Neighbor, boss of missing Arlington teen ‘admits’ to strangling, burying her in backyard
RUSHVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — Patrick Scott, the neighbor and boss of a missing 17-year-old Arlington teen whose remains were found outside a home in Rush County, allegedly admitted to strangling and burying her in his backyard.
Scott, 59, faces charges of murder, a felony count of obstruction of justice, and a misdemeanor count of false informing to a law enforcement officer regarding the death of Valerie Tindall.
According to court documents, on June 7, Tindall told her parents she was leaving for work but instead met with her boss and neighbor, Scott, at South High Apartments, where they left together to go to his home.
June 7 was the last time anyone heard from Tindall, court records say.
When questioned about seeing Tindall on the day of her disappearance by police, he denied seeing her. Scott would later change his story a few times to say that he had dropped Tindall off to meet an unknown boy that day and changed again later to say he had dropped her off at his home and then returned to work. Scott told officers that when he returned, she was gone.
Officers say that Scott would continuously make references to her maybe running away because of her father’s abuse.
During police investigations, it was revealed that Scott and Tindall did go to his residence, and Scott would later return to where Tindall’s vehicle was parked. Court documents say that Scott moved the vehicle into a lot with other broken-down vehicles. The keys and license plates were removed from Tindall’s car.
Court documents say that on the night of Tindall’s disappearance, Scott and his wife went to the Tindall home to provide support to her family.
On Oct. 11, investigators brought cadaver dogs to search a property directly east of Scott’s home. The dogs indicated that there were human remains in a pond located on the land. After a search, dive teams were unable to find any remains.
On Oct. 12, a flyover was done on Scott’s properties. Investigators noted on two of his properties, there were several areas where the ground had been disturbed.
Investigators discover remains on Scott’s property
After several weeks of gathering evidence, investigators submitted multiple probable cause affidavits requesting search warrants for Scott’s properties, and on Nov. 28, officers from several agencies executed warrants on the two Arlington properties.
While investigators searched one property, court documents say they found a large dirt mound covering a hole. Officers dug up the hole and located two large homemade boxes wrapped in tarp. One box contained various VHS tapes and old paperwork.
The second box contained Valerie Tindall’s remains.
Rush County Coroner Brenda McMahan positively identified the remains as belonging to Valerie two days after they were discovered.
Scott was not on the property at the time of the search, but was being surveilled at a home half an hour away near Shelbyville.
After Tindall’s body was found, officers took Scott into custody without incident.
Scott admitted to killing Tindall
When Scott spoke with detectives on the day Tindall’s body was located on his property, he confirmed that he understood his Miranda rights, and then allegedly admitted to killing Valerie Tindall.
Court documents say Scott told investigators that on June 7, after meeting with him at South High Apartments and going to his home, “Valerie got carried away.”
He said that “Tindall tried to blackmail him into buying her a new car,” as Tindall had allegedly been experiencing car troubles, and was unhappy with the prospect of her dad buying her a cheap car.
Scott also claimed that he thought Valerie “was going to seduce him,” which led to Scott strangling Tindall, court papers say. “‘I wasn’t going to have it,’” Scott told investigators regarding the alleged seduction.
He admitted to investigators that he built the boxes where Tindall and the miscellaneous items were found. He also confessed to digging the hole, which had previously been dug for concrete.
Court papers say he confirmed that he moved Tindall’s vehicle because someone saw it, and said he threw the license plates and keys into an unknown river.
Investigators say that the day after her disappearance, Scott went to Home Depot and purchased four 2x4s and two sheets of 4×8 oriented strand board. When asked about the purchases, he did not recall to investigators going to the store to buy the wood for the boxes.
Scott also told officers that “his wife and daughter ‘don’t know nothing.’” He further denied anyone knowing anything about Tindall’s murder.
Court documents also say Scott told police that he did not plan to kill Tindall and that it “just kind of happened.” He also said that he “wasn’t too crazy” about what he had done to Valerie.
Investigators later said Tindall’s relationship with Scott was “questionable, as they seemed very close.” Scott was also found to “provide Tindall with money, food, gas, and took her on trips,” court papers say.
Following his admission, Scott was booked into the Rush County jail. He was being held without bond.
An initial court date was set for Dec. 19. A jury trial was scheduled for April 23.
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