[15] Beth Twitty was provided with housing, initially at the Holiday Inn where she coincidentally stayed in the same room her daughter had occupied. news released in March by U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. "[107], On January 31, 2008, Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries claimed that he had solved the Holloway case. [25][30][31], On Thursday, May 26, 2005, Holloway and 124 fellow graduates of Mountain Brook High School arrived in Aruba for a five-day, unofficial graduation trip. [75], In January 2006, the FBI and Aruban authorities interviewedor in some cases, re-interviewedseveral of Holloway's classmates in Alabama. And you know, we just have to, though, keep going, Nancy, because the only way we will get justice for Natalee is if we do keep going. Several key questions about this latest development remain unclear, though network executives vow answers in future episodes of the ongoing series. USA TODAY. Natalee Holloway's father: Honduras rescue reports are fake [8], Immediately following Holloway's missed flight, her mother and stepfather flew with friends to Aruba by private jet. (Twitter). [73] The elder Van der Sloot then brought a second action, seeking monetary damages for himself and his family because of his false arrest. "[147] On January 11, 2012, Van der Sloot pleaded guilty to murdering Flores[19] and was sentenced to 28 years in prison. Investigators found a piece of duct tape with strands of blond hair attached to it; the samples were tested at a Dutch lab. Due to lack of evidence, the three suspects were released each time without being charged with a crime. [73], In the months following his release, Van der Sloot gave several interviews that explained his version of events. [40] 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. One of the homes belonged to reporter Jaap Amesz, who had previously interviewed Van der Sloot and claimed knowledge of his criminal activities. [78] Additional searches took place in March and April 2006, without result. [58] Cruz later retracted the statement, saying he was a victim of a "misinformation campaign". SHOCKING twists have been revealed in the case of Natalee Holloway after the high school graduate was declared missing 17 years ago today. [8][40][41] Holloway was scheduled to fly home later that day, but she did not appear for her return flight. Im not going to allow it to affect my family, cause you can just imagine, you go into something believing its true and this is going to be the end, and its not. Natalee Holloway disappeared on May 30, 3005. On May 30, 2005, 18-year-old Natalee Holloway disappeared on the island of Aruba. [150] On January 12, 2012, a second hearing was held, after which Judge King signed the order declaring Natalee Holloway to be dead. She was a member of the National Honor Society and the school dance squad and participated in other extracurricular activities. [9] Van der Sloot was returned to Aruba, where he was incarcerated. [137] Aruban investigators used information gathered from the extortion case to launch a new search at a beach, but no new evidence was found. PEOPLE also asked why Holloway and Ward didnt turn over the remains to authorities as part of a formal criminal investigation, and why they apparently took the remains from the island to the U.S., a possible criminal offense, according to the prosecutors office. Holloway, then 18, disappeared in 2005 while on a high school graduation trip to Aruba. The series executive producer, LB Horschler, responded that subsequent episodes of the series will answer most, if not all of your questions., STORY BEHIND THE STORY: New Clues in the Disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The huge amount of publicity had waned and, during that time of quiet for us, Joran and the Kalpoe brothers were sent home All of the news shows that had followed our every move only a day before had now become fixated on the next big ratings grabber: the victims of Hurricane Katrina.[198]. Joran Van der Sloot, linked to the mysterious disappearance of Natalee in Aruba, has confessed to the murder of a female student in Peru, police said on Tuesday. Want to meet eligible single woman who share your zest for life? A local gardener also came forward after he had claimed to have spotted Jovan near a pond near the Marriott Hotel beach - it was drained but nothing was found. A Florida man who came forward last year, claiming to have helped dispose of Natalee Holloway's body, is now dead, according to police. The statements by Holloway and the pathologist conflict with an assertion by the prosecutors office in Aruba that no human remains were located at a site where Dave Holloway and his private investigator, T.J. Ward, directed authorities in early 2017. A jogger also told cops that he has seen a blonde-haired girl near a landfill on the afternoon of May 30, the day after she was last seen, but no evidence was found. [166] Holloway's parents alleged that Van der Sloot was receiving "special legal favors". According to an MSNBC report, the crucial words are inaudible, and presenter Rita Cosby questioned if it could be substantiated that Kalpoe had ever made the statements attributed to him in the Dr. Phil version of the recording. We believe the second story, that they were dropped off by the Marriott. ', Skeletal Remains Found in Search For Natalee Holloway's Body Do Not Belong to Her, A Father's Anguish: Natalee Holloway's Dad Grapples With Theory of What Happened to Her Remains, Natalee Holloway Mystery: Man Who Claims He Dug Up Her Bones Is 'Not a Credible Source,' Say Aruban Police, Natalee Holloway Case: Target in Undercover Sting Says Her Bones Were Mixed with a Dog's and Cremated for $200, PEOPLE Explains: The Natalee Holloway Case and the Recent Discovery of Human Remains, Natalee Holloway's Dad Sets Up Undercover Sting: 'We Need to Find Out What's the Truth and What's Not the Truth', Natalee Holloway's Father Says Tip Has Led To Discovery of Human Remains in Aruba: 'It Would Be, Finally, the End', Natalee Holloway Case: Investigator Frustrated as Informant Quits Probe Into 2005 Aruba Disappearance, Inside Natalee Holloway's Final Hours Before She Vanished: 'I Remember Seeing Her in a White Car Driving Away', Alleged Accomplice Says Joran Van Der Sloot Helped Dig Up Natalee Holloway's Remains and 'Doused' Them with Gasoline, A Father's Journey for Closure: Why Natalee Holloway's Dad Is Still Searching for Her. Who Was Natalee Holloway? Dead Body Found & Missing Case Update New but unconfirmed reports suggest the father of Natalee Holloway may be one step closer to finding his missing daughter. [68], The FBI announced that Aruban authorities had provided its agency with documents, suspect interviews, and other evidence. These cases rarely receive the attention and resources we see given to other missing persons. What began as a run-of-the-mill high school graduation trip to Aruba quickly turned into one of the most extensively covered missing persons cases of the early 2000s. "Aruba is a safe place. [9], Soon after, Dave Holloway announced a new search for his daughter that probed the sea beyond the original 330-foot (100m) depths in which earlier searches had taken place. [18][79] Members of Holloway's family have denied that she used drugs. Van der Sloot was seen smoking marijuana[111] and stating that he was with Holloway when she began convulsively shaking, then became unresponsive. Blanken stated that the "locations, names, and times he gave just did not make sense. It's the Natalee Holloway story you haven't heard: the tale of two parents who, even now, will go anywhere -- and endure anything -- to find answers. [23] He later retracted his comments. About The Disappearance Of Natalee Holloway On May 30, 2005, 18-year-old Natalee Holloway disappeared on the island of Aruba. Natalee Holloway's Mom Still Hoping for Answers 15 Years After Her Van der Sloot later retracted the statements made in the interview. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) voiced his support for the boycott in a letter to the American Society of Travel Agents. [33], In televised interviews and in a book, Beth Twitty alleged that Van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers knew more about Holloway's disappearance than they have told authorities and that at least one of them sexually assaulted or raped her daughter. [182], On November 10, 2005, Paulus van der Sloot won an unjust detention action against the Aruban government, clearing him as a suspect and allowing him to retain his government contract. 5 [17][18][19] On December 18, 2007, Aruban prosecutors announced that the case would be closed without charging anyone with a crime. Mom of Natalee Holloway to appear on Dr. Oz today; May 30 marks 12 years since teen's disappearance Beth Holloway and Nancy Grace are among two guests who will appear Tuesday, May 23, 2017,. Holloway and Ward declined further comment to PEOPLE about the discovery, and Holloway referred questions to Oxygen. [65] After the jogger's statements, the landfill was searched three more times; the FBI used cadaver dogs to assist in the recovery operation. Natalee Holloway vanished in Aruba on this day 17 years ago - WVTM Her case resulted in a world-wide media frenzy, yet Natalee's body was never found, and her father, Dave Holloway, has never stopped searching for answers. The broadcast of the film attracted 3.2million viewers, garnering the highest television ratings in the network's eleven year history. Their family offered a $175,000 reward for anyone who had information that could reveal details surrounding her disappearance. The father of Natalee Holloway, the American teen who disappeared in Aruba back in 2005, says he and a private investigator found human remains in Aruba that may be his daughter's body. Holloway's body was never found, and seven years after she vanished, she was declared dead by an Alabama state judge. This led to an informant, Gabriel, who claimed to have been a roommate of one of Van der Sloot's closest friends, American John Ludwick, in 2005. [26][32] The teenagers were accompanied by seven chaperones. [197][198] Beth Twitty and Dave Holloway alleged that Aruba took advantage of the extensive coverage of Hurricane Katrina to release the suspects;[197] however, the deadline for judicial review of Van der Sloot's detention was set long before Katrina. Today marks 17 years since Mountain Brook High School graduate Natalee Holloway disappeared during a senior trip to Aruba in 2005. The nation became enraptured in her story, but little new information has come out in the 17 years since. [82] At his first court appearance, his detention was extended by eight days. Season 1. [84] Wever was questioned for six days in Utrecht. Her body has never . Natalee Holloway disappeared while on a high school graduation trip to Aruba. "[35] On June 22, Aruban police detained Van der Sloot's father, Paulus van der Sloot, for questioning; he was arrested that same day. [120], The De Vries broadcast was discussed in a seminar by Dutch legal psychologist Willem Albert Wagenaar, who indicated that the statements did not constitute a confession. "[190] However, Jake Meaney of PopMatters found the film surprisingly "calm and levelheaded", and praised Pollan's portrayal of Holloway's mother.[191]. Was Natalee Holloway's Body Ever Found? | Heavy.com Forensic Scientist on Gravesite Find in Natalee Holloway Case: 'Can We Use It to Identify Natalee? Another State Department official indicated, "Substantial resources are being applied to this as they [Aruba officials] continue to ask for more. "[71] While no public explanation was then made for the Kalpoe rearrests, Dompig later said that it was an unsuccessful attempt to pressure the brothers into confessing. [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. For the film, see, 2006 arrests of new suspects; Dutch investigation takeover, Van der Sloot's extortion of Holloway family, Van der Sloot's murder of Stephany Flores Ramirez in Peru, Unrelated bone discovery, contested Oxygen documentary, Combined Appeals Court of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, Aruba: The Tragic Untold Story of Natalee Holloway and Corruption in Paradise, Loving Natalee: A Mother's Testament of Hope and Faith, "Search continues in Aruba for missing teen", "Judge: Both suspects can be held in Alabama teenager's disappearance in Aruba", "Judge orders suspects held in teen's disappearance", "Dutch Teen Tells 'Primetime' About Night With Natalee Holloway", "Holloway case a mystery after a year of 'catch and release', "3 re-arrested in Aruba disappearance of U.S. teen", "Poll: Most Alabama residents support Aruba boycott", "Aruba gripped by mystery over missing teen", "Judge Approves Transfer for Suspect in Natalee Holloway Disappearance Case", "Holloway suspect released from detention", "Police: Natalee Holloway may have died from alcohol, drugs", "Missing teenager Natalee Holloway declared dead", "Aruba Prosecutors End Investigation into Disappearance of American Teen Natalee Holloway", "Holloway Suspect: 'I Know What Happened', "Joran van der Sloot goes 'On the Record' with new Natalee Holloway story", "Natalee Holloway declared dead by judge six years after disappearance", "Ala. girl missing in Aruba called 'dependable' by friends", "Family increases reward for missing U.S. teen in Aruba", "Interview With Beth Holloway Twitty; BTK Sentenced", "Alabama town hopes for safe return of missing teen", "Transcript: Holloway Chaperone Speaks Out", "Lawyer: Missing Alabama teen went to beach with men before she disappeared", "Seeking information: Disappearance of Natalee Ann Holloway", "Three more arrested in Aruba case of missing teen", "New Developments in the Natalee Holloway Case", "Three Suspects in Holloway Case Change Stories", "Suspects in teen's disappearance remain jailed", "Mother of missing Ala. teen asks countries to deny freed brothers asylum", "Reports Conflict in Case of Missing Ala. New evidence in Natalee Holloway disappearance, U.S. presenter says A statement from Van der Biezen did not mention what, if anything, officials were searching for, but indicated nothing was removed from the home. Hundreds of volunteers from Aruba and the States offered to help - with the island's government even giving workers the day off to assist. Home. Holloway lived in Mountain Brook, Alabama, and graduated from Mountain Brook High School on May 24, 2005, days before the trip. Jun. Holloway was scheduled to fly home from the Caribbean island on May 30, 2005, but she failed to appear for her flight. The case was hampered by false leads and despite an extensive search for evidence, no clues came to light. [10][11], With the assistance of hundreds of volunteers, Aruban investigators conducted an extensive search operation. What Happened To Natalee Holloway: Five Facts About Her [139], On May 30, 2010five years to the day after Holloway's disappearanceStephany Flores Ramrez, a 21-year-old business student, was reported missing in Lima, Peru. Natalee Holloway's alleged killer is in prison for another murder. [16] Holloway's remains were never found. Van der Sloot initially denied knowing Holloway's name, but he then told a story corroborated by Deepak Kalpoe, who was present in the house:[33] Van der Sloot related that they drove Holloway to the California Lighthouse area of Arashi Beach because she wanted to see sharks; they later dropped Holloway off at her hotel at around 2:00a.m.[42] According to Van der Sloot, Holloway fell down as she exited the car but refused his help. [Posted 4:33 a.m.] An Alabama judge will consider a request Thursday to have Natalee Holloway, the teen who went missing in Aruba in 2005, declared dead. "20/20" Manhunter (TV Episode 2019) - IMDb New clues, questions in Natalee Holloway case | CNN Both Paulus and Croes were ordered to be released on June 26.[40]. Natalee's mother told Inside Edition while the lack of information has not provided any closure, she still managed to find peace. Her disappearance shocked her parents, Beth and Dave Holloway, who took to the . [37][38] She left in a car with 17-year-old Joran van der Sloot a Dutch honors student who was living in Aruba and attending the International School of Aruba[39] and his two Surinamese friends, brothers 21-year-old Deepak Kalpoe (the owner of the car)[40] and 18-year-old Satish Kalpoe. Mom of Natalee Holloway Confronted by Cops During Her Return to Aruba Other examples include Chandra Levy, Shanann Watts and Laci Peterson. "[174], Members of the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association, the Aruba Tourism Authority, the Aruba Hospitality and Security Foundation, the Aruban Chamber of Commerce and government figures, including Public Relations Representative Ruben Trapenberg, formed an "Aruba Strategic Communications Task Force" to respond collectively to what they perceived to be unfounded and/or negative portrayals of the island. Nothing. [194], Early in the case, political commentator and columnist Arianna Huffington wrote, "If you were to get your news only from television, you'd think the top issue facing our country right now is an 18-year-old girl named Natalee who went missing in Aruba. Reading Time: 6 mins read. [152] A part of the bone was sent to The Hague for testing by the Netherlands Forensic Institute. [36], Shortly before leaving the case, Dompig gave an interview to CBS in which he stated that he believed Holloway was not murdered but probably died from alcohol and/or drug poisoning, and that someone later hid her body. Inside the strange and unsolved disappearance of Natalee Holloway Natalee Holloway: Chief suspect 'tried to sell missing teen's remains [64] Another person, "the jogger",[33] claimed to have seen men burying a blonde-haired woman in a landfill during the afternoon of May 30. What we want is, we want justice. The most notable interview was broadcast on Fox News over three nights in March 2006. They joined the Aruban government in opposing the calls for a boycott of the island. [108] De Vries stated that he would tell all on a special television program on Dutch television on February 3. [151] Preliminary examination by a forensic expert determined that the bone was from a young woman. At the request of Holloway's father, Alabama judge Alan King declared Holloway legally dead on January 12, 2012. Joran van der Sloot did kill Natalee Holloway reveals new interview On May 30, 2010 - five years to the day of Natalee Holloway's disappearance -- Stephany Flores, a university student and daughter of a presidential candidate, was found beaten to death in a . [89][90] Dutch authorities searched the yard and surrounding area, using shovels and thin metal rods to penetrate the dirt. The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway. Within five days, she had disappeared. The case had been dismissed in August 2006 as filed in an inconvenient forum.