Human remains found on neighbor's property in search for Indiana teen missing since June

A 59-year-old man was arrested after authorities discovered human remains on his property during the search for 17-year-old Valerie Tindall, an Indiana girl who was last seen in June.

The human remains were found buried on the property of Patrick Scott, who was identified as a person of interest early on in the investigation, authorities said in a press conference Wednesday. The Rush County Sheriff's Department said Scott was arrested for murder and booked into Rush County Jail.

The coroner has yet to confirm the remains found on Scott's property belong to Tindall, who was last seen June 7 in Arlington, Indiana, a small town about 30 miles southeast of Indianapolis, the Rush County Sheriff's Department said.

Officials declined to "connect the dots" until a coroner's report has been complete. Tindall's case remains open, authorities said.

All of the material and evidence gathered by investigators since June led them to the property but declined to comment on the specifics that brought authorities to the home.

Tindall was last seen with Scott, her neighbor, who also employed her for his lawn care business, local outlets reported.

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Authorities search Scott's property for second time

According to jail records obtained by FOX59, Scott was booked into the Rush County Jail on a preliminary charge of murder on Tuesday. His arrest comes after authorities searched his property for the second time since Tindall's disappearance.

WISH reported that FBI agents and sheriff’s deputies dressed in protective gear were seen removing items from the home on Tuesday.

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Report: Scott was previously charged after lying about the case

In late June, Scott was charged after officers said he changed his story about the last time he saw the teenager, FOX59 reported.

Court documents obtained by FOX59 show Scott eventually told police he was with Tindall on June 7, the day she was last seen.

”She’s a really good person, sweet kid. She worked hard to get her grades up. She was gonna go to college. She was accepted,” Tindall's mother Shena Sandefur told the local outlet, “and now she’ll never have the chance.”