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THE STORY BEHIND
IN BROAD DAYLIGHT
Standing a few feet from where the killers opened fire on Ken Rex McElroy more than three decade ago, Harry N. MacLean tells the story of how he came to write his Edgar Award-winning book in his new true crime short, “The Story Behind 'In Broad Daylight.'”
MacLean had doors slammed in his face, guns pulled on him, and was bitten by a dog. Eventually, he won over the closed community of Skidmore, Mo. The inhabitants shared with him the reign of terror Ken Rex McElroy inflicted for twenty years in Northwest Missouri, and information about his murder on the main street of Skidmore in 1981. Despite 45 witnesses, the case remains unsolved. MacLean tells the story in his book “In Broad Daylight,” first published in 1988.
“The Story Behind 'In Broad Daylight'” brings the book up to date and includes several previously unpublished pictures. It also answers many questions about the killing itself, such as who was involved, and what has become of them. The author discusses the nature of the moral consequences of the killing for the town and those involved in the killing. MacLean describes the breakthrough events when key characters agreed to speak with him, and he realized he would finally get the story.
“In Broad Daylight” was a New York Times bestseller for 12 weeks and was made into a movie starring Brian Denehey, Cloris Leachman and Chris Cooper. It was re-released as an e-book on Amazon on July 10, the 31st anniversary of the killing.
EXCERPT FROM THE STORY BEHIND 'IN BROAD DAYLIGHT':
At the time of McElroy’s murder, I was arbitrating labor disputes in Denver, Colorado. Although I had long wanted to be a writer, I had never written anything other than a legal brief and an occasional newspaper column. I knew that many writers would be descending on the town for the “real story.” I also knew that the town would be locked down tight and that outsiders would be less than welcome. Nevertheless, the story proved irresistible. A year after the shooting, I finally loaded up my car and headed east across the plains to Skidmore, Missouri.
Six years later In Broad Daylight was published. The reality far exceeded the dream. The book was a New York Times bestseller, won an Edgar Award, and was made into a movie. As I traveled and talked about the book, I realized that there was almost as much interest in how I got the story as in the story itself. How did get people to talk? Was I ever scared? How long was I there? Did I know who killed Ken McElroy? What was the town like now?
Del-Clement
Trena McElroy
Jeffrey Dalsing, the “lost son” of Ken McElroy, at the 30th Anniversary memorial on the main street of Skidmore, July 10, 2011. At age 19, Jeff, a college graduate, learned that Ken McElroy was his father. The resemblance is striking.
EXCERPT FROM THE STORY BEHIND 'IN BROAD DAYLIGHT':
Trena turned around in time to see the cowboy pull a high-powered rifle from the rack in his truck, snap a shell into the chamber, and raise it to his shoulder. She called to Ken that they were going to shoot him. If he had believed her, Ken could have ducked out of sight, or stepped out of the truck to make them look him in the eye, or started backing up into them. Instead, he flicked open the lighter and lit a cigarette, convinced that they didn’t have the guts to do it or, perhaps, almost wishing they did. The cigarette ended up splattered on the dashboard, the lighter on the floor.
Brian Dennehy as Ken McElroy in promo shot for the movie
“In Broad Daylight”
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