Episode 7.3: Hoosier Casefile - The Burger Chef Murders

On the night of November 17, 1978, four young employees disappeared from a Burger Chef restaurant in Speedway, Indiana. What initially appeared to be a robbery quickly became one of the state's most haunting murder investigations. Decades later, the case remains unsolved, leaving investigators, families, and the public searching for answers.

Join us as we explore the timeline of events, the investigation, the theories, and the lasting impact of a case that forever changed Indiana history.

Sources 

Little, Becky. “The Burger Chef Cold Case: Four Murders Still Unsolved Over 40 Years Later.” A&E. July 3, 2019. Updated September 19, 2025. https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/burger-chef-murders.

Ryckaert, Vic. “1978 Burger Chef Murders Haunt Retired Detective: ‘This Is the Type of Case That I Will Take to My Grave.’” WRTV. November 17, 2023. https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/crime/1978-burger-chef-murders-haunt-retired-detective-this-is-the-type-of-case-that-i-will-take-to-my-grave.

Ryckaert, Vic. “New Documentary Explores 1978 Burger Chef Murders.” WRTV. November 17, 2023. https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/crime/the-speedway-murders-burger-chef-1978-4-killed-documentary-film-luke-rynderman-adam-kamien-interview.

Shapiro, Emily. “‘I Hope… Before My Time on Earth Is Gone That I Have Those Answers’: Victim’s Sister on 1978 Unsolved Quadruple Killing.” ABC News. November 14, 2018. https://abcnews.go.com/US/hope-time-earth-gone-answers-victims-sister-1978/story?id=59192174.

West, Vickie J. “Burger Chef Murders.” Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Last modified May 2024. https://indyencyclopedia.org/burger-chef-murders/.

Coulter, Christina. “Restaurant Night-Shift Crew Vanished After Closing — 2 Days Later, Their Bodies Were Found in the Woods.” People. November 8, 2025. https://people.com/burger-chef-murders-closing-crew-found-dead-woods-different-ways-11844488.

Associated Press. “Former Fast-Food Building Linked to 1978 Unsolved Slayings in Indiana to Be Demolished.” December 29, 2023.

Wikipedia contributors. “Burger Chef Murders.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Last modified 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burger_Chef_murders.

Reddit user. “On November 17th 1978, Four Employees Went Missing…” Reddit, r/TrueCrimeDiscussion. Accessed April 2026. https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrimeDiscussion/comments/1h9wpar/on_november_17th_1978_four_employees_went_missing/