Julie Young - The Burger Chef Murders in Indiana

Published by The History Press

Charleston, SC

www.historypress.com

Copyright 2019 by Julie Young

All rights reserved

E-Book year 2019

First published 2019

ISBN 978.1.43966.726.2

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019935364

print edition ISBN 978.1.46714.308.0

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

To Jayne, Ruth, Daniel and MarkThe truth is out there.

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As an author, I have learned that every book has its difficulties, but this one was particularly challenging. I knew going into it that I would not solve the forty-year mystery, nor was that my intent. I merely wanted to examine the known facts of the Burger Chef murder case, the strange series of events leading up to it and the tireless efforts of the law enforcement officers who investigated the incident over the last four decades.

I could not have done it without the love and support of my husband, Shawn, and our two sons, Chris and Vincent, who understood when I was in the zone and unable to concentrate on anything else. Thank you for listening as I riddled out the facts, speculated and fell down numerous rabbit holes in an effort to connect the dots. You are the best, and I love you all very much.

Thank you to fellow authors John McDonald and Scott Sanders for their assistance with images, as well as Kyle Brown, administrator of the Burger Chef Memories website. I could not have finished this project without your help, and I truly appreciate it. I also want to acknowledge John Rodrigue and the staff of The History Press who were enthusiastic about this project from the start and were willing to entrust me with such sensitive subject matter. Thank you for believing in me!

To Steve Barnett at the Irvington Historical Society: thank you for working your magic on the manuscript. Your edits make my work better, and I always feel better when I know you have given it the once-over. What would I ever do without you?

And finally, thank you to all of my readers and friends who heard about this project and encouraged me throughout the writing process. Your support means everything to me, and I hope the end result lives up to your expectations.

AUTHORS NOTE

There are few dates in my life that I can account for forty years later, but I can honestly say that I know exactly where I was and what I was doing on the evening of November 17, 1978. I was at home in my pajamas watching The Star Wars Holiday Speciala piece of television history that was so awful, it only aired the one time.

Like legions of kids across the country (and throughout the world), I became obsessed with the sci-fi classic from the moment it hit the big screen in May 1977, and I remember a time when there was only one place to find memorabilia tied to the movie: at my local Burger Chef restaurant.

Burger Chef was the brainchild of Frank and Donald Thomas, who patented a flame broiler for their parent company, the General Equipment Corporation, before opening their first restaurant at 1300 West Sixteenth Street in Indianapolis in the spring of 1958. An upscale version of Burger King, Burger Chef was a big hit thanks in part to its burger-fries-and-drink combination meal, which sold for forty-five cents. The chain spread quickly, and throughout the 1960s, Burger Chef stores could be found in thirty-eight states across the United States, and it was one of the most beloved fast-food chains in the country.

By the early 1970s, the chain peaked with 1,200 stores and was second only to McDonalds in terms of popularity. Customers flocked to the double burger known as the Big Shef ; the Works Bar, which enabled folks to customize their sandwiches; and a kids meal that featured colorful characters such as Burger Chef and Jeff; Count Fangburger, the vampire; and Cackleburger, the witch.

In addition to developing the original Funmeal, Burger Chef was one of the first fast-food entities to partner with a movie studio in order to offer merchandise tied to an upcoming film. While these kinds of licensing deals are commonplace today, when Burger Chef announced its partnership with 20th Century Fox and its then unknown Star Wars film, it was an unheard-of concept. However, it proved to be very lucrative. The initial offering was a free Star Wars poster with the purchase of a large Coke, but the campaign eventually grew to include a Star Warsthemed Funmeal box, collectible glasses and other giveaways that few Star Wars fans would pass upespecially at a time when Star Wars merchandise was hard to find.

Burger Chef was not only a popular place to eat and score Star Wars swag, but it was also a popular place to work, especially if you were a high school student looking to make a few bucks after school. With eight hundred locations across the Midwest and southern states in the late 1970s, still second only to the Golden Arches, most everyone knew someone who worked at a Burger Chef. Sure, they were primarily entry-level positions, but kids got their foot in the door, learned new skills and were able to save for their education or that first set of wheels.

But in November 1978, the storied history of Burger Chef took a dark turn. While I was safe at home watching the Star Wars gang celebrate Life Day, four kids across town were getting ready to close their Burger Chef restaurant for the night.

It was to be the last night of their lives.

NAMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE BURGER CHEF MURDER CASE

(In order of appearance)

Daniel Davis, sixteen: Crew member at the Speedway Burger Chef who was murdered on November 17, 1978

Jayne Friedt, twenty: Assistant manager at the Speedway Burger Chef who was murdered on November 17, 1978

Carolyn Friedt: Mother of Jayne Friedt

Ed Cherne: Area manager for Burger Chef in 1978

Ruth Ellen Shelton, seventeen: Crew member at the Speedway Burger Chef who was murdered on November 17, 1978

Rachel Shelton: Ruth Ellen Sheltons mother

John Shelton: Ruth Ellen Sheltons father

Mark Flemmonds, sixteen: Crew member at the Speedway Burger Chef who was murdered on November 17, 1978

Robert Flemmonds: Father of Mark Flemmonds

Blondell Flemmonds: Mother of Mark Flemmonds

Robert Gilyeat: Speedway Burger Chef store manager

Brian Kring: Former employee of the Speedway Burger Chef

William Crafton: Speedway police lieutenant

Julia Scyphers: Speedway resident who was murdered in her garage on July 26, 1978

Fred Scyphers: Husband of Julia Scyphers

Brett Kimberlin: The man charged with the Speedway bombing incident in September 1978

Sandra Barton: Julia Scypherss daughter who was employed by Brett Kimberlin

William Bowman: An associate of Brett Kimberlin who is believed to be the man who murdered Julia Scyphers in her garage on July 26, 1978

Michael Grider: 1973 Speedway High School graduate and resident

George Friedt: Father of Jayne Friedt

Buddy Ellwanger: Speedway police officer

Fred Heger: Johnson County resident who owned the wooded property where the bodies of the Burger Chef crew members were found