Patrick Scott, 59, received a 57-year prison sentence for murdering his 17-year-old neighbor, Valerie Tindall, in Rush County, Indiana.
Monday’s sentencing follows a plea deal, including a $10,000 restitution to Tindall’s family.
Valerie Tindall’s body was found buried in a box in Scott’s backyard over five months after her disappearance.
Scott, her boss at a lawn mowing business, admitted to strangling her with a belt during a June home argument.
A January plea deal dropped Scott’s obstruction and false info charges for his murder guilty plea. The judge finalized his sentence on Monday.
Investigators identified Tindall’s remains by her orange fingernail polish, matching a social media post. Scott confessed to strangling her on June 7 and boxing her taped, plastic-wrapped body the next day.
The community and Tindall’s family are struggling with her tragic death. Scott’s lawyer, Bryan Barrett, didn’t comment on the sentencing. CNN sought more details on Tindall’s death from the Rush County Sheriff and Coroner.
This sentencing concludes a case that underscores violence’s toll on communities and families. Patrick Scott’s 57-year sentence begins, but Valerie Tindall’s memory and the quest for justice for her death endure.