Holly V. HaysIndianapolis Star
Australian filmmakers have taken a crack at one of Central Indiana’s most notorious cold cases — and they may have uncovered a game-changing piece of information.
On Nov. 17, 1978, four employees were abducted from a Burger Chef in Speedway. Their bodies were found in rural Johnson County days later. Police infamously bungled the case, allowing the restaurant to reopen the next day, essentially destroying or losing evidence related to the abductions. There has never been an arrest in the deaths of 20-year-old assistant manager Jayne Friedt, 17-year-old Ruth Shelton and 16-year-old Daniel Davis and Mark Flemmonds.
The cold case is the subject of “The Speedway Murders,” a docudrama to be released in theaters and on streaming platforms June 21.
“It is still seared into the minds of the people that the boogeyman’s going to come get you,” Fox59 reporter Russ McQuaid says in the documentary. “Well, in this case the boogeyman came and took four children away, and 40 years later we still don’t have that solution.”
IndyStar watched an advance screener copy of the documentary this week. Here are four things to expect while watching. (Warning: some spoilers ahead.)
From 2019: Book about Burger Chef murders puts them in the context of Speedway crime spree
From 2018: Here's why police think a photo of a knife might help them solve the Burger Chef murders
Reenactments help tell the story, debunk theories
This isn’t your average approach. “The Speedway Murders” is half documentary, half drama, with the actors portraying the four young Burger Chef employees breaking the fourth wall to discuss court records and debunk theories regarding their disappearances and deaths.
“We were adamant to show them as kids with their whole lives ahead of them, not merely victims of a senseless crime,” the directors said in a written statement. “We did this by adopting a time-loop structure with each segment an in-depth look at a separate theory with the four victims scrambling to solve their own murders.”
Although some viewers may find this off-putting, it turns out to be an effective narrative device. The actors reset at the beginning of each theory, repeating the moments just before the attack to center the viewer before introducing a new version of events. At one point, the actors debunk one of the theories using a diorama of the restaurant and surrounding streets to convey travel time and give viewers a sense of space.
But the writers also take some liberties.
Many people believe that Jayne’s alleged involvement in drug trafficking initially drew the attackers to the restaurant — an issue that becomes a flashpoint between the four characters. At one point, the other three argue with Jayne about her role.
“We want to believe you Jayne, but we keep hearing s--t,” Mark says. “We can’t look at this whole thing without looking at you, too.”
Jayne fires back: “People talk about me like I was living two g-d---n lives. I was just trying to work stuff out like everyone else. I just wanna go home, just like all of you. I’m not just some footnote in a murder mystery, some curio for people to speculate about.”
It’s an interesting way to approach the victims, and I can’t help but wonder how the families will feel upon viewing it.
Be prepared for ‘Stranger Things’ vibes
From the synth beat in the background to the typeface in the lower-thirds, I kept thinking of "Stranger Things."
Now, maybe it’s just because that’s also a spooky tale set in the woods of Indiana, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling. The blue-green tint cast over the trees in the forest where the victims' bodies were found. The heavy synthesizer throughout the film’s score. Shots literally turned upside down. The vibes were all there.
I kept thinking the folks who made this documentary have previously worked in the horror/suspense genre.
And my assumption was right: Writer and director Luke Rynderman’s previous credits include “Awoken” (2019), “Relic” (2020), both of which involve demonic or other-worldly manifestations. (His directing and writing collaborator, journalist Adam Kamien, makes his feature film debut with this project.)
Watch it yourself and tell me if I’m wrong, but the opening sequence just feels like it comes from a B-horror movie or a suspenseful mini-series.
‘The Speedway Murders’ breaks down four theories
The documentary explores four theories surrounding the case. The film includes the theory that a group of men in Johnson County who were involved in multiple robberies at Indy-area Burger Chefs and KFCs were behind the murders; multiple recanted confessions; eyewitness accounts and the alleged involvement of Brett Kimberlin, who was convicted of the 1978 Speedway bombings but who has maintained his innocence in both cases.
Read previous IndyStar reporting: Federal appeals court denies convicted Speedway bomber's request to clear name
Several theories involve drug trafficking, alleging Jayne was the target of that night's attacks because she owed money to suppliers.
However, each theory presented raises its own questions. None seems to completely explain the night’s events.
Then there’s the 40-year-old secret.
Related: Infamous 1978 'Burger Chef murders' site demolished. See it then and now
A new confession in the Burger Chef murders?
Without giving too much away, expect the last third of the documentary to focus on a theory that weaves together aspects of several of the four previously laid out — and introduces a brand-new development in the case.
It’s not entirely new. Many of the names and faces in the documentary have been brought up in association with the case throughout the years. That is, except for the man who comes forward and claims a friend confessed his involvement in the murders to him 40 years ago.
In a post-script on the film, the production team says they’ve turned over the information they received from the man to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. (IndyStar has reached out to the prosecutor’s office for comment but has yet to hear back.)
With little to no forensic evidence, it’s unclear whether investigators will ever be able to close the Burger Chef murders case.
Attend a screening, Q&A with filmmakers
What: A screening of “The Speedway Murders,” followed by a Q&A with writers and directors Luke Rynderman and Adam Kamien. The event will be moderated by Fox59 reporter Russ McQuaid.
When and where: 7 p.m. June 21, at the Landmark Glendale 12 Theatre, 6102 N. Rural St.
Details: Tickets are available for $12.25 at bit.ly/3XMnhdx, with special rates for guests under 18 and senior citizens. Be sure to select the 7 p.m. showing for the screening event.
How to watch ‘The Speedway Murders’
Description: In 1978, four teens vanished while working the graveyard shift at their local Burger Chef. Their bodies were then discovered in the nearby woods. Through reenactments, the film explores divergent theories, challenging assumptions and weaving intrigue.
Runtime: 101 minutes
How to watch: The film opens June 21. Watch it at the Landmark Glendale 12 Theatre (tickets available here: bit.ly/3XMnhdx) or stream it on Amazon Prime or Apple TV.
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Contact IndyStar pop culture reporter Holly Hays at holly.hays@indystar.com. Follow her on X/Twitter: @hollyvhays.
