not as detailed as yours I also enjoyed it. Please think before you write, you are talking about someone very dear to me and many others. Im not looking to cause a row, but my quandary is this; What should a person do when the system has failed them? Write a new book become current find similarities that parallel life but quit riding the wind out of this. will they tell , or will they take it to the grave too. McElroy was supposedly harassing the Clements at their ranch, threatening to shoot their horses, parking alongside the pasture, draping a rifle out the window. No Death Bed Confession | Harry N. MacLean They were the nicest people and in no way reflected their father. ken rex mcelroy heightare caleb pressley interviews real. Sheriff Estes certainly would have had a reason to dispose of them, wouldnt he? Anyone else care to? 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. How could someone get away with these kinds of crimes for so long?! After you turn off V, you go a few miles, hit a curve, and Tims house is on the right. In syrafoam boxes and put it on dads tab to pay later. Town Mute for 30 Years About a Bully's Killing - New York Times He was not looking forward to going to prison for a couple of years, and his best days as a coon hunter and seducer of girls were long behind him. I was good friends with the town Marshall, David Dunbar. This was verified. He was of the Christian faith and had attended the Skidmore Methodist Church.. Gary married Marilyn Lou Friend in 1959, they later divorced. dude eventually got arrested & while in police custody he hung himself. He was a Korean war vet. If the action against McElroy was spontaneous, wouldnt Clement expect to be held accountable for his actions? He probably had enough of McElroy chasing his bar customers away. Not after 35 years. I also read Judgement Day, it was worth reading although you can tell its not as accurate. The man Im thinking of, one time, was merely asked by the Los Angeles Police to move his double parked 18 wheeler. What are your thoughts on this? BB, mr. maclean, i was just wondering what did the people of skidmore think about trena. Someday he would get even. To this day, locals are not welcoming to strangers. damn right we were scared to death of him the man was a bully . The classic print edition is now available at: http://tiny.cc/KeepsakeEdition Its in the book In Broad Daylight, toward the end. Ken Rex McElroy (1 Juni 1934 - 10 Juli 1981) adalah warga Skidmore, Nodaway County, Missouri, Amerika Serikat. The Strange Killing of Ken Rex McElroy - YouTube Check google maps, street view. 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. Are thye still in the area? I just ordered the new edition from Amazon and it is on the way. Did you ever hear this story? Were the cops afraid of him? I mean, I guess we all dont want to think our family members could do that. 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. no one planned it. While I know no one in this story or in the town I feel compelled to add my personal thoughts. That summer1981I met my future husband, KRMs nephew, at my summer job. the dirty little coward who shot Mr. Howard) as opposed to the denotation; a person who lacks courage in facing danger, difficulty, opposition, pain, etc. 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. In this case, Ken pushed an entire town to their breaking point. Thus, the debris pile I see is on the south side of the road just before the second turn at the corner at mile 2, and then on the west side of that same road after it turns southbound. The people BEGGED Law Enforcement to do something for DECADES. Trena sad she saw him clear as day, what more do you need? I hope you feel superior. Ken Rex and his memory live on and he is a hero to some I am just letting you all know that. Over the years I spent there researching In Broad Daylight I never heard another name seriously mentioned as the rifleman. My grandfather loved this book, I believe, because he had heard stories about McElroy through various coffee shops and cafes. If you have, would you recommend it and/or share your thoughts? I think when the last person involved in KRMcs killing dies, then the truth will be told. SOMETIMES I WONDER IF OL KEN IS IN HELL IHE MADE LIFE MISERABLE FOR EVERYBODY IN SKIDMORE . 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. Ken Rex McElroy, a notoriously brutal man who had terrorized Skidmore, Mo., for years, was killed in 1981. 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. He always denied any role in the killing. Ken Rex was an alpha male, much like myself. I dont think it was planned beyond a few moments before it took place. Trena McElroy, center, is led to a car with her stepson Ken McElroy Jr. and an unidentified man following Ken Rex McElroy's funeral in Maryville, Mo. Some guys were playing cards at a table. Is there any information on his children? No testing of weapons was performed,as far as I am aware. I have read all the comments, here are some comments that I am sure most wont like, but hey, to each their own right? Thanks for writing. 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? I was through there last fall bird hutning and it sure seemed as though there was nothing left. I need to ponder a few things before I attempt to ask any more, and I will let you know how the trip fares. It has made a pauper out of me. Are there any other in print material available that you would recommend? I dont condone killing such as this but fully understand how a town could have finally had ENOUGH. I chose to prove that murder is not justified, no matter the circumstances. Please let me know what you think of the new version. Im back and have a few pictues that I will post to my site once I have gone through them all. I believe there was a third gun, but whether it fired or not is another question. Years ago I met one of the gunmen, he was a polite gentleman. I think he had a few beers in the tavern and, hothead that he was, went out the back door with mayhem on his mind. Youre right about how the shooting went down. this town shut its mouth , nobody talked & nobody will , i know del clement is the one who supposedly fired the fatal shot but no one really knows. we all talked & took a vow of silence , NO MATTER WHAT to our death bed. Is No One Saw A Thing A True Story? The Real-Life Murder Case Revealed del would never be man enough to face any one face to face. Sorry pal, Im one of those 6 180 pound guys you claim youd palm. This man was a domestic terrorist whose actions were deadly to anyone and everyone that crossed him. Ive been investigating this from a crime scene point and have a couple of questions. Never stop talking about Ken McElroy. Was wondering if youll ever do a follow up to your book? He was a fabulous man and I truly believed he ALWAYS tried to do the right thing. I dont understand why Trena would stand up for a man who had raped her, beat her, and burned down her own parents house? I cant seem to find much information on the Internet. Not a single bullet was recovered? Yes it was Clements bullet who killed him. I grew up there. how do I know I was one of the people who witnessed the killing , or as some people say , murder . Anyways, it says this guy shot a 70yo inthe neck? What if these also failed me? I have a first issue hard copy that was my grandfathers and he left to me after his passing in 2006. The town lost faith in itself, is the way I see it. 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. Standing at his truck, watching McElroy sit calmly in this truck with his wife, as if he owned the street, the twon, someone shouted Shoot the sonofabithch! and he grabbed his rifle. It seemed as if an entire town was held hostage by a lunatic. You can find it on YouTube, starring Brian Denehey. By this time we was turning at top of the hill I made the mistake once of asking about it a few years ago, needless to say I was told in no uncertain terms to mind my own business. As to Del, if I mayI understand why you may feel he was a short, hot-headed drunk. Well, Skidmore was fed up. her husband was murdered & she could;nt stick around town looking over her shoulder everytime she stepped outside, wondering if somebody was going to get her too , besides they burned the house down anyway didnt they? There were a few. the gun could be in a glass case with lights downing on it . He could never understand why the townspeople had tolerated so much before acting. She just finished installing a new wood burning stove on Friday. I also did a Google Street View of the town (last updated in 2009) and it looks really sad. Google earth doesnt recognize a Valley Rd. In the middle of the second curve on Valley Road. Del was a weasel. 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. If youre such a big bad ass why carry a gun and have a crew? 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. 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. glad to know her life had a happy ending so to speak. My grandpa has always maintained that he was at the Albany court house awaiting ken Rex for his trial. Another note about Del, he was not a fighter, he wouldnt have started a fight. My mother-in-law never believed the stories, of course. Bear, I loved Skidmore in late 70s and early 80s. At the time, McElroy was still married to his third wife, Alice Woods. It would be interesting to know how this incident changed Skidmore and its people. During the time that I worked with her they had reconciled and were going to get married again. While I personally know nothing of the case other than what Ive read over the years- One thing I wonder about Were ANY of the towns weapons confiscated and or tested to ballistics back then? As for his height, he was probably normal height if you included the cowboy hat he always wore. As Juarez left the court room, the news item specifically mentioned he was smiling. I understand you are a tall man, so relatively he would be shorter than you, but he was not a short man with a chip on his shoulder. He was a member and enjoyed his friends at the Maryville Elks Lodge #760; he was a member of the Town and Country Saddle Club at Skidmore, MO. the townspeople like much of the US actually believed in the law and kept hoping it would do its job. why did she leave skidmore ? I currently live in Springfield, Missouri, and may just have to take a trip to Trenas grave site in Conway. It wasnt hard to imagine him jerking the gun from his pickup in a burst of anger and opening up on the large black head on the other side of the rear window of the pickup. we all knew that the police would be coming , no one expected the fbi . Surfacing briefly from her hiding place where she had sought refuge for herself and her children, Mrs. McElroy granted an interview to talk about the Kenneth Rex McElroy murder in Skidmore, MO. A year or so after the book was published, I met one of Kens kids who had been adopted out as a child. 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. Id imagine Id be sick of it myself. I admire the town for keeping their mouths shut, and the people who took up arms and took care of business. I would have to drive it to be sure, but it sounds like it. I dont know how I missed your book then, but so glad I have read it now. walked around the back of the old grocery, then looked at the buildings and grocery, out front. I already found a news item where one of his sons (Juarez) had been arrested at age 26 for knifing a man. Honestly, the story he told me about this man sounded so far-fetched. Furthermore, I just purchased the E version of Harrys book and within its first section, he mentions that specific road and how the former coon hunting area of Ken Rex is down that road a total of 3 miles. You know, there are a lot of places out there like Skidmore. Guest Book | Sign Guest Book | Send Private Condolences Just saying. 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 doubt he really was afraid for his life. a small town terrorized by one man.a town stricken with fear, a town that kept asking for help & didnt get it. t was Mr Sumy. Harry, I enjoyed In Broad Daylight immensely. It is assumed that Del was one of the shooters but are you at liberty to name the other two? Compelling read. I think he probably knew it was the end for him, and I think he might have welcome it, at some level. This guy needs Jesus. Btw, the school was also torn down, all is left is the field where the Punkin Show was held, and the baseball diamond. I am loyal to the town. When the legal system was unable to catch him, the community took it upon themselves to stop him themselves. But as long as you are armed, Im sure you feel like big man on campus. Ask yourself: who smiles instantly after beating the criminal rap in court? These small man syndrome types are quick to jump on the bandwagon and try to out do everyone by being first to the punch due to their own perceived difficiencies. Finally, there is some confusion on the rifles used. The obituary mentioned that he had lived in Skidmore, MO, but nothing at all about the event for which we are reading this material. I have found this whole drama so very intriguing for quite a while. 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. 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? He was an outlaw. I would really love to find out what happened to all of his children, and women, as well as if you or the authorities have any new leads to speak of. But I certainly do understand why they did what they did and cant help but feel as they must have felt. I have to wonder also if the town had turned in the killers, if it would have fared better than it has? I read it when it was first published. They should be strung up for the way they did it. Perhaps you were drunk, too, I live in Independence, MO (after living in LA and Indiana) not far from SkidmoreO have read this book three times it is so goodthe entire story is one of the most intriguing incidents everYou did a GREAT job (And I am a screenwriter, myself (and actor/comedian)I hope you have other true story books, cause I want to read themAre you into screenwriting as well? ken rex mcelroy height ken rex mcelroy height - baspeed.com Sickening There was reasons Kenrex was the way he was.. That area. 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. 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. Ive always wondered why he wasnt killed long before he was. 4. I can remember them going into hiding after the house fire. in July 1981. Slowly twords McElroy was a narcissistic despot. 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. (Tongue firmly in cheek.). I dont see a valley road..maybe it was renamed? Although, as I found early on, this was not a community or even a group decision to kill McElroy. Never saw anyone over 64. The two story house was boarded up and the dogs / cages / pick ups were gone not long after the killing. You should check out the history of FALLS COUNTY TEXAS sometime. It also tells the story of The Lost Son of Ken Rex McELroy. Fascinating stuff! All big guys are just big targets if you ask me. You are a very gifted writer and I look forward to reading your other works. 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. but the town was wrong to.. i have pictures facts and 2 others that were at the old service station with me the day he was gunned down. He was also preceded by his sister, Ronda Salsbury; son in law, Carey Barr; grandson, Rob Lowrance; and sister in law, Barb Dowling. The scum-bag lawyer and family members were genuinely angry that the killers had not been brought to justice. I feel for the people of Skidmore. I do not see it that way. Shot a man in the stomach with a shot gun! This does not mean I think that Ken did not deserve his fate or that I support his actions in any way, I simply believe that he should not have been murdered in the way he was. Rest in Peace Ken Rex, you were all good in my book! thats why this towns are falling into disrepairnot just Skidmore! Those people TRIED to get some relief, they were ignored. He also had a slow temper. 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. 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. 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. ..why do you think those small He died of electricution when he made contact with a high voltage line while stepping out of the car. Stole what did not belong to him. I read the Playboy version, wasnt real impressed with it. Too bad. A more recent movie Without Mercy is available but am always concerned about Hollywoods artistic license production option when it comes to making it more appealing (even though I did not notice it in your movie) and was wondering if you have viewed it? And here we are in 2021 & some insist the shooter of Ken was a coward. No One Saw A Thing centers around the 1981 murder of Ken Rex McElroy in Skidmore Missouri and other crimes committed in the town and surrounding area over the years. I wondered if his TX neighbors even know about his involvement in this Skidmore event. The rifle was probably mis-identified by witnesses (perhaps on purpose) as a 30-30. I raised it as a topic of discussion, since they shot McElroy in the back. 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. Nothing will ever come to light. D. firing the 30.30, G. with the shotgun, but no mention of who fired the fatal shot with the .22. They TRIED EVERYTHING, it did not work. However, in his book, former professional Harley Race (who is from Quitman, MO) says that he had a confrontation with McElroy. The Ken McElroy Story From the 'No One Saw a Thing' Documentary Is The man who told me this said they all had the backbone of a jellyfish and nobody in town had the guts to have a gun duel with McElroy. It was sometimes difficult to distinguish myth from reality when it came to Ken Rex McElroy. The person I met was a prominent person in the town. In this day and age we would have a ream of cell phone photos of the funeral, which I would definitely have run. My house on Safari Drive backed up to the cemetery where McElroy is now buried. The Unsolved Vigilante Murder of Ken McElroy - The Lineup Alice McElroy May 27, 1938 - September 13, 2017 Alice Olemberio McElroy, daughter of Felix Olemberio and Agripina Sacal Olemberio, was born May 27, 1938 in Calamba, Misamis Occidental, Philippines where she grew up and attended school. Maybe his hunting area was that additional mile. Granted, one needs to gloss over the statutory rape. I understand you need to sell books but if it humbles you, I learned about this out of a true crime and and aberrant behavior book so your book is well versed but not hardly the only source. Shot in back or front makes no difference. In the book you wrote that nobody ever saw McElroy in an actual physical confontation, e.g. Memorials are suggested to the Maryville Elks Lodge #760, Maryville, MO. I noticed earlier today while doing some reading that both Q. Goslee and Lois BowenKamp have passed away. I shook hands with him. Thanks for your update on Skidmore. I was in college (NWMSU) when all of this was happening. Ken Rex McElroy's Lost Son | Harry N. MacLean (May 1, 1939 June 9, 2014). If I may ask, just suppose for a moment you were able to speak with him. Ken had been ruining business in town. This was before I knew my first husband. I later heard that there were suspicions that he had been driven off of the road. Alice McElroy Obituary (2006) - Kansas City, MO - Kansas City Star 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 Yes some little crazy some very good folk. Directed by Israeli filmmaker Avi Belkin, the docuseries explores the unsolved murder of Skidmore, Missouri resident and town bully Ken Rex McElroy, who was shot dead in broad daylight in the middle of the tiny community in 1981.
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