You dont like it? Hell, he might have actually been loving the anger he was generating. 60 Minutes covers the killing of Ken Rex McElroy. Who was the the second alleged shooter? Law Enforcement did NOTHING. I also understand that he lost his job as an auctioneer in St. Joe because of this problem. I have been a marine and completed 2 tours of duty and travel armed at all times with a crew, so I highly doubt you are going to kick my ass these are just facts, besides the fact that this is just a message board on the internet and I cant be bothered to get into a childish flaming war with some old dude who was tormented by either Ken Rex, my comments, or both. I really have no quarrel with what happened to McELroy. anyway skidmore is gone , the town is dying & its sad to see. Same title. And the only women you get are the ones you buy on the street corner. On July 10, 1981, on a hot summer morning in a fed-up town, he. it was truly scary , I seen McElroy back in early 81 . It shows a mentality very close to Dels. I knew he was gone from work the same day as Kens funeral but didnt put anything together. Could you explain your opinion? 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? The women in own tended to be a little kinder to her. Did Baer ever provide you any additional details that would have changes your conclusions? His brother, however, still lives in the Skimore area/. Ken Rex McElroy's Lost Son | Harry N. MacLean skidmore used ti be a nice little town , ashamed what has happened to it .as for trina , well as someone else on here posted they let her livethats a fact , she couldve easily been blown away by a bullet just like McElroy was they let her walk away, she should have been grateful but she wasnt she went after the towns people in a lawsuit . Knew people that had bought or traded coonhounds with/from him. Real men dont shoot unarmed men and leave them to die. Even though Ken Rex was married to his second wife Alice, he couldn't help but notice the pretty girl with long blonde hair. Who Killed Ken Rex McElroy: Town Keeps Its Secret For 38 Years I also read Judgement Day, it was worth reading although you can tell its not as accurate. dennehey , when I saw him on tv just brought back all the memories . The town is not in great shape, with very few businesses remaining open, and some fellow buying lots of properties and storing junk in the yards. Really pathetic that honest, law abiding citizens need to take matters into their own hands. By this time we was turning at top of the hill The rifle was probably mis-identified by witnesses (perhaps on purpose) as a 30-30. 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. I met the current owner, who quietly said to not ask the Ultimate Question. But there was. d) He soon became bored and moved on to another underage girl. On the other hand i used to work with a gal who told me that her ex-husband had been a bartender in Skidmore. This has certainly been an interesting read. Would love to see the picture you have. As long as there are bullies (like this scum who was properly dealt with by his peers in broad daylight) then this story should keep being told and this comments section should be open. Not that it really matters, I suppose. What did you think of the frontier justice piece? I think he probably knew it was the end for him, and I think he might have welcome it, at some level. The gas station across from Sumys is falling down, the roof has caved in. Trena divorced her husband, and Ive been told lives in Columbia. McElroy should have been taken care of by law enforcement officers and the courts. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. BB, mr. maclean, i was just wondering what did the people of skidmore think about trena. 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. It has happened forever. 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. Just saying. 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? 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. I watched a YouTube video of you, the lawyer and family members on the talk show. 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 But to no surprise people wait till its too late then act out in the wrong way if its wrong. If I had a dime, no make that a nickel, for every time someone said they were going to kick my ass I would be richer then I am now from all the robbin and stealin lol. I also did a Google Street View of the town (last updated in 2009) and it looks really sad. Is it possible you will be doing an updated story, anytime soon? i was there as was my father. I took a deep breath and said he wasnt my uncle and I had never known him. I was a witness , not a shooter . Del, a short man with a chip on his shoulder and a hot temper, wore a cowboy hat and drank heavily. I would love to find someone in the area who would describe this drunken short man routine you speak of. He had no social security number and never filed a tax return. You steal, and think that makes you a man? fist fight. Ken Rex McElroy (1 Juni 1934 - 10 Juli 1981) adalah warga Skidmore, Nodaway County, Missouri, Amerika Serikat. I thought Judgment Day was pretty much of a joke, but you could understand my bias. I suspect there are hundreds more out there. The people that shot Ken Rex were cowards. .. I hear its a cheap knockoff of the real story. 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. He was friendly and gave me directions to the cemetery. Honestly, the story he told me about this man sounded so far-fetched. This guy needs Jesus. He stopped in Skidmore driving from New York to California, prior to making the movie, to check the town out. He was a pedophile that raped 12 year old girls. You are very talented and a brilliant writer, your story is in line with the tales told but maybe you can do better, I remember when this crime occurred. So I had my coffee, a burger, tipped Pam a $5.00 spot and quietly left. He was the Skidmore bully. It has dredged up so much. Again, GREAT BOOK!! this town is declining at a rapid pace , soon , skidmore will be a ghost town with nothing but mcelroys ghost roaming the streets & empty buildings. This six-episode true-crime docuseries comes from Sundance TV and premiered last August. but the shooters are dead now and wives. I wondered if his TX neighbors even know about his involvement in this Skidmore event. When the law refused to deal with him and people feared for their lives they did what they thought they had to do to survive. Ken Rex McElroy was a bully to put it mildly. Has anyone ever actually physically tried to fight mcelroy? I was trying to look at the site of Mcelroys farm on google earth. just like a true coward. But the system did not work, and throughout history when that happens, when it gets BAD enough, people will act. 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. Mr. MaClean, as a writer, you should check your facts before writing such gross untruths. I know for an absolute FACT that ballistics (as far as a crime scene investigations are concerned) have been around for a very long time. Or could it have been a semi-auto pistol? Harry, I enjoyed In Broad Daylight immensely. 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. I live about an hour away from this area still. If it was spontaneous there would have been at least one person who wouldnt have known to keep their mouth shut. Following driving instructions laid out in the book I attempted to find the McElroy farm. I wonderwonder for how long he wished he could be big and strong like Ken Rex coupled with Ken Rex imasculating him he jumped on the opportunity to get even for everything. Im sure his wife at one time loved him, although I understand she divorced him because of his uncontrollable drinking. and to your footnote I was born close this town but have since move. i heard a rumour that someone wanted to pay for & put a statue of ken rex mcelroy in downtown skidmore- geez louise , are you freaking kidding me -thats all the local yocos need , a staue of the man who terrorized & bullied them for years. ..why do you think those small I hope Skidmore survives, its had a tragic history and deserves a break. Town Mute for 30 Years About a Bully's Killing - New York Times Can you give the straight scoop on that?. Where I live we have had a NON Stop Crime Waive since 1971. The victim was simply entering a store and was accosted on his way out. Yes it was 2 men they were relations to eachother but the one who shot him was visiting at the time.He is dead now of prostate cancer about 10 years or more. Associated Press 6. I seriously doubt you are 68 and 320 and all muscle. The Unsolved Vigilante Murder of Ken McElroy - The Lineup 1952: Ken McElroy marries his first wife Oleta. Trena McCloud's Civil Suit Against Skidmore, Missouri Revealed - Bustle Why bring the past back up?? The movie people couldnt get releases from many of those involved, so they just decided to change all of the names. they say if you walk the streets of downtown skidmore mo you can see kens ghost every now & then, that you can still feel his presence in town . ken rex mcelroy height ken rex mcelroy height - baspeed.com He did not die in the spring, he did not die slowly. The Chilling Murder of Skidmore Town Bully Remains a Mystery - Medium I visited Skidmore in 2014. Ken McElroy obviously relied on his gun anywhere he went. 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 death of Ken Rex McElroy is a perplexing case that has hung heavy over the town of Skidmore, Missouri for decades. I will stress again that his death was very unexpected. The people BEGGED Law Enforcement to do something for DECADES. 6. 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. 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 . The junk man owns the gas station across from Sumys, and hes letting it fall into disrepair, along with several other places. 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. You can also find the movie by the same name on You Tube. My first encounter with the Skidmore story began when I first saw the TV episode of City Confidential some years ago. McElroy was supposedly harassing the Clements at their ranch, threatening to shoot their horses, parking alongside the pasture, draping a rifle out the window. we tolerated him doesnt meen we liked him. Ken McElroy did this to Alice, and probably Trena too. As for the guy threatening you, he literally wrote like everyone else in his level of life. Fascinating stuff! The image by Google is dated 2019. I have to wonder also if the town had turned in the killers, if it would have fared better than it has? I believe that Ken McLeroy got what he deserved. 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 bullet must have been mis-identified as an 8 mm bullet; just 2 thousands of an inch different. They should be strung up for the way they did it. they all still kring when you mention his name. There has been no prosecution in the death of Ken Rex McElroy. I would have to drive it to be sure, but it sounds like it. Memorial services are planned for July and will be announced. 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. I think when the last person involved in KRMcs killing dies, then the truth will be told. & those who witnessed the crime are accessories to murder- plain & simple skidmore will always have mcelroys ghost hanging over the town. This was verified. My son still has the book In Broad Daylight because I was married to Kens nephew. He was most certainly not. Too bad. On Del, Ive discussed the notion that he might have been a coward because he shot Ken in the back. (two increments noted in his description). I relied on the FBI report on stating on the caliber of the shells. i wonder what wouldve happened if some of the guys in town reached out to him , talk to him , have a beer be pals . The sheriff was chagrined to admit that the official files were not in his office. Id imagine Id be sick of it myself. Real men dont hit women. But you wouldnt know anything about that. This normally occurs when we are children, from our parents. 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 . 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. Ken was 18 and Oleta was 16. . the people of skidmore mo murdered ken rex mcelroy-plain & simple. Thanks for taking the time to share our thoughts. So Ken had. They are all over. Eventually sitting on a sidewalk across the street from what was the D&B. speculation will never be useful or needed. OK, I did as you requested and I picked up a copy of the 2007 edition and read the epilogue. Specifically, he says that McElroy showed up at a bar to bully some retirees out of their pension checks, and Harley was there, confronted McElroy, and knocked him on his butt with a right hook. Last I checked: Real men dont have to use guns to intimidate. Granted, one needs to gloss over the statutory rape. 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. Ive read these posts and seems you have taken inventory of the participants but given the protagonist a bit more recognition. 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. Rex said fuck you your dead as he walked to his truck he said its no even loaded but wont be for long. As to Del, if I mayI understand why you may feel he was a short, hot-headed drunk. In the incident in the bar, I was not asking Del questions. At least some of the witnesses surely knew. I think youd do it justice. 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. I, like many, I am not sorry for Ken Rex. The classic print edition is now available at: http://tiny.cc/KeepsakeEdition Meanwhile, the town struggles for its existence. Harry I appreciate the time you have taken to answer my many questions, although it seems as though for each answer ten new questions are raised. I got a copy of one of the pictures taken during the autopsy, but chose not to use it. From what I have read, it appears he provided for his family and the kids loved him? Services noon Tuesday, November 28, at Mrs. J.W. Should i not expect that the legislative and judicial branches would then come to my defense? 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. Screw the law and the rest of you people who have no back bone to do anything about it. as we paid for our items he followed us out the door & watched us get into our car & leave. 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. In 2002 I convinced him to take a road trip with me for the day and headed to Skidmore. He told me Ken had a presence but that he wasnt scared or intimidated by him. Or into their mouths. But I certainly do understand why they did what they did and cant help but feel as they must have felt. 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? Btw, the school was also torn down, all is left is the field where the Punkin Show was held, and the baseball diamond. Small Large 300 dpi | 30.2 MP You on the other hand Id just kick your ass in front of the whole town. Her parents abandoned her to his clutches. He probably had enough of McElroy chasing his bar customers away. My interest was once again renewed, so I purchased and read your book which I enjoyed very much. We are within an hours drive from Skidmore. I can not put into words how painful it is to read these untruths on the internet. I seen the croud of people on the other side of the street walk. What are your thoughts on this? I had planned to get back there this past summer, but didnt make it. Those people TRIED to get some relief, they were ignored. My grandfather rarely left his farm farther than 20 or 30 miles. I think McElroy would have loved Denehey portraying him in the movie. Want more true crime? Then the shooter and his cousin ran to there truck pulled there rifles out then my mom grabed me by the wrist pulled me inside and heard a few shots sounded like a few from a 22 caliber then one big really loud shot id say a hunting rifle from my shooting experience. I have no intention of taking the law in to my own hands, however I had to close my Business ELEVEN YEARS Ago, to sit here and GUARD the property. Love both your books on the subject, Harry. We have gotten NO RELIEF from Law Enforcement whatsoever. Im sure theyre out there somewhere in cyberspace. Guest Book | Sign Guest Book | Send Private Condolences It was sometimes difficult to distinguish myth from reality when it came to Ken Rex McElroy. I hope you feel superior. Watch the 60 Minutes episode here. He probably thought it would make him a bigger man in the eyes of the townfolk something he always wanted. Ken McElroy was a functional illiterate. A year or so after the book was published, I met one of Kens kids who had been adopted out as a child. Hi Harry, I would like to know which books you have on the case of Ken McElroy of Skidmore aka the town bully. Well done. I wont name them directly. If anything, our legal system became his enabler. Nevertheless, they were together for 15 years, and Alice bore two sons and a daughter. Some of the witnesses to the crime left town, and as time wore on a few of them died. She hesitated to bad mouth him, however, for the sake of the kids. THAT DESTROYED towns across America! Seemed like they made up a few facts as they went along. Thanks for taking the time to write. When I first traveled to Skidmore in 1982, the first name I heard as the shooter was Del Clement. yeah , he looked just like fucking McElroy ,lol. Why dont you get your facts strait. Harrys book says there was a smaller house on the property, too, where the younger brother Tim lived after the killing. Ken McElroy - Wikipedia If you have, would you recommend it and/or share your thoughts? Little more than a manipulative bully, who exploited weaknesses in our legal system. The bar was open, a gal named Pam owns and operates it now. thanks-nicole. And his ex wife Sharon is also a very kind woman. it just is.. it was Justice. Me and my 2 sisters decided to check it out as it was less than 2 hours from where we live. Who else would shoot a man in the back of the head as he sat in his truck?. They arent nice places to visit even when you have the keys! 717 people, hmmmmmm a small town just a little bigger than skidmore- makes you wonder ? Yes I know at this point most involved are dead or very old and forgot it. yeah thats exactely how it happened , it wasnt planned . Pausing to milk it a little too long. Nothing more was saidbut obviouslythe town had already vetted me. Too bad Skidmore closed the only Discipline and Grammar school in town when McElroy bullied the town. I also believe that the residents of Skidmore simply got tired of the legal system trying and failing to deal with Ken Rex McElroy. I would like to know what happened to her family. walked around the back of the old grocery, then looked at the buildings and grocery, out front. . By the way, In Broad Daylight goes up as a Kindle on Tuesday. The authors were in and out of there in a couple of weeks. The Ken McElroy Story From the 'No One Saw a Thing' Documentary Is Im sure the people of the town didnt care how it happened, only that it happened. To the residents of the small town, he was the town . The story would have gone on forever, regardless. I later heard that there were suspicions that he had been driven off of the road. Defense lawyer. This makes it EASY for Thugs to dispose of peoples property out of state. (for one thing, murdering a human being isnt easy for most of us). If I had been there, I would have been under the pool table with the rest of the town. The old man let the child have the candy anyway. I remember when this happened. Is it out of respect for the familiy. We hope something like this never happens again but if it is necessary then so be it. The too soon death of Del left a large whole in the heart of many. Thats how human nature works. You or your crew. The town lost faith in itself, is the way I see it. I tried to give the towns point of view, but to also be fair to the other people and institutions involved. Is it time to stop talking about Ken McElroy, his reign of terror, and what happened to him more than 30 years ago? He didnt deserve any better. 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 whole story is somewhat lurid, given all the components of KRMs misdeeds and crimes. Her folks were always nice people. If in fact Del Clement was the shooter, I was curious as to why he would have shot McElroy. Thanks for writing. I just came across Harrys description of the location of the McElroy house. if they wanted to kill her , they would have just shot her along with ken,THEY LET HER LIVE. I was 10 years old and saw the whole thing. 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. You can find it on YouTube, starring Brian Denehey. Just after the killing two of the. 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. I read the shell casings found in the street were from a .22 mag and a 8 mm German or Swedish Mauser. You may email me if you do not want to post it publicly. Mr. Dowlings body has been cremated under the direction of the Bram-Danfelt Funeral Home, Maryville. They probably had bad dreams over it and Ken Rex won because he still haunts them and the town of Skidmore. 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. Although I do understand why some of the locals wish it would just go away. i wonder why a group of ppl didnt grab him and beat him half to death way b4 the shooting. Google THE TOWN BULLY OF TOULON , just like rex mcelroy , the guy liked to intimidate people & they were scared to death of this guy so instead of confronting him people went outta their way to avoid him . Harry, During our many trips this subject came up and she gave an entirely different perspective on the story. I am Ken McElroys granddaughter. 1. I dont agree with murder and at the end of the day, it was murder. 1) There was nothing Alpha about Ken or you,look what happened to Ken. Chris: We just published an e-book entitled The Story Behind In Broad Daylight. Available on Amazon. This was before I knew my first husband. Waving a shotgun around and shooting old unarmed men doesnt make him look so brave to me. Id really like to read that !! I can remember them going into hiding after the house fire. if a town can have ptsd then Skidmore has lived it for these many decades. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/84375228/trena-louise-williams. No testing of weapons was performed,as far as I am aware. 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. Anyways, it says this guy shot a 70yo inthe neck? I agree with you that we need to be careful about judging the town of Skidmore. I have a question and a statement. Without justice, people *will* resort to extra-legal violence to right wrongs and settle scores. He was the fifteenth of sixteen children born to a poor, migrant tenant farming family. If the action against McElroy was spontaneous, wouldnt Clement expect to be held accountable for his actions? That was what infuriated the townspeople. Instead of writing some kind of relevant answer on the issue, you took your time to harass someone who was nice enough to give a deeper insight from first hand witnessing. 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. Estes certainly did not come off well in the whole McElroy story. I only feel for the town. I dont really like murder but there are times I understand it. scared to death of the dude . i seriously doubt the town would have done better then its current state, its a very small village in the middle of nowhere. I still look upon the town for all the nice things and nice people who were beyond friendly to me. I dont condone killing such as this but fully understand how a town could have finally had ENOUGH. Can you talk a bit more about the series? and im not affraid to say yes del was the main shooter. Dying of sclerosis of the liver is a slow process; it allows the person time to reflect on his life, to prepare to meet his maker. Who else would shoot a man in the back of the head as he sat in his truck? I remember playing with her brothers and little sister as a child. Rex, you sound like a homosexual, you got that uber Alpha male thang goin on. The town did what needed to be done.. It was somehow fitting, therefor, that McElroy was shot sitting in his pickup in front of the D & G. Your all wrong. You should check out the history of FALLS COUNTY TEXAS sometime. But I will say that incidents like this are why its so important to have a working justice system. Ken Tex McElroy had it coming. Yet, to this day, the crime remains unsolved.
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