The Aftermath
Journalists flooded the town in the days following the shooting and Skidmore was the focus of national attention for several weeks. In the years following, many writers and film producers interpreted the events leading up to McElroy’s death. In Broad Daylight by Harry N. Maclean was one of the first books that debuted on the subject. In 1991, Brian Dennehy starred in the book’s film adaptation.
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Alleyway behind the Bowenkamp's grocery store
Picture by Jennifer Partridge
True Crime Sensationalism
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In recent years, the story has become a popular topic in the growing true crime community. Online content creators within this group tend to speculate wildly about the town and its residents, often getting crucial details incorrect in the process. The three most notorious examples in this phase include the Buzzfeed Unsolved episode, "The Strange Killing of Ken Rex McElroy," Drunk History episode 8 from season 6, and the Sundance mini-series, “No One Saw a Thing.” Of these three examples, the most inaccurate of the group is the Drunk History episode. Due to being a six-minute skit at the start of the episode, this version leaves much of the details surrounding the shooting out altogether and makes various adjustments to save time. The most recent docu-series on McElroy’s death, “No One Saw a Thing,” takes the speculation to the extreme, and often insinuates that the town is cursed with violence.
The Unsolved True Crime episode about Skidmore and the death of Ken McElroy, from the Buzzfeed Unsolved Network
Jerry O'Connell as Ken McElroy
Promotional photo for Drunk
History Season 6, Episode 8
The Official Poster for "No One Saw a Thing"
Created by Avi Belkin