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Man sentenced to 57 years in prison for murder of teen in Rush County

Patrick Scott, 59, of Arlington, Indiana. (Provided Photo/Rush County Sheriff's Office.)

RUSHVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — A judge on Monday sentenced a man to 57 years in prison as part of a plea agreement for the murder of a teen in Rush County.

In the agreement filed in January, Patrick Scott, 59, pleaded guilty to the murder of 17-year-old Valerie Tindall.

Tindall was first reported missing in June 2023. Her body was then found on one of Scott’s properties in Arlington in November.

Court documents revealed that Scott told police he strangled Tindall with a belt because she threatened to “blackmail” him into buying her a new car.

As part of the plea agreement, the charges of obstruction of justice and false informing were dismissed.

The agreement also states that Scott will pay $10,000 in restitution to Tindall’s family.