Skidmore’s Other Shadows – A Town Haunted Beyond McElroy

 

Skidmore, Missouri – Post-1981

Ken Rex McElroy’s death was supposed to be the end of fear in Skidmore. But the silence that followed didn’t bring peace—it brought mystery. In the decades since McElroy’s killing, the town has been marked by a series of disturbing cases that seem to echo its unresolved trauma.

🕳️ Branson Perry – The Vanishing Boy (2001)

Branson Perry was 20 years old when he disappeared from his yard while cleaning out his shed. He was last seen walking toward the shed to retrieve jumper cables. He never returned.

• No signs of struggle.

• No confirmed sightings.

• Nobody ever found.

Theories swirled—from drug involvement to occult speculation—but nothing stuck. The case remains open, and the silence around it feels eerily familiar.

🩸 Wendy Gillenwater – The Brutal Beating (2000)

Just a year before Branson vanished, Wendy Gillenwater was beaten to death by her boyfriend, Greg Dragoo. The attack was so violent that her body was dragged through the streets.

• Witnesses saw the assault.

• Dragoo was convicted.

• The town was shaken—but again, quiet.

The brutality mirrored the fear McElroy once inspired. But this time, the violence came from within—not from a known bully, but from someone trusted.

🧬 Bobbie Jo Stinnett – The Fetal Abduction (2004)

Bobbie Jo was eight months pregnant when she was murdered in her home. Her killer, Lisa Montgomery, strangled her and cut the baby from her womb.

• The baby survived and has recovered.

• Montgomery was arrested, convicted, and later executed in 2021.

This case drew national attention, but for Skidmore, it was another wound. Another headline. Another reminder that peace had not returned.

🕯️ A Pattern or a Curse?

Four major tragedies in a town of fewer than 500 people. Each case distinct. Each one haunting. And each one wrapped in silence, confusion, or disbelief.

• Is it a coincidence?

• Is it trauma echoing through generations?

• Or is Skidmore still living in the shadow of McElroy?

🧠 Tone and Takeaway

Part Five isn’t just a conclusion—it’s a reflection. Skidmore’s story didn’t end with vigilante justice. It continued in whispers, disappearances, and grief. The silence that once protected the town now feels like a shroud.