Indiana Man Arrested After Body of Missing Teenage Neighbor Found on His Property

Authorities arrested a man in Indiana after they searched his house and found the body of a teen girl who went missing in June.

The Rush County Sheriff’s Office said they found the body of 17-year-old Valerie Tindall in the backyard of her neighbor’s house on Tuesday, CNN reported. 

Her neighbor, Patrick Allen Scott, 59, was identified as a person of interest earlier in the investigation, WVLT reported. 

The police found the teen’s body Tuesday during a search of Scott’s property in Arlington. 

Authorities were able to identify the teen after they noticed orange fingernails, which is the color of the nail polish she was last seen wearing, according to a June 7 social media post. 

The Rush County Coroner’s office is yet to determine the cause of death. However, Scott admitted to killing Tindall on June 7.

Tindall used to work with Scott, who owns a lawn mowing business, according to CNN. 

Earlier in the investigation, Scott told the police that he didn’t see Tindall and that she didn’t work for him on June 7. 

He later told investigators with the Rush County Sheriff’s office that he strangled Tindall with a belt inside his house after arguing with her, according to a criminal report. 

The Indiana man told investigators that he wrapped her body in black plastic the next day and placed it in a box that he built. He put the box in the backyard and covered it.

Scott and his wife went to the Tindall’s residence on June 7 “in an attempt to support” her family.

He has been charged with murder, obstruction of justice, and giving false statements to the police and he is currently detained at the Rush County Jail without bond.