July 10, 1981, Skidmore, Missouri. For years, Ken Rex McElroy terrorized the tiny farming community of Skidmore, Missouri. Accused of theft, arson, assault, intimidation, and sexual violence, McElroy seemed untouchable—using threats and fear to silence witnesses while repeatedly escaping serious consequences.
But in 1980, after shooting elderly grocer Ernest “Bo” Bowenkamp, McElroy was finally convicted of second-degree assault. While free on bond and appealing the verdict, he continued threatening Bowenkamp and anyone willing to testify against him.
On July 10, 1981, residents gathered at a local tavern to discuss what could be done. Minutes later, McElroy climbed into his pickup truck on Skidmore’s main street. In broad daylight, with dozens of townspeople nearby, gunfire erupted. McElroy was shot and killed behind the wheel as his wife sat beside him.
Yet when investigators began asking questions, no one had seen anything. No murder weapon was recovered. No witness identified the shooter. More than four decades later, no one has ever been charged.
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