Natalee Ann Holloway (born October 21, 1986) disappeared on May 30, 2005, during a high school graduation trip to Aruba, a Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. An American student from Mountain Brook, Alabama, Holloway graduated from Mountain Brook High School on May 24, 2005, shortly before the trip.[3] Her disappearance caused a media sensation in the United States.[4]
Holloway was scheduled to fly home later on May 30, but failed to appear for her flight.[5] She was last seen by her classmates outside Carlos'n Charlie's, a Caribbean chain restaurant and nightclub in Oranjestad,[6] in a car with locals Joran van der Sloot and brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. When questioned, the three men said they dropped her off at her hotel and denied knowing what became of Holloway.[7] Upon further investigation by authorities, Van der Sloot was arrested twice on suspicion of involvement in her disappearance and the Kalpoes were each arrested three times. Due to lack of evidence the three men were released without charge after each arrest.[8][9]
With the help of hundreds of volunteers, Aruban investigators conducted an extensive search for Holloway. Special Agents from the FBI,[10] fifty Dutch soldiers and three specially equipped Dutch Air Force F-16 aircraft participated in the search.[11][12][13] In addition to the ground search, divers examined the ocean floor for evidence of Holloway's body.[14] The searches were unsuccessful, and according to Aruban authorities she is most likely dead.[15][16] On December 18, 2007, Aruban prosecutors announced that the case would be closed without any charges sought against the former suspects.[17][18] The Aruban prosecutor's office reopened the case on February 1, 2008, after receiving video footage of Joran van der Sloot, under the influence of marijuana, making statements that Holloway died on the morning of May 30, 2005, and that he disposed of her body.[19] Van der Sloot later denied that what he said was true, and subsequently gave Greta Van Susteren an interview (the contents of which he later retracted) in which he stated that he sold Holloway into sexual slavery.
Holloway's family has criticized Aruban investigators throughout the search for a perceived lack of progress in finding her. The family also called for a boycott of Aruba, which gained Alabama Governor Bob Riley's support but failed to gain widespread backing
Background
Natalee Ann Holloway was the first of two children born to David Edward ("Dave") and Elizabeth Ann Reynolds ("Beth") Holloway in Clinton, Mississippi.[1] Her parents divorced in 1993, and she and her younger brother Matthew were raised by their mother. In 2000, Elizabeth Holloway married George "Jug" Twitty, a prominent Alabama businessman, and Natalee moved to Mountain Brook, Alabama.[22] Holloway graduated with honors from Mountain Brook High School. She was a member of the National Honor Society, her school dance squad, and was a participant in other extracurricular activities.[23][24] According to her family, Holloway was to attend the University of Alabama on a full scholarship,[25] where she planned to pursue a pre-med track.[26] At the time of the disappearance, Dave Holloway was an insurance broker in Meridian, Mississippi, while Beth Twitty was employed by the Mountain Brook School System.[22][27] Jug Twitty began divorce proceedings on December 29, 2006, stating the two have "such a complete incompatibility of temperament that the parties can no longer live together"
Disappearance
On Thursday, May 26, 2005, Holloway and 124 fellow graduates of Mountain Brook High School, located in a wealthy suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, arrived in Aruba for a five-day, unofficial graduation trip.[23][29] The graduates were accompanied by seven chaperones.[30] According to teacher and chaperone Bob Plummer, the chaperones met with the students each day to ensure nothing was wrong.[31] However, Jodi Bearman—the chaperone who organized the trip, stated, "the chaperones were not supposed to keep up with their every move".[30][32] Police Commissioner Gerold Dompig, who would head the investigation from mid-2005 until 2006, described the behavior of the Mountain Brook students, stating there was "wild partying, a lot of drinking, lots of room switching every night. We know the Holiday Inn told them they weren't welcome next year. Natalee, we know, she drank all day every day. We have statements she started every morning with cocktails—so much drinking that Natalee didn't show up for breakfast two mornings".[30] Two of Holloway's classmates, Liz Cain and Claire Fierman, "agreed that the drinking was kind of excessive".[33]
Holloway was last seen by her classmates leaving the Aruban bar and night club Carlos'n Charlie's[34] around 1:30 a.m. on Monday, May 30.[35] Holloway left with 17-year-old Joran van der Sloot, a Dutch honors student living in Aruba and attending the Aruba International School,[36] and his two Surinamese friends, 21-year-old Deepak Kalpoe[37] and 18-year-old Satish Kalpoe,[37] in Deepak Kalpoe's car.[8][38] Holloway, who had been scheduled to fly home later on May 30, did not appear for her return flight,[5] and her packed luggage and passport were found in her Holiday Inn room.[8][30] Aruban authorities initiated searches for Holloway throughout the island and surrounding waters but did not find her
Investigation
The investigation into Holloway's disappearance began shortly after she missed her flight home. The island of Aruba and the surrounding waters were extensively searched, especially in the month following Holloway's disappearance, though searches have continued. Ten individuals have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in Holloway's disappearance; however no charges have been filed against anyone, and there are no suspects in custody.
Early investigation
On May 30, 2005, immediately following Holloway's missed flight, Jug and Beth Twitty traveled to Aruba with friends by private jet.[7] Within four hours of landing in Aruba, the Twittys presented the Aruban police with the name and address of Van der Sloot as the person with whom Holloway left the nightclub.[7] Beth Twitty has stated that Van der Sloot's full name was given to her by the night manager at the Holiday Inn, who supposedly recognized him on a videotape.[25] The Twittys and their friends, with two Aruban policemen, went to the Van der Sloot home looking for Holloway. Van der Sloot initially denied knowing Holloway's name, but he then told the following story, with which Deepak Kalpoe, who was present, agreed:[30] Van der Sloot related that they drove Holloway to the California Lighthouse area of Arashi Beach because Holloway wanted to see sharks, before dropping Holloway off at her hotel around 2:00 a.m.[39] According to Van der Sloot, Holloway fell down as she exited the car but refused Van der Sloot's help.[39] He stated that she was then approached by a dark man in a black shirt similar to those worn by security guards as the young men drove away
Searches for Holloway began soon afterwards. Hundreds of volunteers from Aruba and the United States joined the search. During the first days of the search, the Aruban government gave thousands of civil servants the day off to participate in the search.[10] Fifty Dutch marines conducted an extensive search of the shoreline.[11] Aruban banks raised $20,000 and provided other support to aid volunteer search teams.[13] Beth Twitty was provided with free housing, initially at the Holiday Inn where she stayed in her daughter's former room,[40] and then at the nearby Wyndham Hotel, where she stayed in the presidential suite.[30]
Reports indicate Holloway did not appear on any security camera footage from her hotel's lobby during the course of the night;[41] however, Beth Twitty has made varying statements as to whether the cameras were actually working that night. According to an April 19, 2006, statement made by her, the security cameras at the Holiday Inn were not working the night Holloway vanished.[41] Twitty has made other statements indicating that they were working, and has stated so in her book.[42][43] In any event, according to Police Commissioner Jan van der Straten, initial head of the investigation until his 2005 retirement, Holloway did not have to go through the lobby to return to her room.[44]
The search for physical evidence was extensive and, on occasion, subject to false leads; for example, a possible blood sample taken from Deepak Kalpoe's car was tested but determined not to be blood.[45]
There was heavy involvement by American law enforcement from the early days of the investigation. United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated to reporters that the United States was in constant contact with Aruban authorities. Another State Department official indicated, "Substantial resources are being applied to this as they [Aruba officials] continue to ask for more".[46]
2005 arrests
On June 5, Aruban police detained Nick John and Abraham Jones, former security guards[47] from the nearby Allegro Hotel[6] which was then closed for renovation,[48] on suspicion of murder and kidnapping.[49] The initial reason for their arrests has never been officially disclosed; however, according to news accounts, the Van der Sloot and Kalpoe statements may have been a factor in the arrests.[50][51] Reports also indicate that the two former guards were known for cruising hotels to pick up women, and at least one of them had a prior incident with law enforcement.[52] John and Jones were released on June 13 without being charged.[37]
On June 9, 2005, Van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and murdering Holloway.[53] Aruban law allows for arrest on serious suspicion from investigators; to continue holding the suspect in custody, an increasing evidentiary burden must be met at periodic reviews.[49][54] According to Dompig, the focus was on these three suspects from the "get-go".[33] Dompig stated that surveillance of the three began three days after Holloway was reported missing, and included surveillance, telephone wire taps, and even monitoring of their e-mail.[33] Dompig indicated pressure from Holloway's family caused them to stop their surveillance prematurely and to detain the three suspects.[33]
As the investigation continued, on June 11, David Cruz, spokesman for the Aruban Minister of Justice, indicated that Natalee Holloway was dead and authorities knew the location of her body.[55] Cruz later retracted the statement, saying he was a victim of a "misinformation campaign".[55] That evening, Dompig alleged to the Associated Press that one of the detained young men admitted "something bad happened" to Holloway after the suspects took her to the beach, and that the suspect was leading police to the scene.[55] The next morning prosecution spokeswoman Vivian van der Biezen refused to confirm or deny the allegation, simply stating that the investigation was at a "very crucial, very important moment".[55]
On Friday, June 17, a fourth person, later identified as disc jockey Steve Gregory Croes, was also arrested. Van der Straten told the media that "Croes was detained based on information from one of the other three detainees".[32] On June 22 Aruban police detained Paulus van der Sloot, Joran van der Sloot's father, for questioning; Paulus van der Sloot was arrested that same day. Both Paulus van der Sloot and Croes were ordered to be released on June 26.[37]
During this period the remaining detained suspects' stories changed.[37] All three suspects indicated that Van der Sloot and Holloway were dropped off at the Marriott Hotel beach near the fishermen's huts. Van der Sloot stated that he did not harm Holloway, but left her on the beach.[56] According to Satish Kalpoe's attorney, David Kock, Van der Sloot called Deepak Kalpoe to tell the latter that he was walking home, and sent him a text message forty minutes later.[37]
At some time during the interrogation Van der Sloot detailed a third account, that he was dropped off at home and Holloway was driven off by the Kalpoe brothers.[30] Dompig discounted the story, stating:
This latest story [came] when [Van der Sloot] saw the other guys, the Kalpoes, were kind of finger-pointing in his direction, and he wanted to screw them also, by saying he was dropped off. But that story doesn't check out at all. He just wanted to screw Deepak. They had great arguments about this in front of the judge. Because their stories didn't match. This girl, she was from Alabama, she's not going to stay in the car with two black kids. We believe the second story, that they were dropped off by the Marriott.[30]
On Monday, July 4, following hearings before a judge, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe were released, but Joran van der Sloot was detained for an additional sixty days.[57]
Continued search, suspects rearrested and released again
On July 4, the Royal Netherlands Air Force deployed three F-16 aircraft equipped with infrared sensors to aid in the search, without initial result.[10][12] In March 2006 it was reported that satellite photos were being compared with photographs taken more recently (presumably from the F-16s) in an attempt to find unexpected shifts of ground that might be Holloway's grave.[58]
A small pond near the Aruba Racquet Club close to the Marriott Hotel beach was partly drained between July 27 and July 30, 2005, after an individual ("the gardener"[59]) came forward. According to Jug Twitty, the gardener claimed to have seen Joran van der Sloot attempting to hide his face, driving into the Racquet Club with the two Kalpoes on the morning of May 30 between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m.[60] Nancy Grace described the gardener as "the man whose testimony cracks the case wide open".[61] Another individual, "the jogger",[30] claimed to have seen men burying a blonde-haired woman in a landfill during the afternoon of May 30.[62] The police had searched the landfill in the days following Holloway's disappearance.[62] The landfill was searched three times after the jogger's statements, including a search by the FBI with cadaver dogs.[63] The searches were fruitless.[30]
On July 25, 2005, the reward for Holloway's safe return was increased from $200,000 to $1,000,000, with a $100,000 reward for information leading to the location of her remains.[64] Following Holloway's disappearance, a reward of $50,000 had been established for her return.[24] In August 2005, the reward for information as to her remains was increased from $100,000 to $250,000.[65]
The FBI announced that Aruban authorities had provided it with documents, suspect interviews, and other evidence. A group from the Aruban police and prosecutor's office traveled to the FBI central laboratory at Quantico, Virginia, to consult with American investigators.[64] After a piece of duct tape was found with strands of blond hair attached to it, samples were tested both at a Dutch lab and at Quantico.[66] The FBI subsequently announced that the hair was not Holloway's.[67]
The Kalpoe brothers were rearrested on August 26 along with another new suspect.[14] According to his lawyer, 21-year-old Freddy Arambatzis was suspected of taking photographs of and having physical contact with an underage girl, an incident which allegedly occurred before the Holloway disappearance and in which Arambatzis's friends Van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers were supposedly involved. Van der Sloot's mother, Anita van der Sloot, stated, "It's a desperate attempt to get the boys to talk. But there is nothing to talk about".[68] While no public explanation was then made for the Kalpoe rearrests, Dompig later said that it was an unsuccessful attempt to pressure the Kalpoe brothers into confessing.[30]
On September 3, 2005, all four of the detained suspects were released by a judge despite the attempts of the prosecution to keep them in custody, on the condition that they remain available to police.[69] Subsequently, on September 14, all restrictions on them were removed by the Combined Appeals Court of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.[70]
In the months following his release, Joran van der Sloot gave several interviews, expanding upon his version of events, most notably a lengthy interview for On the Record which aired over three nights in March 2006. During the interview, Van der Sloot indicated that Holloway wanted to have sex with him, but he did not because he did not have a condom.[71] Van der Sloot stated that Holloway wanted them to stay on the beach, but that he had to go to school in the morning. According to Van der Sloot, he was picked up by Satish Kalpoe at about 3:00 a.m., leaving Holloway sitting on the beach.[72] In August 2005, David Kock, Satish Kalpoe's attorney, stated that his client had gone to sleep, and had not returned to drive Van der Sloot home.[73] Van der Sloot stated he was somewhat ashamed to have left a young woman alone on the beach, albeit by her own request, and related that he was not truthful at first because he was convinced Holloway would soon turn up.[72]
The FBI and Aruban authorities interviewed (or in some cases, re-interviewed) several of Holloway's fellow graduates in the United States in January 2006.[74] On January 17, 2006, Aruban police searched sand dunes on the northwest coast of Aruba in search of Holloway's body, as well as areas close by the Marriott beach.[75] Additional searches took place in March and April 2006, without result.[76]
Shortly before leaving the case, Dompig gave an interview to CBS correspondent Troy Roberts, which was broadcast on March 25, 2006. In that interview, Dompig stated that he now believes Holloway probably died from self-consumed alcohol and/or drug poisoning, was not murdered, and that someone later hid her body. Dompig also stated that Aruba had spent about $3 million on the investigation, about 40% of the police operational budget.[33] Dompig indicated that there is evidence that points to possession (though not necessarily use) of drugs by Holloway.[15][77] Members of her family have denied drug use by Holloway.[78]
On April 11, 2006, Dave Holloway published his book recounting the search for his daughter, co-authored with R. Stephanie Good and Larry Garrison, Aruba: The Tragic Untold Story of Natalee Holloway and Corruption in Paradise.[22][79]
2006 arrest of new suspects, the Dutch take over the investigation
On April 15, 2006, Geoffrey von Cromvoirt was arrested by Aruban authorities on suspicion of criminal offenses related to dealing in illegal narcotics that, according to the prosecutor, might have been related to the disappearance of Holloway.[80] At his first court appearance, his detention was extended for eight days. However, Von Cromvoirt was released on April 25, 2006.[81] In addition, another individual with initials "A.B." was arrested on April 22, 2006, but was released the same day.[81]
On May 17, 2006 another suspect, Guido Wever, the son of a former Aruban politician, was detained in the Netherlands on suspicion of assisting in the abducting, battering, and killing of Holloway.[82] Wever was questioned for six days in Utrecht. While initially Aruban prosecutors sought his transfer to the island, he was instead released by agreement between the prosecutor and Wever's attorney.[83]
At Aruba's request the Netherlands took over the investigation. A team of the Dutch National Police started work on the case in September 2006 following receipt of extensive case documentation in Rotterdam.[84] On April 16, 2007, a combined Aruban–Dutch team began pursuing the investigation in Aruba.[84]
2007 rearrests and re-releases
With Aruban investigators citing what was described as newly discovered evidence, Joran van der Sloot and Satish and Deepak Kalpoe were rearrested November 21, 2007, on suspicion of involvement in "manslaughter and causing serious bodily harm that resulted in the death of Holloway".[9] Van der Sloot was detained by Dutch authorities in the Netherlands, while the Kalpoe brothers were both detained in Aruba.[9] Van der Sloot subsequently returned to Aruba and was incarcerated.[9]
In November 2007, Dave Holloway announced a new search for his daughter, probing the sea beyond the original 330-foot (100 m) depths in which earlier searches had taken place.[95] That search, involving a vessel called the Persistence, was abandoned due to lack of funds at the end of February 2008 with nothing of significance found.[96]
On November 30, 2007, a judge ordered the release of Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, despite attempts by the prosecution to extend their detention.[97][98] The two brothers were released on the following day.[99] The prosecution appealed the Kalpoes' release. That appeal was denied on December 5, 2007, with the court writing, "Notwithstanding expensive and lengthy investigations on her disappearance and on people who could be involved, the file against the suspect does not contain direct indications that Natalee passed away due to a violent crime".[100] Van der Sloot was released without charge on December 7, 2007, due to lack of evidence implicating him as well as a lack of evidence that Holloway died as the result of a violent crime. The prosecution indicated it would not appeal.[101]
On December 18, 2007, prosecutor Hans Mos officially declared the case closed, and that no charges would be filed due to lack of evidence.[102][103] The prosecution indicated a continuing interest in the Kalpoes and Joran van der Sloot (though they are now no longer legally suspects), and alleged that one of the three, in a chat room message, had stated that Holloway was dead. This was hotly contested by Deepak Kalpoe's attorney, who stated that the prosecution, in translating from Papiamento to Dutch, had misconstrued a reference to a teacher who had drowned as one to Holloway.[104] Attorney Ronald Wix also stated, "Unless (Mos) finds a body in the bathroom of one of these kids, there's no way in hell they can arrest them anymore".[105]
2010 charges against Van der Sloot, new discovery
Around March 29, 2010, Van der Sloot allegedly contacted John Q. Kelly, legal representative of Beth Twitty, with an offer to reveal the location of Holloway's body and the circumstances surrounding her death for an advance of US$25,000 against a total of $250,000.[128] After Kelly notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation, they arranged to proceed with the transaction.[129][130] On May 10, Van der Sloot allegedly had $15,000 wire transferred to his account in the Netherlands, following the receipt of $10,000 in cash that was videotaped by undercover investigators in Aruba.[131] Authorities state that the information that he provided in return was false because the house in which he said Holloway's body was located had not yet been built at the time of her disappearance.[132] On June 3, Van der Sloot was charged in the U.S. District Court of Northern Alabama with extortion and wire fraud.[133] U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance obtained an arrest warrant and transmitted it to Interpol.[134][135] Van der Sloot was indicted on the charges on June 30.[136]
On June 4, at the request of the U.S. Justice Department, authorities raided and confiscated items from two homes in the Netherlands, one of them belonging to reporter Jaap Amesz who had previously interviewed Van der Sloot and claimed knowledge of criminal activities by Van der Sloot.[137] Aruban investigators used information gathered from the extortion case to launch a new search at a beach, but no new evidence was found.[138] Dave Holloway returned to Aruba on June 14 to pursue possible new clues.[139]
Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramírez, a 21-year-old business student, was reported missing in Lima, Peru on May 30, 2010 and was found dead three days later in a hotel room registered in Van der Sloot's name.[140] He was arrested on June 3 in Chile and was deported to Peru the next day.[141] On June 7, 2010, Peruvian authorities said that Van der Sloot confessed to killing Flores Ramírez after he lost his temper because she accessed his laptop without permission and found information linking him to the disappearance of Holloway.[142] Police chief Cesar Guardia related that Van der Sloot told Peruvian police that he knows where Holloway's body is and offered to help Aruban authorities find it.[129][143] However, Guardia stated that the interrogation was limited to their case in Peru, and that questions about Holloway's disappearance were avoided.[144] On June 11, Van der Sloot was charged in Lima Superior Court with first-degree murder and robbery.[145] On June 15, Aruban and Peruvian authorities announced an agreement to cooperate and allow investigators from Aruba to interview Van der Sloot at Miguel Castro Castro prison in Peru.[146] In a September 2010 interview from the prison, Van der Sloot reportedly admitted to the extortion plot, stating: "I wanted to get back at Natalee's family — her parents have been making my life tough for five years."[147]
On November 12, 2010, tourists found a jawbone on an Aruban beach near the Phoenix Hotel and Bubali Swamp.[148] Aruban prosecutor Peter Blanken stated that a preliminary examination by a forensic expert on the island determined that the bone was from a young woman.[149] The jawbone reportedly included an intact tooth that would be compared against Holloway's dental records.[148] A part of the bone was sent to The Hague for DNA profiling by the Netherlands Forensic Institute.[149][150]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natalee_Holloway
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