When Daylight Saving Time 2023 Begins, Will It Be For The Last Time. He dropped out of school at age 15 in the eighth grade and quickly established a local reputation as a cattle rustler, small-time thief, and womanizer. McElroy for the most part escaped prosecution and, certainly, conviction for various crimes. 1958: Ken McElroy becomes involved with a young woman named Sharon. SKIDMORE, Mo. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. It's said that the meeting adjourned, and the crowd quietly descended upon the tavern, flanking McElroy's truck. A conviction should have been a victory for the people of Skidmore, but the jury set a maximum sentence of two years, and the judge, without protest from Mr. Baird, released Mr. McElroy on bond pending appeal. She took her complaint to at-the-time Nodaway County Sheriff Roger Cronk. She eventually filed a wrongful death against the town, the county, and some citizens but the matter was settled out of court. And Mr. Baird lost his first election, in the Democratic primary this year, by just 25 votes, a loss noted by The Kansas City Star because of his connection with the case. 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. He left town just as Ken and Trena McElroy were driving in, likely passing McElroys Chevrolet Silverado pickup in his cruiser on the road. None of the witnesses called an ambulance or gave information about a shooter. Evelyn tried to explain what had happened, that nobody had accused the children of stealing, and Trena said, Why would my effing daughter lie? . Trena jumped from the truck and a man helped her to safety. However, an incident would occur in 1980 that changed everything. According to a report, no one called an ambulance. For over twenty years he raped, robbed and burned almost at will. McElroy was never a popular man. And his deeds were as daunting as his appearance. She died in 2012. American criminal and murder victim, killed by vigilantes, "3 decades on, who killed Skidmore town bully still secret", "Ken McElroy Murderer, rapist and consummate intimidator", "Skidmore, Revisited Part 1: The Death of Ken McElroy", "Ken McElroy Murderer, rapist and consummate intimidator Another Teen Love", "Ken McElroy Murderer, rapist and consummate intimidator Saved by the Law", "Ken McElroy Murderer, rapist and consummate intimidator Intent to Kill", The Death Of Ken McElroy *Interesting History* - YouTube, "AS her daughter Tami listens, Trena McElroy retells how she watched", "3 decades on, who killed Skidmore town bully still secret | McClatchy", "Ken McElroy Murderer, rapist and consummate intimidator Murder in Broad Daylight", "Wrongful death lawsuit settled in re Ken McElroy", "Trena McElroy Passed Away | Harry N. MacLean", "You Get What You Pay For, by Larry Beinhart", "Stream It Or Skip It: 'No One Saw A Thing' On SundanceTV, A Docuseries About How Skidmore, Missouri Has Kept A Murder Unsolved For 38 Years", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ken_McElroy&oldid=1136590059, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Pages using infobox criminal with known for parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Bo Bowenkamp (survived an attempted murder), This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 02:52. But Ken rarely had to wrestle with the Theoretically, [the murder] could be re-investigated, veteran Kansas City criminal defense attorney J.R. Hobbs tells A&E True Crime. We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing. After all these years, people talk about it still, said Marla Messner, 37, a restaurant manager who remembers being hurried inside her home for safety anytime Mr. McElroy came to town. There were as many as 60 witnesses, yet the crime remains unsolved. He knew which people to pick on the weak people and he followed through on his threats just often enough to make people believe he was going to do what he said he was going to do. Biography Mini Bio (1) Ken Rex McElroy Jr. is known for No One Saw a Thing (2019). CHAPTER ONE. The people of Skidmore were becoming more and more frustrated with the failures to protect them in the justice system. When they met him on the street, parents steered their children, especially their daughters, away from McElroy, a notorious womanizer who favored young women and was married multiple times including to a child bride he was accused of raping and fathered 15 children. Boyer was among the first responders to arrive outside the D&G tavern where McElroy was ambushed. Ken Rex McElroy was an American known as "the town bully" of Skidmore, Missouri. Best client I ever had, McFadin said in an interview. Shortly after being released, McElroy was at D&G Tavern making threats about murdering Bowenkamp. The Cold Case Murders That Keep Retired Detectives Up at Night, Citizen Detectives Uncover Crime Clues on Websleuths Online Forum. Five or six of us were standing in front of the Skidmore Caf, waiting and passing the time. When the news that Ken and Trena went to the local bar that evening, everyone got up and made their way over. As the case dragged on without a court date, Henry said McElroy had parked outside his home at least 100 times. August 18th, 1980: Ken's preliminary trial begins. Ken Rex McElroy sat in his truck for over an hour before the law was called. He was accused or suspected of dozens of crimes, including theft, livestock rustling, burglary, arson, assault, rape, and child molestation. The courts would not help us or Skidmore. The McElroys eventually left the store, but when Bowenkamp closed up that night, he was outside, waiting. Ken Rex McElroy was a 6-foot, 270 pounds, dark-complexioned, blue-eyed man who lived in Skidmore, Missouri. Things reached a boiling point in 1980 when Ken McElroy got into a confrontation with the towns elderly grocer, Ernest Bo Bowenkamp. There has been books written, movies, documentaries and more made about the killing. The case was later settled out of court by all parties for $17,600, with no one admitting guilt, for the stated reason of avoiding costly legal fees should the suit proceed. But justice is a loaded term in a case that challenges the usual assumptions of victim and perpetrator. How did this uneducated person how is he able to outwit the criminal justice system for 20 years? said MacLean. What happened in Skidmore that day wasnt much different than the completely predictable result from shaking a carbonated beverage until the top finally blows. McElroy sat outside the foster home for hours at a time staring at it. Despite three grand juries, no one has been indicted for the . In a trial for shooting a Skidmore man in 1976 two witnesses appeared saying they had been with McElroy hunting miles away from the scene. The couple then moved to Colorado. Shortly after, McElroy was arrested and charged with attempted murder. Sheriff Estes instructed the assembled group not to get into a direct confrontation with McElroy, but instead seriously consider forming a neighborhood watch program. The DA declined to press charges and the following investigation proved to be futile. A federal grand jury was convened. This past weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the killing of Ken Rex McElroy of Skidmore. I didnt see anything. Anthony was born on August 27 1890, in Shelton, Knox County, MO, USA. Born in 1934, Ken Rex McElroy was a resident of Skidmore, Missouri. When you didnt know where he was, you didnt dare take the chance of not being on your guard.. Investigators found shell casings from two weapons a .22-caliber Magnum rifle and an 8 mm Mauser, a German World War I-era long-range rifle. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! [10] No one called for an ambulance. McElroy was a big man with cold eyes who always carried a gun. He spent the night in jail before posting bond, then sauntered menacingly back into the D&G tavern and pool hall and took his usual spot. No one has any idea what a nightmare we lived.. In 1980, after a misunderstanding about a candy purchase from a Skidmore grocery store involving McElroys daughters, McElroy shot popular owner Bo Bowenkamp in the neck. Here are 13 things you need to know about Ken McElroy and his death before you tune into No One Saw A Thing, premiering this Thursday, Aug. 1, pulled from sources including Harry MacLean,. Get out of town, they said. On July 10, 1981, Ken Rex McElroy was killed in one of the strangest instances investigators ever saw. My experience is that trying a case is not always good at bringing closure, Mr. Baird said. See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro Ken Rex McElroy Jr. 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. Yes, its against the law, but you know, the law is not the final definitive word on him. He was known as "the town bully",[1] and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. More awful crimes have taken place in the small town. Everyone was so uncomfortable and scared.. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Win a Midday Makeover from Studio STL and West County, Hold my beer its time to sign up for the St. Patricks, Tims Travels: Dreaming in silestone and slabs its, Downtown is turning green for St. Patricks Day Parade, The 7brew Crew brings kindness, joy and of course,, Freshen up finds: Give your skin a slug-hug, What the Cluck! McElroy denied he was at the scene. 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]. Sixteen days after Trena gave birth, both she and Alice fled to Trena's mother's and stepfather's house. When Estes and state troopers arrived back in town, the streets were empty and quiet, save the rumbling, smoking engine of McElroys truck. Then McElroy, described by veteran journalist Phil Conger as a big brute of a guy with slicked-back hair like Elvis, took the stand. In 1981, McElroy was convicted of shooting . McElroy appealed the case and was released on bond. McElroy made a living leasing land near his farm, and trading and racing dogs. April 10th, 1972: After Alice runs away with their son, Ken McElroy gets into an altercation with Alice's stepfather and shoots him. McElroy divorced Alice and married Trena in order to escape charges of statutory rape, to which she was the only witness. Still working within the justice system, witnesses who saw McElroy with the gun gave the information the county prosecutor needed to request a bond revocation hearing. No one called for an ambulance. Tucked away in the northwest corner of Missouri is a small, dusty town 46 miles north of St. Joseph with a decades-old secret. July 1981: During the 1st week of July it was announced that there would be a delay in McElroy's bond hearing. A man who turned out to be McElroy pointed a shotgun at me, Margaret tells A&E True Crime. There were plenty of eyewitnesses, as well as the attack happened in broad daylight, therefore When talking about McElroy, MacLean wondered how he was able to be so crafty. And Mr. Baird, all these years later, is still unwilling to give his own view on whether justice was served even though or because the killer was never tried. If you liked reading this story on Ken McElroy, the bully who was killed by his town, check out the story of Budford Pussers cold-blooded revenge. Ken Rex McElroy was shot dead inside his pick-up truck on the 10th of July, 1981, via a storm of bullets. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. Absolutely not, he said. 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. The group heard McElroy and Trena McCloud were spotted heading to the tavern nearby. There's a long list of crimes said to have been committed by McElroy, including shooting multiple people. We went everywhere we could, but justice would stay delicately out the way, she said. McElroy was known to have stolen grain, alcohol, gasoline, antiques, and even livestock. Three grand juries heard evidence. (Editors Note: Patch Deputy National Editor Beth Dalbey grew up on a farm about 10 miles from Skidmore, Missouri.). E-mail: ramzywritersofficial@gmail.com. Many buildings are closed and falling apart. Only July 10, 1981, there was a meeting at the town hall, down the street from D&G Tavern. The townspeople organized a caravan to escort the witnesses to the hearing both to protect them and to show solidarity. After McElroy fired a gun outside her house, Evelyn Sumy appealed to Dave Dunbar, the town marshal. In all, he was indicted 21 times but escaped conviction each time, except for the last. At some point in his life, McElroy was believed to have been seriously injured on a construction site, causing him to suffer from chronic pain. McElroy and Trena returned to the truck, where he lit a cigarette while she was in the passenger seat. He went about making public threats against the grocer while armed with a rifle. He was nonplussed. The Vigilantemurder of Ken Rex McElroy still remains a mystery today. The story of Ken Rex McElroy began on June 1, 1934. Didnt see a thing. Thats the response investigators repeatedly received when they questioned people over the death of Ken McElroy. Ken Rex McElroy was an illiterate hog farmer who lived on the outskirts of a small town in Northwest Missouri. McElroy began backing out too, then tailed Margaret until she radioed Richard and squad cars showed up. He showed up to the towns local bar, armed with a rifle and bayonet, threatening to kill the elderly grocer. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . As many as 60 people were reported to have been at the scene, but not one of them would say who had wielded the weapons. Once, he even got out and fired a shotgun up in the pine tree by their house. After dropping out of school in the eighth grade, it didnt take long for Ken McElroy to fall into a life of delinquency. Nobody wanted to talk to us, retired Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dan Boyer tells A&E True Crime. That they had guns at the ready wasnt unusual. However, he was also charged with various crimes. After McElroy finished his drinks, he purchased a six pack of beer, left the bar, and entered his pickup truck. Retribution was slow coming to Ken McElroybut lightning fast when it happened. Refusing to argue, he and Lois went home. The justice system just crashed and burned over this case.. Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 - July 10, 1981) was an American criminal and convicted attempted murderer who resided in Skidmore, Missouri, United States. Luckily, Bowenkamp survived, and McElroy was charged with attempted murder. The meeting broke up after participants learned McElroy and Trena were at the D&G Tavern. The police would not or could not help us or Skidmore. Again, there were no indictments, and the McElroy murder case was tossed back to Baird. Henry survived and McElroy was charged with assault with intent to kill. McElroy was hit twice and died. Its never going to happen.. 2023 by Catlyn Brady, Jennifer Partridge, & Kara Severson. [2], In all, he was indicted 21 times but escaped conviction each time, except for the last. Known as "the town bully", McElroy was accused of dozens of felonies, including assault, child molestation, statutory rape, arson, hog and cattle rustling, and burglary. The bar that provided the backdrop for the shooting is closed and for sale for $20,000. Lessons from History is a platform for writers who share ideas and inspirational stories from world history. The last three decades have been tough on this agricultural community of 342, about an hour and a half north of Kansas City. A girl from a poor, rural family, McElroy had begun having sex with her when she was barely fourteen. To the residents of the small town, he was the town bully. McElroy was born in 1934, the fifteenth of sixteen children born to a poor . I heard shooting and got down. But the silence of the townspeople held. That it was a vigilante killing is not true for a lot of reasons; if they had decided to kill him, they wouldnt have stood in the street to watch the murder unfold, he said. The witnesses all claimed they had seen nothing. He neutralized an entire criminal justice system.. This six-episode true-crime docuseries comes from Sundance TV and premiered last August. They settle in Skidmore. She died of cancer on Jan. 24, 2012; it was her 55th birthday. He never finished high school but knew how to hunt, drive fast and navigate the back roads of Nodaway County by his early teens. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! He was very cunning, MacLean told Patch. Mable was born on February 28 1897, in Dover, Shawnee County, KS, USA. Calling the sheriff about his threats was risk few were willing to take not that it would have done much good, Goslee said. McCloud was McElroy's third "wife," though all unions were suspicious due to the fact that some of his marriages overlapped. His eyes just really put you in defense modehe really looked like a mean person.. His father was a tenant farmer, his mother a housewife swamped with feeding and caring for the sprawling family. 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. Someone warned her, Youre about to meet Ken Rex McElroy, Monte said. Henry was forced to admit in court, under questioning by McElroy's attorney Richard Gene McFadin, that he had concealed his own petty criminal conviction from more than 30 years previous. In 1980, one of McElroy's children got into an argument with a clerk, Evelyn Sumy, in a local grocery store owned by 70-year-old Ernest "Bo" Bowenkamp and his wife Lois, allegedly because the young McElroy child tried to steal some candy. After Sally had had three kids, Ken kicks her out of the house. A reported crowd of up to 60 men had largely dispersed, but some onlookers remained, staring at the pickup. The townsfolk were infuriated. A museum dedicated to Skidmore, Mo., sits on Elm Street, the towns main drag. Police had charged him with various alleged crimes from stealing hogs to assault, but nothing stuck. According to reports, some 50 people were outside the tavern when the shooting started. The sheriff suggested they form a neighborhood watch and advised the group not to confront the man. But if tried by a jury of their peers, I doubt anybody around here would have convicted the shooters. SKIDMORE, Mo. Not only that, they recommended he spend no more than two years in prison. If those responsible for killing McElroy are vigilantes, its because the justice system made them that way, Monte said. On July 9, 1984, Trena McElroy filed a $5 million wrongful death lawsuit against the Town of Skidmore, County of Nodaway, Sheriff Danny Estes, Steve Peters (Mayor of Skidmore), and Del Clement (whom Trena accused of being the shooter, but who was never charged). If you were to go to Skidmore today, there isn't much to see. Unsolved 'Vigilante' Murder in the Heartland: Missouri Town Goes Quiet After Bully Is Shot, https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/ken-rex-mcelroy-vigilante-murder-skidmore-unsolved. Known as 'the town bully', his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. He was indicted as many as 21 times, but escaped conviction all but once. They had to look out for themselves. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. You dont take cases to trial to see what might happen, the former prosecutor said. Ken stalks the family afterwards, and on the 8th, Ken shoots Bo Bowenkamp. "[13], McElroy was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Joseph, Missouri. 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. 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. Everyone was keeping an eye on us. They could have pushed and dug, pushed and dug and gotten nothing, said Huston. Ken McElroy was born in 1934, one of 16 children, author Harry MacLean explains in his book In Broad Daylight, an account of the case. Like so many other small towns, Skidmore has shrunk inside itself, watching businesses close and residents depart. Ken McElroy was born in 1934, one of 16 children, author Harry MacLean explains in his book In Broad Daylight, an account of the case. They slept in shifts, with some friend or family member keeping an eye on the street. [3] McElroy was acquitted. No one has been charged in connection with McElroys death. That was the last failure of criminal justice.. No. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Hed help anyone that needed to be helped, she said in an interview recounted in In Broad Daylight. Author Harry MacLean wrote a book McElroys story called In Broad Daylight. Everyone involved continues to keep the secret and gives no answers. We had shoplifting, but a lot of people were on hard times. The meeting's entire purpose was to discuss what they could legally do to prevent McElroy from harming anyone else. Richard McFadin, 87, a lawyer, now retired, who represented Mr. McElroy in numerous cases and, after the killing, his widow, said he believed there was enough evidence for a prosecution. McElroy would just sit and glower at you just stare at you and youd never know what he was thinking.. He was represented by defense attorney Richard Gene McFadin of Gallatin, Missouri. McElroy was spinning so hard out of control, I have no doubt he would have tried to kill my dad again, given the chance. The couple then moved to Colorado. He went back home and was shot within a couple of days, explains Conger, editor of the Bethany Republican-Clipper. Buzzfeeds Unsolved Network produced a 24-minute true crime documentary on the shooting. The final straw for Skidmore was when he was let out on bond. It was a matter of self-preservation. Yet the identity of McElroys killer is a public secret Skidmore has kept for 38 years. Within hours, Mr. Baird heard that there had been a shooting downtown. June 25th, 1981: McElroy returns to Skidmore out on bail until an appeal hearing. Many buildings are closed and falling apart. Trena claimed to have seen someone pull a rifle from the back of the truck, take aim at McElroy, and fire shots that shattered the truck's windows. When a court hearing was postponed, there was a meeting in town, with the mayor and the sheriff attending, to discuss Mr. McElroy. On July 10, 1981, Ken Rex McElroy was killed in one of the strangest instances investigators ever saw. June 16th, 1934: Ken Rex McElroy is born to Mabel and Tony McElroy, the thirteenth out of fourteen children. However, in 1981, Trena told People magazine that the fire was a result of "faulty wiring.". One assumption Skidmore hasnt been able to shed is that McElroys killing was an act of vigilante justice. I have no doubt hed have tried to kill my mom. Witnessing the murder were McElroys wife, Trena, screaming in the passenger seat and dozens of local residents. 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. Murder is still murder. He was sure it was Mr. McElroy who had done the shooting. Weighing in at approximately 270 pounds with bushy black sideburns, McElroy held the entire . 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. If we could have proved who done it, he would have prosecuted him, said Mr. Riddle, 72 and also retired, who describes the case as the most frustrating of his career. In July 1976, McElroy pulled a shotgun on farmer Romaine Henry and shot the man in the stomach. 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. Trena McElroy remarried and had a fairly normal life, refusing interviews after she left Skidmore. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. He was charged with wading through the sensational details and moral ambiguities of the case to ensure that, in his words, justice was served. Neither Baird nor MacLean, whose crime novel has been praised as an accurate account of McElroys killing, buy that. [4], McElroy fathered more than 10 children with different women. In the ensuing confrontation, McElroy shot Bowenkamp in the neck; Bowenkamp survived, and McElroy was arrested and charged with attempted murder. Nodaway County Sheriff Dan Estes suggested they form a neighborhood watch. The grocer lived and McElroy was again arrested and charged with attempted murder. I didnt know what to do. In 2019, the McElroy killing was the subject of a docuseries on SundanceTV. Within a few years, she had had four children by him. 1969 or 1970: Ken McElroy becomes involved with a young girl named Trena McCloud. Carjackers Steal More Cars Many With Kids Still Inside, After Indulgent Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday Signals Abstinence, Fasting. On the morning of July 10, 1981, several townspeople met with the Nodaway County sheriff at a local hall to discuss what could be done about McElroy. His last wife, Trena, became pregnant with their first child at age 14. Immediately after being released at a post-trial hearing, McElroy went to the D&G Tavern, a local bar, with an M1 Garand rifle with a bayonet attached, and made graphic threats about what he would do to Bo Bowenkamp. He told the foster family that he would trade "girl for girl" to get his child back, since he knew where the foster family's biological daughter went to school and what bus route she rode. McElroy was a resident of Skidmore, Missouri. Ken Rex McElroy (June 1, 1934 - July 10, 1981) was a resident of Skidmore, Nodaway County, Missouri. No one bothered to turn it off. The law wasnt going to help the people of Skidmore. So the townspeople held a meeting. Known for stealing livestock, harassing women, destroying property and threatening lives, Mr. McElroy had been charged with numerous felonies over the years his lawyer estimated at least three a year but had never been convicted. He was known as "the town bully", [1] and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. The man identified by the widow as the main gunman recently died, something Mr. Baird raised in suggesting that the case may never be reopened. And its likely to stay that way. The Tylenol Murders: Is It Too Late to Solve the Famous Cold Case? He was punctual, always said he didnt do it, paid in cash and kept coming back.. Boyer was taking trajectory measurements at the crime scene when a town official chided him. 1, it is murder. As Ken McElroy sat in his truck, he was shot at several times. The guns were never recovered. 1954: While working for his sister's husband in construction, McElroy suffers a traumatic head injury that leaves him with lifelong pain. For more than two decades, McElroy was suspected of being involved in theft of grain, gasoline, alcohol, antiques, and livestock, but he avoided conviction when charges were brought against him 21 timesoften after witnesses refused to testify because he allegedly intimidated them, frequently by following his targets or parking outside their homes and watching them. On July 10th, 1981 Ken Rex McElroy was shot dead in the street in broad daylight infront of 60 witnesses. 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. And despite there being dozens of witnesses, no one has ever been arrested or charged in connection with McElroys murder. Often, witnesses changed their mind about testifying before trials began, MacLean said, and if a case did make it to trial, a juror might open the mailbox to find a rattlesnake. A bond hearing was ordered. One of the people shot was a local farmer named Romaine Henry, who McElroy shot in the stomach for trying to chase him off of Henry's own land. Of the potential 40 or so witnesses, with the exception of Trena, none could name a shooter. He made no deathbed confession, but someone wrote in a memorial tribute that he was a good, brave man. McFadin, the lawyer who once told The New York Times the town got away with murder, is dead, too. Trena dove from the truck and was taken to safety. He raped McCloud repeatedly. The law had plenty of chances, plenty of times to lock him up., Added Monte: Justice failed everybody. On July 10, 1981, McElroy was sitting in his truck with his wife Trena McElroy on Skidmore's main drag when a crowd of residents surrounded his vehicle and shot at him several times. Anyone can read what you share. The mere mention of his surname was enough to cause anxiety, if not full terror. Dozens of them gathered at Skidmores American Legion hall on the morning of July 10, 1981. He said that Mr. Baird pushed aggressively to bring a case to trial, but that investigators were never able to secure enough evidence to charge someone with a crime.