ken rex mcelroy obituary
Behind those eyes laid the cold, calm embrace of violence and death that wrote his biography. We didnt have sufficient evidence to go to trial.. Thanks for your help! In Broad Daylight (source: harrymaclean.com). Former Nodaway County prosecutor David Baird, Its proceedings are secret, but in news interviews at the time, McElroys widow said she told a county grand jury who murdered her husband. A system error has occurred. It wasnt the kind of murder which goes unsolved for decades and eventually someone comes forward with the tip that breaks the case open. Burial. On the south side of the Garden of the Last Supper memorial. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. How is this man not in jail? Monte said, repeating the question asked by many when he showed up in Skidmore the morning after his release. And just over the horizon, beginning Aug. 1 on Sundance TV, is No One Saw a Thing, a six-part immersion in rural Missouri and the notorious 1981 vigilante killing of Ken Rex McElroy. McElroy moved Sally onto the family farm with Sharon and their two children. Evelyn lived cross the street, and he made sure she could see them. On July 10, 1981, the justice system let the people of Skidmore down, and when it did, they did something that changed their own lives and the town forever. Murder is still murder. With the charges still looming over him, Ken Rex acted fast. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. In Part II we will learn more about the incident that would make Skidmore Missouri and Ken Rex McElroy a national news story and a mystery that stills haunts the town nearly forty years later. In April 1980, two of McElroys daughters were shopping at a local corner store. McElroy for the most part escaped prosecution and, certainly, conviction for various crimes. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. One assumption Skidmore hasnt been able to shed is that McElroys killing was an act of vigilante justice. A clerk saw what happened and warned the girl that she better return the candy or pay for it. True and tried, Ken Rexs tactics did work. They surrounded McElroy, shouting at him that they had had enough and that his days were numbered. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Harry MacLean, author of "In Broad Daylight". No one was surprised. When he found where Trena was staying he began relying on his old tactics of intimidation. You just didnt do that.. McElroy was in town and behaving belligerently. Verify and try again. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. However, he lived only to experience the next chapter in the saga of being a victim of Ken Rex McElroy. She ran away back into the arms of Ken Rex McElroy. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Brace yourselves. A shotgun in his hands, Ken Rex turned toward the truck as it approached. System But it was too late. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Weve updated the security on the site. So is Stratton. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. However, he had gotten away with all of them. But if tried by a jury of their peers, I doubt anybody around here would have convicted the shooters. Ken Rexs cruelty was well known because he was so brazen about showing it. Even after all that had happened between McElroy and her family, Alice moved back into the McElroy family home with her son. KENNETH MCELROY OBITUARY. McElroy dropped out of school in the eighth grade. I was a witness , not a shooter we all talked & took a vow of silence , NO MATTER WHAT to our death bed. Somebody opened the passenger door and pulled Trena out of the truck and into another building nearby. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Outsiders are spotted easily and watched warily. No one bothered to turn it off. Both were fuming over the seemingly insignificant incident. Residents seem more resentful, less willing to talk. There is no denying that McElroy was a skilled criminal; his long career of breaking the law resulted in pockets permanently stuffed with $100 bills. He was as mean as he looked, but there was more to his baleful demeanor, said Colorado lawyer and author Harry MacLean, who lived with a prominent Skidmore farm family off and on for about five years while he researched In Broad Daylight, a New York Times bestseller chronicling McElroys life and death. Failed to delete memorial. It was so out of the blue, almost to the point of being surreal, said Monte, who occasionally worked in her parents store. Ernst Bo Bowenkamp (source: morbidology.com). His foot fell to the accelerator when he was shot, causing the engine to run at full bore. There is a problem with your email/password. (SECOM) . Sally had three children with McElroy and Sharon had another two. , Livestock owners looked the other way when a few head of cattle or hogs vanished in the night or gas barrels used to fuel farm implements were noticeably emptier. They left, but for McElroy, it wasnt over. ; Oleta McElroy-Anderson of Conway, Tammy Wertenberger of St. Joseph, Teresa Dorris of Helena, Mo. There was a kind of silent charity on the part of my parents, and they never prosecuted. Much of his cash, however, went to Richard Gene McFadin, his lawyer. The D&G Tavern in 1981; it has since closed. McFadin was a highly skilled attorney who got McElroy off the hook time and time again. That was the last straw, MacLean said. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Trena McCloud went on to become Ken McElroys third wife ( lifedaily.com ). Needless to say, McElroy was having none of this. He went to Trenas parents home, where he viciously beat Trena and Alice, then burned the McCloud house to the ground. He lived to satisfy his own desires, and abided by his own sense of self-serving justice. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. One man said to an officer examining the scene: What are you doing here? By the age of 15, Ken Rex had dropped out of school and established himself as a coon hunter, and thief. That became the pattern. In the months before McElroy went to trial, the Bowenkamps and Sumy went to bed scared, woke up frightened and lived in terror with every breath. The story of Ken Rex McElroy began on June 1, 1934. The older daughter paid for her items, but as they were leaving, the younger daughter grabbed some candy out of a jar and headed for the door. The clerk thought nothing more of it, until Ken and Trena McElroy showed up. You know how he oppressed and threatened us. There was a problem getting your location. They killed. Del Clement has since died, and he never confessed. They were running away, seeking refuge away from Ken Rex. '', Mr. McElroy was widely regarded as an armed tough who stole livestock and anything else he could. After McElroy fired a gun outside her house, Evelyn Sumy appealed to Dave Dunbar, the town marshal. Who Killed Ken Rex McElroy: Town Keeps Its Secret For 38 Years The townsfolk were infuriated. The media descended on Skidmore after the killing, an event that continues to define the people of the small town to the world at times with wildly exaggerated versions of what happened. This is the story of a man that terrorized an entire community. Adoption, paternity, divorce, or guardianship? Trena had to go to hospital for the injuries she had suffered at the hands of McElroy. After giving birth, Trena and Alice, exhausted from living in constant fear of McElroy, took their children and left the McElroy farm to live with Trenas parents. I was in and around Skidmore for three days and two nights, and encountered no trouble. General Mills Recalls Gold Medal Flour Due To Salmonella Risk, 3 Soldiers Killed After 2 U.S. Army Helicopters Crash In Alaska, What To Do When Neighbor Dogs Jump On You, Poop Wherever [Block Talk], Bugs, Insects, Spiders Spring To Life; Let Some Bee, Squish Others, Allergy, Hay Fever Sufferers See An Early Start To Pollen Season, Morel Mushrooms Popping Up In Woods Across America: Where To Find Them, The Great American Solar Eclipse Of 2024 May, Ahem, Eclipse 2017. When Estes and state troopers arrived back in town, the streets were empty and quiet, save the rumbling, smoking engine of McElroys truck. Ken Rex fell quickly in lust with Trena. McElroy swaggered around town as he always did and sat drinking for hours at his usual haunt, the D&G Tavern. Skidmore is down from 450 (when I was there) to 325. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Not one of them felt bad. Ken Rex McElroy was murdered on July 10, 1981, in one of the most bizarre cases authorities had ever encountered. However, there was more to Ken Rex than his size. On of his hands came to him one afternoon and reported that someone was on the property shooting a firearm. Close to fifty of them had come together and made a plan to protect the witnesses who were going to testify against McElroy. Last summer he was killed in a barrage of gunfire after climbing into his air-conditioned Silverado pickup truck, with his wife Trena and a six-pack of beer at his side. Ken Rex McElroy was born in poor and squalid conditions. Maryville, Missouri, lawyer David Baird, the Nodaway County prosecutor at the time, said the crime is fairly unremarkable in the context of current-day gang shootings witnessed by many, but seen by few willing to risk their safety by ratting out the crew. . ; Julie Tia of Jensen Beach, Fla. and Tonia Goben of Springfield; five brothers, Jerome McElroy of Seattle, Wash.; Juarez McElroy and Ken McElory, both of Springfield; Reno McElroy of Pittsburg, Pa. and Derome McCloud of Lebanon, and a number of nieces and nephews.All arrangements for Debbie Ann McElroy will be private under the care and direction of Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Lebanon. Please try again later. He was known as "the town bully", and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. Please enter your email and password to sign in. How to Use This Collection. Who was Ken Rex McElroy? When the shooting ended, McElroy was slumped over the steering wheel. The mainstreet is eerily quiet in mid-morning. As the author of In Broad Daylight, I draw plenty of attention whenever Im in Skidmore, or Maryville, or anywhere in Nodaway County. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. The McElroys eventually left the store, but when Bowenkamp closed up that night, he was outside, waiting. McElroy yelled to Henry when he got to the window. The bank is closed; Moms cafe is closed; the grocery store where McElroy shot Bo over one of his kids swiping some candy is closed. McElroy knew that how to hedge his bets and he did just that when he hired Richard McFadin, a well-known and regarded criminal defense attorney from the Kansas City area. Skidmore townsfolk may not all have liked how he was killed it was murder, after all but when he died, most of the towns 435 residents let out a heavy sigh of relief. They slept in shifts, with some friend or family member keeping an eye on the street. Sorry! The clerk, Evelyn Sumy, was at the back of the store when the doors swung open. The police would not or could not help us or Skidmore. Failed to report flower. By the time their second child was born, McElroy found another girlfriend, Sally, who was only thirteen, while Ken was around twenty-seven. Year should not be greater than current year. Looking back, the justice system had as much to do with killing Ken McElroy as anyone in Skidmore did.. just happened . There were so many nights Dad couldnt go out and mow the yard or water the flowers because there was a truck parked down the street, and they were watching the house, Monte said. Despite his conviction, he was still the arrogant goon he had always been. Our law enforcement never went after him very hard, he said. Sorry! He didnt just like being with many women, he did have a type, young girls. When either woman did raise his cheating as an issue, he simply beat them and tortured them as a reminder that they were not entitled to issues or the bringing of them up. She let it be known that she had gone ''somewhere in Missouri'' because someone might try to kill her. 24 Jan 1957. Somebody would hear his name, and the legend grew bigger. Three grand jury investigations and an FBI probe resulted in no indictments and no trial. Trena moved away from Skidmore, remarried and had more children. An outsider has taken to buying residences, and storing tremendous amounts of junk in the yards. Henry took off down the road to investigate. WebKen Rex McElroy (1934-1981) - Find a Grave Memorial McElroy for years had terrorized the small town of Skidmore Missouri, and was considered the town bully. The death of the 47-year-old McElroy, who was known as a thief with a violent temper, drew attention for its resemblance to Wild West, vigilante- style justice. Add to your scrapbook. Enraged by Alice leaving with his son, McElroy called the home and began threatening Alice and her family. People Projects Discussions Surnames This went on for months, thanks to his trial being subject to constant delays. Henry stopped the truck and Ken Rex approached the passenger side, the window rolled down, the barrel of the 12-gauge trained on Henry. Try again later. Birth. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. McElroy raised the barrel of the gun and pointed it at the cab of the approaching truck. You can always change this later in your Account settings. It should have been open and shut - there were dozens of witnesses, and the shooting occurred in broad daylight - but it wound up being anything but. Debbie Ann McElroy, age 54 of Conway, Missouri, passed away Sunday, June 14, 2020 at her home in Conway.She was born July 5, 1965 in Skidmore, Mo. Many speculate that McElroy also threatened the jury. The trucks windows were shattered; at least one of the bullets hit McElroy in the back of the head. McElroy was spinning so hard out of control, I have no doubt he would have tried to kill my dad again, given the chance. ''We follow new leads, but there aren't many,'' Mr. Baird said. Estes, the sheriff some tried to implicate in a conspiracy, is dead. We went to the police. Failed to delete flower. You dont take cases to trial to see what might happen, the former prosecutor said. It has been a year since Kenneth Rex McElroy, described as the town bully, was shot to death on the main street of this farming community. 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. What gave rise to that theory is that they were in the Legion hall for a meeting, then went down to the D&G [when they heard McElroy was in town]. Ken McElroy in U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Ken Rex McElroy in FamilySearch Family Tree. Please enter your email and password to sign in. How could it? Just the name Ken Rex McElroy feels bigger than it appears on paper. When she was fourteen, Trena got pregnant. 3. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. The metallic smell of his own blood consumed the cab of the pickup truck. McElroy and Trena got into their truck. McElroy was acquitted, thanks to his talented attorney. McElroy, known as 'Kenrex' by his friends and his enemies, had an extensive arrest record. McElroy slumped forward onto the steering wheel. Thanks for your help! No, the townspeople all would have known that the injury was attributable to an intentional act, and that Ken Rex was always the responsible party. 'A Really Nice Truck', ''It's really a shame about the Silverado,'' said Dave Dunbar, a former marshal who said Mr. McElroy once threatened him with a highpowered rifle. He was the 15th child of 16 born to Tony and Mabel McElroy. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. The next morning, people gathered once again, this time at the American Legion hall located across the street from the D&G Tavern. By his teens, McElroy became known as the town bully of Skidmore, notorious for his cruel treatment of anyone who dared challenge him. She went right back to the McElroy farmhouse with her son. Several patrons witnessed McElroys display at the tavern and called the prosecutor, who revoked McElroys bail. The courts would not help us or Skidmore. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. By this point in his life Ken Rex had become a master of escaping punishment. I have no doubt hed have tried to kill my mom. Though arrest and criminal charges were a common part of his life, conviction or punishment was foreign to Ken Rex. Just as he was taking his first drag, the sound of two gunshots rang out. They know how everybody thinks.. 1952: Ken McElroy marries his first wife Oleta. It failed McElroy, too, because it failed to protect him from himself. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. McElroy soon bored of Sharon, Sally and his seven children, and found another underage girl, Alice Wood, who is widely referred to as McElroys second wife. You feel it when you drive into town. Why were they diligently carrying out this investigation into the killing of the man who had made their lives miserable for so long? Please try again later. He was nonplussed. Try again later. There may never be an answer to the question of who killed Ken Rex McElroy. He showed back up in front of their house that night, and he and Trena sat there and watched them, Monte said. Longstanding Grudges. Some of these things are simply assumed to be factual, Baird said. It would nave to say they did not feel a sense of collective relief. Ive never thought there was a series of phone calls that went around dont say this or that. Those farmers have known each other since they were children. U.S., Cemetery and Funeral Home Collection, 1847-Current, U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current, U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 2, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. It wasnt long before he became a violent menace, his more serious crimes including rape, assault and child molestation. Ken Rex moved her out of her parents home and into his, which he still shared with his wife Alice. They worked as sharecroppers and moved often before settling in Skidmore. Family members linked to this person will appear here. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. One time, a farmer named Romaine Henry caught McElroy trespassing on his property and attempted to chase him off. The incident received world wide press coverage, was the subject of a tv movie and a book.
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