Teen found buried on neighbor’s property 5 months after going missing, Indiana cops say
An Indiana man was sentenced to prison after police say they found human remains of a missing teen on his property.
Valerie Tindall was 17 years old when she went missing in June, according to a news release from the Rush County Sheriff’s Office.
“I just hope you knew how special you were to all of us. You literally lit the place up, you were so upbeat & happy & full of life & energy,” her aunt, Precious Miniard, wrote on Facebook.
After five months of investigators and family searching for Tindall, police found her remains Nov. 28 on a property owned by her neighbor, Patrick Scott, officials said.
“We moved away from (Indianapolis) to get away from violence. And we moved across the street from her predator,” Valerie’s mother, Shena Sandefur, told WXIN.
Tindall worked for Scott’s lawn mowing business, WSBT reported.
Officials said Scott was a suspect early on, but because of his lawn mowing business, he had access to many remote locations, making the investigation more complicated.
The sheriff’s office obtained search warrants for more than 50 properties in its search for Tindall, during which time officers “continued to stay on Scott’s trail,” according to officials.
A topography study led investigators to one of Scott’s properties, officials said.
Tindall’s remains were found in a homemade box buried on one of Scott’s properties in Arlington, according to court documents, WXIN reported.
“She and him had a bond. They were friends. She worked for him, but she also hung out with his family. His granddaughter was her friend, and we went places with them,” Sandefur told WRTV.
Officials say on June 7, Scott took Tindall to his residence in Arlington. An “encounter” occurred, and Scott strangled Tindall with a belt, killing her. He then put her body in a small office until the next day, when he built a box to bury her in.
Police said Scott admitted to strangling Tindall to death with a belt because she threatened to blackmail him into buying her a car, according to WISH.
“I put it around her neck and I held onto it until she quit,” Scott told police, WXIN reported.
Scott pleaded guilty to murder March 11 and was sentenced to 57 years in prison.
An attorney for Scott was not listed in court records.
This story was originally published March 12, 2024 at 1:51 PM with the headline "Teen found buried on neighbor’s property 5 months after going missing, Indiana cops say."
