True Life Tuesday: Ken McElroy

I know I have said this several times in the last few weeks but this story sounds like a movie. This is how a town took back control from the bully who terrorized them.

Ken McElroy was born on June 1, 1934 the 15th of 16 children to poor migrant-tenant farmers Tony and Mabel. The family moved a lot between Kansas and the Ozarks and finally settled in Skidmore, Missouri. He dropped out of school at the age of 15 and soon earned a reputation as a thief. Over twenty years he was charged 21 times with crimes but was never convicted. He would intimidate witnesses and threaten people so they would provide him with an alibi. 

In 1969 he met 12 year old Trena McCloud. He raped her repeatedly and she became pregnant at 14. He divorced his wife and wanted to marry Trena to ensure that statutory rape charges could not be pursued against him. Her parents originally refused his request. He then burned down their house and killed the family dog. They relented and allowed the two to marry.

On July 10, 1981 a group of towns people met at the local Legion Hall to discuss how they could protect themselves from McElroy. The sheriff advised that the town should form a neighborhood watch. As the meeting progressed it was announced that McElroy was at D&G Tavern. Again the sheriff said that they should not confront him and should create a neighborhood watch before leaving town in his cruiser. The towns people headed over to the tavern and when McElroy got into his truck he was shot at several times and was hit twice. He ended up dying from his injuries. Although there were 46 potential witnesses no one came forward to identify the shooter. Trena did point out the person she though was responsible but the prosecutor declined to prosecute. To this day his murder remains unsolved.

In 1984 Trena brought a wrongful death suit against the town, county, sheriff, mayor and the man she believed killed Ken. The suit was eventually settled out of court. She remarried and moved to Lebanon, Missouri, She passed away from cancer on January 24, 2012 - her 55th birthday