SPEEDWAY, Ind. — After years of being a former fast-food restaurant and a pawn shop, a building in Speedway, Indiana, is set to be demolished in the next few weeks. The building, which housed a Burger Chef linked to the murders of four young people in 1978, is expected to be torn down and eventually replaced by a dental office, town officials told local news stations.
The building was the site of a tragic event in 1978 when four workers were abducted and later found dead. The murders have remained unsolved for 45 years. The victims were Jayne Friedt, 20; Daniel Davis, 16; Mark Flemmonds, 16; and Ruth Ellen Shelton, 18. Their bodies were found a couple of days after the abduction, and the case initially led investigators to believe it was a case of petty theft.
The building, once a Burger Chef location, holds a haunting history, with the murders of the four young workers still unsolved. The community hopes that the demolition of the building will bring closure to the families of the victims and the town, which has been reminded of the tragic event every time they pass by the building.
According to town officials, the future plans for the site involve a dental office. The building, which most recently housed a pawn shop, has seen various unsuccessful business ventures over the years. The hopes for redevelopment have not yet materialized, but the town council is optimistic about the future transformation of the area.
The building’s history serves as a painful reminder of the unsolved murders that occurred in it 45 years ago. The demolition of the building not only marks the end of an era but also brings hope for a new beginning in the form of a dental office and potential redevelopment for the community.