Europe Features
Dutch anxiously await video on 2005 Aruban murder mystery
Feb 2, 2008, 10:01 GMT
Amsterdam - The question whether a Dutch youth was involved in the death of a US teenager on the Dutch island of Aruba in May 2005 continues to make headlines in the Netherlands.
On Thursday, Dutch crime journalist Peter R de Vries publicly announced he had solved the disappearance on Aruba of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway in 2005.
De Vries, a crime journalist with a reputation for solving the most complicated criminal cases, said he would broadcast video footage solving the mystery this Sunday.
The video had been recorded with a hidden camera by a friend of Dutch suspect Joran van der Sloot, now 21. Van der Sloot is one of three people arrested twice on suspicion of being involved in Holloway's disappearance.
In December the three had been released due to a lack of evidence and the case was closed.
De Vries, however, said the video material would establish Van der Sloot's role in Holloway's disappearance and also disclose who killed her.
But during a late-night television show on Friday, Van der Sloot said that whatever would be shown on Dutch television on Sunday, was an 'outright lie.'
'I did not tell this man the truth. I just gave him what he wanted to hear, because he kept asking questions about the incident.'
His comments followed wide speculation in the Dutch media about the contents of the video and Van der Sloot's alleged involvement in Holloway's disappearance.
While De Vries refuses to disclose the contents of his video material until Sunday's broadcast, various media have since reported part of the story, giving details of Van der Sloot's alleged account on video.
According to the reports, Van der Sloot had sexual intercourse with Holloway just before she disappeared. She allegedly passed out during the sexual act, causing Van der Sloot to panic and call a friend.
The friend had then taken her body on a boat and dropped it in the ocean, it was said. It remains unclear whether Holloway was dead at the time or just unconscious.
Even if the video is found to be reliable, it is highly uncertain it can be used as evidence in court.
With some exceptions, Dutch law prohibits the use of evidence collected without the suspect's knowledge or in a manner invading a person's privacy.
But even if the video was admitted as legal evidence, it remains unclear what Van der Sloot would be prosecuted for.
According to Dutch law, Van der Sloot can only be tried for murder or complicity in murder if the public prosecution can prove the girl was still alive before she was taken on the boat.
Without a body and without other witnesses this will be difficult to prove.
In that case, Van der Sloot can only be prosecuted for involvement in the disappearance of a body, a crime that allows for a maximum jail term of a six months.
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Older Talkback
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I just got back from a vacation in Aruba and it's a beautiful island filled with friendly people. Don't let this one incident deter you from visiting the island. How many murders/rapings/body dumpings go on everyday in the US? Don't go to California, I hear people get shot in LA... Don't go to Texas, some cult will kill you... Sounds silly doesn't it?
And who goes to a foreign country, gets totally drunk, abandons their friends, and takes off with some strangers she just met? I'm not saying she deserved this, but she sure didn't help herself out. There is such a thing as setting yourself up for failure. I don't know how she died or what happened to her, but to judge an entire island and population on one incident isn't fair.
One bad story about Aruba in the many many years the island has existed is a pretty good record if you ask me. Visit the island yourself and you'll see it's one of the better vacation spots in the world.
Like all I shall wait with baited breath to see how ARUBA handles this new information...however if Joran only receives 6 months for dumping a dead body...I suspect that the Arrogant Dutch Justice System IS BROKEN!
I have visited Aruba once alone and enjoyed it so much I had to bring my 3 children with me for my second visit. Aruba, to me, is the most beautiful island I have ever been on. The people are friendly and I never felt safer walking along the beach alone. I even let my children stroll around in the evening on their own. If all other countries had only 1 person go missing in 3 years, what great countries we would be living in. All this bad publicity for Aruba makes me sick, look at your own country, then start packing and go somewhere that you will feel safe and have a blast, Aruba.
I would like an answer from the American People:
As an Aruban living in the US I commit a crime should the American people be punished or should I be punished. The Aruban authorities did everything possible to solve this crime acording to the Dutch Law that is impossed to the people of the Island. Aruba has used almost 8% of their GDP looking for Nathalee and in good faith. What about giving the Aruban people some considerations. Joran van der Sloot is not Aruban. His family and him has been welcomed to the Island the same as 40 other nationalities
What happened with Miss Nathalee is the most horrible thing ever happened in Aruba.
Aruba is a pretty island..and the people are nice.
I have been there many times...
but it's more than obvious the vander sloot is guilty.......now we have him confessing saying that he had sex with her..supposingly she was so intoxicated that she passed out.....that's rape.........and then gets someone to help him dump the unconscience body in the ocean..which is murder......
in my opinion....it's all in black and white...what other evidence do they need ......
i need to see the video tonight on his confession to his friend...
The culprit probably gave her a date rape drug and she died. Why else would he have freaked out and needed to dispose the body?
Well first of all I am pretty upset that everyone has there comments on this case when first and up most this is not their daughter, sister, cousin or grand daughter so why should you they care they don't but i do I am a mother of two and when you hear something tragic happening to another person child it hurts and how dare someone blame Natalee for this she was a innocent girl who complete got taken advantage and her chaperones should had been supervising. Two everyone knows that Van Dor Shoot killed this girl and if he was in USA his but would be in jail right now I know exactly what happened to that poor girl it dose not take a rocket scientist to figure it out he raped her put his hand over her mouth so she would scream he didn't realize how hard he hold his hand over her mouth and nose she pass out from lack of oxygen he paniced ranned to his dad because he new if she came to she would tell someone that he druged and rapped her, so his dad helped him do away with the body. She may have been dead maybe not but either way he killed her. Aruba let him get away with it I don't care how beautiful their country is they allowed this boy walk away with murdering a beautiful girl now what if it had been one of the lawyers in Aruba's daughter with the same evidence would they have still been so careless no way.
Well first of all I am pretty upset that everyone has there comments on this case when first and up most this is not their daughter, sister, cousin or grand daughter, so why should you they care they don't, but i do I am a mother of two and when you hear something tragic happening to another person child it hurts, and how dare someone blame Natalee for this, she was a innocent girl who was completely taken advantage of and her chaperones should had been supervising her. Two everyone knows that Van Dor Shoot killed this girl and if he was in USA his but would be in jail right now. I know exactly what happened to that poor girl it dose not take a rocket scientist to figure it out, he raped her put his hand over her mouth so she would scream he didn't realize how hard he hold his hand over her mouth and nose she pass out from lack of oxygen. he paniced called his dad because he new if she came to she would tell someone that he druged and rapped her, so his dad helped him do away with the body. She may have been dead maybe not but either way he killed her. Aruba let him get away with it I don't care how beautiful their country is they allowed this boy walk away with murdering a beautiful girl now what if it had been one of the lawyers in Aruba's daughter with the same evidence would they have still been so careless no way.
the aruban police spoil this investigation from day one with the dutch buy corupted father and at on time his friendly police aruban police cover the whole thing up ,,,,,thtas aaaaaa fact
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WTFFeb 2nd, 2008 - 23:29:41
Ok say he had sex with a girl who was so fuc*ed up that she passed out. In the USA that is rape. And please don't tell me that she was aware at the time because soon after they put her in a boat and threw her in the ocean. Is there no law about refusing civil right to a human being. Ok she passed out why no call 911 or take her to a hospital. Natalee had the rigth to medical treatment. They prevented that. Oh ok no crime in just dumping a body in the ocean. UMM 6 months. Remind never to go to Aruba if I'm fighting with my husband. Although who will ever think of ?Aruba as the beautiful island it was before 2005 again. Aruba will always make you think of corrupt investigators, raping liars walking the street and celeb body throwing Joran getting away with it!
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