The decomposing remains of 17-year-old Valerie Tindall, missing in Indiana for nearly six months, were found buried in the yard of her neighbor and family friend, leading to her arrest on murder charges.
Tindall’s body was unearthed by police Tuesday inside a makeshift chest buried beneath a pile of rubble on the property of Patrick Scott, 59, in Arlington, less than a hundred yards from the teen’s home.
Scott, who was not only Tindall’s neighbor but also her employer, allegedly admitted to detectives that he killed the teen by strangling her with his belt, which he then continued to use, according to court documents cited by Fox 59.
“I put it around his neck and held him until he quit,” Scott allegedly told police.
He then allegedly built a box out of wooden boards he bought at Home Depot, placed Tindall’s plastic-wrapped body inside, closed it with screws, and buried it in his yard.
The remains of 17-year-old Valerie Tindall were discovered Tuesday in her neighbor’s yard, more than five months after she was reported missing. Facebook
The murder suspect, who has a wife, daughter and granddaughter, claimed he had not planned to kill Tindall, and that it “just happened” after the teenager allegedly tried to seduce and blackmail him into buying him a car, the court heard. indicated presentations.
When asked if he was bothered by the fact that he killed the girl, Scott was quoted as telling investigators, “Well, I wasn’t too crazy about it.”
On Thursday, the county coroner positively identified the remains recovered Tuesday on Scott’s property as those of Tindall.
“This is not the outcome we all expected, but I want to emphasize to the public that this case is far from over,” Sheriff Allan Rice said at a news conference. “Justice will be sought.”
Patrick Scott, 59, Tindall’s neighbor and employer, has been charged with her murder. Rush County Jail
Scott was charged with murder and obstruction of justice. He made his initial appearance in Rush County Circuit Court on Thursday and was denied bond.
Tindall told her parents on June 7 that she was going to work. She worked for Scott’s lawn-mowing business and he was the last person to see her alive, according to court documents.
Tindall was reported missing after not returning home that day.
On Oct. 11, cadaver-sniffing dogs detected the smell of decomposition in a pond near Scott’s property, but a search turned up nothing.
One of the dog handlers told police that the water is known to retain an odor and that the smell could be coming from runoff into the pond, a clue that ultimately led to Tuesday’s gruesome discovery.
Tindall’s decomposing body was found by police inside a box buried on Scott’s property in Arlington, Indiana. FOX59
Armed with shovels, police dug up the rectangular box wrapped in a tarp and secured with duct tape from Scott’s yard. Inside were human remains, including fingernails painted with orange polish, according to the documents.
Police said a photo posted on social media on June 7 showed Tindall with orange nails.
Tindall’s mother, Shena Sandefur, told WRTV-TV that her daughter and the rest of her family trusted Scott.
“She and him had a bond. They were friends,” Sandefur said. “She worked for him, but she also hung out with his family. “Her granddaughter was his friend and we went places with them.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn