Ken McElroy: Skidmore's Town Bully
This episode marks our first listener submission of 2026, and it comes from listener Barbara! Who suggested one of the most infamous and unsettling cases in small town history.
We are heading to Skidmore, Missouri, to tell the story of Ken Rex McElroy, a man many locals described as the town bully. For years, McElroy was accused of violent crimes, intimidation, and terrorizing his neighbors, yet time and time again, he avoided prison. Witnesses backed out. Cases collapsed. Fear took over.
Additional Information About the Episode:
On July 10, 1981, in broad daylight, Ken McElroy was shot and killed in front of dozens of people. No one claimed to see who fired the shots. No one was ever charged.
In this episode, we walk through who Ken McElroy was, how a small farming town reached its breaking point, what happened the day he was killed, and what became of Skidmore after the cameras left. We also unpack the investigation, the FBI’s involvement, Trena McElroy’s accusations, and why this case still unsettles people decades later.
🎧 Macabre Mondays is a true crime and paranormal podcast hosted by Alejandra and her husband Tom. Each week, storyteller and spooky enthusiast Ale unpacks some of the most haunting cases she’s researched, dragging her husband along for the ride, whether he’s ready for it or not. He’s hearing it all for the first time… just like you.
Your guides through the strange, the sinister, and the spooky…
Sources:
- Ken McElroy
- NY Times Ken McElroy
- Creepiest Small Town
- CBS News Small Town Violence
- Missouri Life Ken McElroy
- Harry M Maclean – In Broad Daylight
- Missouri Life Skidmore Part 2
- Inside Edition – Small Town Bully Ken McElroy Murder
- Find a Grave – Del Clement
- Harry M Maclean – The Killer & Sex Offender, a Visit to Skidmore, Missouri
- Utterly Interesting Ken McElroy
- Find a Grave – Trena Louise McElroy
- Find a Grave – Ken Rex McElroy
