Tiffany Valiante was supposed to be stepping into the best summer of her life. At just 18, she had graduated high school, earned a volleyball scholarship to Mercy College, and was days away from moving into her dorm. She never made it.
On July 12, 2015, the Mays Landing, New Jersey teen attended a graduation party with her family. Around 9:30 p.m., she was last seen on security camera walking down her driveway — wearing a T-shirt, shorts, slip-on sneakers, and a headband. Hours later, she was dead — struck by an NJ Transit train barreling down the tracks at 80 mph, just four miles from her home.
Twelve hours after her death, NJ Transit Police ruled it a suicide. Case closed.
Her parents, Diane and Stephen Valiante, say that determination is wrong — and that their daughter was murdered in what they believe was a hate crime targeting her for being a lesbian. A new lawsuit accuses police of botching the investigation, mishandling evidence, and ignoring glaring inconsistencies that point to foul play.
Continue reading