Helpful Score: 1
Very disturbing on many levels. The fact that this man was able, and was enabled by his sleazey lawyer, to work the justice system so that he was never convicted of his obvious crimes is the most disturbing event in this story. He was quite the bully. Very sad for his family, all the people who were unlucky enough to cross his path (including his wife), and himself.
Helpful Score: 1
It amazes me what one man was allowed to get away with for so many years in a small town. He bullied,intimidated and shot people and continued to get away with it all! The town citizens got their own justice!!
Helpful Score: 1
It is rather scary how our justice system can fail us...... I'm not sure why I enjoy reading true life accounts. I guess I'm just weird. This one I did not like though. The event itself was just sickening and sad. As well, the storey was very disjointed and at times hard to follow.
I liked the way the author spent so much time researching the history of this town's bully and the people he terrorized and murdered. There was no help from the legal system for decades. If you are a reader of true crime this book is well written and a very complete story.
Fascinating true crime published in 1988. The town bully Ken McElroy terrorized the town of Skidmore (pop 487 & then down to 284) Indicted over 20 times & not serving jail time (rape, molestation, bigamy, attempted murder) & then going after people who spoke out against him. The town had enough & he was shot (murdered) in broad daylight with over 20 witnesses in 1981 that didn't see anything. Still an unsolved case. A new series now on Sundance TV called "No One Saw A Thing" Almost 40 yrs later & still no one will talk. BEST KEPT SECRET EVER. Interesting story on vigilante justice & small town secrets & failings of the judicial system
Ken McElroy has robbed, raped, burned, shot, and maimed the citizens of Skidmore, Missouri without conscience or remorse. Again and again, the law had failed to stop hiim. On July 10, 1981, Ken McElroy was shot to death on the main street of thsi small farming community. Forty-five people watched. No indictments were ever issued, no trial held-- and the town of Skidmore has protected the killers with silence to this day. Now this powerful but true-life account details what drove normal American citizens to murder.
A very good and very disturbing true story of a town driven mad by an out-of-control bully.
I got this book on recommendation from another "true crime" reader, and
she was on target! Truly an excellent book!!! The villian is horrendous,
but one of the more interesting cases I've read - and very well written.
I've read hundreds of true crime (and always looking for more), but this is a book certainly in my top 10.
she was on target! Truly an excellent book!!! The villian is horrendous,
but one of the more interesting cases I've read - and very well written.
I've read hundreds of true crime (and always looking for more), but this is a book certainly in my top 10.
This was a very good book. I can't say I felt any compassion for McElroy. In fact, if I had been there when he was killed, I would have held my silence, too. The ones who killed him and kept silent were not bad people - they were good people who were pushed too far and felt that they had no other choice. If the law there had done what it was supposed to do, this probably would never have happened.
Very well written book. I've read loads of true crime and this one is one of the best. Disturbing that the bad guy could get away with so much for so long.
true crime
