Joran Van der Sloot Confesses

Joran van der Sloot confessed to killing Stephany Flores.

He broke her neck when he discovered that she used his notebook computer without permission.

From FOX News:

Dutchman Joran van der Sloot, long the prime suspect in U.S. teen Natalee Holloway's 2005 disappearance in Aruba, has confessed to killing a young woman in his Lima hotel room last week, a police spokesman said.

Police Col. Abel Gamarra, head of the Information Directorate of Police, told The Associated Press late Monday that Van der Sloot admitted under questioning by police that he killed 21-year-old Stephany Flores.

According to La Republica newspaper, Van der Sloot told officials he broke Flores' neck in a rage after he discovered she had used his notebook computer without permission and learned he was involved in the disappearance of Holloway.

"I did not want to do it," La Republica quoted him as saying. "The girl intruded into my private life."

...If tried and convicted of murder, Van der Sloot faces a potential prison term of 35 years.

If the quotes attributed to Van der Sloot in La Republica are accurate, they're disgusting.

No one forced him to break Stephany Flores' neck. He chose to do it. He wanted to do it.

It's absurd for Van der Sloot to claim she intruded into his private life. What about the Natalee Holloway case hasn't already been aired publicly? Was there more information related to the case on his computer?

Moreover, how could Van der Sloot possibly think that he could get away with the murder of Flores? There must have been a mountain of evidence in his room or he wouldn't have confessed.

So, Van der Sloot confessed to murdering a woman because she used his laptop and discovered his involvement in the disappearance/death of another woman.

Van der Sloot is a monster. A 35-year sentence seems inadequate.

Video.

Joran van der Sloot, Greta Van Susteren, and Lies

This is so bizarre.

Joran van der Sloot told Greta Van Susteren he "sold" Natalee Holloway to a Venezuelan man for $10,000.

Interview transcript.

Video.









After the interview was taped, Joran van der Sloot had a change of heart.

He said he made up the story.

From Radio Netherlands:

Retraction
The interview was cut short when Joran van der Sloot was asked about his father's involvement in the affair. According to earlier statements by Joran, his father, working for the Aruban Justice ministry at the time, bribed two policemen to remain silent about what they knew about the affair.

Joran's father and police on Aruba are refusing to comment.

Some time after the recorded interview was broadcast, Joran van der Sloot contacted Fox News and told them he had lied to the interviewer, Greta van Susteren.

Joran van der Sloot tapes an interview about selling Natalee Holloway to a Venezuelan man and then he says he lied. Never mind. Just lies.

This has to be so difficult for Natalee Holloway's family.

They've had no closure on Natalee's disappearance.

Did he sell her? Was there foul play? Was there an accident? Is she dead? Could she be alive?

It's horrible that her family has to deal with this liar.

Which of the many stories van der Sloot has told is truthful? Has van der Sloot told the truth yet?

The person who knows what happened to Natalee, Joran van der Sloot, won't tell. It's cruel beyond words.

When I watch the interview, Bill Ayers comes to mind: "Guilty as hell, free as a bird."

Gottfried Van Cromvoirt

Aruba's judicial system has to be among the screwiest in the world.

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) -- A 19-year-old arrested in the disappearance of a young Alabama woman appeared before a judge Tuesday, but authorities declined to reveal the outcome of the closed hearing.

The chief Aruban prosecutor was smiling as she emerged from a police station on Tuesday, but refused to say whether the judge had agreed to her request to keep the man in custody for at least eight days while authorities continue their investigation of him in Natalee Holloway's disappearance.

But the prosecutor, Karin Janssen, signaled her agreement with the outcome of the hearing, telling reporters, "I never smile when I'm angry."

...Aruban authorities have disclosed only the suspect's initials _ G.V.C. _ although his name has been reported by some news organizations.

"G.V.C. is suspected of criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance of Miss Holloway and of offenses related to dealing in illegal narcotics," the prosecutor's office said in a brief statement.

Holloway, who was 18 when she disappeared, was last seen leaving a bar with Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot and two Surinamese brothers on May 30. Van der Sloot and the brothers, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, were jailed and later released after a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to hold them.

Joran van der Sloot's lawyer and father said van der Sloot had never met the 19-year-old who was arrested over the weekend.

Natalee Holloway's parents are speaking out on these latest developments in the case of their daughter's disappearnce.

From Birmingham, Alabama's NBC13.com:

With so many rumors and theories coming out of Aruba, including one that places Natalee Holloway and Gottfried Van Cromvoirt near each other the night Holloway disappeared, Holloway's parents spoke out on Tuesday to try to clarify the specifics.

..."Down there, they don't really tell you a lot," Holloway said. "Because they don't want it out. It's kind of frustrating."


Holloway does not know if Van Cromvoirt is being held because he is actually involved in Natalee's disappearance or because he just might have information about who was involved.

"We heard rumors (Tuesday) there may be some other arrests," Holloway said.

One theory about Van Cromvoirt's involvement comes from reports that Joran van der Sloot told police that as he, Natalee and the Kalpoe brothers drove away from Carlos and Charlie's the night she vanished, they pulled alongside another car and drove side-by-side for a distance with the people in the vehicles talking back and forth. The people in the second vehicle have never been identified.

Natalee's mother, Beth Twitty, said she is hearing another story.

"I believe also this new suspect is somehow linked to or has access to a boat. I'm hearing he is also an acquaintance of Stephen Croes," Twitty said.

Croes is a party boat disc jockey who was arrested early on in Natalee's case. He backed up van der Sloot's first story about dropping Natalee off at a Holiday Inn.

"I have a feeling all of these suspects are tied together in some way," Twitty said.

...Natalee's parents said that because of what they call "Aruba's swinging judicial door," they are not getting their hopes up about Van Cromvoirt yet.

It's been nearly a year since Natalee Holloway was last seen by her parents. That is a fact.

All the rest is speculation.

If I were Natalee's parent, I would be so frustrated with the Aruban officials and their incompetence.

Although it would be great for the family if this latest detention did shed some light on what happened in May 2005, I wouldn't get my hopes up either.

Still, I hope the case is finally resolved.

I don't know why anyone would vacation in Aruba after learning how bumbling the law enforcement and judicial officials are there. The Aruban judicial system is really a joke.

America's courts aren't perfect, but would you prefer Aruban justice?

Freshman Joran

It's out of handcuffs and off to college for Joran van der Sloot. His parents must be so proud of him, leaving the nest.

Of course, he spent the summer out of the nest and in a jail cell, but you know what I mean.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- An 18-year-old Dutch man who been held by police in Aruba in connection with the disappearance of an Alabama teen arrived in the Netherlands [September 6].

Joran van der Sloot and his father arrived at Amsterdam's airport, ignored questions from reporters, and quickly departed. His mother says he plans to attend college in Holland.

...Aruban police insist the investigation into Holloway's disappearance will continue, but legal observers in Aruba say the release indicates the government has no case.

Holloway's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, left Aruba on Sunday, saying she had -- quote -- "exhausted all my avenues."

Luckily, van der Sloot was released in time to begin the fall semester at college. How convenient!

Had Aruban authorities not royally screwed up the investigation into Natalee's disappearance, Joran would most likely be awaiting trial rather than registering for classes. His future would hold punishment, not promise.

While Joran supposedly heads off to a college in Holland, Natalee Holloway's parents are left in limbo, still not knowing where there daughter is.


Natalee had received a full scholarship to the University of Alabama. She was going to major in Pre-Med, planning to become a pediatrician.

She was an honors student, very intelligent, and focused on her future.

While Joran attends college and the van der Sloots move on with their lives, Natalee Holloway's family is only left with the haunting dreams of what might have been.

How to Get Out of Jail Free

SINT NICOLAAS, Aruba (AP) -- All three suspects in the disappearance of an Alabama teenager were released from jail Saturday in a setback for the prosecution and the biggest blow yet to Natalee Holloway's family.

Joran van der Sloot, an 18-year-old Dutchman, and two Surinamese brothers, Satish Kalpoe, 18, and Deepak Kalpoe, 21, were released on condition they remain in Dutch territory and be available to police for questioning.

The Kalpoe brothers emerged from prison dressed in jeans, carrying black plastic bags and accompanied by their lawyers.

"It's a happy day for the Kalpoe family," said David Kock, an attorney for Satish.

At his home later, van der Sloot came out smiling, flung an arm around his father's neck and squeezed his mother's shoulder. He did not address reporters.

"We would like to express our happiness to have Joran back in our lives," said his mother, Anita. "His life has been turned upside down."

She said her family had been the victim of "slander based on rumor and gossip. It is easy to destroy the lives of people, especially through the press."

Van der Sloot's lawyer, Richie Kock, said the teenager would soon be going to university in Holland.

"Joran will be trusted to be on his own in Holland and to do as he pleases," he said. "We do not have a parole system."

As a Dutch citizen, van der Sloot is allowed to leave Aruba but must remain in Dutch territory, said Richie Kock. The Surinamese brothers must remain on the island because they have different visa requirements for traveling to other Dutch territories, said David Kock.

The missing teen's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, renewed her criticism of the investigation.

"If the investigation had been handled properly during the first 10 days, the world would not have witnessed and experienced the pain and suffering my family and I have endured," Holloway Twitty said. "For the rest of my life, I will continue to be the voice for my daughter, seeking justice in Aruba. Every parent would want the same justice for their child."

The Holloway family has insisted that all three young men know what happened to the Alabama honors student, who vanished May 30 on the last day of a vacation to celebrate her high school graduation.

Despite Saturday's releases, police insist the investigation into Holloway's widely publicized disappearance will continue, but legal observers in Aruba say the release indicates the government has no case.

"The prosecution doesn't know what criminal act occurred — acts which might be murder, kidnapping, rape," said Arlene Skipper, a lawyer who has kept track of the case. "It is still a missing-person case."

Aruban authorities blew it.

In all likelihood, Natalee Holloway was murdered and no one will be held accountable.

Joran van der Sloot, and Satish and Deepak Kalpoe probably know what happened to her, but there is no evidence to connect them to Natalee and her disappearance.

Clearly, following the advice that the three men received from Joran's father three months ago, "Don't talk," paid off.

At the end of June, AP ran this story:

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP)- The father of a Dutch teenager arrested in the disappearance of a young U.S. woman told his son and his two friends that "when there is no body you don't have a case," Aruba's attorney general said Wednesday.

Paul van der Sloot, a judge in training in Aruba, gave his 17-year-old son Joran van der Sloot and two Surinamese brothers legal advice the day after 18-year-old Natalee Holloway disappeared, District Attorney Caren Janssen told MSNBC in an interview.

"They spoke about the situation that when there is no body you don't have a case, and that was already in the first day after the disappearance," Janssen said.

Janssen said that the elder van der Sloot had obstructed the investigation by asking a friend of Joran, who had been interrogated by police, what he had told them.

Paul van der Sloot, 52, was arrested last Thursday in the disappearance but released Sunday when a judge ruled there wasn't enough evidence to hold him.

Janssen told MSNBC that he was arrested because investigators believed he was also a suspect in the disappearance.

Was justice done here?

I seriously doubt it.

Joran Set to Get Out of Jail Free

It looks like the happy family will be together again in just a few days.
ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- A judge on Thursday ordered the conditional release of a Dutch teenager in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, but he remains a suspect, his defense attorney said.

Joran van der Sloot, 18, could be released from jail as early as Saturday and remain free pending the outcome of the probe, said Antonio Carlo.

The judge's decision "only has to do with the pretrial detention. The primary condition is he has to remain available to police," Carlo said.

Court officials couldn't be reached and the prosecutors office declined to comment, saying it hasn't received the entire order.

"A press release will be sent out only when we have gotten all of the decisions made by the judge of instruction. Most probably this will be tomorrow morning," the office said in a statement.

Van der Sloot was arrested June 9 along with two friends, Surinamese nationals Satish Kalpoe, 18, and Deepak Kalpoe, 21, on suspicion of involvement in Holloway's disappearance. All three have denied any connection to the disappearance.

The Kalpoe brothers were released on July 4 but were re-arrested last week.

A judge ordered Satish Kalpoe to remain jailed another eight days, said government spokesman Ruben Trapenberg said, without giving further details.

The judge was still to rule on whether to continue holding or release Deepak Satish. Suspects can be detained for 116 days without charge in the Dutch Caribbean island.

...The announcement came a day after a hearing in which Carlo argued that prosecutors have produced no evidence that his client was involved in Holloway's disappearance or that a crime had been committed.

The Aruban lawyer for Natalee's father, David Holloway, said van der Sloot could still be tried in the case.

"It doesn't imply there will be no trial. It's a sort of bail without money. There are conditions instead of money," Benvinda de Sousa said.

Aruba has got to have one of the weirdest judicial systems in the history of judicial systems--so many strange kinks in the law.

Why would Joran be held all summer long and then released now?

If prosecutors haven't produced evidence, then why was he detained all this time? Were they hoping some proof of wrongdoing would suddenly surface?

Moreover, with his impending release, don't the odds of Joran being tried in the case seem to be slim to none?

I thought Joran would end up walking out of jail free. If Aruban authorities hadn't botched the case at the beginning, I doubt this would be happening.

Natalee Holloway's disappearance will likely remain a mystery.

Someone has gotten away with murder.

More from Aruba

ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, the two Surinamese brothers previously detained in the Natalee Holloway case, have been re-arrested on suspicion of premeditated rape and murder, Aruban government officials said Friday. A third person was also detained.

Prosecutor's office spokeswoman Mariaine Croes told FOX News that the third person was a man known as "Freddy" or "F.A.," said to be a friend of Joran van der Sloot, who has been held in the case since June 9.

It was unclear if the third arrest was related to the Holloway case.

"Freddy" has been held since June 9?

I never heard about "Freddy" or "F.A." before today. Dan Riehl writes more about Freddy, Joran van der Sloot's friend and tennis partner.

Riehl reports:According to sources on the island, along with today's arrest of Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, Freddie Arambatzis-Zedan, aka "Locoman Pimp," aka "badboy_956," authorities will apprehend Jamie Carrasquilla tomorrow for allegations unrelated to the disappearance to Natalee Holloway.

Confusion over Freddy's last name is said to result from naming conventions which can be difficult for some to interpret. Apparently the name of both parents or their family names are taken at birth and Zedan may be Freddy's Mother's maiden name.

The arrests are said to be related to an incident that occurred back in April of this year. There are conflicting stories as to the alleged incident. One local news person is said to have stated that the incident involved a gang rape of an unidentified accuser.

According to statements by Jamie Carrasquilla, he believes the only event the charges could be related to involves photographs taken of a particular female individual, along with several others, back in April.

The pictures are said to be provocative in nature and were allegedly passed-around, as well as displayed, possibly somewhere on the Internet. At the time, or soon thereafter, one female individual is said to have been upset with the displaying of the pictures and asked the boys to remove and possibly destroy them.

Carrasquilla is said to believe that the request was complied with and claims that the female in question, if she is indeed at the heart of the new arrests, has since spent time with many of the boys, even at least once at a party at the home of suspect Joran Van der Sloot.

According to sources, Prosecutor Karin Jannsen has stated only that additional information has led to the arrests.

Freddy's "bad_956" MSN profile

Freddy's "Locoman Pimp" Tickle Networking profile
Photos of Freddy


The Aruban authorities are so screwy that it's hard to say if today's re-arrests of the Kalpoe brothers and the revelations of the detention of this third man mean much in connection with the Natalee Holloway investigation.
Karin Jannsen is being as vague as ever.

Whatever the case may be, the bottom line is the Aruban authorities are incompetent. They botched the investigation into Natalee Holloway's disappearance from the beginning. September is coming soon and Joran van der Sloot, and the others, could be released.

I seriously doubt that the Aruban authorities are any closer to solving Natalee's disappearance today than they were in early June.
My heart goes out to her family.

Things Heat Up in Aruba

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) -- The family of Natalee Holloway on Monday more than doubled the reward for help solving her disappearance, while the Alabama teen's mother again criticized the direction of the investigation.

The reward for information that helps solve the more than 2-month-old mystery is now $250,000, up from $100,000, said Beth Holloway Twitty, the teen's mother. The family has also offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Natalee's safe return.

"I hope more money will help bring people forward," Holloway Twitty said in an interview. "I still don't feel like this investigation is heading in the right direction."

Holloway Twitty said police had given her copies of statements from witnesses and other documents from the investigation that have led her to believe investigators are on the wrong track.

"The level of ineptness has been incredible," Holloway Twitty said of Aruban authorities. "The whole thing has been wrong from the beginning."

Of course, I am saddened that Natalee Holloway appears to have been a victim of a horrible crime. I want to see justice done.

Beyond that, I think this case is holding my interest because there seems to have been such a high degree of corruption and incompetence on the part of the Aruban officials. Also, it's possible that Paul van der Sloot was allowed to cover up for his son and protect him from being held responsible for Natalee's disappearance.

Natalee disappeared way back on May 30. Obviously, the investigation into the matter has been a complete disaster. The Aruban authorities blew it from the beginning. There's no going back to undo the damage that was done by releasing van der Sloot and the Kalpoes from custody.

As it stands now, if Joran van der Sloot isn't charged by September 4, he walks away free.

My heart just breaks for Natalee's parents. It's important to remember that they have lost their beloved daughter. To them, this isn't just some mystery that cable news is choosing to follow for our summer entertainment. This reality show is their nightmare.

...Chief Prosecutor Karin Janssen called the criticism unwarranted.

"I'm positive about our progress and very proud of my team," said Janssen.



If Karin Janssen is proud of her team, she has the bar set as low as it can go.
Later Monday, Holloway Twitty said she confronted one of the men who had been arrested and then released in her daughter's disappearance.

Holloway Twitty said she went into the Internet cafe where 21-year-old Deepak Kalpoe worked, telling him about the $250,000 reward and encouraging him to come forward with any information he might have.

"He wouldn't look at me," said Holloway Twitty. "He just told me I would have to speak to his lawyer."

I'm sure Deepak has been told by his lawyer not to say a word to anyone about the case. It doesn't surprise me that he wouldn't talk to Beth Holloway Twitty at the Internet cafe. However, I am somewhat surprised by his unwillingness to talk to authorities.

Why wouldn't he take the reward money if he has information? Why protect Joran van der Sloot? Why such loyalty?

The fact that he has remained silent tells me that he is not entirely innocent in the matter.
Holloway Twitty said the family wanted to publicize the reward in neighboring Venezuela and Colombia, even though Aruban authorities and the FBI have said they don't believe Natalee ever left Aruba.

I take that to mean that the authorities believe she never left Aruba alive.

If Natalee was somewhere on the island, then you'd think by now that some evidence would have turned up.

It's a big ocean....

Today in Aruba

There have been a number of new developments in Aruba.ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) -- After spending nearly two months in Aruba searching for clues and offering rewards, the mother of a missing teen has left the island and returned home to Alabama.

According to a relative, it was "very difficult" for Beth Holloway Twitty to leave without knowing her daughter's fate, and she plans to return soon to keep the investigation alive.

I think Beth Holloway Twitty is an incredible woman--without a doubt, the mother of the year. She has worked so tirelessly to find her daughter.

Although she just left the island, now there are reports that she may be returning to Aruba. If that's the case it certainly would indicate that something significant has happened or is about to happen.

Then, there is the matter of the size 14 K Swiss tennis shoe.

Police are searching for this piece of evidence. If found, it could place Joran at the scene of the crime.

Probably the most significant of today's developments is a statement that Joran van der Sloot made to police. It was obtanined by Diario, Aruba's largest newspaper.

According to Diario, Joran told police that Deepak raped Natalee and murdered her.

Given that charge, it seems odd that Aruban authorities would have chosen to release Deepak weeks ago, while detaining Joran. I would think they would want to keep Deepak in custody until they are certain that Joran’s statement is a lie.

Do authorities have concrete evidence that exonerates Deepak? If they don't, why would they have released him, while continuing to detain Joran?

In another development, Tim Miller of EquuSearch is putting pressure on Paul van der Sloot, Joran’s father.

Yesterday, Miller asked van der Sloot for permission to search his property.

Miller said, “If he has nothing to hide, he should let us in there.” He described van der Sloot as sweating profusely, agitated, and on the verge of a complete meltdown.

Miller said, “We’re going to make his life as miserable as possible. That’s not a threat. That’s a promise.”

TJ Ward, the private investigator working for Natalee's family, said that he is certain that Paul van der Sloot has been untruthful. After examining various tapes and other information available to him, Ward believes that Paul van der Sloot knows much more than he has revealed to authorities. Moreover, Ward concludes that what he has said about Natalee's disappearance is false.

Other leads that Ward is following include e-mails and phone calls.

The developments in Aruba today are encouraging. It appears that some significant strides have been made in the case.

What must be unbearable for Natalee's family is the knowledge that this situation would have played out so differently had American officials been allowed to handle it. If not for all the blunders made by Aruban authorities, it's possible murder charges would have already been filed.

American authorities would have combed through every inch of van der Sloot's property. It would have been thoroughly searched weeks and weeks ago.

Suspects Joran van der Sloot, Deepak Kalpoe, and Satish Kalpoe would not have been released and given ten days to cover their tracks and coordinate their stories, with Paul van der Sloot acting as their adviser.

DNA tests would have been done promptly and properly.

Instead, the Aruban incompetents seem to have mishandled the case in every conceivable way.

It's horrible that Natalee's family has had to deal with her disappearance and come to terms with the likelihood that she has been murdered.

On top of that, their pain has been compounded by being forced to battle Aruban authorities in order to see justice done in Natalee's disappearance.

It's really unforgivable.

Back to the Landfill

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) -- Police and volunteers picked through a landfill Saturday where a witness claimed he saw men dumping a female body two days after an Alabama teenager vanished. The landfill is on the southern part of the Dutch Caribbean island, the opposite side from where 18-year-old Natalee Holloway was last seen in the early hours of May 30.

Crews stopped the search late Saturday without finding anything, but planned to resume Sunday, said Tim Miller, director of the volunteer Texas EquuSearch, which is coordinating the landfill search.

The witness claimed to be dropping off trash when he saw the men dumping the body on the afternoon of June 1, Miller said.

"He said he saw a face, blond hair and a woman's chest, and that the body was dumped and covered," Miller said.

The witness could not identify the men but said they were driving a light colored jeep, said Miller.

Police spokesman Edwin Comenencia said police searched the landfill after receiving the tip days after Holloway's disappearance, but found nothing. He said the witness recently approached Holloway's family, who asked for another search.

...On the opposite side of Aruba, police ordered crews to stop draining a pond near the Marriott hotel, Comenencia said. They found no clues to Holloway's disappearance, he said.

Crews began draining the pond Tuesday, but it was still several feet deep Saturday. Comenencia declined to say why investigators decided to stop draining it.

I assume that "witnesses" with tips may be surfacing because of the reward money.

Natalee's family is offering $100,000 for information that would help solve the case. Information leading to her safe return would bring a $1 million reward.

Since this witness came forward shortly after Natalee disappeared, I tend to believe that the man sincerely thinks he saw something. However, it's possible he's just a nutcase looking for attention and now, a big chunk of change.

Let's say Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoes did dump Natalee's body at the landfill on May 30. There is no way they would have left her there. They, or possibly someone else, had to remove the body from the landfill and dispose of it elsewhere.

It would be far too risky to leave her body somewhere on the island. Certainly, it would be a much easier task to discover her remains at a landfill than at the bottom of the ocean.

I can't believe that these three young guys acted alone. They must have had help from someone more sophisticated and knowledgeable regarding how to dispose of a body without leaving a trace.

Someone (Paul van der Sloot?) had to help them cover their tracks. After all, it was Paul van der Sloot who advised his son and the Kalpoes to keep quiet.

My guess is that they're playing a waiting game, holding out hope that the searchers find nothing and that the case against Joran remains weak.
After all these weeks, no one has been charged in Natalee's disappearance.
Remember when Karin Janssen told the press that Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers had been charged with murder?
That was one month ago; and of course, her claims were not true.
I wonder if Aruban officials have any more field trips planned for Joran.

Like his past aimless walks with authorities on the beach, maybe Joran will soon be visting the landfill to pointlessly wander around, allowing officials to make it appear that an investigation into Natalee's disappearance is actually taking place.

Aruba: SNAFU

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) -- A court ruled Friday that DNA samples collected from the Dutch youth jailed in the disappearance of an Alabama teenager and one of his friends could not be used in a case against them.

...Joran van der Sloot, 17, the only person who remains jailed in the case, has admitted he spent part of the evening with her. He has said through his family and lawyers that he had nothing to do with her disappearance.

The court ruled Friday that prosecutors did not clarify what his DNA samples would be compared with, but said the prosecution could request new DNA samples from van der Sloot if they had documents clarifying what would be used in the comparison.

In the case of Satish Kalpoe, van der Sloot's friend who was jailed and then released in the case, the court ruled there was not enough evidence to warrant using the tests.

Also Friday, police and a volunteer group from Texas searched a landfill in hopes of finding clues about what happened to Holloway. Edwin Comenencia, the police spokesman, declined to say what prompted the search.

"So far they have found nothing," he said.
Situation normal in Aruba--

The prosecutors have screwed up, AGAIN!

Without question, the court appears to be stonewalling to protect Joran van der Sloot.

However, if the law demands that thorough clarification regarding use of DNA samples be supplied, the prosecutors should have followed that procedure.

Can they do anything right?

I do find it interesting that Joran van der Sloot's attorney would be trying to prevent DNA samples from being used in the case.

If Joran is as innocent as he claims to be, why would there be any concern about how his DNA sample would be used?

He has admitted that he was with Natalee. It's not as if DNA is needed to prove that, nor is it criminal to have been with someone.

Joran's legal representation must be fearing that prosecutors have some evidence that could connect him to a crime. That fear would be baseless if Joran was not involved in some foul play with Natalee.

Regarding the DNA testing on the hair strands found on duct tape, Beth Holloway Twitty, Natalee's mother, found comfort in the results being negative."I was completely relieved" by the FBI results, said Beth Holloway Twitty, the teen's mother. "Everytime we exhaust something like this it's a possibility that Natalee is still alive."

A sample of the hair also was tested at a crime lab in the Netherlands, but the results have not been released.

Aruban government spokesman Ruben Trapenberg said he doubted the Dutch results would differ from the FBI's findings. Aruba, a Dutch protectorate, doesn't have a lab to conduct the genetic testing.

"The hair was never something we considered significant but it needed to be checked out," Trapenberg said.
Do Aruban officials have ANYTHING they consider to be significant in the case?

They seem to want to give the impression that they are making strides in the investigation. So far, any notion that the case of Natalee's disappearance is closer to being solved is a false one.

Aruban authorities do insignificant DNA testing, spend days draining a pond, and take Joran out for walks on the beach with little purpose, resulting in no breaks at all.

It's possible that all hope of solving this case was lost when Joran was released from jail early on in the investigation. He, his father, and the Kalpoes were given ample opportunity to clean things up, if they are in fact guilty of wrong-doing.

Whatever the final outcome of the case, I imagine it will take a long, long time before Aruba and would-be tourists can shake off the memory of Natalee Holloway.

Breaks in the Holloway case?

The latest from Aruba:

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) -- Aruban firefighters were draining a lake Tuesday in the search for an Alabama teenager who vanished nearly two months ago while vacationing in the island.

Edwin Comemencia, a police spokesman, confirmed that the draining of the lake across from the Marriott Hotel was part of the investigation into Natalee Holloway's disappearance but would not comment further. A jailed Dutch youth has said he was with Holloway in the area the night she disappeared.

The draining was expected to take up to 24 hours.

Earlier Tuesday, Holloway's stepfather, George Twitty, said two new witnesses had come forward with information about the night she disappeared.

One witness told investigators that he saw Joran van der Sloot, the 17-year-old who has been detained as the main suspect, driving to a nightclub across the road from the Marriott Hotel around 2:30 a.m. the night Holloway disappeared, Twitty said.

The witness said van der Sloot tried to hide his face with his hands as he drove to the Racquet Club with two Surinamese brothers, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, Twitty said. The Kalpoe brothers were detained as suspects and later released.

The stepfather said the account places the three individuals near the hotel beach where van der Sloot says he left 18-year-old Holloway alone the last night she was seen in public.

"What's interesting is the time — 2:30 a.m. — when the three were supposedly on their way home," said Twitty, referring to their previous accounts to investigators.

The witness, a gardener whose name was not disclosed, gave his account to investigators on Friday, Twitty said.

...A second new witness told a private investigator hired by Holloway's family that she saw van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers drive into the Racquet Club three times that same night. The woman, who lives near the nightclub, has not yet spoken with investigators, he said.

Aruban authorities did not comment on the stepfather's statements.

I wonder what made these new witnesses come forward. Money?

That's the idea of rewards, to give people who would otherwise stay quiet an incentive to talk.

It also could be an incentive to lie.

I can't imagine how gut-wrenching it must be to watch a lake slowly be drained, knowing it's being done because your child may be found dead at the bottom.

$1 Million for Natalee Holloway

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) -- Aruban authorities have brought in experts from the Netherlands and sent a prosecutor to consult with the FBI as they seek to solve the disappearance of missing Alabama teen Natalee Holloway, officials said Monday.

The reward in the case rose to $1 million.

The four experts from the Netherlands traveled to the Dutch Caribbean island to assist with interrogations while two members of the team investigating the Holloway case traveled to the FBI crime lab in Quantico, Va., the public prosecutor's office of Aruba said.

Aruba has agreed to show transcripts of interrogations to the FBI, which is acting in an advisory role in the high-profile case, in a sign of increased cooperation that drew praise from the family of the Mountain Brook teen who vanished on the last night of a high school graduation trip.

"I'm really so grateful to the Aruban officials who have made it possible to release this information," the teenager's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, said after announcing that the reward for information leading to her safe return had been increased to $1 million.

A family spokeswoman in Birmingham said the reward was increased after Holloway's relatives received an offer from an anonymous benefactor.

...Aruban authorities agreed to provide the transcripts after the country's prime minister sent a letter to Attorney General Karin Janssen urging prosecutors to give the FBI "complete access" to materials from the investigation to the extent allowed under Dutch law, which governs the territory.

...The public prosecutor's office said in a statement that Amalin Flanegin, a senior member of the prosecution team, and a police investigator would be at the FBI crime lab for a week with materials gathered during the investigation to discuss the case. They did not specify the materials.

It's about time that the hapless Aruban authorities permit the FBI to handle this investigation.

Not only should ALL involved in Natalee's disappearance be held responsible and punished for their crimes; the Netherlands should do what it needs to do to get the incompents out of positions of authority on Aruba.

I wonder if Joran van der Sloot, the Kalpoe brothers, Steve Croes, and judge in training (What a joke!) Paul van der Sloot hear the clock ticking?

The FBI, a $1 million dollar reward--if daddy van der Sloot was sweatly profusely before, he must be ready to pass out now.
Read about Natalee.

The piece serves as a reminder that this isn't a fictional murder mystery. This isn't a salacious tabloid soap opera.

For Natalee's family and friends, this isn't a nightmare that goes away upon waking.

It's the real story of the loss of their beloved Natalee and it's forever.

Cold Case?

ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- Authorities have taken DNA samples from a jailed Dutch youth and two of his friends as investigators turn their focus to physical evidence in the case of a missing Alabama teenager, defense attorneys said Wednesday.

The samples were taken Tuesday, a day after investigators said they would conduct DNA tests on blond hair attached to duct tape that was found along Aruba's northeastern coast, in a possible break to the six-week-old disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

Joran van der Sloot, 17, was taken to a hospital and submitted a saliva sample for the genetic testing sought by prosecutors, his attorney Richie Kock said.

Two Surinamese brothers, Satish Kalpoe, 18, and Deepak Kalpoe, 21, who were detained earlier in the case but released, also submitted saliva samples the same day, said Ruud Offringa, an attorney for the older brother.

Authorities told defense attorneys the DNA would be compared to material found by investigators but did not disclose what would be used in the comparison, Offringa and Kock said.

...The saliva specimens will be sent to the Netherlands, and it could take a week or two for the findings to be disclosed, Offringa said. The test to determine if the hair came from Holloway also will take place in the Netherlands.

Aruba, a Dutch protectorate, doesn't have a lab to conduct the genetic testing.

A spokesman for the Aruban government, Ruben Trapenberg, declined to comment Wednesday on the investigation and the prosecutor could not be reached.

The FBI, which has been advising in the investigation, has said it would conduct separate genetic testing on the hair.

A park ranger found the duct tape while collecting trash Sunday on the opposite side of the island from where the 18-year-old honors student was last seen in public.

I'm glad the FBI is conducting its own genetic testing. I don't trust the Netherlands or Aruba to get anything right.

It appears there is some concrete evidence that prompted investigators to get the DNA samples from Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers.

Maybe staying quiet won't work for van der Sloot and company after all.

Ed Hayes of Court TV points out that it's very difficult to get rid of a body in water. That's why he suspects that three drunk young guys weren't capable of disposing of Natalee Holloway's body, if they are, in fact, responsible for her disappearance.

Hayes thinks that's why authorities were questioning Paul van der Sloot.

Hopefully, taking the DNA samples signals a break in this case.

Incompetence, Lies, and Duct Tape

FOX reports:

Four strands of blond hair were being flown to Holland for DNA testing, Aruban police confirmed to FOX News Sunday. The discovery could be a much-needed break in the search for missing Alabama high school student Natalee Holloway.

The foot-long locks were attached to a piece of duct tape in a remote part of the island territory known as Boca Tortuga. Police received an anonymous tip that led them to search the area. Sources on the scene said that the hair washed ashore and was found in a cave. Divers were reportedly dispatched the area to retrieve any other possible evidence.

The strands will be flown to Holland to see if they are a genetic match for the missing teen. Results could be available as early as Tuesday.

The possible break came a day after Dutch authorities took a teenager held in connection with the disappearance to retrace his steps at the beach where he says he last saw Holloway the morning she vanished.

Police took Joran van der Sloot, 17, to a beach near the Marriott Hotel, where he has admitted he was alone with the 18-year-old in the early hours of May 30, said police superintendent Jan van der Straaten.

I would feel a lot better if the strands of hair were being tested in the U.S.

I have serious misgivings about the Dutch government's ability to do anything right in this case.

That said, suppose that DNA testing shows the hair to be a genetic match to Natalee Holloway.

What sort of break in the case would that provide?

It would suggest that there was some sort of foul play. Theories that Natalee freely left the island on her own would be dispelled.

However, her hair on duct tape would not give any definitive evidence that she was murdered. The tape could be the remnants of a kidnapping.

Even if DNA results are positive, Natalee's family won't really learn much more than what they already believe, that Natalee was a victim of some sort of foul play.

Unless investigators are somehow able to prove a connection between the duct tape and Joran van der Sloot, that piece of evidence would not implicate him in Natalee's disappearance.

It's possible that duct tape may have been found in van der Sloot's possession if his home had been searched immediately after he was first taken into custody, rather than after he was arrested for the second time.

That blunder made by Aruban authorities still boggles my mind. I will never understand why they potentially gave van der Sloot and the Kalpoes the opportunity to cover their tracks.

In sum, positive DNA testing won't mean justice will be done here. When Paul van der Sloot told his son and his friends not to talk, he may have given them the key to their freedom.

In the end, his advice, coupled with the incompetence of the Aruban officials, may allow Joran and company to get away with murder.

Back to the Beach

ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- Police took a jailed Dutch teenager Saturday to retrace his steps at the beach where he says he last saw an Alabama teenager the morning she disappeared in Aruba.

Police took Joran van der Sloot, 17, to a beach near the Marriott Hotel where he has admitted to being alone with 18-year-old Natalee Holloway in the early hours of May 30, said police superintendent Jan van der Straaten.

Van der Straaten declined to provide further details, saying only that it was "part of the investigation." Police have taken van der Sloot to the site before.

...Van der Sloot, the son of a judge in training in Aruba, faces no charges, and authorities can hold him until Sept. 4, when he must be charged or released. Six other men detained at various times during the investigation have been released.

Part of the investigation?

It's more like part of the game.

Taking van der Sloot out for these strolls on the beach accomplishes nothing. How many times does he have to retrace his steps? Do police really think he's suddenly going to slip up, start talking, and provide them with new details?

Clearly, van der Sloot is following his father's advice--Don't talk. Wait out the 116 days, and walk away free.

The kid probably enjoys the time on the beach. Summer in a jail cell is no fun.

I don't buy that these little excursions have any purpose other than to make it appear that Aruban authorities are responsible, competent investigators working diligently on the case.

I suspect it's more of a media stunt to pacify would-be tourists than anything else.

After all, Aruba has taken quite a PR hit from the disappearance, and likely murder, of a young American girl on a high school graduation trip.

Officials have to look as if they're doing something. They can't afford to sit on their hands. They wouldn't want a botched missing person investigation to hamper their tourist industry.

Joran van der Sloot Stays Behind Bars

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) -- A 17-year-old Dutch youth must remain behind bars as authorities try to find out what happened to Natalee Holloway, who was last seen six weeks ago leaving a nightclub, an appeals court said Thursday.

The court also ruled that there was not enough evidence to detain two Surinamese brothers in connection with the disappearance of the 18-year-old Alabama woman.

...A three-judge panel decided there was adequate grounds to suspect van der Sloot of involvement in Holloway's disappearance. "He was in her company and gave varying statements about what happened then and afterwards," according to the ruling, which was read by a court clerk.

The ruling also said that van der Sloot had recently change his account of the night of Holloway's disappearance and authorities need time to investigate the new version.

"We are a bit disappointed," said Richie Kock, a lawyer for van der Sloot. "We had a fair chance that he would be released."

...The missing teen's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, said she was "pleased with the judge's ruling on Joran," but disappointed with the decision on the brothers, whom she has insisted were involved in her daughter's disappearance.

Holloway Twitty said she was not sure how long she would remain in Aruba. "We know eventually we will have to pull out," she said.

What was accomplished today?

It was decided that van der Sloot would continue to be detained. However, there still are no charges in the case. A resolution is still out of reach.

The family wants answers about their beloved Natalee's disappearance. They believe Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoes have those answers. I think the souls of the young men are so blackened that they won't come clean--ever.

Beth Twitty has said:

"All I want to do is take my daughter home."

Although she probably will never do that, van der Sloot could at least give her the truth.

Aruba is responsible for giving Natalee's family justice.

Judgment Day

Today, an Aruban judge will rule on whether to release Joran van der Sloot.

ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- The mother of Natalee Holloway said Wednesday that she has evidence that a local teen was involved in the disappearance of her daughter and that it would be a "huge injustice" to release him from custody.

Beth Holloway Twitty, who declined to disclose her alleged evidence, made the comments in an interview a day before a court was to announce whether to release Joran van der Sloot — the only person held in the disappearance of the 18-year-old Alabama high school student.

Twitty said she is also convinced of the involvement of Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, brothers from Suriname who were expected to hear Thursday whether they would be returned to custody in the case.

"I definitely know those three individuals have involvement in her disappearance," Twitty said in an interview with The Associated Press at her hotel in Aruba.

..."It would be a huge injustice to Natalee," if [van der Sloot] is released, Twitty told The AP.

...The youth, the son of a judge in training on the island, responded "in the most arrogant, condescending manner" and replied "What do you want me to do?" she recalled.

Twitty said police told her that van der Sloot admitted to them he had engaged in "sexual acts" with Holloway the night of her disappearance.

"I believe that, if it happened, it was against her will," Twitty said.

Beth and George Twitty filed the legal paperwork that under Dutch law that will allow the family to have access to all documents authorities have compiled on the case after the investigation has ended, which officials said could take up to two years.

In the meantime, Beth Twitty said there has been a "family investigation," though she declined to provide details about what it uncovered.

...Twitty said she had expected a quick resolution to the case, but now is not sure if she will remain on the island after Thursday's ruling. "All I want to do is take my daughter home," she said.

Aruban authorities have botched the investigation into Natalee's disappearance from the beginning. I don't have faith in their ability to bring the guilty to justice.

It's possible Beth Twitty may leave Aruba without seeing justice done.

The most heartbreaking thing of all--she may never bring Natalee home.

Still No Natalee and No Charges

The Natalee Holloway case continues to plod along aimlessly in Aruba.
ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- A judge heard competing appeals Tuesday in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, with a defense lawyer seeking the release of a Dutch teen in the case and prosecutors asking for the re-arrest of two brothers from Suriname.

...The hearings were closed and the judge was expected to confer with two colleagues before issuing a ruling Thursday.

Separately, a U.S. organization that has been searching for Holloway for more than three weeks said it planned to halt its efforts and return home Sunday.

"We want to feel in our hearts we did everything," a tearful Tim Miller, director Texas EquuSearch, said at a news conference.

The first hearing Tuesday was an appeal of a judge's ruling earlier this month that there was insufficient evidence to hold the brothers in Holloway's disappearance. Satish Kalpoe, 18, and Deepak Kalpoe, 21, had been in custody since June 9, when they were arrested along with van der Sloot. They were released on July 4.

The Kalpoe brothers left court with their lawyers after brief hearings. Van der Sloot left the courthouse — handcuffed and hiding his face from the news media — in the custody of authorities.

David Kock, the lawyer for Satish Kalpoe, said he was confident the younger brother would remain free.

"There's nothing new against my client," Kock said outside the courthouse. "I'm speculating but perhaps the prosecution wants to appeal for PR reasons."

Kock said prosecutors informed him Monday that they had new evidence in the case that included online chatroom conversations between Deepak Kalpoe and van der Sloot.

But Ruud Offringa, the lawyer for the older brother, told reporters the chatroom conversations were not new evidence and had previously presented to a judge.

When will Aruban officials get around to filing some charges in the case of Natalee's disappearance?

Tim Miller and Texas EquuSearch have done so much to help Natalee's family. I have to believe that Natalee is no longer on the island.

The van der Sloots and Kalpoes must be breathing a sigh of relief knowing that search efforts are concluding. They came up with nothing, not a shred of evidence.

Will Natalee's family see justice done on Aruba?

Sadly, I doubt it.

Aruba Dead End

News from Aruba:

Beth Holloway Twitty's attorney, Benvinda de Sousa, said her apology was not inspired by threats from the attorneys of the Kalpoe brothers to sue if she kept insisting their clients were guilty.

De Sousa said Natalee Holloway's mother will wait on the island in hopes that answers to her daughter's fate will be found.
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Tim Miller, director of Texas EquuSearch, a Dickenson, Texas-based volunteer group that has been here for more than two weeks doing ocean and land searches, said forensic diving specialists and two Navy SEAL divers who were volunteering vacation time were to arrive later Friday, bringing specialized search equipment.

But Miller said EquuSearch was planning to leave on Tuesday if nothing new was found. He acknowledged prospects for success were slim and said he was convinced the girl was not on the island.

"We are not any closer than we were 16 days ago when we got here," Miller said.
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On Tuesday, a three-judge panel will hear appeals of the conditional release of the two brothers, Deepak Kalpoe, 21, and Satish Kalpoe, 18.

It will also hear an appeal of a judge's order to hold Joran van der Sloot, the 17-year-old son of a judge-in-training for another 60 days. The hearings will not be public.

De Sousa said the judges could rule that day or the next.
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It has to be so discouraging for Natalee's family for suspects in the case to be released and for the volunteer searchers to be planning to leave the island.

One wonders if Beth Holloway Twitty's vow to stay on the island until she has answers about her daughter's fate means she would have to take up permanent residence there.

Justice is not always achievable in this life.