SPEEDWAY, Ind. — The site of a former fast food restaurant in Speedway, Indiana, linked to the unsolved murders of four young people in 1978 is set to be demolished in the coming weeks, according to local town officials. The building, which was most recently a pawn shop, is expected to be torn down and eventually replaced by a dental office, marking the end of a long-standing reminder of the tragic events that took place there 45 years ago.
The building, once a Burger Chef location, was the scene of a devastating crime in 1978 when four workers were abducted and later found murdered. The case remains unsolved to this day, with investigators initially mistaking it for a case of petty theft. The bodies of Jayne Friedt, Daniel Davis, Mark Flemmonds, and Ruth Ellen Shelton were discovered a couple of days after the abduction.
Former Speedway police officer, Bill Jones, expressed that the building has served as a haunting reminder of the horrific events that occurred there. “People drive by and see the building and they’re always reminded of what happened here,” he said.
Local town officials are looking ahead to the future, with plans to demolish the building and replace it with a dental office. The site has seen a number of businesses come and go over the years, with none lasting more than a couple of months, but the hope is that the new development will bring positive change to the area.
The building’s history as a Burger Chef location adds another layer of significance to the community, as it was once part of a chain that had locations across the country. The upcoming demolition marks the end of an era, signaling the closure of a chapter in the town’s history and the beginning of a new phase of development in the area.