
After listening to Cruel Summer: The Violent Death of Tiffany Valiante, if you have any information that may help the investigation, you can reach our producers.
WHEN the body of 18-year-old Tiffany Valiante was found on railroad tracks deep in the New Jersey Pine Barrens in the summer of 2015, it was all too easy for police to label her death a suicide. More than a decade later, journalist Marie McGovern invites you into her remarkable four-year investigation into this terrible tragedy that turned into a frightening mystery. From Wavland and Street Smart Audio, Cruel Summer: The Violent Death of Tiffany Valiante brings stunning new perspectives on the case, providing the first in-depth examination of a young woman who seemingly had everything to live for. In this original podcast series, we take you to a small New Jersey town filled with secrets and a community suspicious of strangers, where those who might know what happened the night Tiffany died are reluctant to speak. You'll also discover how new technology has helped unlock numerous secrets hidden in Tiffany's cell phone, shedding light on her world and the circumstances surrounding her tragic death.
Images that capture from the life of a young woman on
the verge of a new chapter of her life.
FOR more than a decade, the mystery surrounding Tiffany Valiante has sparked a media frenzy, captivating audiences across newspapers, the Internet, television, and radio. Journalists worldwide have reported extensively on the case, striving to unravel the circumstances of what happened to this striking, athletic young woman who tragically ended her life. However, despite the extensive coverage, no one had taken the time to deeply investigate Tiffany's background—until now.
Marie McGovern has been granted unprecedented access to the case files and, with the full cooperation of the Valiante family, has taken the opportunity to examine Tiffany's social media accounts. Her findings have played a crucial role in reshaping the investigation into the events leading up to Tiffany's encounter with the train and the subsequent questions surrounding the nature of her death.


Jason Silva, Cornerstone Discovery, digital forensic experts
TIFFANY'S new cell phone was found in the brush near her home on the night her body was hit by the speeding train. But it was never thoroughly examined by police during the original investigation. However, the latest technology has given access to tens of thousands of Tiffany's previously unseen texts, phone calls, emails, photographs, videos and voice notes. It took Marie McGovern months to study every one, but, with the trove of new information, she established a new timeline of Tiffany's last days and weeks.
While everyone thought what was on Tiffany's phone was lost for ever, the work of a team of digital detectives shows how messages and calls are never destroyed. And what was uncovered, has given a fresh insight into Tiffany's world and her relationships with the people in it, casting more and more doubt on the original determination her death was by suicide.
In Cruel Summer: The Violent Death of Tiffany Valiante, you'll learn how many things captured digitally on Tiffany's phone have helped paint a new picture of her life.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.