The body of Valerie Tindall, a 17-year-old girl who went missing in June, was discovered buried in her neighbor’s yard. Patrick A. Scott, the neighbor, confessed to killing her. Tindall had been working for Scott’s landscaping business and had plans to become a veterinarian. Scott has been charged with murder and is currently in custody without bond. The investigation is ongoing. Drusilla Moorhouse reported
The body of Valerie Tindall, a 17-year-old girl from Indiana who had been missing since June, was tragically discovered buried in her neighbor’s yard. The neighbor, Patrick A. Scott, a 59-year-old man who owned a landscaping business, was charged with her murder. Tindall had been working for Scott over the summer, mowing lawns for his business. On the day she disappeared, she had informed her family that she was going to work, but she never returned home.
Tindall’s remains were officially identified by a coroner on Thursday, confirming the devastating news for her family. Tindall, who had recently completed her junior year in high school, had dreams of becoming a veterinarian. Her parents described her as a sweet, smart, and funny girl who loved animals and enjoyed creating TikTok videos with her sisters.
Scott was arrested at his home, where he later confessed to the murder during an interview with investigators. He claimed that he strangled Tindall with his belt because she had allegedly tried to seduce him and threatened to blackmail him when he turned her down. When asked if it bothered him that he had killed her, Scott callously responded, “Well I wasn’t too crazy about it.”
Scott had initially been considered a person of interest shortly after Tindall’s disappearance. He had given inconsistent statements to investigators and Tindall’s family about not seeing her on the day she went missing. Eventually, on June 29, Scott was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of lying to the police and hindering the investigation. Evidence such as traffic camera footage, GPS data, and a text message from Tindall contradicted his statements.
In October, cadaver dogs detected the presence of human remains near a pond on Scott’s property, but her body was not found at the time. However, an aerial survey revealed signs of ground disturbance, prompting investigators to return in November and dig those areas, leading to the discovery of Tindall’s remains in a wooden box wrapped in a tarp. Investigators also found purchase records showing that Scott had bought lumber matching the box in question from Home Depot.
According to Tindall’s mother, Sandefur, Scott and her daughter had a bond and were friends. Tindall not only worked for him but also spent time with his family. Both families would often socialize together, and after Tindall’s disappearance, Scott and his wife visited Tindall’s family multiple times, suggesting that she had run away and would return eventually. However, Tindall’s family never believed this, as her lack of contact with them or any social media activity indicated that something was seriously wrong.
A statewide missing person alert was issued for Tindall, but sadly, it was too late. Now, her family is left with the pain of putting their beloved daughter to rest and seeking justice for her tragic death. Scott is facing charges of murder, felony obstruction of justice, and false informing. He is currently being held without bond, and the next hearing in his case is scheduled for December 19.
Sandefur expressed her sorrow, wiping away tears as she demanded answers for why her daughter had to suffer such a horrific fate. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to raise funds for Tindall’s funeral expenses, as her family seeks closure and justice in this devastating ordeal..