Ken McElroy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Ken Rex McElroy June 1, 1934 Overland Park, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | July 10, 1981 (aged 47) Skidmore, Missouri, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Homicide (multiple gunshot wounds) |
| Known for | Unsolved homicide |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 10 |
| Conviction(s) | Assault with intent to kill |
| Details | |
| Victims | Bo Bowenkamp (attempted murder) Trena McElroy (statutory rape) Two McCloud family dogs (killed) |
| Date | July 8, 1980 (Bowenkamp) |
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",[1] and his unsolved killing became the focus of international attention. Over the course of his life, McElroy was accused of dozens of felonies, including assault, child molestation, statutory rape, arson, animal cruelty, hog and cattle rustling, and burglary.[2]
In all, he was indicted 21 times but escaped conviction each time, except for the last.[2][3] In 1981, McElroy was convicted of attempted murder in the shooting of the town's 70-year-old grocer Ernest "Bo" Bowenkamp.[1] McElroy successfully appealed the conviction and was released on bond, after which he engaged in an ongoing harassment campaign against Bowenkamp and others who were sympathetic to Bowenkamp, including the town's Church of Christ minister.
On July 9, 1981, he appeared in a local bar, the D&G Tavern, armed with an M1 Garand rifle and bayonet, and later threatened to kill Bowenkamp.[1][3] The next day, McElroy was shot and killed in broad daylight as he sat with his wife Trena in his pickup truck on Skidmore's main street.[2] He was struck by bullets from at least two different firearms, in front of a crowd of people estimated as numbering between 30 and 46.[1] To date, no one has been charged in connection with McElroy's death.[1]
- ^ a b c d e Bradley, Donald. "3 decades on, who killed Skidmore town bully still secret". Mcclatchydc.com. Archived from the original on 2010-09-01. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
- ^ a b c "Ken McElroy Murderer, rapist and consummate intimidator". Trutv.com. 1981-07-10. Archived from the original on 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
- ^ a b Harry N. MacLean, In Broad Daylight. NY: Harper & Row, 1988.