Today in History - July 10: No witnesses come forward after town bully murdered
Local town bully and habitual criminal Ken McElroy was shot dead on the main street of Skidmore, Missouri, on July 10, 1981.
But despite 46 people witnessing the murder, nobody has ever been charged.
The unsolved murder may seem like a failure of the justice system, but in Skidmore, McElroy's death is seen as justice itself.
McElroy was a persistent criminal and bully in the town of only a few hundred people. He was indicted for assault, child molestation, statutory rape, arson, stealing livestock and burglary.
But in spite of 21 indictments, he was never convicted, thanks in large part to his intimidation of witnesses in the tiny farm town surrounded by corn fields.
He escaped conviction for statutory rape only because he married his 14-year-old victim. When she fled his home two weeks after giving birth, he burned down her parents' house and shot the family dog.
He got away with shooting a farmer in the stomach when he was confronted for trespassing, and stalked the daughter of the family who adopted his baby.
Skidmore was sick of McElroy before the crime that brought things to a head. When McElroy's seven-year-old child was caught shoplifting, he shot grocery store owner Bo Bowenkamp in the neck.
He was arrested and charged with attempted murder, but granted bail. Immediately after being released, McElroy arrived at the local tavern with an M1 rifle and bayonet and started making murderous threats against Bowenkamp.
McElroy's crimes were bad enough for dozens of the townspeople to gather at the town hall to discuss what to do.
County Sheriff Dan Estes pushed the town to form a neighbourhood watch organisation, then he left the town in his police cruiser.
Soon after, McElroy left the tavern and got into his ute with his wife Trena, only to find himself surrounded.
McElroy was shot twice by two different rifles.
Nobody was ever charged. Whoever shot McElroy had got away with murder.
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