I am 68, 320 pounds of solid muscle and no fat. It was at this time that he died in what appeared to be a freak accident. I only feel for the town. If Clement was one of the gunment, he was just protecting his neighbors. Doesnt Ken have a daughter in law named Tonya? The big blow was when Wal-Mart opened in Maryville.The story of so many small towns in America. Someone who has passed on from this life. He was friendly and gave me directions to the cemetery. Where I live we have had a NON Stop Crime Waive since 1971. del would never be man enough to face any one face to face. i lived 14 miles from town and there were 20now nothing!! (I seem to recall he wasnt quite right) I understand one weapon used that day was an 8mm. Cmon people use your head. she had to move,didnt have a choice. I am loyal to the town. A few years after the book came out, I encountered Del one evening in a bar in nearby Maryville. The plans are set, I am going back the weekend of the 5th. And I wouldnt have said a word about who did it myself. If the action against McElroy was spontaneous, wouldnt Clement expect to be held accountable for his actions? 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 just came across Harrys description of the location of the McElroy house. 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. 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. A misanthrope that even treated his dogs, that he apparently loved, badly. Slowly twords Is it out of respect for the familiy. But I cant help but notice that this comment thread is over two years old and still running, on a 25 year old book. I know there were plans to combine school districts, but Im not sure if that;s happened. I know how people get frustrated and i realize how this happened with mcelroy! If it were a person Im sure it would wonder what it had done to bring all this grief down on its head. Im not looking to cause a row, but my quandary is this; What should a person do when the system has failed them? Ken McElroy did this to Ernest Bowenkamp and Romaine Henry. I would love to read your writings about this town and man! (Much the same way I press a phantom brake when I am in the passenger seat). I had NO idea he was related and he had grown up in California, so he didnt really talk about his moms family. Del, a short man with a chip on his shoulder and a hot temper, wore a cowboy hat and drank heavily. It would take a heavy zoning push to straighten the guy up, and my guess is nobody in own cares to undertake the chore. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8iUdp33PqTsix2sGblEQZ8m5FQycC5D Vigilante justice, or. Watch the 60 Minutes episode here. Ken McElroy got what was coming to him. My house on Safari Drive backed up to the cemetery where McElroy is now buried. That was what infuriated the townspeople. It tells in some detail the process of writing and researching the book, particularly the difficulty when the town was closed up around the killers. Theres what appears to be a formerly occupied lot on the south side of Delta, just before the second sharp curve. The too soon death of Del left a large whole in the heart of many. Or is it a numbered road?? He ( the shooter) brought peace & saved the lives of many. I identify with the descriptions of rural Missouri,in that timeframe,growing up at that time in the same setting in central Missouri. The worst by this individual was still to come for this town and they knew it. I also was good friends with David Baird. The whole story is somewhat lurid, given all the components of KRMs misdeeds and crimes. Looked at your bio. We drove back home talking about other things like life and baseball. The death of Ken Rex McElroy is a perplexing case that has hung heavy over the town of Skidmore, Missouri for decades. Then is was simply hauled off by a wrecker and taken to the insurance company. Bullets for the 32 W.S. 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. Another thing I was thier the night in the bar when you were asking all the questions and I dont remember Del being hostile. I dont see a valley road..maybe it was renamed? If youre 68 youre outside the height limit to be a Marine. Also, Im kind of curious about how this event affected other people and america. Just after the killing two of the. Really pathetic that honest, law abiding citizens need to take matters into their own hands. I have been, at least twice a year. Certainly Trena identified him, and another person did as well. It was David Henry, Romaines son. It seemed as if an entire town was held hostage by a lunatic. skidmore will never be the same since the passing of mcelroy . 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. Ken Rex McElroy (1 Juni 1934 - 10 Juli 1981) adalah warga Skidmore, Nodaway County, Missouri, Amerika Serikat. I walked over to the old d and g, and was going to look in through the window, but thought i had better not push my luck. Rex, you sound like a homosexual, you got that uber Alpha male thang goin on. Ken McElroy - Wikipedia Ken McElroy Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 - July 10, 1981) was an American criminal and convicted attempted murderer who resided in Skidmore, Missouri, United States. The Good Ole Boy rural thug culture killed that whole county pretty much. Yes, Ill admit its rather ghoulish, but as time moves on and the principal players pass, they become less based in reality for the reader and more like characters in a great play. i seriously doubt the town would have done better then its current state, its a very small village in the middle of nowhere. 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. You can find it on YouTube, starring Brian Denehey. Check out Sheriff Brady Pamplin and his son Brady Pamplin Jr. who became Sheriff as well. But when it comes to killing, there are very few fair fights. I admire the town for keeping their mouths shut, and the people who took up arms and took care of business. They made him move. ken rex mcelroy heightare caleb pressley interviews real. Some guys were playing cards at a table. Alice Woods was Ken's second wife, but she has stated that she's not sure their marriage was legal because McElroy may have still been married to Sharon when they wed. 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. As we a small town terrorized by one man.a town stricken with fear, a town that kept asking for help & didnt get it. I dont know how I missed your book then, but so glad I have read it now. They reminded me of another family I once met who also blamed everyone else for the troubles they created for themselves. Ken McElroy terrorized his town for years. You dont like it? 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. He was a pedophile that raped 12 year old girls. Cheryl Brown was always the force behind the Punkin Show and the Festival, and I guess she finally had enough. 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. Yet, to this day, the crime remains unsolved. One problem solved, but obviously from the tremendous amount of crime in that county, not the ONLY problem. Either on his person or in the vehicle? Let sleeping dogs lay in this tragedy. The people commenting were not representative of the town. I said i wouldnt. Not that it really matters, I suppose. 6. Her folks were always nice people. sadly i feel the man & his killing caused so much trauma it never has fully recovered. The irony of this entire story is too rich to ignore. And we did not witness the actual shooting. And by the way, theres NO ONE as tough as Jesus, because he knew what was coming, faced it squarely, did what had to be done. I bought a pop, and asked where the Bowencamps were buried. Were the cops afraid of him? 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. Shot a man in the stomach with a shot gun! ive been to skidmore a few times , saw the movie in broad daylight. as for the earlier post of the person defending McElroy being a bully , why dont you bring your tough guy act to skidmore , before you do Id suggest that you pick out a nice plot & make sure your life insurance is up to date . I dont remember any stories about him harassing the Clements in the book. Where can one read your interview with Trena when she no longer defended Ken Rex ? And thats kind of bullying as well. i passed through skidmore last summer & talked to a few old timers who were around back in the early 80s when kenny was roaming the streets .had a nice conversation until you bring up mc elroys name .they all turn a pale white & ghastly & then u smell an odor its only then that u realize they shit all over themselves .. ken rex mc elroy still brings fear to skidmore old timers , they HATED THAT MAN. I am planning a trip back to the area for some hunting next month and I will make the drive through Skidmore just to see how things have changed. skidmore is not a tuff town at all. This guy needs Jesus. This book is still very important because of this unique situation which involved the people of northwest Missouri. Thx for keeping us updated http://www.michaeljoiner.com. The person I met was a prominent person in the town. yes Skidmore is dying and its truly sad because its a sweet town full of good people. will they tell , or will they take it to the grave too. I see the obit photo for the second alleged shooter. Could you explain your opinion? Im sure his wife at one time loved him, although I understand she divorced him because of his uncontrollable drinking. As I understand it and read your post, you were on the same corner as my grand father that morning opposite of Sumys. So I had my coffee, a burger, tipped Pam a $5.00 spot and quietly left. Youre not big enough to make me move. He was blocking a full lane of traffic as he got himself a coffee / pastry and it was the cops fault that there was trouble. In a few weeks we will have a new POD paperback which will contain both In Broad Daylight and The Story Behind In Broad Daylight. I will stress again that his death was very unexpected. Again, awesome book!! I still look upon the town for all the nice things and nice people who were beyond friendly to me. Someone who was loved. As I said, my feelings and comments are not for everyone, and obviously you have taken offense to them but sadly you wont be able to do anything about it so too bad. I gentleman said he used to own it. There was a table of much older people in one of the booths but I knew better than to ask anyone any questions. They were the nicest people and in no way reflected their father. All ten cops. Harry said,: Del Clement, in my view, was also a coward. 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. There were a few. Her parents abandoned her to his clutches. I should have stated that years ago I was introduced to one of the alleged gunmen. Does Gary D. , who seems to be a candidate as the second gunman, still live in the Skidmore area? I hope Skidmore survives, its had a tragic history and deserves a break. 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 Good Time Charlies is very clean and much nicer than I had expected. It would be interesting to know how this incident changed Skidmore and its people. We made several trips to see them after that and while my mother would here from Ronnie and Treva from time to time we never knew where they were . 2. Or could they have been tested back in the day? Meanwhile, the town struggles for its existence. ; a timid or easily intimidated person. I first heard of this story in a special edition of People Magazine (True Crime Stories; 2005). Although, as I found early on, this was not a community or even a group decision to kill McElroy. Thank you for the reply. For decades, the man held the town of Skidmore virtually hostage. 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. I hope thats not true, but it wouldnt surprise me if it was. He was drunk and became outright hostile to me. On July 10, 1981, on a hot summer morning in a fed-up town, he. The boys mostly moved to St Joe. Nothing will ever come to light. I have heard about this case since I was a little girl and remember it on the news but at that time I didnt pay any attention to it. Which now, has me asking a ton of additional questions, thoughts, etc. Someday he would get even. I do not see it that way. (Lets just say me and my sisters definitely dont blend in with the locals). At far right is McElroy's former wife Alice Woods. I went into the gas station.. kinda had this wierd feeling as i walked in. Even though Ken Rex was married to his second wife Alice, he couldn't help but notice the pretty girl with long blonde hair. Whether it was in the heat of the moment or putting him down like a mad dog, I cannot say. Not to mention that Del was of average height. 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? I found Trena in an Obituary this year. The gas station across from Sumys a rat infested mess. Tina, Teresa and Tammy. Well then grow a pair and do something about it. McElroy was supposedly harassing the Clements at their ranch, threatening to shoot their horses, parking alongside the pasture, draping a rifle out the window. Harry MacLean. as we paid for our items he followed us out the door & watched us get into our car & leave. But there was. After you turn off V, you go a few miles, hit a curve, and Tims house is on the right. 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. Seemed like they made up a few facts as they went along. The day I stopped through even the bar was closed..do you know if the bar is even open anymore? McElroy moved out of his family home to be with Alice, but this relationship was no different from his previous ones. After all look at the thug #45, Your email address will not be published. I never verified any of these facts, but I really didnt spend a lot of time trying either. As I mentioned above, using Google Earth, you can see the remains of a structure still there. Im not going to comment on Mcelroys death, but all the small towns in America! Skidmore is just one of many victims of small town plight. The gas station across from Sumys is falling down, the roof has caved in. ive thoyght of moving back to skidmore , but nothings left . You are a very gifted writer and I look forward to reading your other works. He rushed us out to the car. Obituaries Who was the the second alleged shooter? Both younger than i.. Was at the D&G thanks-nicole. Harry. The obituary mentioned that he had lived in Skidmore, MO, but nothing at all about the event for which we are reading this material. Are there any other in print material available that you would recommend? as the old saying goes .. as you live by the sword , you will die by the sword McElroy lived life as a bully & he died a bully . those involved who took the oath to keep silent will take it to the grave with them. Bringing in meat and dairy products from U.K. countries. Estes certainly did not come off well in the whole McElroy story. In closing here, I have to say that of all I read, I could easily visualize the McElroy Clan. I relied on the FBI report on stating on the caliber of the shells. This has certainly been an interesting read. Thought about it last night, did a internet search and here I am. Ive lived in both large cities and small, rural towns, and without the farmers, small towns will struggle to survive. Shes still alive and well living in Helena mo. Thanks for the comment. Let it rest, people. The govt built a new post office on the east end of town. A town surrounded by cornfields with only 437 residents. Made me do a bit of searching on my own recently. 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 . I was there a few years ago, and the bar was open, but I wouldnt be surprised if it was closed now, or maybe just open for parties. And all honor & thanks to he/ they that executed him. As for how he died, if you will submit the autopsy report confirming the massive heart attack, I will correct the record. He didnt deserve any better. Trena divorced her husband, and Ive been told lives in Columbia. Why no photos of Del ? Harry do you think McElroy would have been proud to have a movie made about him and played by none other than the ultimate bad-guy actor Brian Dennehy? Sheriff Estes certainly would have had a reason to dispose of them, wouldnt he? I think David Baird believed that the sheriff had the files when he offered to open them to me. A mean drunk if you could not defend yourself a backpedalling coward if you could. He stared death in the face and took it like a real man. What are your thoughts on this? maybee its time for facts and proof to come out now. By the way, In Broad Daylight goes up as a Kindle on Tuesday. Thanks again for sharing you trip there with us. Using your description and Harrys, I do see a pile of former house debris just almost as you reach that second curve where the road turns south again. Thank you Harry for your good work. Some are saying they were a .22 and a 30-30. we tolerated him doesnt meen we liked him. She is a person of great personal integrity and not prone to exaggeration or gossip. Yes some little crazy some very good folk. His second wife, Alice Wood. Ghost town, for sure. Anyone that has the courage to stand up to a bully and shoot him is no coward in my book. That County has a long history of bullies and criminals. I never considered the gunmen as cowards. I, like many, I am not sorry for Ken Rex. Associated Press 6. unless the last living person of that oath is on their deathbed & decides to tell who the shooter was, the shooter that they all covered for. Law Enforcement did NOTHING. what a fascinating story. I remember when this happened. As the old proverb says; Desperate times call for desperate measures.. Denehey had the McElroy stare down perfectly, and I think Ken reveled in being able to scare people just by looking at them. I believe that Ken McLeroy got what he deserved. Just saying. I was a witness , not a shooter . I read one of the posts saying, if this had gone to trial, they [shooters] would have been acquitted. I also understand that he lost his job as an auctioneer in St. Joe because of this problem. 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.
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