SPEEDWAY, Ind. – The former Burger Chef in Speedway, Indiana, is set to be demolished, marking the end of a building with a dark history. This site was where four young workers were abducted in 1978 and found slain two days later in a field in a different county.
Town officials revealed that the free-standing building, located near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will be replaced by a dental office. Vince Noblet, Speedway Town Council President, mentioned that various shops have occupied the space over the years, but none have been successful in the long term. The most recent tenant was a pawn shop that closed in 2016.
The tragic events that unfolded at this location 45 years ago involved the abduction of four fast-food workers on Nov. 17, 1978, with their bodies discovered in a Johnson County field two days later. The assistant manager, Jayne Friedt, 20, was stabbed, while Daniel Davis, 16, and Ruth Shelton, 17, were both shot in the back of their heads. Mark Flemmonds, 16, tragically died choking on his blood, law enforcement officials have revealed.
The decision to demolish the building comes as a way to move forward from the haunting memories associated with it. Bill Jones, a former Speedway police officer, expressed that the building serves as a constant reminder of the grisly events that transpired there.
Burger Chef, a once-thriving fast-food chain, is now defunct. The planned demolition, which will make way for a dental office, signifies a new chapter for the site, providing an opportunity for the community to move past the disturbing events that took place there. It is a chance for healing and closure for the town of Speedway, Indiana.