Gloria Hedden was born Gloria Ann Felix on Sept. 8th 1950 to her parents Martin and Elizabeth (Tyson).

She lived in Chicago, IL and came to Terre Haute in 1968 to attend St. Mary of the Woods College.

When Gloria was 21 and living at St. Mary’s she married Terry Wayne Hedden of West Terre Haute. They had 2 children over the next several years and moved to house on Crawford St. in Terre Haute.

Gloria went to work for the post office as a mail handler, working the hoot owl shift at the United States Postal Service Sorting Annex located between 12th and 13th streets just off of Lockport Rd.

On Weds. July 9th, 1980 Hedden reportedly left the Annex building on 13th street to go to the main post office at 7th and Cherry to finish her shift. Apparently, because she was also attending Indiana State University she was sent close to campus to finish her shift.

Gloria Hedden’s husband allegedly found her car in the parking lot between 7th and 8th St. He reported her missing on Thurs. July 10th, 1980.

Saturday July 12th, 2 fisherman found Gloria’s body floating in the Wabash river along the the west bank directly across from the Federal Correctional Complex just south of town.

Gloria’s had both her hands and feet tied with a cable and her body had been weighted down with iron from railroad tracks.

The coroner ruled her death a homicide by asphyxia due to a crushed larynx.

How could a woman just vanish from the streets of 7th and Cherry at 7AM on a Weds. morning without multiple witnesses? Did Gloria have class on Weds morning as reported and if so, why do police think that her co-workers at the post office were among the last to see her alive? She never made it?

Gloria’s body did not travel far in the River so she was likely put in very close to where she was found. Along the west bank, just south of Terre Haute. Access to this area would have been from West Terre Haute via Darwin Rd or South Lake Rd.

TerreHauteNews tracked down a co-worker who stated he saw Gloria leaving the s13th st annex and thought she was done working and heading home. The co-worker said that he was aware her and her husband often “fought like cats and dogs”. Terre Haute News asked the postal worker if anyone from the police department had interviewed them to confirm the story that she left 13st alone, ever made it the 7th st location or knew anyone that didn’t get along with Gloria. They told Terre Haute News that no investigation like that occurred.

The source with the postal service also said that it was generally believed by her peers that her husband was involved, and had extensive experience navigating the river bottom roads

Anyone living in that area that might have a connection to Hedden or anyone with ANY INFORMATION on the murder of Gloria A Hedden should contact the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office at 812-462-3226.