Episode 179

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Published on:

6th May 2025

Skidmore's Bully - Ken Rex McElroy

🎧 Patreon (Ad-Free & Uncensored Episodes):

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On July 10, 1981, in the tiny town of Skidmore, Missouri, a man climbed into his pickup truck along with his wife and then...shot in broad daylight in front of dozens of witnesses. The man was Ken Rex McElroy, a local terror with a long rap sheet, a history of violence, and a reputation for evading justice. After it was over, no one called for help. No one admitted to seeing the shooter. No one was ever charged.

 

In this episode, we take you through the chilling events of that day, the decades of intimidation that led up to it, and the silence that followed. Was this murder—or vigilante justice? What happens when a community feels abandoned by the legal system and takes matters into its own hands?

 

The book In Broad Daylight: https://a.co/d/7rJadyk

 

 

Sources:

 

New York Times – “Slain Bully’s Town Looks Back Without Pity”

https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/11/us/slain-bully-s-town-looks-back-without-pity.html

 

A&E Real Crime – “Ken Rex McElroy Vigilante Murder”

https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/ken-rex-mcelroy-vigilante-murder-skidmore-unsolved

 

Wikipedia – “Ken McElroy”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_McElroy

 

Inside Edition – “The Unsolved Murder of Missouri Town Bully Ken Rex McElroy: No One Saw a Thing”

https://www.insideedition.com/the-unsolved-murder-of-missouri-town-bully-ken-rex-mcelroy-no-one-saw-a-thing-54856

 

Historical reporting from Newspapers.com archives, including articles from:

 

St. Joseph Gazette

 

Springfield Leader

 

St. Joseph News-Press

 

The Springfield News

 

Columbia Daily Tribune

 

Daily American Republic

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Kristine W

Lover of true crime, scary stories, horror films, and ghost hunting. Kristine is a down-to-earth, opinionated, smart-mouthed Gen X'er who enjoys sharing these stories with you.