SPEEDWAY, Ind. — For more than four decades, the now-empty former Burger Chef building in Speedway has remained a daily reminder of the tragic events that happened there.
On Nov. 17, 1978, four Burger Chef employees disappeared. The bodies of 20-year-old Jayne Friedt, 16-year-olds Daniel Davis and Mark Flemmonds, and 18-year-old Ruth Ellen Shelton were found two days later in Johnson County.
In what was initially believed to be a case of petty theft, the murders have gone unsolved for 45 years. The restaurant was cleaned and reopened the next day without any preservation to the crime scene.
"My mother, she never did get over it, of course," said Theresa Jeffries, sister of Ruth, who took the job to buy things all teenage girls love to get. "She had a sense of humor. She enjoyed working at Dunkin Donuts as well as Burger Chef. Always came home with funny stories about things that happened at work. She was living her life and looking forward to turning 18."
Theresa was 12 years old when the murders happened. She says, after all this time, the tragedy doesn't feel like yesterday anymore, but it still doesn't feel real.
"That's not something that happens in normal families. It only happens to other families, not your own," Theresa said.
Jayne's classmates said they've also never forgotten her.
"She always made cracks and jokes, always full of life, let's put it that way. Even if she was in a bad mood, you could see Jayne walking down the hall with a big smile," friends Cheryl Arnett and Louise Watkins said.
Theresa's feelings about the building are complicated.
"I never believed the building itself was evil. I believe it was just a place of business and that's where they were taken from," Theresa said.
Family and friends of Ruth and Jayne agree they're ready to see the building replaced with something else.
"I'm very thankful the building will be removed because I feel it has affected the entire community," Theresa said.
"Every time you go by, you think of Jayne. It should have come down immediately. Four people lost their lives there," Arnett and Watkins said.
Theresa said even if the building goes, the memories will remain.
"I feel it has affected the entire community and bring a little peace, but even with that, you're always going to know that this is where it was. That's never going away," Theresa said.
13News reached out to the building's owner to learn more about the future plans of the site. We are still waiting to hear back.
In an email, the Town of Speedway confirmed to 13News the building, located at 5725 Crawfordsville Road, is set for demolition.
An inspection report posted on the door of the building reads "interior demo."
Most recently, the building was home to a CashLand pawn shop that closed in 2016.