I said it in 1981, and Ill say it now, Baird told Patch. McElroy was in town and behaving belligerently. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. By the time their second child was born, McElroy found another girlfriend, Sally, who was only thirteen, while Ken was around twenty-seven. They left, but for McElroy, it wasnt over. Ken Rexs cruelty was well known because he was so brazen about showing it. Try again later. Davis 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 hearing was scheduled, in which the witnesses would testify that they had seen McElroy in the bar in possession of a loaded weapon. McElroy got a divorce from Sharon (or Alice, honestly Im not sure who he was married to at the time) and married Trena so that she would not be compelled to testify against him. This is a collaborative project with FindMyPast.com. Its owned and run by newcomers. McElroy died at the scene, surrounded by the people he had terrorised for decades. But even more frustrating was the ineptitude of law enforcement in their handling of the monster that terrorized them day in and day out. McElroy moved out of his family home to be with Alice, but this relationship was no different from his previous ones. Adoption, paternity, divorce, or guardianship? Trena McElroy remarried and had a fairly normal life, refusing interviews after she left Skidmore. Looking back, the justice system had as much to do with killing Ken McElroy as anyone in Skidmore did.. to Kenneth and Sharon Fossinger McElroy. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Gene McFadin, McElroys nickel-slick lawyer from Kansas City could get Ken off every time, Kirby Goslee, a 71-year-old Skidmore farmer who still works the land his family homesteaded six generations ago, told Patch. He would also follow them home, sit outside in his truck and stare at them with his dark, sinister gaze for hours on end. When you park in front of the old D & G. McElroy may have been shot there 30 years ago (next July), but in some ways it could have been last July. True and tried, Ken Rexs tactics did work. This account has been disabled. Trena was admitted into foster care with her son. Ken Rex McElroy was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in St Joseph, Missouri. Nobody tried to hang them for finding a way to kill a germ. When the meeting ended, the group made their way across the street to the tavern to confront McElroy. The charges came as a result of what Trena had told the police. Every school has a bully or bullies, and every small town has that family or families. 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. System , , . Injured at work? McElroy escaped jail on an appeal bond and could remain free until he exhausted his appeals, free to taunt his victims with what had become painfully clear: He would never go to jail. Verify and try again. Failed to delete memorial. She ended up dropping the charges. Ken Rex McElroy (1934 - 1981) - Genealogy McElroy would just sit and glower at you just stare at you and youd never know what he was thinking.. He was very cunning, MacLean told Patch. based on information from your browser. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. He stood silently at the back of the store, but his wife tore into Sumy in an argument laced with four-letter bombs, Monte said. (D & G stood for Del and Greg Clement. Hed leave, then hed come back, Monte said. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Needless to say, McElroy was having none of this. It was widely reported that he was illiterate, but he did not let this hold him back from getting what he wanted in life. Now that the hearing had been delayed, and McElroy no doubt knew who the witnesses were, the entire town felt a sense of impending doom about what was to come. Ken Rex made bail and was out within a day or so, and went looking for Trena. On July 10th, 1981 Ken Rex McElroy was shot dead in the street in broad daylight infront of 60 witnesses. The D&G Tavern in 1981; it has since closed. But Skidmore is still Skidmore. Debbie Ann McElroy, age 54 of Conway, Missouri, passed away Sunday, June 14, 2020 at her home in Conway. . 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. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. 1, it is murder. Yes, that would make him Ken McElroys grandson. Ken was my grandfather derome was my father Im deromes oldest my mother is trace I wish I could of meet my grandfather An understandable wish. Im sure youve heard many good and bad things about him. Tony , I am your aunt Tina your dad is my brother . I havent seen you since you was about 2. Failed to delete flower. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Henry stopped the truck and Ken Rex approached the passenger side, the window rolled down, the barrel of the 12-gauge trained on Henry. Ken McElroy in U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI) Ken Rex McElroy in FamilySearch Family Tree. After the photos. However, he had gotten away with all of them. When a wife a Ken Rex McElroy came into town with a black eye, or busted lip, or broken bones of all varieties, the townspeople were not likely to guess or wonder at what malevolence may have befallen the lady. The clerk thought nothing more of it, until Ken and Trena McElroy showed up. Eventually, Trena grew tired of the foster house and the rules she was expected to mind under, after all she was still a young girl, and she ran away. Try again later. In the summer of 1981, a jury handed McElroy his first-ever felony conviction for the lesser charge of second-degree assault. Trena had to be hospitalized because of her injuries. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. On leaving school (and likely even before) McElroy began stealing items such as antiques, alcohol, grain and gasoline. As a result, he was no stranger to the Nodaway County Sheriffs Dept. Ernst Bo Bowenkamp (source: morbidology.com). 1. (Editors Note: Patch Deputy National Editor Beth Dalbey grew up on a farm about 10 miles from Skidmore, Missouri.). You dont have a town full of people who were hiding a guilty conscience, he said. As the author of In Broad Daylight, I draw plenty of attention whenever Im in Skidmore, or Maryville, or anywhere in Nodaway County. Faces turn away at a strangers approach. Over the course of his life Ken Rex would be married three times and father ten children. Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? British Newspaper Archives, Obituaries document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Skidmore Forever the Town that Killed Ken Rex McElroy. But if tried by a jury of their peers, I doubt anybody around here would have convicted the shooters. 0 cemeteries found in Saint Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri, USA. Try again later. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. It really is that it was never spoken of they had an instinctive reaction to close up. Del Clement has since died, and he never confessed. '', See the article in its original context from. Outsiders are spotted easily and watched warily. 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. There is a problem with your email/password. 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. 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. The Tavern, a quonset hut set on a cement floor, stunk irredeemably of grease from all the burgers fried up in there over the years. KENNETH MCELROY OBITUARY. Anyone can read what you share. He had been charged with more than 20 felonies, robbing, raping, burning, shootings. The Story of the trials, life and death of Ken Rex McElroy and the Town of Skidmore, Missouri. When she was fourteen, Trena got pregnant. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Ken Rex grew into a large and intimidating figure. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. We stood up and did the right thing. Undaunted, Mr. McElroy hoisted himself into the truck and pulled out a cigarette. You feel it when you drive into town. A clerk saw what happened and warned the girl that she better return the candy or pay for it. Search above to list available cemeteries. POPULATION: ONE BAD MAN - PART I - Wagner & Lynch Law This part is a rollercoaster. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Ken Rex McElroy was murdered on July 10, 1981, in one of the most bizarre cases authorities had ever encountered. 24 Jan 2012 (aged 55) Conway, Laclede County, Missouri, USA. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. He left town just as Ken and Trena McElroy were driving in, likely passing McElroys Chevrolet Silverado pickup in his cruiser on the road. I was in town to spend time with the Goslee family, who had put me up and supported my research for many years, and had received considerable grief for doing it, and to attend a barbecue put on my Dave Dunbar in Lamoni, Iowa. What could legally be done about McElroy, they asked Sheriff Danny Estes, who had been elected months earlier. Henry took off down the road to investigate. This is when the rage amongst locals reached boiling point. Im having trouble downloading the pictures, but should have them up soon. Yes, its against the law, but you know, the law is not the final definitive word on him. Del Clement, the man Trena named as McElroys killer, died of cirrhosis of the liver in 2009. All told Ken Rex McElroy faced felony charges twenty-one times without ever being convicted. 24 Jan 1957. Almost everyone, with the exception of Bo Bowenkamp, backed down. McElroy for the most part escaped prosecution and, certainly, conviction for various crimes. She had seen a man named Del Clement (the co-owner of the D&G Tavern) standing across the street with a rifle, at which point she told Ken they needed to get out of there because he was going to get shot. This leaves three Clement boys.). He would sit outside of their house in his truck for hours in the evening. 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. As Trena told the story to reporters, a group of men followed them as they left the D&G. ; six sisters, Tina Chapman of Savannah, Mo. Many speculate that this traumatic injury was a cause of his volatility and aggression later in life. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? (SECOM) Required fields are marked *. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Debbie Ann McElroy I found on Findagrave.com. They know the story of Ken McElroy, but they werent here when it happened. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Oops, we were unable to send the email. He specialized in stealing cattle and anything else he could get his hands on. They had to look out for themselves. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. , But they continued and I ducked. Farmers carried them to kill varmints, or for hunting displaying them in plain sight in rear window gun racks. No one else corroborated Trenas story. Please enter your email and password to sign in. ''We follow new leads, but there aren't many,'' Mr. Baird said. ; 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. Kenneth Rex McElroy "Bully" Murder - Getty Images When he got off on a trial, it grew even bigger. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. Ken McElroy Skidmore, Part Three - The Murder of Ken Rex McElroy A trucker had warned that I had better not write about Clement at all anymore, and another had said my facts were wrongthat Del was a wonderful human beingand that I should in fact just forget about the whole thing, since everyone else had. Somebody was going to get killed. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Police said he had previously been charged with chicken theft, attempted Sorry! 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. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Heavy lids veiled cold, steel-blue eyes, making them look like half moons. Thank you very much for the update on your recent trip. They include the 1981 vigilante murder of town bully Ken Rex McElroy, whose killing by multiple gunmen was witnessed by dozens of residents, yet no one was He had a legendary status, and it all got to be bigger than he was. This was a punch in the gut to everybody in Skidmore. He had many affairs over the course of his marriage to both Alice and his first wife Sharon. He dropped out of school before he reached high school, and by 13 was already a familiar character to the cops around Nodaway County. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. . Before you tell yourself the case closed, no, this case 20, , 40 , In Broad Daylight (source: harrymaclean.com). The Story of the trials, life and death of Ken Rex McElroy and the Town of Skidmore, Missouri. However, there was more to Ken Rex than his size. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Someone had to put an end to it. Skidmore is a town of 440 people, 80 miles northwest of Kansas City. I have no doubt hed have tried to kill my mom. The shot violently ripped Romaine Henrys stomach opened, the right side of his body peeling away and laying across his lap. Its probably accurate that few outside of McElroys family shed tears over his death, but many Skidmore residents still struggle with the spectacle of a man violently and publicly killed. His lawyer managed to delay the process for so long, however, that Trena, who was still a child and very nave, got bored of foster care and ran away. Close to fifty of them had come together and made a plan to protect the witnesses who were going to testify against McElroy. 4. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Investigators dug and dug, but Skidmore residents maintained their silence. 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. Some of these things are simply assumed to be factual, Baird said. On his release, McElroy strolled into the D&G Tavern, holding a rifle with a bayonet attached. But right now, we don't have the evidence. Few were criticized as mightily as Baird over the lack of prosecution in McElroys murder. This browser does not support getting your location. He lived to satisfy his own desires, and abided by his own sense of self-serving justice. Horton, Brown County, Kansas, USA. 1955 or 56: Ken and Oleta McElroy move back to Missouri after Ken's accident in Colorado. Ken was 18 and Oleta was 16. His lifelong career as a criminal started with petty offenses, but he increasingly became more violent, amassing a rap sheet that included nearly two dozen felony charges for assault, child molestation, statutory rape, arson, burglary, grain theft, and hog and cattle rustling enterprises that kept a thick roll of hundred-dollar bills in his pocket. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Again, there were no indictments, and the McElroy murder case was tossed back to Baird. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. They were witnesses. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. ERP She ran away back into the arms of Ken Rex McElroy. Once, he even got out and fired a shotgun up in the pine tree by their house. 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]. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. United States Attorney Robert Ulrich declared that the Government was still working on its case despite the failure of the two grand juries to find witnesses who would talk. She took her complaint to at-the-time Nodaway County Sheriff Roger Cronk. For example, one of the owners of the D&G tavern would send her young children to the grocery store for paper towels, keeping the children innocently unaware they were telegraphing an urgent message for the Bowenkamps to call the police. 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. Actually, I think those shooters saved lives in the end, she said. A system error has occurred. Women had a harder time with it than the men. The clerk, Evelyn Sumy, was at the back of the store when the doors swung open. Why are you doing this? His first wife, Sharon, was fifteen when they met, while McElroy was at least twenty. ''I can't think that anyone feels any different than you would about the people who invented penicillin. Try again later. After McElroy fired a gun outside her house, Evelyn Sumy appealed to Dave Dunbar, the town marshal. . The law wasnt going to help the people of Skidmore. -. cemeteries found in Saint Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. '', People are friendly and smiling on first acquaintance but quickly withdraw or become guarded when the McElroy case is brought up. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Birth. Several of those who observed the shooting were standing in front of the station, which is just a few yards up the hill from where the riflemen were standing. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Search above to list available cemeteries. Ken Rex McElroy was not a nice man. In the end, fear is what killed him, Goslee said. Those who witnessed the killing didnt speak of it again, not because they were part of a conspiracy, MacLean believes, but because theyre stoic by nature. Born in 1934 the fifteenth of sixteen children McElroy dropped out of school by the time he hit fifth grade and spent the That they had guns at the ready wasnt unusual. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Drag images here or select from your computer for Debbie Ann McElroy memorial. Known as "the town bully", his unsolved killing became the focus of For years residents had watched Mr. McElroy, 47 years old at his death, wiggle out of one legal problem after another.

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