Tiffany Valiante Questions Linger

Here is a structured timeline of the Tiffany Valiante case based on the transcript of our conversation with Paul D'Amato, focusing on events, locations, and travel directions mentioned throughout:

📅 July 12, 2015 (Day of Incident)

Afternoon – Early Evening

• 🎉 Graduation party held at Tiffany’s uncle’s house, across the street and to the left of the Valiante home on Mannheim Avenue.

• Tiffany attends the party, is described as being in a good mood.

~8:30–9:00 PM

• A friend and the friend's mother arrive at Tiffany’s house to confront her about a stolen credit card.

~9:25–9:30 PM

• Tiffany is seen on deer cam leaving the Valiante driveway, walking toward Mannheim Avenue, looking to her left.

• 📱 Her cell phone is later found 15–20 feet down Mannheim, 5–6 feet off the road, still on Valiante property.

~9:30–11:10 PM

• Tiffany's whereabouts during this time are disputed.

According to the bloodhound trail:

1. Tiffany walks right on Mannheim.

2. Turns right on Dracera.

3. Turns right onto Tilton Road, walks toward White Horse Pike.

4. Trail veers to the northbound wood line, cuts across a concrete path to Wrangelboro Road.

5. Turns onto Genoa Avenue, then Aloe, then to the railroad tracks.

6. Walks about 1 mile westbound on the tracks to the switch where the bloodhound stops.

⛔ Note: Bloodhound trail may be unreliable due to two major rainstorms.

~11:10 PM

• Tiffany is struck and killed by a New Jersey Transit train near the intersection of Genoa and Aloe, approximately 75 yards off White Horse Pike.

🕛 July 13, 2015 (Early Morning)

12:23 AM

• Tiffany’s family officially reports her missing to the police.

~1:30 AM

• Her uncle (a NJ State Trooper) arrives at the accident scene and informs police that Tiffany had just been reported missing.

📆 July 17, 2015 (5 Days Later)

• 🐕 Bloodhound deployed by Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office.

• Scent article: dirty shorts placed in plastic bag by Tiffany’s uncle.

• Bloodhound begins at Valiante home and follows the route detailed above (Mannheim → Dracera → Tilton → Wrangelboro → Genoa → Aloe → railroad tracks).

📆 August 3, 2015 (3+ Weeks Later)

• 👟 Tiffany’s shoes, headband, sweatshirt with "Wilkes", plastic key ring, and decal found by her mother off Tilton Road, farther up than bloodhound’s final stop.

• 💬 Witness confirms seeing the mother emotionally reacting at the scene.

• 🔍 These items were not found along the original scent trail, raising doubt about the bloodhound path.

📆 August 7, 2015

• 🩸 Bloody towel found on Aloe Street near Tiffany’s memorial site.

• Towel was contaminated by improper storage (plastic bag → mold) and could not be tested reliably.

📆 July 16, 2022

• 🪓 Axe found approximately 20–30 feet from point of impact.

• Axe was never tested; later lost in custody by New Jersey Transit Police.

• Described as having orange material (possibly blood or rust).

📍 Alternate Theories of Travel

• Bloodhound path disputed due to:

  • Heavy rain (scent washout).

  • Tiffany’s well-known fear of the dark (nyctophobia).

  • Lack of street lighting, sidewalks, or moonlight on Dracera and Tilton.

  • Presence of glass and gravel—Tiffany was allegedly barefoot.

  • Shoes found in an alternate direction from the point of impact.

📍 Vehicle Access Theories

• Three possible vehicle routes to point of impact were demonstrated during Paul's driving tour:

  1. Via Tilton Road → Railroad crossing near Genoa/Aloe

  2. Via bridge/underpass area known as a local hangout

  3. Via White Horse Pike → gated dirt road (gate was open that night)