Man Confesses to Killing US Teen Natalee Holloway in Aruba
Prime Suspect Admits Guilt in Extortion Case
A shocking confession has been made by Joran van der Sloot, the main suspect in the 2005 death of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. Van der Sloot admitted to killing her on a beach in Aruba, a confession he made while pleading guilty to charges of extorting the victim’s mother. This revelation brings closure to a case that has haunted Holloway’s family for 18 years.
A Troubled Past
Van der Sloot, now 36 years old, was temporarily extradited from a Peruvian prison to face charges of extortion and wire fraud in Alabama. Currently serving a 28-year sentence for another murder in Peru, he initially pleaded not guilty to conspiring to extort $250,000 from Holloway’s mother in exchange for revealing the location of her daughter’s remains.
A Mother’s Anguish
The emotional courtroom scene saw Beth Holloway, Natalee’s mother, confront van der Sloot after his guilty plea. “You are a killer and I want you to remember that every time that jail cell door slams,” she said, as reported by NBC News. The confession and subsequent plea also brought forth an apology from van der Sloot, who claimed to have turned to Christianity since the murder.
A Lengthy Sentence
U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco sentenced van der Sloot to 20 years in prison, to be served concurrently with his existing sentence in Peru. Following his time in the U.S., he will return to Peru to complete his sentence there, with the possibility of parole or release resulting in his return to the United States.
The Disappearance of Natalee
Natalee Holloway, an 18-year-old from Alabama, went missing during a graduation trip to Aruba in 2005. Eyewitnesses claim she was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot on the night she disappeared. Despite her remains never being found, an Alabama judge declared her legally deceased in 2012.
A Chilling Confession
In a recent plea deal, van der Sloot confessed to U.S. investigators that he killed Holloway after she rejected his sexual advances on a beach near her hotel. He admitted to kicking her in the face, rendering her unconscious, and ultimately using a large cinder block to fatally strike her. He then disposed of her body in the ocean.
Justice Served
After the hearing, U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona expressed relief, stating, “Today marks the end of 18 years of wondering what happened to Natalee Holloway.” Beth Holloway also voiced her satisfaction, saying, “Van der Sloot’s confession means we’ve finally reached the end of our never-ending nightmare.”
Previous Troubles and Consequences
Van der Sloot’s criminal history includes a conviction in Peru for the 2010 murder of Stephany Flores, a 21-year-old Peruvian student. This recent confession further solidifies his status as a dangerous criminal. In addition to his prison sentence, van der Sloot has been ordered to pay $25,100 in restitution to Beth Holloway.
The closure brought by this confession and guilty plea will hopefully bring some peace to the Holloway family, as they can now move forward knowing the truth about Natalee’s fate.
