American Town Where Everyone is a Murderer

[@betterchapter]

The whole town be like: "I see nothing, I hear nothing, I know nothing."

[@jtgd]

🤫

[@tlanhluachuteh174]

Hear gunshot tho lol

[@nativewildman9335]

NOTHING!

[@willambonney]

It's like killing Cesar everyones guilty.

[@shantoreywilkins651]

🙈🙉🙊

[@victoriaoleary8124]

I love how the law of the town called in the FBI and tried so hard to catch townsfolk who were defending themselves but didn't lift a finger for the actual criminal

[@coledavis8591]

Justice system: What's this? A man has been murdered by this guy and several people injured. Pfft. Not my problem Also justice system: what's this. A man that murdered a man and injured many people has been murdered. We mustn't let this horrible crime go unpunished.

[@gopronomad4381]

Hahaha were they in his side?

[@jeffcampbell2710]

That's not the case. The FBI found it odd that the cop drove out of town just before it happened.

[@chickadeestevenson5440]

he had a powerful mob lawyer on retainer.

[@Doughboy842]

That's the Feds for ya.

[@deathdefying1472]

Man this town must’ve really hated that guy, it’s a pretty interesting story and I think he had it coming

[@lovely1641]

I mean hey, you go around brandishing a gun, harass the townspeople and cheat your way out of court cases where you were actually wrong long enough, I guess anyone would be fed up

[@bobbelcher678]

He robbed and bullied the townsfolk and even shot at people. There’s a buzzfeed unsolved video that goes into more depth

[@BenMarvin]

@@lovely1641 watch the mad lads episode on him

[@jamesdunn9609]

Not really. I lived just a few miles from Skidmore when this happened. The people there felt it was necessary but also a shame. Apparently when he was a kid, Rex was like any other rural farm kid. But then he suffered a severe head injury in a farm accident and his personality changed completely. He went from being friendly and outgoing to sullen and aggressive. I knew a guy who lived there and he told me in the days following the shooting that everyone felt terrible about what happened, but then he looked me in the eye and said, in typical rural Missouri fashion, "but as much as you may love 'em, what else can you do with a chicken eatin' dog?"

[@NahIdwin]

Yeah for sure

[@cucumberfishy]

faith in humanity restored when not even one person from the town snitched

[@ComicalRealm]

It feels so weird realizing 1980 was over 40 years ago

[@sceptile7581]

@@CodeDoge It feels so weird realizing 1980 was over 40 years ago

[@mikedavis1476]

Yes this also hurt me too 😂 I’ll be 43 this year

[@mattjack3983]

I would have to agree with the above people that OP's comment is very hurtful and uncalled for😒😔😕

[@go-go3319]

Shhhhhhhhh lol

[@sayulitalyfe5299]

Even weirder knowing 1950s is only months away

[@kingofall5299]

I also love how the town got together and worked as a community to get rid of this guy... just goes to show when everyone is fed up of someone they will come together to do all they can.

[@Ramiiam]

Correction: The people of the town obtained justice from a legal system that was only interested in protecting the criminal, both in life and in death.

[@USAFreewayROTF]

Correction, correction: The people of the town obtained justice from a legal system that was only interested in protecting the guy with the most money.

[@mrreyes5004]

@@USAFreewayROTF Yup. I'm glad McElroy's few supporters will never truly get the guy who did it. Trena, his wife who most likely had severe Stockholm Syndryome, only got like $17,000 in restitution, but even then that just feels like a pity throw. This whole case really was a wake-up call that if those in power think they can go too long failing the masses without said masses rising up to take matters into their own hands, they got another thing coming. Marie Antoinette should've been a historical example to learn from.

[@ladynikkie]

A bully got his Karma and the police should be embarrassed this man was a known troublemaker if he was willing to terrorize the town that drove them to do vigilante justice.

[@colbynicley4766]

The police arrested him it's the district attorneys Job to prosecut. The police can't do any more than arrest.

[@NoopyxD]

The police arrested that man several times already. it's really the towns court fault for letting him go 🙄

[@_.Infinity._]

The police did their job. The Jury failed at it.

[@Tuturial464]

No the justice system failed to protect the witnesses and a corrupt lawyer

[@ladynikkie]

@@Tuturial464 yes believe that is lawyer was an attorney for the mob that's how he got away with it so much

[@KingYote]

Honestly, i don't feel bad at all, in fact i'm kinda glad this happened before things got worse.

[@mgrant011]

Sounds like he had it coming.

[@Mario87456]

He got what he deserved and I hope they NEVER find out who is responsible.

[@NPCuser-xi9so]

@@Mario87456 even if they did they’re probably dead

[@Mario87456]

@@NPCuser-xi9so Yeah I’m am fine if they find out who the killer is but ONLY if the killer is already dead.

[@StevenMichaelCunningham]

That is due to your being perverse currently.

[@Wolfdogs_US]

This is called street justice. It’s often necessary

[@mrfixit3666]

But leads to chaos.

[@Karlos1234ify]

The court system has failed so many times

[@joeyjohnson4826]

@@Karlos1234ify did it fail? Or did it fail to provide an outcome you wanted???? I could go in t o the conversation in plato republic... justice🤔 what is justice? Hmm... would one consider a lynchi mob justice? What is justice? Your desired outcome? Or something else?

[@bruhx1250]

@@joeyjohnson4826 you sound like a conspiracy theorist

[@sherlockholmes2497]

@@bruhx1250 no he doesn't. Whatever he said were facts.

[@missouribackwoodsadventures]

That’s not really how it happened… he was already parked. They surrounded his truck, took the lady out, then opened up fire. The Marshall was “not in town” that day.

[@thomasswafford250]

@sleepingdog99 I believe his foot was on the brake and the motor was burned up by the engine running and the brake engaged.

[@missouribackwoodsadventures]

@@thomasswafford250 Nah. He was parked outside the legion in town. It actually happened after a town meeting where they were discussing what to do with him.

[@carryeveryday910]

Incorrect. The sheriff had been confronted by the town about what to do and after informing them multiple times to start a “neighborhood watch” he left town to attend to other business.

[@thundercricket4634]

Actually he was parked at the time of the shooting. And his wife was in the truck with him but they avoided shooting her and simply killed Ken. After he'd been shot one of the men got her out of the truck and walked her up the block where she was taken care of. Depending on which documentary you're watching, apparently there was a lot of contempt for his wife amongst the townspeople as well as she was frequently a minor accomplice of sorts in some of his crimes and would frequently accuse anyone who voiced a complaint against her husband of being dishonest. Likely explanation is that after 10+ years of intensive abuse by the lunatic she was thoroughly in the grips of Stockholm.

[@nefertit1927]

welp not quite a, after he was shot , his wife dived from the truck and was brought to safety. As for the sheriff , shortly after the town hall meeting. the sheriff rode out of town in cruiser and didn't come back for weeks . and they slowly but purposefully walked from the site of the meeting to the tavern and then opened fire

[@grt1687]

As problematic as vigilante justice is, there are those rare cases where they get it right. This is one of them.

[@humansvd3269]

these days, you can't trust the cops to do it right. it's now just a worship of bureaucracy...

[@pollypockets508]

They really didn't have any other choice.

[@bryanc1975]

It's not like they didn't try and do it the other way. The legal system failed them, so they took care of it.

[@jayd6028]

They did not try it the other way

[@RoyCyberPunk]

@@jayd6028 Dude he was charged and tried 5 times and he always managed to get free.

[@jayd6028]

@@RoyCyberPunk witnesses recanted... Not much you can do when that happens

[@easyenetwork2023]

@@jayd6028 They recanted out of fear from intimidation.

[@adzi6164]

Usually I'm against vigilante "justice". This case is not usual though. The failure of legal justice there was egregious. People murdering someone because the sentence wasn't satisfying enough for them is one thing. Entire town killing off a psychopath terrorising everyone, because the law somehow couldn't properly incapacitate him from doing crimes for far too long is another.

[@madking1485]

I agree.

[@MHShah17]

Rare occasion of USA's loose gun laws helping people

[@kurtlindner]

@@MHShah17 If it were England -long bows.

[@spooniesarah]

Agree 100%

[@3182john]

Yeah I don't get why ppl didn't just do the right thing and tell the courts the honest truth.

[@fishingislife9554]

Whoever shot that guy, if you’re reading this, your a true American hero

[@crazyfire9470]

I don’t get the reference...

[@holasenoras7535]

U saying that is sooo American 💀

[@hassantako982]

I agree

[@yahir4640]

they are a murderer too… are we gonna start glorifying killers?

[@reversetime5956]

@@yahir4640 yes

[@mariomunoz6943]

Sounds like justice to me!

[@T.K.P.]

Not in the eyes of this narrator, according to him, whole town was killer.

[@chanpiggy3938]

A taste of his own medicine

[@n.5731]

It was Nothing like justice

[@basicallyjason8111]

@@T.K.P. technically they are, but in this case, they are killers for the right cause

[@thomasswafford250]

@@n.5731 was it right for them to have to live in fear?

[@THE_GUY_ONE]

No one can say that he didn't get what he had coming.

[@simoc24]

Lol so true

[@savagelove1044]

He didn’t deserve it tho guys a true legend

[@theoriginaltroll388]

Merica

[@mattjack3983]

Dude definitely had it coming

[@816aidan]

@@savagelove1044 Cool bait loser.

[@gabepierce6684]

They just literally did a Bonnie and Clyde style shootout on the son of a birch

[@joshtaylor4285]

More like a son of a pine lol

[@jasonhenry8067]

Having heard more extensive versions of the same story, the video downplayed just how vile the man really was. Nothing of value was lost that day.

[@11magic1man11]

They'll do all that including calling in the FBI to try and find out who killed this guy but wouldn't do anything about him terrorizing the town? That's wild.

[@araza20111]

thats american justice in a nutshell

[@MHShah17]

USA, makes negative sense

[@MHShah17]

@Kelvin not always, but it seems US seems heavy in that type using police as a way to abuse power

[@trichard6618]

Ken's attorney and widow were the ones that called the FBI. Shortly after Ken's death his house mysteriously burned to the ground. Trend, her children, Ken's other "wives" and children were more or less forced to move out of the county. Trena McElroy was a child when Ken Rex targeted her. She had mental and emotional problems after years of abuse at the hands of her "husband."

[@legendarystatus4705]

“Town where everyone is a murderer” it was like two ppl

[@Matthiaskyriakidis]

well that is true and misleading, in theory they are guilty by association

[@legendarystatus4705]

@@Matthiaskyriakidis true

[@thomasswafford250]

@@Matthiaskyriakidis they did what they had to do. He was a threat to people and was continuing to be.

[@Matthiaskyriakidis]

@@thomasswafford250 well I know that I am talking in legal terms they are guilty also. But I would have killed they guy long before anyone else would. He was a dangerous person.

[@MikeMaduxx]

Clicky Bait! Clicky Bait! Even your favorite channel is guilty of it! They can't help themselves. It's the same as newspapers.

[@MiguelBrito1139]

I am surprised that he got to do so much to this town before getting rightfully shot. Americans back then weren't as trigger-happy as they are today.

[@HooDatDonDar]

Wrong.

[@taranyoung8561]

Nice to see a community come together in unity to solve a problem. 😁👍

[@ngashjr]

"We saw nothing... We don't know anything that's our story and we're sticking to it." Skidmore, Missouri.

[@ZCommander]

Justice served.

[@Lichnaya_pravda]

"It was over in a moment and the folks had gathered round: There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground.' 👍

[@robert-janthuis9927]

Oh, he might have went on living but he made one fatal slip When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip

[@johnshuster5380]

@@robert-janthuis9927 Big iron on his hip

[@DennisWHJr]

BIG IRON ON HIIIIIP

[@imperialguardsman5929]

Eminem been real quiet after this beat dropped

[@TheEddieStilson]

I think we all know what REALLY happened. The man clearly shot himself. Twice. With two different rifles. It was the darndest thing, I tell ya.

[@fox7757]

If this story is true, let's all say this man has it coming to him. A criminal who is easily angered and get so physical is a huge safety hazard for everyone in the community or in fact the country if he been able to expand his criminal activities across the country.

[@Igarappappa]

Oh, it's true. This was a huge story when it happened.

[@bequiettaylor2783]

It’s true. I actually live here - and the school that lives in a town about 5/10 minutes away they’ve covered this before.

[@easyenetwork2023]

Yes, that is exactly why they knew he had to die. Take care of the problem before it becomes a bigger problem.

[@nicotopcat1188]

"Trina, he's dead. You can stop defending him now!"

[@SparklRebel]

Stockholm syndrome is a powerful thing

[@wrmusic8736]

on the contrary - she did love the bad boy, while enjoying life without responsibility under him, and was just upset he got whacked and she became nobody

[@easyenetwork2023]

@@wrmusic8736 She missed the money.

[@roopakshetty132]

Lets have a minute for the Animators of this channel.

[@KD-kl4sx]

Why ? It’s not that spectacular animation, maybe one of the cheapest too create, hence why they do it this way

[@VampyRagDoll]

@@KD-kl4sx you have no idea how long it takes, do you?

[@chase5015]

they use assets. I assume theres a massive team.

[@bensanderson2523]

@@KD-kl4sx yes, the style may displease you, but the effort put in even with a large team is immense for the time of the videos and the quantity of them. Don't downplay the success of the animation, even if the original comment didn't go into too much detail and was a bit templated.

[@p.h.i.lcongure9168]

@@KD-kl4sx even the simplest of animation takes more time and effort than you realise. Animators are under appreciated and people who have no idea what work goes into it constantly overlook them

[@816aidan]

I'm from KCMO. My sister's friend's uncle is from Skidmore and apparently he was there when McElroy was killed.

[@fookyu1621]

Justice is a job of a society not that of a government. Skidmore sounds like a true american town

[@Makarosc]

Well it's a ghost town now

[@thedude4672]

In our democracy, the government is formed by society, the people. ["By the people, for the people ...."] It's not perfect, but it's the USA.

[@fookyu1621]

@@thedude4672 theres nobody i voted for in office. Last time the people had taxation without representation they shed blood for their rights. You can call it what you will but when the rich rig the game to always win thats an oligarchy not a democracy. If wed listened to Jefferson and had a revolution once per generation you wouldn't have the obama deep state the bush war machine or the clinton drug running. I like a society in which the people ruling have to face the masses without armed security. There once was a time you could slap a president and let that lieing snake know youre onto him

[@WoziePozie]

It really is. I live less than 20 minutes from there.

[@SuperBlessedKing]

Karma came back to provide consequences to him for being a very bad person to everyone within that particular city.

[@andrewjennings745]

It was so big here where I lived, about an hour away. The sheriff eventually moved to my town and died here. He said he would never tell who did it, or who started until. He would take it to his grave.

[@ANNAKKi]

This is how a community should behave against this kind of criminality and flawed system.

[@ghostcat8244]

Wasn’t their more about him? I thought it was more... didn’t he kidnapped her to be his wife and force her to do things etc.

[@ghostcat8244]

@@Abusedtinsley17 that’s actually where I got the question from I watch his video about it a while back. And it was allot of info that they left off that he cover way more on.

[@ghostcat8244]

@@Abusedtinsley17 that’s what I was thinking honestly.

[@shanedickinson745]

Well done Skidmore

[@hku99]

Necessary street justice. He got what he was asking for.

[@kenhill3230]

I remember this. He got his justice.

[@secdup2510]

The cops and FBI put way more time and effort into finding his killer than they ever did on all his previous charges combined. Nice to see that nothing has changed since then as the priority was in protecting the justice system, not the people it serves.

[@jamie_ghost.johnson]

I know right, the polices and FBI. Spend their time looking for his killer, then try to bring him into justice. For the crime he did. The polices and FBI doesn’t have to find his killer’s to give him justice, if the justice system did their job properly then the people. Wouldn’t have to take the problems in their hand and take care of him. I think polices and FBI shouldn’t have done a investigation on this. And it slide as no one is going to give Ken Rex any sympathy.

[@94462]

This is beautiful karma for the FBI since they couldn’t bring the oppresser to justice because of legal loopholes. It’s only fair the community are tight lipped and don’t tell them anything. They don’t deserve to know

[@isabellaangeline2175]

If this is the case I think it is, then the guy was asking for it. He was a bully who went around stealing and acting like he owned the town. Law enforcement refused to do their jobs, so they forced the town residents to take matters into their own hands.

[@craigpalmer2330]

my grandparents knew this guy and used to tell me stories about him when i was a kid. i cant remember where they're from but my dad was born in st. jo and grew up in mexico mo

[@DPK365]

This guy sounds like someone you create in Bitlife and then you make him evil LOL

[@tylerthompson5859]

I live near this town. It's a story still told of course. Nobody will say a word, they won't even mention his name. The older guys know most of the story about his death, but it's riveting to hear it from those that were there or knew folks that were.

[@zeusathena26]

Fifteen year ago I moved to a tiny Missouri town. It's not far from this one. These people can keep a secret! You will always be the outsider. It can be eerie at first.

[@umidk2844]

The captions are a different story

[@claudiu7909]

LOL, just turned them on, it's like a weird reboot of the same episode

[@britishwatermelon680]

“Most of you will have the ability to use that bit of the brain and push back more animal”

[@umidk2844]

@@claudiu7909 we can make memorable quotes out of this

[@deannawoods1985]

Ken McElroy got what was coming to him. He bullied that town for such a long time and they were sick of it. The final nail in his coffin was getting such a lenient sentence for shooting a 70 year old in the neck.

[@Tacoassassinz]

This is actually one of the stories I knew coming into it it was covered on buzzfeed unsolved it’s such a crazy story

[@WRL13]

that's what people do. McElroy was a bully, but everyone would rather stick up for their friend who did something illegal rather than help a man who is hurt, but not liked. they all will shout "I am Spartacus" when the cops come asking for a shooter.

[@kirkhenry3867]

I grew up about 12 miles away from this, I was 11 at the time. People from the big tv stations (I remember Geraldo and some folks from 60 Minutes) came to town....it was quite a deal, I don't remember it all but I do remember some. The guy who got shot was a terrible, terrible person. I know a few folks from Skidmore.....I've never heard a single name mentioned. I've never seen anything like this before or since. Never seen so many people able to stay so quiet for so long.

[@buzzard6410]

There were three made for TV movies based on this story. Brian Dennehy played the bully in the one titled IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. .

[@JohnSmith-wi4xo]

But the title is incorrect. Also, why is Skidmore so crime-ridden even to this day?

[@innconspicuous]

There's a fantastic mad lad video covering this it's got far more detail worth a watch. Great video here too

[@anubhavpal5782]

Blood splaying onto the dashboard, what a way to start a video

[@comrade_kaimana]

agreed

[@decker528]

I don't think anyone is a murderer, but they got rid of a two time attempted murderer. Maybe it's a town full of pest exterminators

[@vanessathomas7437]

I remember this case. The man was a literal town bully....

[@louyork8379]

The closed captions tell a totally different story than what’s being said. I bet there are some deaf people who are so confused by this 🤣

[@MsMomNerd]

Right?!?!

[@ekarll1722]

Yep

[@MissBee13]

yep.

[@9_Lights]

Having watched the documentary, that guy had it coming.

[@AtTheEndProductions]

I'm only 20 seconds into this and already see/hear several inaccuracies. The truck was parked in front of the D & G Tavern, not driving down the road. Also after Ken was shot, the truck did not idle. His foot slumped forward, pushing the gas pedal to the floor and racing the engine for a couple of minutes until it blew up. Details matter. Also, Bo was in the back of the store when the candy incident occurred on April 25th, 1980. He had no contact with the McElroy children, which made it even more confusing as to why Ken's rage focused on him specifically.

[@Rogerdodger1]

It wasn't just one shooter there was actually three and probably 30 people who seen it but this guy was a huge POS and he got what he had coming.

[@Sooner757]

There's an old phrase I heard as a kid. "He needed killing."

[@Raven-yv6di]

Buzzfeed Unsolved did a great and lengthy video on this. The justice system failed so the citizens stepped up to the plate.

[@sovietunion142]

Imagine getting clapped by an entire town, You must've made a Lotta mistakes for that to happen

[@goku-sangreen4510]

Isn't it illegal to threaten witness...also shouldn't have the authorities been arrested for corruption

[@maniac50ae14]

They took "Stop Snitching" to the ultimate level

[@Bighuss83]

I seen a documentary on this he was a horrible person according to the people of the town

[@tobiasreaper3650]

As a state native, we call this an "oops"

[@dermetaller15]

What a tragedy, he was shot dead in broad daylight. Anyways, did you know that it's only possible to lead a cow upstairs, but not downstairs? Pretty interesting, am I right?

[@KoltiraMemeweaver]

I remember hearing this story a few years ago. I still don't blame that town. I would have not told the police anything either. That man had to go imo.

[@abrahamfranz1889]

America legit is a roller-coaster country

[@brycemartin69]

Ken McLeroy is my aunt’s uncle. His family still lives in the Ozarks and my family goes there every summer. Pretty cool that my favorite YT channel posted about him.

[@paullentz1972]

Uncle Ken got what was coming to him! I love how the whole town basically decided to stick to their 'we didnt see nothing, Mr. Officer'! Snitches get Stiches!

[@derweibhai]

Read the book, and visited the location. He was a horribly evil person, just deserts.

[@joecaner]

Stories like this should serve to disabuse most of the belief that the legal system exists for their protection. But it will not. Such is the power of immersive childhood education.

[@joestapes4192]

Good for the people of that town. Did what had to be done cut out the cancer and no snitches.

[@THEEND4444]

I don’t blame them. I grew up in one of those towns with untouchable and violent people. I would’ve been ecstatic if someone took them out.

[@JPabloRL]

Awesome story! I hope more communities do the same.

[@jogingeorge4885]

McElroy was basically Don Fanucci from Godfather 2. When someone finally killed him no one complained because no one missed him.

[@johnatan_86]

This channel is the best. Change my mind

[@hamburger3657]

mrbeast exists

[@legoman3022]

I can't

[@Gojifan-]

Pewdiepie exists

[@JJ-wm6vj]

Kurzgesagt exists

[@legoman3022]

@@JJ-wm6vj who the f is that

[@hughmungus16]

The guy had it more than coming from what I have read and heard.

[@carolinevs943]

This happens in a lot of towns :( so sad the justice system didnt protect these poor people :(

[@MrGamer2475]

You can’t be a bully as an adult, it just doesn’t work 😭

[@anthonyguerrero9908]

Officer: You're under arrest! McElroy: On what grounds? Officer: For several counts of every crime under the sun!

[@intodaysepisode...]

I love this story! Buzzfeed Unsolved introduced my son and I to it!

[@DownWithBureaucracy]

Lawyers like that should be barred from their practice at minimum, maybe even criminally charged equal to the person they knowingly got out of jail.

[@mr.nemesis6442]

Yeah he had it coming. The cops working this case should probably just sip coffee and play on their phones while investigating this.

[@StreyX]

I'm surprised they didn't go after McFadden too.

[@SeanCarterCFH]

It's actually nice to read about a town getting peace after being tortured. Albeit extreme the way they did it.

[@Zeldarw104]

Bravo to this ( I can't take no more) community!👍 When the (town folk) work together, to get rid of the vermin! The lawyer should've been next.🤣🤭

[@strange_and_magnificent]

Those townspeople are true heroes.

[@Kakirinkato-san]

Justice served at its best

[@girl1213]

There comes a breaking point and these people had reached it. Authorities and the legal system have failed them one too many times so there was no one in authority or law enforcement they could trust to do their job. He would have killed someone eventually and no one was willing to let it either be them or someone they loved. It may not be the kind of justice most people like, but it was justice. No one in that town has done anything like that again.

[@Gauntlets]

When a guy's so much of a bastich; he pretty much deserves his fate...

[@cocacola4blood365]

Not just any bastich. A fargin bastich.

[@erniebuchinski3614]

A bastich, you say? That's quite similar to a fuggin' sumbitch, I believe. ;-)

[@iboofedtheredpill1312]

Congrats on almost 10mil subscribers!

[@JAProductions494]

So this is basically the American Hot Fuzz? 😂

[@CooperBMX]

Yeah

[@aardeng]

The movie roadhouse was based on this story

[@jozar2773]

If people on the internet think cities are corrupt, wait till you hear about small towns.

[@ZCommander]

These videos get more diverse every time, and I love it

[@ogloc7999]

I think every story this guy tells should be made into a movie

[@axolotl3964]

Aww, the story has a happy ending.

[@Heavymetallord1]

I hope it remains unsolved, that man doesn't deserve retribution for his death