I'm happy she found happiness afterward. Not here my friends .any way I hope they catch the kidnappers and find Branson, also did anyone think for a sec that K.R had mental issues and if it was taken care of like they do nowadays this wouldnt have happened? Anyway, I appreciate your perspective. Do not listen to the comments made by people who talked about what she did while married to that monster. Bonjour je vis en France je viens de voir la srie sur votre grand mre ctait une femme trs courageuse dans un village trs trange paix son me, Thank you for setting the record straight. The Tavern owner, had he been a man would have armed himself after the first time Ken came in his business with a gun much less shot a patron, and the next time he came in Del Clement was totally justified in killing the son of a bitch. In 1981, vigilantes in Skidmore, Mo., took justice into their own hands and killed town bully Ken Rex McElroy but no one was charged with the crime. 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. I know I am really late to the party, however, I read through some of these comments. Im guessing the third shooter was a brother of either clement or dowling; or a second member of the group of four planning to testify. March 28, 2023. I am not sure how I even ran across it, but it caught my interest and I started researching it. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. My condolences to her family. 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. Seriously how on earth did that town, police, or her parents just let her be abducted? She didnt have the guts/strength to stand up to McElroy. Who was Ken Rex McElroy? That would add a significant twist to the story. No need to respond to my posts on this discussion thread. The murder of Ken Rex McElroy took place in plain view of dozens of residents of this small farm town, under the glare of the morning sun. Thats nonsense. Which at the very least is what every human deserves. He raped her , beat her, burned her folks house to the ground, told her he would kill her little brothers and sisterThis girl was a old beat woman at 16. McElroy began stalking the Bowenkamp family, and eventually threatened Bo Bowenkamp in the back of his store with a shotgun in hand. It was a credible threat as he had already shot 2 innocent people. I read on the web that the monster had a steel plate in his head from a prior head injury. They got rid of their bully, but things never got any better for them. this link is broken. I wish I could have met her. McElroy's appeal hearing was again delayed. Farming is damn hard work. I wish I had found you when I was writing the book! were the guys fixing the car and the girl in the house in on it? They cant fight a man so they beat a woman. I understand people may frown on Trena for the lawsuit, but she suddenly lost her only means of support, had all those children to care for and finish raising, plus after that Im sure she didnt have one friend in that town who would have helped her with anything and probably had to pack up and leave. But Ken may have done wrong, but he was a human being too, & looks like someone who knew something would have had the heart to come forward to help out in the matter. GRANDDAUGHTER, your grandma was the sweetest person I could ever find. McElroy's first shooting victim was local farmer Romaine Henry, who he shot twice in the stomach with a shotgun. When Jeffrey turns his head that way, in his eyes is a streak of coldness that is remarkable in its intensity. However, I can also be sure that yet another movie was released back in the 1980s about these same events that took place in Skimore, Missouri. I remember him telling us not to go to the mail box because McElroy threatened to put rattlesnakes in every mail box belonging to the jury. And so it goes. Working with kids with emotional disabilities requires limitless patience and understanding. How would he know anything about any of this and of course he did live in Skidmore at the time he is still a very young man. But the way the parents let things happen, the abused child could evolve into the accomplice of a criminal in adulthood. Did he buy prosecutors? I have always felt so bad for Treena, she was a child victim and there was nothing anyone could do to protect her. Why?? She endured beatings and rape or child molestation! Im curious, also, as to where that thugs house once stood. the odd thing is sence june of 96 i have lived in lebanon mo. Im not justifying what happened, but there were a lot of contributing factors and I believe people were legitimately scared and felt they had to do something since the law and the legal system failed them so abysmally. Even the worst people can sometimes act pleasantly. After McElroy finished his drinks, he purchased a six pack of beer, left the bar, and entered his pickup truck. As for Ken Rex, no surprise. Two appeared on Oprah Winfrey with me, Alice, Cheryl Brown and McFadin. Were all better without them. If he was out stealing that night, Trena was most likely not with him. With that kind of love, she began to see how wrong things were when she was with him, but she was a child and children will do as they are told when beatings are involved! Glad I could add a bit more info. His behavior with women, however, was an entirely different matter. The entire story is one big cluster of tragedies for everyone involved. The judge, as you might remember, was from a different county. Thank you in advance for clarifying. I havent seen you since you was about 2. Agreed. Of her three kids, only Juarez has had difficulties with the law; assault, possession of marijuana, possession of a shotgun, violation of probation, etc. Jerry: Do you know where abouts? This is something my family especially my Grandma and the 3 children she had with that monster dont want to remember or think about. Its up to Jeffrey if he wants to share it. Not surprising that one of the kids engaged in a shooting in a bar. See he was tired of fighting the town people and all the rest of the crap. I really enjoyed this book so much so, that I just read it a 2nd time! Those things happened because the criminal in a case like this is an animal, and his/her subsequent crimes only took place because of the evil inside of that person. I share your sympathy toward the children. If anyone could drive a normally peaceful community to cover up a murder, it was Ken McElroy. I grew up in Oregon, MO which is a small town not too far from Skidmore. Hard working people who never give up. She stayed close to her parents, curiously enough. Agreed as well. If the filmmaker was from the US and over 40, he would know that. Sounds like he didnt suffer enough. Im glad you liked the book. The thug known as Ken has a few defenders just as all criminals have a few defenders. I knew your grandmother and her family and yes she was a beautiful normal girl that is until Ken decided she belong to him I remember the last time I seen her she was pregnant setting in the swing talking to my sister crying , I remember him stalking her as she was with her family visiting mine , I remember her families house being burned to the ground, 40 + years and I still remember the fear. I currently work with him in a Behavioral/Learning Disorders School in Kansas City. Tony , I am your aunt Tina your dad is my brother . We were teens when we met and became best friends while attending UMKC. I felt sorry for Trena to a certain extent. Extremely hard working people. LOL This is plain ridiculous. Attempting to sue her victims. They are absolutes and when all else fails to destroy evil, then it falls to the individual to do whatever is necessary. Ken Rex beat her into submission, yet he was the one who protected her and put food on the table. Skidmore is 90 minutes or more north and west of downtown Kansas Cit, Peculiar is 40 minutes south. The system completely failed that town. Where was the law when KR was intimidating everyone including the law and their family and most importantly, where was the law for Trena? 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. It was maddening to see his lawyer do what he did but ist that what defense attorneys are supposed to do? [9] McElroy was convicted at trial of assault, but freed on bail pending his appeal. That fellow had blonde hair and was buffed out. I agree with you wholeheartedly. Why has no one stepped forward to identify McElroy's killer? He wS sent away. I am friends with her now on Facebook and have had brief discussions about it. I would have shot that punkass on my own if he ever started with me..he got what he deserved for sure..I have a real problem with bullies to this day.. Everyone is a victim. Any other comments on what other people have said, or what I said? He is what he is today more than likely because that is what he is skilled at in doing. Im heartened to read of Trenas reformation, and saddened that her life was cut so short. One of the more interesting comments so far. Of course by far the most referred to source was your book, which I have order but have not received yet. Whatever money spent to investigate his death, was just good money thrown after bad. I believe the amount that lady attempted to extort from the town was $5 million dollars. I do not think badly of this man and I dont know that the rest of you should either cuz I have heard some pretty good stories about him stories that shows that he has a heart. Others have identified the houses location on Google Earth. I've still got mixed feelings about the shooting. People can change, and she proved this. Loved the book! I think that town had enough punishment all the years he terrorized them.. Thats just like in 1991 movie titled In Broad Daylight, the part of Ken Rex McElroy was given the fictional name of Len Rowan. She was a young girl trying to survive. He was represented by defense attorney Richard Gene McFadin of Gallatin, Missouri. He said that the jerk stared at each and every juror like he was intent on doing harm to eacha crazy look as dad described it. The story of Ken Rex McElroy was a movie without a resolution, and it still stirred up a lot of people and emotions around here, some predictable, some not. Cause no one else except his relation thinks I understand that was probably the case. It is very sad but true that someone should have stood trial. This man had such a shameful history of crime to his name that he was definitely no saint. Trena was my grandmother, she died on January 24th, her 55th birthday, not the 28th. You made a non-point just then. He taught me a lot about life and how being true to yourself makes a difference in your life and the lives of others. Ken had 13 siblings: Hershell Eugene McElroy, Orvell McElroy and 11 other siblings. Even the United States has a legal system, even back then. It was about the FBI investigation that took place in Skidmore, Missouri after Ken Rex McElroy was shot to death. Someone involved in that might act in a toxic manner. Worse felonies included assault and arson. What do you say? By all account, Ken was wary, if not scared, of going to jail. There was no physical evidence linking Clement to the crime, and no witnesses willing to corroborate McCloud's assertions. If someone were to have all the data that you have regarding this case, who would they suspect as the 3rd shooter? Whatever they say is normal, you force yourself to accept as normal. Ive followed the story since the killing of Ken Rex, watched 60 minutes, read the book, and watched and read everything else including the latest 6 part series about Ken and Skidmore. She still seemed somewhat like a child when I met her. He had no respect for the law or those who enforced it. Im always glad to hear about true crime fanatics. Im sure the only regret those 45+ people have is that they didnt do it sooner. [1][3] The next day, McElroy was shot to death in broad daylight as he sat with his wife Trena in his pickup truck on Skidmore's main street. being physically abused takes numerous tolls. I thought the group on this thread would appreciate and find the following link interesting. KRM was a freaking coward! Missouri is not like NYC firearms are easy to own and Im sure even in 81 carry permits easy to obtain. Just a comment on the burning of the house: Trena, Alice and their children were all long gone by the time McElroys house burned down. Looks like Im going to have to buy the updated version of the book. Now 47, he is the same age McELroy was when he was shot to death on the main street of Skidmore Missouri. For some reason, the Ken McElroy shooting popped into my mind and I wondered what happened to Trena and Ken's children. Just like my mom. Even today if you google any of the names of the children you will find hateful things written by people. She was trash, like her bully husband. One of them, Jeffy, had a hernia problem. Be strong willed, and let friends lien on you. Thank you! He surely argues for the nurture theory. Im sorry, in my comment above I mean to say the bar was called Brews Blue Town. Jeffery has done some amazing things in the 6+ years I have known him. To many people make excuses for bad people. Jeffrey has a lot of friends who think hes an amazing guy. 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, author of the non-fiction book In Broad Daylight about the McElroy case, an episode of the podcast Criminal, and an episode of the Buzzfeed series Unsolved. Its not the townspeople who owed her anything. McCloud's parents initially opposed the relationship, but after McElroy burned their house down and shot the family dog they begrudgingly agreed to the marriage. Circling the wagons doesnt help anyone. She was molested by him and controlled by him as a child. The I seen quote kills me. McCloud identified D&G owner Del Clement as one of the shooters, but Clement was never officially charged with the crime, Mental Floss writes. McElroy sat outside the foster home for hours at a time staring at it. Once they got ahold of this story they sucked the life out of that town. Were you ever able to make any connection between McElroy and the town of Peculiar, MO? I belive that my half brother is the grandson of ken rex McElroy my brother is the son of derome McElroy. When you get into a situation that young its you really do NOT know what youre getting into to. Among the many facts known about the Ken McElroy shooting, the one thing that's not known is who actually pulled the trigger. Ive met your uncle, Jeff. I just cant get over how scarey it was to sit in that truck while seeing her hisband killed right next to jer! According to Buzzfeed's Unsolved, McElroy was said to have been seriously injured in an accident while working on a construction site, when a heavy steel beam dropped on him. I met her but we had a falling out. In June, 1973 I was a patient at the Fairfax Community Hospital, 20 some miles NW of Skidmore. Hello Mr. MacLean. Where was the FBI? Your email address will not be published. Del saved a lot of people, especially young girls/women, from the terror of this man. He bedded a series of teenagers, sometimes finding his quarry by hanging out at junior high school playgrounds. To fear a bully is to empower him. Thanks for the comment. I just finished reading your book, an excellent piece of work. I knew your grandma as a classmate, but most of all best friend a person could ever have. I think Trena was someone who grew up in a household where she couldnt trust anyone to be looking out for her best interests (case in point: mother handing her over to pedophile Ken). Others have said the same. Ive read over 100 true crime books with Harrys book being the best. As far as him never being convictedwell, you cant just ignore all those indictments and the rapes! He wouldnt be able to park on the street now for hours to scare people. I just realized that you mentioned gary dowling as the second shooter in 2007 (epilogue). Jeffrey and his sister found a pile of magazines with stories about the 1981 killing of Ken Rex McElroy in a drawer in their adoptive parents house. I lived and worked in Maryville for 8 years and got to know a few of the folks who were in and around Skidmore when this happened. He is a positive man with a great personality and has a charming demeanor about himself. I am not from Missouri, but I have been fascinated by this story since I saw the movie in the 80s. The Town That KILLED a Bully in Broad Daylight | Ken Rex McElroy Joshua Roberts 64.8K subscribers Join Subscribe 666 Share 22K views 11 months ago #trucrime #thehistoryof Here is the story of a. He is in the St Joseph Memorial Park Cemetery in St Joseph, Buchanan Co, MO. Mr Dalsing is a man who puts others needs before his own. I think the Stockholm syndrome applies in her case. All this still going on is bull what he done is nonthing compared to what goes on in the big cities everyday and they dont go making books and movies about it. But as years went on, Trena chose to harass the people of Skidmore along with her husband. Havent got to the but Im proud of the community that took this into their hands. The bottom line is, without witnesses (which McElroy threatened and intimidated so that they wouldnt testify), any conviction was unlikely. he was a sociopathnot psychotic. Jeffrey was 22 and a college graduate when he discovered who his father was. There is nothing cursed about Skidmore. Very little was done to protect women. Everyone that seen this movie and read this book has only heard one side of the story, I on the other hand have heard multiple stories about how things really went down. When you grow up like that, I really do believe that it stunts your empathy. Ken married first name McElroy. Hug them! Much to consider and assess here, even after so many years. Whether this is the case or not, Ken McElroy terrorized the town he lived in, however one day retribution would end his reign. He was one of the jurors on the Romaine Henry case. When I met him his demeanor was exactly like you described in your book. I would have loved to part of that neighborhood watch lol. Background. He refused several requests for an interview. I havent been able to find an address for Ken McElroys house that was burned. [10] Nobody called for an ambulance. You guys couldn't take care of him, we had to take care of him,'" the author says. He is exceptional and a real person and special friend. The only explanation I can think of that would have justified her filing that lawsuit was because of his kids. I am sorry for all of his children (and their children), his victims and the townspeople of Skidmore. Oh- are we going to relegate Trena to Sainthood? A thousand sleezy lawyers cant do the harm to society what a few ( especially in tiny communities were there may only be a couple) inept/corrupt/cowardly judges or prosecutors will. I completely believe that Trena was the wonderful woman that you say she was. [2][3] In 1981, McElroy was convicted of attempted murder in the shooting of the town's 70-year-old grocer Ernest "Bo" Bowenkamp. He hasnt married or had any children, and he wonders if one of the reasons might be that he might be worried about passing along McElroys genes. Have just finished the book, I was very saddened that the towns people didnt try and help the defenceless Bowenkemps during McElroys intimidation ordeal, would of thought that a small town would rally around the unfortunate family that got the brunt of McElroys nasty bullying. He used his size and weapons to intimidate people. Am I the only one who is just as interested in the names and circumstances of judges and prosecutors as the men involved in this shooting? Somewhere down the line, one of his blood will become far worse than he ever was and the cycle will begin again. He never served a full day in jail for shooting two people why should they be held to a higher standered. What I haven read is how tough and how much of a man he was without a gun with a man face to face that wasnt afraid of him. I dont believe that vigilante violence is justifiable, but in this case it is. [6], Based on Trena's story, McElroy was indicted in June 1973 for arson, assault, and statutory rape. Although, I understand the towns feeling about her as well. The lost son of Ken Rex McElroy. My dad sat on the jury in one of Kens many hearings. It has since been renamed, but at the moment I cant recall it. His girlfriend lived in my apt building and he knocked her around quite a bit. . My uncle is Jeff Dalsing. That lawyer should have been run out of town on a rail, or at least been reported to the bar. When your book came out our Grandmother made sure that all the children and grandchildren had a book. Back in 1981, it was your word against mine. I guess I never understood it completely. She may have come out the other side, but its been tough to locate any kind of record showing her apologize to all those people she terrorized and women and children she shamed when they tried to come forward with their true, horrifying accounts of this mans abuse. I intend to write something on it soon. Been there, done that and survived that! I closing, I would like to say that ( The lost son, of Ken) was never lost at all. Oh, and by the way the skidmore people need not pat themselves on the back to hard they shot him from behind and he went to town that day knowing it was his last day and they just done him a favor. Stockholm Syndrome at its finest! Interesting comment.In later years I think Trena did come to see what happened as almost inevitable given Kens crimes. i lived in mound city from 1978 to 1996. i heard about the story when i was old enough to understand. One cant imagine a man more the opposite of Ken McElroy. Admitedly he was good at his job. No matter how many years go by and how well things seem to be going for these children, I have to wonder how all this has really scarred them. I believe the townsfolk honestly had no choice. It makes me realize that no matter who your biological parents are, you choose to be the person you want to be. I am absolutely sure it was Ken McElroy. Im going to repeat that so you can hear it again. I wonder if del clement and kr made peace in hell, because I know they are both there. Very well said. A lot of them it didn't pain at all. Come back and talk to us when you are 70+ years old and a thug shoots you, leaves you to dies and gets away with it. They operate a gourmet traveling food stand. Wal-Mart killed the town. You cant make that case at all. No children were molested, people robbed or beaten up, etc., because of a criminal's attorney. I just saw the story of your grandmother and then found this article online. Theres no way anyone could have been convicted of anything, given the evidence of what McElroy had done to Skidmore. I take him to task in the book. As I understood it, the jurors did not hear any information because the charges were dismissed on a technicality. I was having sex at 11 with grown men, so I can relate to what Im sure she must have went through. Jeffrey They should have shot her to she tried to fight the elderly shop keeper and gave interviews on what a saint ken was. Just read your latest blog, in which you talked about your meeting with Jeffrey. On April 2, 1983, she was united in marriage Kenneth Howard Williams, and. There, in black and white, were the names of his parents: Ken Rex McElroy and Sally. She was a prisoner for a good part of her young life. I understand his thieving ways gave him plenty of cash to attend to his and his familys needs, but WHO did he buy off to get repeated passes on his crimes? Not at all. I moved to Kansas City in the 90s and on the first job I started here, the first friend that I meet was a McElroy. Im glad you enjoyed the book. Understand. Why was he gunned down in the first place? On the morning of July 10th, 1981, shots rang out in the small town of Skidmore, Missouri. Obit with photo of Trena Louise McNeeley McElroy Williams, 1957-2012. Even WORSE. Plain and simple, Trena was a victim here she was 12 years old when Ken Rex got his hands on her. How old was Kens daughter Tammy when she participated in the harassment along with her father and Treena? This guy is dead, a town lived through hell, and women/childrens lives were destroyed because for SOME reason members of law enforcement ALLOWED it.
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