A decade since Tiffany Valiante was found dead on a railway track, her family continues to search for answers. The case, which was once ruled a suicide within hours of her death, is now at the centre of a new lawsuit claiming Tiffany was the victim of hate crime. It further alleges that authorities failed to properly investigate her death.
According to a Fox 40 report, the 18-year-old student-athlete from Mays Landing, New Jersey, disappeared on the evening of July 12, 2015. Hours later, her body was discovered on a train track nearly four miles from her home, partially unclothed and showing signs which raised suspicion among her loved ones.
Who was Tiffany Valiante?
Tiffany, a graduate from Oakcrest High School, received a volleyball scholarship to Mercy College in New York, where she planned to study criminal justice. She had come out as gay earlier that year and, by all accounts, was excited for her future, according to People magazine.
Tiffany's family described her as happy, athletic, and close to her parents and sisters. Despite occasional teenage arguments, including one on the night she disappeared, they insist that she showed no signs of depression or suicidal ideation.
What happened to her?
{{/usCountry}}What happened to her?
{{/usCountry}}Tiffany vanished shortly after a disagreement with her mother over a friend’s stolen debit card. At 9.28 PM, a deer camera showed her walking out of the driveway fully clothed. By 11.12 PM, she was struck by a New Jersey Transit train, wearing only her sports bra and underwear.
Within hours, her death was declared a suicide. However, People magazine stated that no full autopsy or testing for sexual assault was conducted. The scene was never treated as a potential crime site.
New lawsuit claims her death was hate crime
As per Fox 40, Tiffany’s parents have now filed a lawsuit under New Jersey’s Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights and demanded access to all evidence withheld by state agencies. Their legal team alleged that Tiffany was murdered and her body placed on the tracks to make it look like a suicide.
In the lawsuit, they mention that Tiffany received hateful text messages which had homophobic slurs directed at lesbians and that train engineers testimonies have inconsistencies. The family, in the lawsuit, claimed that no psychological autopsy was conducted and added there are irregularities in toxicology reports and the law enforcement failed to explore Tiffany’s sexuality as a motive for hate crime.
The nurse, who pronounced Tiffany dead, reported her dismemberment appeared ‘surgical’ and not of a train strike, the Valiante family claimed in the lawsuit.
Netflix series
Through the Netflix show Unsolved Mysteries, in the episode ‘Mystery at Mile Marker 45’, Tiffany’s story reached a global audience. Since then, a Change.org petition has gathered over 15,000 signatures demanding case be re-opened.
FAQs
What happened with Tiffany Valiante?
Tiffany Valiante was found dead after being hit by a train in 2015. Her death was ruled a suicide within 12 hours, but her family believes she was murdered and her body was placed on the tracks.
What Netflix series is Tiffany Valiante in?
Tiffany’s case is featured in Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix.
Where was Tiffany Valiante going to college?
She had earned a volleyball scholarship to attend Mercy College in New York.
What episode of Unsolved Mysteries is about Tiffany Valiante?
Her story appears in Unsolved Mysteries Season 3, Episode 1 titled 'Mystery at Mile Marker 45.'
Has any of the Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix been solved?
Some cases from Unsolved Mysteries have led to tips or reopened investigations, but many, including Tiffany’s, remain unresolved.
Was Tiffany hit by a train in Unsolved Mysteries?
Yes. The episode investigates the circumstances around her death and whether it was a suicide or something else.