September 18, 2024 • 18 mins
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What if an entire town took justice into its own hands? Join us on the End of Reason podcast as we unravel the shocking and controversial story of Ken Rex McElroy, a man whose reign of terror left the small town of Skidmore, Missouri, forever changed. From his troubled youth, marked by an abusive father, to his manipulative relationships and escalating criminal activities, McElroy's life was a relentless spiral of violence and fear. Hear the harrowing details of how he managed to evade justice at every turn, only to meet his end in a public, yet unanswered, act of vigilantism.
We'll explore the chilling events that led to McElroy's death, including his twisted marriage to Trina Louise McLeod McNeely, which he orchestrated to escape prosecution for his heinous crimes. Discover how a community, pushed to the brink by one man's unchecked brutality, ultimately took matters into their own hands. Tune in for an in-depth examination of McElroy's dark legacy and the lasting impact on the residents of Skidmore, who continue to live with the unresolved questions and eerie silence that followed his shocking demise.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Before we begin today's episode, we want to
provide a subject matter warning.
This podcast delves intoreal-life crimes and their often
graphic and disturbing details.
Today's episode containsdiscussions of violence, murder
and other sensitive topics thatmay not be suitable for all
listeners.
We understand that this contentcan be triggering or upsetting
(00:22):
for some, and we urge you toconsider your own well-being as
you listen.
With that said, let's proceedwith today's case.
(00:56):
Skidmore, missouri, is a smallrural town with a dark history
that has made it infamous.
With a population of fewer than300 people, it might seem like
an ordinary farming community.
However, it gained notoriety in1981 when Ken Rex McElroy, a
local bully and suspectedcriminal, was shot to death in
(01:17):
broad daylight in front ofdozens of townspeople.
Despite many witnesses, no onewas ever charged with the crime,
leading to a chilling silencethat still haunts the town.
Today.
Skidmore's eerie reputationlingers as a place where justice
took a shadowy, unsettling turn.
This is the End of Reasonpodcast.
(01:37):
Today, we are looking at thecase of Ken McElroy.
To start, let's look back tothe beginning.
Kenneth Rex McElroy was bornJune 1st 1934, in Kansas, a
state in the Midwestern UnitedStates known for its vast plains
, agricultural roots and centralrole in American history.
Often called the SunflowerState, it played a pivotal part
(02:01):
in the lead-up to the Civil War,during the Bleeding Kansas
period, when violent clasheserupted over the issue of
slavery.
Kansas is also known for itssevere weather, including
tornadoes, earning it a spot inTornado.
Alley McElroy is the 15th out of16 kids born to Tony and Mabel
(02:24):
McElroy.
They made their living fromfarming but were never
financially stable, so theymoved around a lot before ending
up in Skidmore.
Mcelroy's troubled path beganearly, shaped by a harsh
upbringing under his father,tony, who was notorious for his
abusive ways.
Tony didn't just inflict harmhimself.
He forced Ken to channel hisrage toward helpless animals,
(02:47):
twisting the boy's mind.
By the time McElroy was 15, thedarkness had fully taken hold.
He dropped out of school andspiralled into a life of crime,
carrying the scars of hisfather's cruelty with him.
By this time, mcelroy was knownfor stealing alcohol, gasoline,
antiques, grain and otherlivestock.
(03:08):
He was also gaining thereputation of a womanizer.
Yet he was married three times.
Mcelroy was also a knownpaedophile.
It wasn't uncommon to see himwith girls as young as 12.
It was at this age when McElroystarted seeing his third wife,
trina Louise McLeod McNeely.
Mcelroy was 32 at the time.
(03:29):
At one point, trina confided inher parents that McElroy had
sexually assaulted her, leadingto charges being filed against
him.
Facing the prospect of prison,mcelroy devised a twisted plan
he proposed to Trina, knowingthat marriage could shield him
from prosecution.
Trina, under pressure,reluctantly agreed.
(03:50):
However, for the plan to work,her parents had to grant
permission for their underagedaughter to marry the man who
had betrayed her trust.
Initially, trina's parentsrefused McElroy's proposal, but
their defiance came at a priceShortly after their dog was
found shot and their home wasreduced to ashes.
(04:11):
Faced with the escalatingviolence, they reluctantly gave
their consent.
With that, mcelroy movedTrenner into his home alongside
his second wife, solidifying histwisted control over both women
.
Alongside his second wife,solidifying his twisted control
over both women.
By the time, traynor was 14,she was pregnant with her first
(04:34):
child and McElroy was 34.
In 1974, mcelroy faced chargesagain, this time for assault,
arson and statutory rape.
With these new charges putforth, traynor was taken from
the home and placed in fostercare with her young child.
But even with this, mcelroywould not stop.
He would stalk Traynor, goingas far as to ask the foster
(04:57):
parents to trade a girl for agirl.
It's believed that McElroy knewwhere the foster parent's
biological daughter went toschool.
Believed that McElroy knewwhere the foster parent's
biological daughter went toschool.
In 1976, a Skidmore farmer,romaine Henry, accused Ken
McElroy of shooting him twicewith a shotgun during a dispute.
Yet no matter how often chargeswere brought against him,
(05:18):
mcelroy always seemed to evadejustice.
Despite being charged more than20 times, nothing ever stuck.
Mcelroy's ability to stay out ofjail was no accident.
It was part of his ruthlessstrategy.
He would threaten anyone whodared press charges or testify
against him, often by sitting inhis truck outside their homes,
(05:40):
silently staring them down ormaking ominous remarks about
burning their house to theground.
The townspeople of Skidmorewere terrified of him, too
frightened to stand up againstthe man who seemed untouchable.
In 1980, a few of the McElroychildren wandered into a grocery
store owned by Skidmore localsErnest Bow and Lois Bowenkamp.
(06:05):
One of the kids grabbed somecandy, prompting the clerk to
ask if they intended to pay.
The children ran out in tears,which brought their mother,
trina, storming into the store.
She confronted the owners andthe clerk, warning them with a
chilling remark you haven't metKen Rex McElroy yet.
You haven't met Ken Rex McElroy.
(06:25):
Yet what followed was a campaignof terror.
Ken Rex McElroy, a notoriousbully, began stalking the Bowen
camps, often parking outsidetheir home, brandishing his gun
at Bow and seizing everyopportunity to instill fear.
After months of relentlessharassment, ken Rex McElroy
(06:45):
escalated his terror campaign byshooting 70-year-old Beau
Bowenkamp with a shotgun.
Beau, critically wounded, wasrushed to the hospital but
managed to survive the attack.
Mcelroy was charged withassault with a deadly weapon,
but thanks to the piles of cashhe had amassed from his illegal
activities like livestock theft,he was quickly out on bail.
(07:09):
The people of Skidmore, longtormented by McElroy's reign of
terror, testified against him,hoping to finally rid themselves
of the man who had earned thenotorious title of the town
bully.
When McElroy was convicted ofassault, the town breathed a
collective sigh of relief,thinking they were finally free.
But their relief wasshort-lived.
(07:32):
Mcelroy was granted an appealand allowed to post a $40,000
bond, leaving him free to roamSkidmore once again Defying
court orders.
He resumed stalking those whohad dared to testify against him
, openly carrying a gun as amenacing reminder of his power.
On July 10th 1981, mcelroy wasscheduled to appear in court
(07:57):
once more, this time facing bondrevocation for his continued
defiance, the townspeople ofSkidmore nearly every adult in
town gathered at the Legion Hallto discuss their next move.
Several residents werescheduled to testify against
McElroy at his hearing, so theydecided that a united convoy to
(08:18):
and from the courthouse in anearby town would offer the best
protection.
But their sense of dreaddeepened when they received word
that the hearing had beenpostponed.
Mcelroy, the man who hadterrorised them for years, would
remain free to haunt theirlives a little longer.
Fear for their families andtheir own safety consumed them.
(08:40):
Fed up and desperate, thetownspeople decided to form a
neighbourhood watch, spurred onby the sheriff's suggestion.
But soon after the sheriff lefttown, just as McElroy and his
wife Traynor arrived, settingthe stage for what would come
next.
He never bowed to anyone,traynor, mcelroy told the
(09:02):
Associated Press.
Later, determined to make astatement, ken insisted on
driving into Skidmore andheading to the D&G Tavern, the
town's only bar.
As Ken and Trainer settled infor a few beers, the men from
the Legion Hall poured into thebar.
Their collective presence, asilent stand against the bully.
The atmosphere grew tense asthe townspeople against the
(09:25):
bully.
The atmosphere grew tense asthe townspeople, united in their
resolve, watched Ken andTraynor with unwavering
intensity.
The crowd followed them outside.
When the couple eventually leftthe tavern and got into their
pickup truck, surrounded by asea of hostile faces and armed
with an array of weapons, thestandoff escalated quickly.
Ken, armed with a shotgun and abayonet, faced the gathering.
(09:46):
The air crackled with tensionbefore gunfire erupted.
On July 10th 1981, ken RexMcElroy, 47, was killed while
sitting in his pickup truck withhis 24-year-old wife, traynor.
After the shooting, traynor waspulled from the vehicle and
escorted to the bank.
(10:06):
The townspeople, havingwitnessed the aftermath, simply
returned to their daily routines, leaving Ken's body in the
truck with the acceleratorpressed to the floor and the
vehicle in park.
During the investigation, noone admitted to knowing who had
shot McElroy.
Although police suspected thatat least two people were
(10:27):
involved, witnesses claimed tohave seen nothing.
Traynor alleged that the murderhad been orchestrated by the
townspeople at the Legion Halland claimed to have identified
the shooter.
However, authorities believedthe fatal shot had come from a
different direction, castingdoubt on her accusation.
The case was presented to agrand jury, which ultimately
(10:51):
decided there was insufficientevidence to indict anyone for
the crime.
Ken Rex McElroy's past wasmarred by troubling allegations.
Traynor claimed he had rapedher when she was a minor, but
later retracted the accusation,saying it stemmed from jealousy
(11:12):
of his then-wife.
After divorcing his first wife,ken married Traynor, but his
ex-wife continued to live withthem and the family functioned
in a manner reminiscent of apolygamous arrangement.
Traynor remarked we had heardthey were holding meetings
around town before he even wentto trial in Bethany.
Ken's children struggled tocomprehend the hatred directed
(11:35):
at their father.
His daughter, tammy, expressedconfusion and sorrow, stating
all my life they've blamed himfor everything.
He was the best father anyonecould have.
I worshipped the ground hewalked on.
(11:58):
In the documentary no One Saw aThing.
Ken's children appeared onscreen visibly mourning their
father.
Saw a thing Ken's childrenappeared on screen visibly
mourning their father.
They acknowledged occasionalvisible injuries on Traynor and
Alice but denied witnessing anyabuse in their home.
Despite no arrests being madein the case, trenna McElroy
filed a federal civil rightslawsuit against the man she
(12:18):
accused of killing her husband,as well as against the town of
Skidmore, nodaway County, thesheriff and the mayor, initially
seeking $5 million in damages.
Traynor ultimately settled for$17,600.
The defendants denied anywrongdoing but stated that the
(12:40):
settlement was made to avoid acostly legal battle.
Following the settlement,traynor relocated with her
children, leaving Skidmorebehind.
In 1982, the home once occupiedby Ken and his family was
destroyed by fire.
The blaze went unreported andauthorities declared that no
investigation would be conductedsince there were no complaints
(13:02):
or requests for assistance.
The house was vacant at thetime of the fire.
Some volunteer firemenresponded to the scene, but the
Skidmore Fire Department did not.
They claimed ignorance of thefire and stated that it was
outside their jurisdiction asthe house was beyond the city
limits.
If no complaint is issued on afire such as that, we don't do
(13:24):
anything about it.
We have fires around here allthe time.
People burn sheds, trailers andweeds.
If we responded to every firein Nodoway County, we'd be busy,
constantly, explained SheriffDeputy Jill Hogue.
The Wild West aspects of thiscase captured national attention
, inspiring a best-selling novel, a television movie and, more
(13:48):
recently, the A&E documentary noOne Saw a Thing.
The documentary highlighted thebrutal aftermath of the
incident.
Over the years, skidmore,missouri, continued to decline,
with the population falling to284 by 2000.
Decline with the populationfalling to 284 by 2000.
(14:09):
To this day, no one has beenarrested or formally charged in
Ken Rex McElroy's murder, whileseveral individuals are believed
to know the identities of theshooters.
None have come forward.
Some speculate that witnessesremain silent out of fear of
retribution from the townspeople.
The documentary suggests thatthose responsible for McElroy's
death may have all passed awayin the 40 years since the crime,
(14:30):
but the violence in Skidmorepersisted long after Ken Wreck's
McElroy's death.
On October 16th 2000, gregDragoo brutally attacked and
strangled his girlfriend, wendyGillenwater.
Dragoo had a long history ofabusing Wendy, a fact that
seemed to be overlooked inSkidmore.
(14:51):
On the day of her death, hesubjected her to a horrific
ordeal, beating her savagely,tying her to his truck and
dragging her along the road.
Wendy was found lifeless in heryard following the brutal
assault.
Dragoo was subsequentlyconvicted of her murder and
sentenced to life in prison,where he remains to this day.
(15:15):
On April 11, 2001, branson Perryvanished from Skidmore,
missouri.
His grandmother arrived at hishouse to find it unlocked and
Branson missing.
Extensive ground searchesfailed to locate him.
At the time of hisdisappearance, branson was 20
years old and has never beenfound.
His friend reported thatBranson's last words were about
(15:38):
retrieving jumper cables from ashed, but he never returned to
the house.
Despite numerous tips andsearches, branson's fate remains
unknown and he is presumed dead.
There are speculations that hemay have been involved with
methamphetamines and hadpotentially dangerous knowledge,
but no charges have been filed.
(15:58):
In August 2022, nodoway CountySheriff Randy Strong revealed
that while they had a suspect,there was insufficient evidence
to make an arrest.
One of the most brutal crimes inSkidmore, missouri's history
was the murder of Bobbie JoStinnett, a 23-year-old
(16:20):
mother-to-be.
Bobbie Jo was killed in herhome on December 16, 2004, by an
online acquaintance.
Her uterus was cut open and herbaby daughter was abducted.
The perpetrator, LisaMontgomery from Kansas, was
quickly identified.
Lisa had faked a pregnancy andkilled Bobby Joe to steal her
(16:41):
baby.
Convicted in federal court dueto the kidnapping, lisa was
sentenced to death.
The US government executed herin January 2021, just days
before the end of the Trumpadministration.
Is Skidmore Missouri cursed?
If Ken Rex McElroy was theproblem, why did the violence
(17:05):
not end with his death?
Some believe the town is facingits own reckoning for the
conspiracy and obstruction ofjustice surrounding McElroy's
case.
Others argue that McElroy'skilling was an act of justified
vigilante justice after years ofterror and ineffective legal
support.
Years of terror and ineffectivelegal support.
(17:26):
Northwestern Missouri has ahistory of crime dating back to
the infamous outlaw Jesse James,who was killed in the region
Before his death.
Many locals sheltered JesseJames and his gang.
One thing is certain Skidmorewas never the same after that
(17:50):
fateful day in July 1981.
Thank you for joining us onthis journey through the shadows
of humanity.
On the End of Reason podcast.
As we conclude today's episode,remember that the pursuit of
truth never truly ends.
Until next time, stay vigilant,stay curious and never let go
of reason.
Before we begin today's episode, we want to
provide a subject matter warning.
This podcast delves intoreal-life crimes and their often
graphic and disturbing details.
Today's episode containsdiscussions of violence, murder
and other sensitive topics thatmay not be suitable for all
listeners.
We understand that this contentcan be triggering or upsetting
(00:22):
for some, and we urge you toconsider your own well-being as
you listen.
With that said, let's proceedwith today's case.
(00:56):
Skidmore, missouri, is a smallrural town with a dark history
that has made it infamous.
With a population of fewer than300 people, it might seem like
an ordinary farming community.
However, it gained notoriety in1981 when Ken Rex McElroy, a
local bully and suspectedcriminal, was shot to death in
(01:17):
broad daylight in front ofdozens of townspeople.
Despite many witnesses, no onewas ever charged with the crime,
leading to a chilling silencethat still haunts the town.
Today.
Skidmore's eerie reputationlingers as a place where justice
took a shadowy, unsettling turn.
This is the End of Reasonpodcast.
(01:37):
Today, we are looking at thecase of Ken McElroy.
To start, let's look back tothe beginning.
Kenneth Rex McElroy was bornJune 1st 1934, in Kansas, a
state in the Midwestern UnitedStates known for its vast plains
, agricultural roots and centralrole in American history.
Often called the SunflowerState, it played a pivotal part
(02:01):
in the lead-up to the Civil War,during the Bleeding Kansas
period, when violent clasheserupted over the issue of
slavery.
Kansas is also known for itssevere weather, including
tornadoes, earning it a spot inTornado.
Alley McElroy is the 15th out of16 kids born to Tony and Mabel
(02:24):
McElroy.
They made their living fromfarming but were never
financially stable, so theymoved around a lot before ending
up in Skidmore.
Mcelroy's troubled path beganearly, shaped by a harsh
upbringing under his father,tony, who was notorious for his
abusive ways.
Tony didn't just inflict harmhimself.
He forced Ken to channel hisrage toward helpless animals,
(02:47):
twisting the boy's mind.
By the time McElroy was 15, thedarkness had fully taken hold.
He dropped out of school andspiralled into a life of crime,
carrying the scars of hisfather's cruelty with him.
By this time, mcelroy was knownfor stealing alcohol, gasoline,
antiques, grain and otherlivestock.
(03:08):
He was also gaining thereputation of a womanizer.
Yet he was married three times.
Mcelroy was also a knownpaedophile.
It wasn't uncommon to see himwith girls as young as 12.
It was at this age when McElroystarted seeing his third wife,
trina Louise McLeod McNeely.
Mcelroy was 32 at the time.
(03:29):
At one point, trina confided inher parents that McElroy had
sexually assaulted her, leadingto charges being filed against
him.
Facing the prospect of prison,mcelroy devised a twisted plan
he proposed to Trina, knowingthat marriage could shield him
from prosecution.
Trina, under pressure,reluctantly agreed.
(03:50):
However, for the plan to work,her parents had to grant
permission for their underagedaughter to marry the man who
had betrayed her trust.
Initially, trina's parentsrefused McElroy's proposal, but
their defiance came at a priceShortly after their dog was
found shot and their home wasreduced to ashes.
(04:11):
Faced with the escalatingviolence, they reluctantly gave
their consent.
With that, mcelroy movedTrenner into his home alongside
his second wife, solidifying histwisted control over both women
.
Alongside his second wife,solidifying his twisted control
over both women.
By the time, traynor was 14,she was pregnant with her first
(04:34):
child and McElroy was 34.
In 1974, mcelroy faced chargesagain, this time for assault,
arson and statutory rape.
With these new charges putforth, traynor was taken from
the home and placed in fostercare with her young child.
But even with this, mcelroywould not stop.
He would stalk Traynor, goingas far as to ask the foster
(04:57):
parents to trade a girl for agirl.
It's believed that McElroy knewwhere the foster parent's
biological daughter went toschool.
Believed that McElroy knewwhere the foster parent's
biological daughter went toschool.
In 1976, a Skidmore farmer,romaine Henry, accused Ken
McElroy of shooting him twicewith a shotgun during a dispute.
Yet no matter how often chargeswere brought against him,
(05:18):
mcelroy always seemed to evadejustice.
Despite being charged more than20 times, nothing ever stuck.
Mcelroy's ability to stay out ofjail was no accident.
It was part of his ruthlessstrategy.
He would threaten anyone whodared press charges or testify
against him, often by sitting inhis truck outside their homes,
(05:40):
silently staring them down ormaking ominous remarks about
burning their house to theground.
The townspeople of Skidmorewere terrified of him, too
frightened to stand up againstthe man who seemed untouchable.
In 1980, a few of the McElroychildren wandered into a grocery
store owned by Skidmore localsErnest Bow and Lois Bowenkamp.
(06:05):
One of the kids grabbed somecandy, prompting the clerk to
ask if they intended to pay.
The children ran out in tears,which brought their mother,
trina, storming into the store.
She confronted the owners andthe clerk, warning them with a
chilling remark you haven't metKen Rex McElroy yet.
You haven't met Ken Rex McElroy.
(06:25):
Yet what followed was a campaignof terror.
Ken Rex McElroy, a notoriousbully, began stalking the Bowen
camps, often parking outsidetheir home, brandishing his gun
at Bow and seizing everyopportunity to instill fear.
After months of relentlessharassment, ken Rex McElroy
(06:45):
escalated his terror campaign byshooting 70-year-old Beau
Bowenkamp with a shotgun.
Beau, critically wounded, wasrushed to the hospital but
managed to survive the attack.
Mcelroy was charged withassault with a deadly weapon,
but thanks to the piles of cashhe had amassed from his illegal
activities like livestock theft,he was quickly out on bail.
(07:09):
The people of Skidmore, longtormented by McElroy's reign of
terror, testified against him,hoping to finally rid themselves
of the man who had earned thenotorious title of the town
bully.
When McElroy was convicted ofassault, the town breathed a
collective sigh of relief,thinking they were finally free.
But their relief wasshort-lived.
(07:32):
Mcelroy was granted an appealand allowed to post a $40,000
bond, leaving him free to roamSkidmore once again Defying
court orders.
He resumed stalking those whohad dared to testify against him
, openly carrying a gun as amenacing reminder of his power.
On July 10th 1981, mcelroy wasscheduled to appear in court
(07:57):
once more, this time facing bondrevocation for his continued
defiance, the townspeople ofSkidmore nearly every adult in
town gathered at the Legion Hallto discuss their next move.
Several residents werescheduled to testify against
McElroy at his hearing, so theydecided that a united convoy to
(08:18):
and from the courthouse in anearby town would offer the best
protection.
But their sense of dreaddeepened when they received word
that the hearing had beenpostponed.
Mcelroy, the man who hadterrorised them for years, would
remain free to haunt theirlives a little longer.
Fear for their families andtheir own safety consumed them.
(08:40):
Fed up and desperate, thetownspeople decided to form a
neighbourhood watch, spurred onby the sheriff's suggestion.
But soon after the sheriff lefttown, just as McElroy and his
wife Traynor arrived, settingthe stage for what would come
next.
He never bowed to anyone,traynor, mcelroy told the
(09:02):
Associated Press.
Later, determined to make astatement, ken insisted on
driving into Skidmore andheading to the D&G Tavern, the
town's only bar.
As Ken and Trainer settled infor a few beers, the men from
the Legion Hall poured into thebar.
Their collective presence, asilent stand against the bully.
The atmosphere grew tense asthe townspeople against the
(09:25):
bully.
The atmosphere grew tense asthe townspeople, united in their
resolve, watched Ken andTraynor with unwavering
intensity.
The crowd followed them outside.
When the couple eventually leftthe tavern and got into their
pickup truck, surrounded by asea of hostile faces and armed
with an array of weapons, thestandoff escalated quickly.
Ken, armed with a shotgun and abayonet, faced the gathering.
(09:46):
The air crackled with tensionbefore gunfire erupted.
On July 10th 1981, ken RexMcElroy, 47, was killed while
sitting in his pickup truck withhis 24-year-old wife, traynor.
After the shooting, traynor waspulled from the vehicle and
escorted to the bank.
(10:06):
The townspeople, havingwitnessed the aftermath, simply
returned to their daily routines, leaving Ken's body in the
truck with the acceleratorpressed to the floor and the
vehicle in park.
During the investigation, noone admitted to knowing who had
shot McElroy.
Although police suspected thatat least two people were
(10:27):
involved, witnesses claimed tohave seen nothing.
Traynor alleged that the murderhad been orchestrated by the
townspeople at the Legion Halland claimed to have identified
the shooter.
However, authorities believedthe fatal shot had come from a
different direction, castingdoubt on her accusation.
The case was presented to agrand jury, which ultimately
(10:51):
decided there was insufficientevidence to indict anyone for
the crime.
Ken Rex McElroy's past wasmarred by troubling allegations.
Traynor claimed he had rapedher when she was a minor, but
later retracted the accusation,saying it stemmed from jealousy
(11:12):
of his then-wife.
After divorcing his first wife,ken married Traynor, but his
ex-wife continued to live withthem and the family functioned
in a manner reminiscent of apolygamous arrangement.
Traynor remarked we had heardthey were holding meetings
around town before he even wentto trial in Bethany.
Ken's children struggled tocomprehend the hatred directed
(11:35):
at their father.
His daughter, tammy, expressedconfusion and sorrow, stating
all my life they've blamed himfor everything.
He was the best father anyonecould have.
I worshipped the ground hewalked on.
(11:58):
In the documentary no One Saw aThing.
Ken's children appeared onscreen visibly mourning their
father.
Saw a thing Ken's childrenappeared on screen visibly
mourning their father.
They acknowledged occasionalvisible injuries on Traynor and
Alice but denied witnessing anyabuse in their home.
Despite no arrests being madein the case, trenna McElroy
filed a federal civil rightslawsuit against the man she
(12:18):
accused of killing her husband,as well as against the town of
Skidmore, nodaway County, thesheriff and the mayor, initially
seeking $5 million in damages.
Traynor ultimately settled for$17,600.
The defendants denied anywrongdoing but stated that the
(12:40):
settlement was made to avoid acostly legal battle.
Following the settlement,traynor relocated with her
children, leaving Skidmorebehind.
In 1982, the home once occupiedby Ken and his family was
destroyed by fire.
The blaze went unreported andauthorities declared that no
investigation would be conductedsince there were no complaints
(13:02):
or requests for assistance.
The house was vacant at thetime of the fire.
Some volunteer firemenresponded to the scene, but the
Skidmore Fire Department did not.
They claimed ignorance of thefire and stated that it was
outside their jurisdiction asthe house was beyond the city
limits.
If no complaint is issued on afire such as that, we don't do
(13:24):
anything about it.
We have fires around here allthe time.
People burn sheds, trailers andweeds.
If we responded to every firein Nodoway County, we'd be busy,
constantly, explained SheriffDeputy Jill Hogue.
The Wild West aspects of thiscase captured national attention
, inspiring a best-selling novel, a television movie and, more
(13:48):
recently, the A&E documentary noOne Saw a Thing.
The documentary highlighted thebrutal aftermath of the
incident.
Over the years, skidmore,missouri, continued to decline,
with the population falling to284 by 2000.
Decline with the populationfalling to 284 by 2000.
(14:09):
To this day, no one has beenarrested or formally charged in
Ken Rex McElroy's murder, whileseveral individuals are believed
to know the identities of theshooters.
None have come forward.
Some speculate that witnessesremain silent out of fear of
retribution from the townspeople.
The documentary suggests thatthose responsible for McElroy's
death may have all passed awayin the 40 years since the crime,
(14:30):
but the violence in Skidmorepersisted long after Ken Wreck's
McElroy's death.
On October 16th 2000, gregDragoo brutally attacked and
strangled his girlfriend, wendyGillenwater.
Dragoo had a long history ofabusing Wendy, a fact that
seemed to be overlooked inSkidmore.
(14:51):
On the day of her death, hesubjected her to a horrific
ordeal, beating her savagely,tying her to his truck and
dragging her along the road.
Wendy was found lifeless in heryard following the brutal
assault.
Dragoo was subsequentlyconvicted of her murder and
sentenced to life in prison,where he remains to this day.
(15:15):
On April 11, 2001, branson Perryvanished from Skidmore,
missouri.
His grandmother arrived at hishouse to find it unlocked and
Branson missing.
Extensive ground searchesfailed to locate him.
At the time of hisdisappearance, branson was 20
years old and has never beenfound.
His friend reported thatBranson's last words were about
(15:38):
retrieving jumper cables from ashed, but he never returned to
the house.
Despite numerous tips andsearches, branson's fate remains
unknown and he is presumed dead.
There are speculations that hemay have been involved with
methamphetamines and hadpotentially dangerous knowledge,
but no charges have been filed.
(15:58):
In August 2022, nodoway CountySheriff Randy Strong revealed
that while they had a suspect,there was insufficient evidence
to make an arrest.
One of the most brutal crimes inSkidmore, missouri's history
was the murder of Bobbie JoStinnett, a 23-year-old
(16:20):
mother-to-be.
Bobbie Jo was killed in herhome on December 16, 2004, by an
online acquaintance.
Her uterus was cut open and herbaby daughter was abducted.
The perpetrator, LisaMontgomery from Kansas, was
quickly identified.
Lisa had faked a pregnancy andkilled Bobby Joe to steal her
(16:41):
baby.
Convicted in federal court dueto the kidnapping, lisa was
sentenced to death.
The US government executed herin January 2021, just days
before the end of the Trumpadministration.
Is Skidmore Missouri cursed?
If Ken Rex McElroy was theproblem, why did the violence
(17:05):
not end with his death?
Some believe the town is facingits own reckoning for the
conspiracy and obstruction ofjustice surrounding McElroy's
case.
Others argue that McElroy'skilling was an act of justified
vigilante justice after years ofterror and ineffective legal
support.
Years of terror and ineffectivelegal support.
(17:26):
Northwestern Missouri has ahistory of crime dating back to
the infamous outlaw Jesse James,who was killed in the region
Before his death.
Many locals sheltered JesseJames and his gang.
One thing is certain Skidmorewas never the same after that
(17:50):
fateful day in July 1981.
Thank you for joining us onthis journey through the shadows
of humanity.
On the End of Reason podcast.
As we conclude today's episode,remember that the pursuit of
truth never truly ends.
Until next time, stay vigilant,stay curious and never let go
of reason.
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