Orange fingernail polish played a crucial role in helping investigators identify a missing 17-year-old girl whose remains were discovered in the backyard of her neighbor's home in Indiana. The Rush County Sheriff's Department announced on Tuesday that Valerie Tindall's family had reported her missing more than five months earlier, on June 8.

Authorities have charged Patrick Scott, a 59-year-old resident living behind the Tindalls, with murder after he confessed to killing Tindall on June 7. Scott has also been charged with obstruction of justice and providing false information to law enforcement officers, according to charging documents.

Scott, who owns a lawn mowing business, stated that he strangled Tindall with a belt during an argument inside his house, according to the criminal homicide report. He then allegedly placed her body in a box after wrapping it in black plastic and securing it with tape. Scott proceeded to bury the box in a hole in his backyard using a shovel, the report revealed.

Initially, Scott denied having any knowledge of Tindall's whereabouts and falsely claimed that she had not worked for him on June 7. However, investigators later discovered that Scott and his wife had visited the Tindall residence that same day in an apparent attempt to offer support to Valerie's family.

The breakthrough in the case came when officials executed a search warrant at Scott's residence earlier this week, leading to the discovery of human remains. It was during this search that law enforcement noticed the orange fingernails on the victim, matching the color of nail polish Tindall was last seen wearing in a social media post on June 7.

Scott had been a person of interest from the start of the investigation, and earlier this month, police conducted a search of his property with cadaver dogs, indicating the presence of human remains in a nearby pond. However, no remains were found after an extensive search of the area. A subsequent flyover search on October 12 revealed multiple areas of disturbed ground on Scott's property, raising further suspicions.

Search warrants were obtained on Monday, ultimately leading to the discovery of Tindall's body on Tuesday. The cause of her death is pending the results of toxicology tests and the final autopsy report, according to authorities.

Scott, who pleaded not guilty, had a court-appointed attorney representing him, but they were unavailable for comment at the time of CNN's inquiry.

The tragic case highlights the importance of evidence such as orange fingernail polish in criminal investigations, helping bring closure to grieving families and ensuring that justice is served. The Rush County community mourns the loss of Valerie Tindall, and her loved ones await further details regarding the circumstances surrounding her death.