THE MOST HATED man in Skidmore, Missouri, was a thief, a bully, an arsonist—a jack-of-all-horrible-trades. He had no qualms about sticking a gun into an innocent man’s belly and pulling the trigger, which he did. And he always got away with it. That is, until July 10, 1981.
Ken Rex McElroy, 47, once described as “a big brute of a guy with slicked-back hair like Elvis,” was a short-tempered man with a long rap sheet. His criminal résumé listed live-stock rustling, assault, harassment, and attempted murder. He rarely faced time, thanks to the talents of a cunning lawyer, Richard McFadin, and a loyal cadre of friends always ready with an alibi. If none of that worked, a little bit of intimidation would do the trick. Once, a farmer who caught…