According to court documents, the man accused of strangling and murdering a 17-year-old girl in central Indiana has agreed to plead guilty to the charge of murder. Patrick Scott, 59, residing in Arlington, submitted the plea in Rush County Circuit Court during the past week.
The remains of Valerie Tindall, who vanished in June, were found in November within a buried box on property belonging to Scott in Arlington. As per the terms of a plea arrangement, Scott will face a sentence of 57 years in prison and be mandated to pay $10,000 in restitution to Tindall’s family.
According to court documents, Scott informed law enforcement that he strangled Tindall using a belt, alleging that she attempted to entice him and threatened to extort him into purchasing a new vehicle.
The court retains the authority until March 11 to reject or approve the plea agreement.
Tindall had been employed by Scott, who operates a lawnmowing enterprise. Records from the court indicate that she disappeared subsequent to informing her parents on June 7 of her intention to go to work.
