From left, Daniel Davis, Jayne Friedt, Mark Flemmonds and Ruth Ellen Shelton.
The former Speedway Burger Chef restaurant where four employees went missing and were later found dead in Johnson County 45 years ago will be torn down.
The building, located at 5725 Crawfordsville Road in Speedway, is set to be torn down soon, a spokesperson for the town of Speedway said. The spokesperson did not know for certain the intended plans for the property as the town does not own it.
Media reports indicate the timing of the demolition is unknown, along with the current property owner’s plans for the land. The building has had several businesses since the restaurant closed, but nothing has stayed, according to media reports.
On Nov. 17, 1978, four young employees were working the night shift at the fast food restaurant when they were abducted, never to be seen alive again. Two days after they were reported missing, the bodies of 20-year-old Jayne Friedt, 17-year-old Ruth Ellen Shelton, 16-year-old Daniel Davis and 16-year-old Mark Flemmonds were found in a densely wooded area east of State Road 37 and south of Stones Crossing Road in White River Township in northwestern Johnson County.
Shelton and Davis were shot execution-style. Friedt was stabbed in the chest. Flemmonds was brutally beaten and choked to death on his own blood.
The murders of the four Burger Chef employees shocked Johnson County and the greater Indianapolis area. Police launched a massive investigation and considered many suspects. But no one has ever been charged, and the case remains unsolved to this day.
The Murder Sheet, an Indianapolis-based podcast that specializes in investigative deep dives into crimes and legal proceedings, has focused on the case over the last several years. In August, they told the Daily Journal that they hoped hundreds of pages of federal investigative records released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request would provide new details about the murders. They also hoped it would jog memories and finally lead to justice for the victim’s families.
The case is still under active investigation by the Indiana State Police. If anyone has information about the murders, they can contact the ISP District 52 Investigative Commander by calling 317-899-8577 or 1-800-852-8440. They can also visit the District 52 post at 8620 E. 21st St., Indianapolis, IN 46219.
