Ken McElroy
American criminal and murder victim (1934–1981)
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Key Takeaways
- Kenneth Rex McElroy (June 16, 1934 – July 10, 1981) was an American criminal and convicted attempted murderer who resided in Skidmore, Missouri.
- 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.
- In 1981, McElroy was convicted of second-degree assault in the non-fatal shooting of the town's 70-year-old grocer Ernest "Bo" Bowenkamp.
- On June 30, 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.
- 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.
Kenneth Rex McElroy (June 16, 1934 – July 10, 1981) was an American criminal and convicted attempted murderer who resided in Skidmore, Missouri. He was known as "the town bully", 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.
In all, he was indicted 21 times but escaped conviction each time, except for the last. In 1981, McElroy was convicted of second-degree assault in the non-fatal shooting of the town's 70-year-old grocer Ernest "Bo" Bowenkamp. McElroy was released on bond pending an appeal, after which he engaged in a harassment campaign against Bowenkamp and others who were sympathetic to Bowenkamp, including the town's Church of Christ minister.
On June 30, 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. The next week, McElroy was shot and killed as he sat with his wife Trena in his pickup truck on Skidmore's main street. 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. Despite the many witnesses, nobody came forward to say who shot him. As of 2026, no one has been charged in connection with McElroy's death.
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