'No One Saw a Thing' Timeline: from Mcelroy's Reign of Terror to Modern Media
By Marcus Vance
The breaking point arrived on June 26, 1980. McElroy confronted 70-year-old grocer Bo Bowenkamp outside his store over a dispute involving a pack of bubble gum taken by one of McElroy's children. McElroy pulled a shotgun and blasted Bowenkamp in the neck. Bowenkamp survived, and local authorities actually secured an assault conviction against McElroy in early 1981. Instead of entering custody, McElroy was released on a $20,000 bond pending appeal.
Days later, McElroy strode into the local tavern carrying an M1 Garand fitted with a bayonet, openly threatening to finish Bowenkamp and murder elderly farmer Ernest Campbell. Skidmore's residents realized that even a guilty verdict could not keep him off the street.
On the morning of July 10, 1981, roughly 60 men gathered at the Skidmore Legion Hall to discuss community defense options. When McElroy drove into town with his young wife, Trena McElroy, parking his Silverado outside the D&G Tavern, word spread through the hall. The men left the meeting and marched down the gravel street. McElroy stepped out, bought a carton of cigarettes, returned to his truck, and adjusted his mirror. At least two shooters opened fire with a .222 rifle and an eight-gauge shotgun, striking McElroy repeatedly in the head and neck. Trena screamed for help, but none of the witnesses moved toward the truck. Skidmore let Ken Rex McElroy bleed out behind the wheel.
Marcus Vance is a cybersecurity auditor and technology writer dedicated to educating the public about online safety, data privacy regulations, enterprise security, and emerging cyber threats.
