Merle Eckels

Merle Eckels
Book	Saving Charlie
In-story stats
Known ability	None
Gender
Date of death	1976
Home	Midland, TX
Occupation	Line cook
Significant other	Barbie Travis

Merle Eckels murdered a waitress when Burnt Toast Diner first opened in 1976.

Heroes Evolutions

Saving Charlie

Charlie tells Hiro about the Burnt Toast Diner's grand days in 1976, when Barbie Travis was dating Merle Eckels. Charlie says that Merle was a bad guy, in and out of prison. Eckels had lied about his past to be hired as a line cook at the diner. Eckels grew jealous of the way Barbie would talk to customers, and accused her of much worse. When she tried to break up with him, Eckels killed Barbie by slicing her throat. The authorities caught Eckels, convicted him, and electrocuted him. She says that Eckels was the penultimate inmate in Texas to be given the electric chair. Hiro wonders if Merle Eckels is somehow related to the "Brain Man", or if it was just a coincidence. (Chapter 16)

Hiro teleports to Merle's execution. Hiro notes that he fears Merle almost as much as the Brain Man. A guard tells Merle that he is sentenced to death by electrocution for the murder of Barbie Travis, then asks for any last words. Merle says, "Yeah, I got something to say. You tell that girl's family—" But Hiro teleports away before Merle finishes. (Chapter 44)

Hiro wonders why his out-of-control time traveling took him to see Merle on Old Sparky, the electric chair. (Chapter 47)

Notes

• In Saving Charlie, Merle's last name is spelled both "Eckels" (Chapter 16) and "Eckles" (Chapter 44).

Trivia

• Hiro describes Merle as a "scruffily handsome man". (Chapter 44)