SPEEDWAY, Ind. — The building that once housed a fast-food restaurant connected to the unsolved murders of four young people in 1978, and later became a pawn shop in Speedway, Indiana, is set to be demolished in the coming weeks.
The former Burger Chef location was where four workers were abducted in 1978, according to reports. The victims’ bodies were found a couple of days later in the next county. The murders, which have remained unsolved for 45 years, involved the shooting of three victims in the back of their heads and a fourth victim dying from choking on their own blood.
After the murders, the restaurant was cleaned and reopened, but the unsolved case has continued to haunt the community. The building, located near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is expected to be demolished and eventually replaced by a dental office, according to town officials.
Despite the building housing different businesses over the years, including a recently closed pawn shop, the site has struggled to hold onto long-term tenants. “It’s been a couple of shops over the years that never caught on for more than a couple months and we’ve talked about redeveloping over time but that hasn’t happened,” said Speedway Town Council President Vince Noblet.
The former Burger Chef was part of a fast-food chain with locations across the country. The impending demolition of the building brings some closure to a dark and unresolved chapter in Speedway’s history.