When Trena's parents were away McElroy went to their house, where once again burned the house down and shot the McClouds' new dog. He has been alive and living. How could she have said he was a great man and she didnt know why the town hated and feared him? You can also make the case that it was in defense of the cowardly act of shooting an old man in the neck. As I understood it, the jurors did not hear any information because the charges were dismissed on a technicality. 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). Think about this Between 30 and 46 law abiding, normally peaceful people have NEVER had an attack of conscience over 40 years and said a word. My point is that now I am a very happily married wife and mother of two and nothing at all like the girl I was. This was Jeffrey. Crazy book. Although McElroy is long gone, his reputation looms ever-present, even over a series of nonrelated disturbing events, including the death of Wendy Gillenwater, stomped to death by her boyfriend in 2000, the disappearance of Branson Perry in 2001, and the brutal 2004 murder of Bobbie Jo Stinnett, whose live baby was carved from her body. It is very sad but true that someone should have stood trial. He was arrested, booked, arraigned, and released on $2,500 bail. I knew he covered a lot of territory, but I didnt know he had made it to Lawrence. I dont remember seeing Trena with him and he was sitting alone. She had missed her children every day of her life. She was a child. I wish I could have met her. Thats the mentality of many bullies. It certainly must be a burden knowing your father was Ken McElroy, but hes certainly entitled to be proud of what hes done with his life. May this sweey woman RIP, and she was to young!! Weighing in at approximately 270 pounds with bushy black sideburns, McElroy held the entire . Very interesting. She was a prisoner for a good part of her young life. Aside from his cruelty and sociopathy, given different life circumstances he could have put that nimble mind of his to some meaningful use. Even WORSE. My brother and I bought a Coonhound pup from Ken less than a month before.he was shot. My grandfather is a great man and to know that he placed the fear of God in Ken and he never backed down from him makes him a remarkable man! Nope. And I am sure if this man shot, bullied, stole from, and terrorized you, you would be singing a different tune. Previous Chapter 1 2 3 . One of the kids I thinkbut Im not sureis in Philly. The teenagers gave birth to a total of seven of McElroy's offspring. Harry, my name is Summer Gross. Motion detection lights & cameras would show him shooting in public. somebody better tell that dude about kenny & what happened to him . When your book came out our Grandmother made sure that all the children and grandchildren had a book. :)Lee. They bully those they MUST and those they KNOW they CAN. Abuse wears you down to the point you cannot think for yourself. Ken Rex beat her into submission, yet he was the one who protected her and put food on the table. There is nothing cursed about Skidmore. And Im here to say that I fully believe 100% that he was not a bad man. Bless the people who had to put up with these two monsters. as its been told , did indeed act as a lookout , carried a gun & so forth . You have to remember people were terrorized and held captive in their own town. Painful. By then, he was dead and could no longer harm her. I've still got mixed feelings about the shooting. He is all the things his father was not, god bless him! Tony Im your aunt your dad is my brother . I am glad she went on to live a relatively happy life. Anyway, I appreciate your perspective. What was his/her name, and have you had any contact with him/her? I truly know this because BELIEVE ME there should be a book about what I went through. MacLean goes on to describe young McElroy as an illiterate bully who kids and adults alike were afraid of; he would steal lunch money from his fellow students and shoplift from local stores with no consequence. Law enforcement and the legal system failed. Life is precious. There, in black and white, were the names of his parents: Ken Rex McElroy and Sally. My uncle is Jeff Dalsing. Sharon had children in 1961, '63, '64 and '65, and Sally in '61, '63 and '64. How old was Kens daughter Tammy when she participated in the harassment along with her father and Treena? It proved where her loyalties were when she sued the town after McElroys death. I believe that the blog is right and the book wrong. Kind of a nobody saw a thing situation. Thanks. [6] Trena and her baby were placed in foster care at a home in Maryville, Missouri. Stratton is still kicking up in Bethany. Why did she not publish some more introspective personal responsibility later. I live in Pa in Philadelphia.. Flipping television channels I ran across the old film Road House. This is a compelling story whether you knew or had any connection to the McElroys or not. I was completely immersed in the story while reading it. Working with kids with emotional disabilities requires limitless patience and understanding. People who judge the town harshly dont understand what it went through. Why he did it, well never know. 5 6 7 I belive that my half brother is the grandson of ken rex McElroy my brother is the son of derome McElroy. They will always be associated with this tragedy, and they have to live with the harassment of others. That guy wouldve kicked his ass and Ken knew it. Theres not a day that goes by I dont think of her. See he was tired of fighting the town people and all the rest of the crap. They tried law enforcement, which at times failed and other times was too intimidated to try. I read the first book, In Broad Daylight. I havent seen her kids defending McElroy, although they might have. Its been a while since I saw any new posts on this blog. He did not pick his father and thank god his father did not raise him. was it revenger against his father? Im sad to see that she did pass on, but so happy she was a happy WOMAN ! you reference). Whatever dont be killing your self. and after the debacle died down, did any of his kids get treated fair? A few weeks after Jeffrey called me, I had received a phone call in the middle of the night from Sally, Jeffreys biological mother. What you wrote about is potentially the tip of the iceberg. Sorry not happening! What makes me wonder to this day.Did Trena get remarried? I just recently read the story and I have to say how sad the whole thing is. He gives somewhat of an explanation in the Sundance series No one saw a thing. I dont think he suspected there was going to be a shooting, although perhaps he should have. I am friends with her now on Facebook and have had brief discussions about it. His girlfriend lived in my apt building and he knocked her around quite a bit. No matter what we see on the outside, Im sure the wounds still remain and run very deep. Red died several years ago, and Steve Peters and his wife divorced and Steve moved to St. Joe, where he is working for an engineering company. The legal system failed them and they had taken all they could. Ken McElroy would flip in his grave if he knew one of his children graduated from college and is a successful teacher of special ed kids. They really do not need their memories spoiled by the memories of the rest of the world. Stockholm Syndrome at its finest! One McElroy kid followed in his fathers footsteps, getting arrested and imprisoned for shooting a man in a bar, allegedly the same bar that his dad shot some one. Ken Rex McElroy was born Jun 16 1934 [1], the fifteenth of sixteen children born to a poor, migrant tenant-farming couple named Tony and Mabel (ne Lister) McElroy, who had moved between Kansas and the Ozarks before settling outside of Skidmore. I was immediately intrigued by the story and decided to read your book (well written). Furious that McElroy was drinking instead of getting locked up, the irate citizens of Skidmore held an impromptu town hall meeting in the American Legion Hall across the street from the D&G to discuss how to handle the McElroy situation. Havent got to the but Im proud of the community that took this into their hands. You dont have that many people of one mind unless there is a serious situation. I figured I might not be the toughest guy around and I wasnt but I figured Id do till the toughest one got there. Im going crazy, trying to find out the answer to this one question I have about this whole thing. He has resolved some of the most embattled conflicts students have engaged in while maintaining a never ending sense of humor. It had to be difficult walking the tight rope, during research obtaining information from pertinent people, while trying your best to remain impartial. Although some townspeople reported him for violating the terms of his bail by carrying a weapon, McFadin was able to delay the proceedings. McElroy married for the first time at age 18, in 1952. She departed this life Tuesday, January 24, 2012, in her daughter's home, near Conway, Missouri, at the age of fifty-five years. This guy spend decades cultivating the reputation he had. Born into a crowded family, Ken McElroy would soon make a name for himself in the worst way. Your email address will not be published. I went to grade school near St. Joseph with one of his daughters after they moved away from Ken McElroy. Ive read over 100 true crime books with Harrys book being the best. More insight into Trenas life with Ken. I dont believe that vigilante violence is justifiable, but in this case it is. I couldnt help but think about the tradgedies , this small town has endured, and how many lives were changed, or ruined, due to them. To say he was a human being is laughably naive and the kind of thing stated by someone who engages in fantasy. Ken Rex deserved everything that happened to him and his killers deserved jail, too. I, of course, never met McElroy, but Ive heard the descriptions and Ive seen the pictures. However, Im sure that he knew who McElroy was. It lost me when they tried to claim Skidmore was evil and the town died because of it. Im pretty sure many are long dead, but to me THIS is the story. Shooting that animal was not cowardly except in a criminal mind. City Confidential is a rip off of the book, and it annoys me to hear it cited for anything. I was 20 years of age in 1981 and living south of The River in Warrensburg when I learned of all of this. So she has died? You cant tell me the judge didnt know Ken would react the way he did. McElroy's first shooting victim was local farmer Romaine Henry, who he shot twice in the stomach with a shotgun. And so it goes. There was no physical evidence linking Clement to the crime, and no witnesses willing to corroborate McCloud's assertions. 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. She lost and rightly so. For some reason, the Ken McElroy shooting popped into my mind and I wondered what happened to Trena and Kens children. Juarez was a menace. I couldnt capture that in the book. This woman sued the town over Kens death. Now 47, he is the same age McELroy was when he was shot to death on the main street of Skidmore Missouri. When your parents show you arbitrary cruelty and dont acknowledge their wrongdoing, it humiliates you, and you begin looking for outlets on which to impose your own anger, so you can feel in control again. Say what you will, but not only was Ken Rex an obvious monster, but so was his brainless wife, Trena McElroy. It took a few years of us knowing each other before I discovered the connection. It would be interesting. Well Im watching the Sundance series. I have known Jeff for over 15 years.The best way to describe him is , ( soft spoken, kind hearted, One who never seems to get upset. It was about the FBI investigation that took place in Skidmore, Missouri after Ken Rex McElroy was shot to death. He threw in the towel sixteen years ago, and hasnt spoken to her since. Missouri-based journalist Steve Booher described the attitude of some townspeople as "he needed killing. Has no one tried to prosecute him? 1952: Ken McElroy marries his first wife Oleta. They only wanted to control through violence. People can change, and she proved this. This is nonthing more than a book writer who got made rich and well known for publishing this crap!!! 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. The townspeople were the ones who suffered punishment. No more than shooting any wild animal just as soon as you can rather than give it time to turn on you and kill you. His farm was about 20 miles west of Kirksville. I know some were farmers there for years it was home yada. However, Trena McElroy got rewarded settlement money for a wrongful death lawsuit she filed against three of the townspeople for his death.>>>>Click onto http://www.talkguests.com/mcelroy.htm. The ability to get away with bad behavior from being a knee high scoundrel, probably from his father having too many kids. Two of the children, a boy and a girl, were adopted together, to a family in St. Joe. No investigation, no real police presence. The way it was told, Ken understood that he needed to change his ways but he just wasnt ready. He is a positive man with a great personality and has a charming demeanor about himself. I noticed that in your book, In Broad Daylight, you mentioned that Sally had borne Ken three children Ken Jr, Lisa, and Jeffrey. Back then, law enforcement tended to side with the man or ignored the situation. Trena did get remarried, about five years after Kens death. Good riddance. I am interested to know, do u live in skidmore? She should have sued McFadin for failing her over and over again by protecting Ken instead of protecting her she was a child for petesake. I closing, I would like to say that ( The lost son, of Ken) was never lost at all. http://www.holmanhowe.com/sitemaker/sites/Holman1/obit.cgi?user=559576WilliamsLebanon#.TyhZNgTT0J0.facebook. I believe she attempted to extort 5 million dollars from them. Worse felonies included assault and arson. I spent many summers at my grandparents farm in Winigan, MO. The other thread that is much more active than this one is about Mcfadin, McElroys lawyer, and the debate over the role he played in facilitating McElroys crimes. [8] At the trial, two raccoon hunters testified they were with McElroy the day of the shooting away from Henry's property. It is my pleasure to interact with Jeffery on a daily basis and I truely feel he helps keep me grounded. They likely did the best that they could have, though, as any parent would. I would love to hear from you . Without him around to protect her, she wilted back down to reality. After McElroy finished his drinks, he purchased a six pack of beer, left the bar, and entered his pickup truck. When Lori was born she was placed with me. Agree ! I get what you are saying, but consider that many violent people (rapists especially) often say things like, I just couldnt help myself, becausefill in the blank. When they find themselves in prison around even tougher people or surrounded by armed guards, they control themselves and behave better. No one is to blame. Harry MacLean. I have just recently heard of this story. Whatever became of Kens kids, Juarez, Tonia, and Ken Jr? You got a beef with a man you settle it with that man. Jeffrey hopes that some good will come out of all this, but hes not sure what it might be. Life is so short.. to be filled with hate and violence. The more notes I get about what a tremendous fellow Jeffrey is, the more fascinated I become with theories of the origin of the personality. I had never seen the guy before and I made a point of looking at the vehicles in the parking lot when I left. Attempting to sue her victims. On occasion, such people will be prosecuted and even imprisoned or disbarred. Cold. Hard. Scary. The face beneath the eyes was smiling and friendly. Speaking of her, did she profit at all if the production of the movie? I watched the Sundance Now film No one saw a thing the story of Ken McElroy. Hate to say it but of course his family members will defend him and claim he was the best grandpa/whatever but even if he wasnt convicted of anything, his activities are well known and well documented. In late 1964, with Sharon again pregnant and both young women with newborns, McElroy took up with Alice, a 15-year-old from St. Joseph, Mo., 50 miles south of Skidmore. Still hard to believe it happened in 1981 rather than 1891. Hi Harry, I read your book In Broad Daylight 4 years ago.I want to say it was an excellent book, Thanks for all your hard work!! Growing up poor MEANS NOTHING. Ordinarily, Id say vigilante justice is not the way to go, but the folks in Skidmore were terrorized on a day-to-day basis. Everyone wants to know how he controlled a little girl and others. Im not saying there isnt one, but they arent especially close being 5 or 6 counties apart from each other. Skip to main content Home Jeffrey traveled to California to meet his mother. l will let you know my thoughts. Skidmore, itself, is going to die. Im amazed Ken lives as long as he did. I met several of them, including Wilma, before her husband chased me off the farm with a gun. I have spoken to him in the past about this situation and he allowed me to borrow the book In Broad Daylight It was an amazing book, and more interesting because I know Jeff. If she was suing to provide for his children, did she give the other Mothers some of the money? i knew some of his family and the people in the book. And I call he to imply there is some sort collective evil there. Do you know where it can be found? The sleezoid attorney is always a given with guys like this thug. I havent seen you since you was 2 . 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. I believe the townsfolk honestly had no choice. They were all white trash, she was just as guilty as Ken McElroy was in terrorizing those people, although they picked the right town apparently, you can only bully people for so long, shes lucky she didnt meet the same fate. McElroy showed up at the local bar, the D&G Tavern, carrying a rifle and bayonet, making "graphic threats" about finishing off Bowenkamp, according to Unsolved. Let people interpret them, as they choose. As I understand it, the insurance company had it repaired and sold. Have no sympathy for McElroys wife Trena and his previous wife, they really enjoyed the bullying and intimidating people as much as McElroy. Ill never forget the night of his visitation after he passed, people were lined up out the door to pay their respects . Circling the wagons doesnt help anyone. It is titled The Town Bully and it was released in 1988. Estes then drove out of town in his police cruiser. I think its interesting that Ken McElroy exibited all the symptoms of a sociopath. Kriss lives in Skidmore. In one, he is holding his daughter in his lap and looking into the camera. Agreed as well. He raped McCloud repeatedly. By fearing him and and letting him frighten him the empowered him. Check the ages of his childrens mothers when they gave birth! I just found out about the book The Story Behind In Broad Daylight', and I am reading it. It's no secret that our culture is obsessed with true crime stories, thanks to the likes of Serial and Making A Murderer and there are few crime stories more intriguing than an unsolved murder. He was represented by defense attorney Richard Gene McFadin of Gallatin, Missouri. 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. The entire town may not have shot the thug nor burned the house down, but its pretty clear that the entire town turned a blind eye for a reason. The word snitch is a word mostly used by the criminal elements of our world. I just saw the story of your grandmother and then found this article online. Wow..you Gerry Murphy do not understand anything about abuse..trena had every right to sue the town..Im glad she did it..look at what the town did to help her..not a damn thing..she should have gotten more money..as for the 2 trouble maker daughters what ever happened to these little liers?..they started all this mess with there bullshit story about raiding the store? Trena was his accomplice, not his victim, by the time of his death. were the guys fixing the car and the girl in the house in on it? Of course she was a Victim, I was not aware she tried to get away from him to her parents and he killed their family dog! lots of unanswered questions, just like KR no one will talk, here they have shirts that say stop snitchin, but I say if u know something tell it. stubbornly in the dark. How about the guy Red that ran the bar when Ken was shot? Sounds like he didnt suffer enough. Admitedly he was good at his job. Although Henry survived to personally testify against McElroy, the bully was still found not guilty. Thanks for the comment. I would not doubt that situations like this one still happen in this day and age. In her defense, however, she may have been suffering from Stockholm Symdrome that caused her to love him so much. harry my name is sam lewis. It just seems odd . Maybe an early trip to jail would have saved McElroys life in the long run. The thugs of this world breed like animals and the kids carry that genetic defect. Jeffrey seemed curious, but was not interested in meeting any of many siblings living in the area. I wish peace and happiness for all of them and hopefully they can close this chapter of their lives. I remember watching the movie when it came out. Honestly the person I have the biggest problem with is the defense attorney for McElroy. Killing her wouldnt have made anyone safer, but wouldve made the townspeople murderers in their own eyes. I mean her family house was burned to the ground, her pet was killed, and she was abused and who knows what else. She doesnt get a free pass because of it. They should have shot her to she tried to fight the elderly shop keeper and gave interviews on what a saint ken was. It went down just as Ken had said it would that they would not dig to deep for his murder and that he would go down in history just like jesse james. He met his last wife, Trena McCloud (19572012), when she was 12 years old and in eighth grade. Not something she wants to talk much about. Ken McElroy was born in 1934 as the penultimate child among 16 other children. Im going to comment on several things, first Trena did not sue the town until AFTER she married her new husband and started on her new life. Its clear there is no zoning or zoning enforcement in Skidmore. Actually,this took place in Skidmore,, Missouri,not in Kansas. When you grow up like that, I really do believe that it stunts your empathy. Trena was a child who remained a child for years due to the stunt in emotional maturity that takes place when you are having sex etc. Those parents should have moved away with the 12 year old as fast as possible, even without a house. She tried a few times to leave him and was very frightened of him, but with no one to help her, she relented to KR. Thanks for the post. The biggest culprit to hit Skidmore was/is the media. 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.
