Two filmmakers, Luke Rynderman and Adam Kamien, have delved into one of Indiana’s most famous cold cases, the 1978 Burger Chef murders. Despite living on the other side of the world, their interest in true crime led them to discover the story and create a film titled “The Speedway Murders.”
The movie focuses on the abduction and murder of four young workers from the Burger Chef restaurant in Speedway, a case that remains unsolved to this day. Rynderman and Kamien were struck by the lack of attention the case received, especially as it coincided with the infamous ‘Jonestown Massacre’ carried out by Jim Jones.
In their film, the filmmakers combined archived footage with recreations of late 1970s Speedway, casting actors to portray the four victims. They went as far as building a replica of the Burger Chef restaurant in Adelaide, Australia, to ensure authenticity. The attention to detail, including sourcing original uniforms and working with a dialect coach to capture the Hoosier 1970s accents, was crucial to them.
Initially, Rynderman and Kamien aimed to shed light on the gruesome story, but their perspective changed when they met the families of the victims. Seeing the impact the murders still had on them, even years later, motivated the filmmakers to humanize the victims and give them agency beyond being mere footnotes in a crime.
“The Speedway Murders” will be released on June 21st in select theaters, Apple TV+, Prime Video, and On Demand. A screening of the film will take place at Landmark’s Glendale 12 Theatre in Indianapolis, followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers and special guests, including lead investigator Jim Cramer.
For those with information on the murders, the Indiana State Police District 52 Investigative Commander can be contacted at 317-899-8508 or Crime Stoppers at Crimetips.org or 317-262-8477. The film aims to reignite interest in the case and potentially uncover new leads in the investigation.