Family seeks answers in 1980 Methuen murder of Bill Durney

METHUEN, Mass. — On Pelham Street in Methuen, a quiet donut shop now stands in the place where a 30-year-old married Framingham father, Bill Durney, was fatally shot in 1980.

There’s never been an arrest, and now 45 years later, his family is pushing for answers.

“I do have lots of great memories of him from being a child, but they are limited, and it‘s been a long time,” Sonya Durney said.

Sonya Durney was just five years old when her father was killed. She is determined to find out why.

“Just the passage of time, and realizing that our time here is finite, I just figured if we don’t do anything now there might not be another opportunity,” Sonya said.

Bill Durney worked for Shell oil, delivering fuel to gas stations.

In October 1980, Bill Durney picked up an extra shift to help pay for Christmas presents.

He was shot to death while making a delivery to the Methuen Shell Station on Pelham Street, where the donut shop now stands.

“All i know is two in the morning he was shot, 6 in the morning his body was found,” Bob Durney, Bill’s brother said.

“He was found 150 yards away from where his truck was still running, full of gas, worth about 10-thousand dollars, had money on him, so who knows? I don’t think robbery was the motive.”

Recently, Sonya Durney turned to the true crime podcast, Murder She Told, to get her dad’s story out.

She wants the truth, no matter what it is.

“It doesn’t bring him back and who knows whoever did it, could be responsible for other crimes so that could happen other families,” Sonya said.

If you have any information about the murder of Bill Durney, contact Massachusetts State Police in the Essex County DA’s office at 1-855-MA-SOLVE or MSPunresolved@pol.state.ma.us.

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