Natalee Holloway: New Witness Emerges In Case Of Missing Teen

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A new witness has come forward in the 2005 disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway in Aruba, and prosecutors said Tuesday they are seeking more evidence against the only remaining suspect.

A woman told Dutch police this month that Joran van der Sloot confessed to her years ago that he was involved in Holloway's disappearance, according to Ann Angela, a spokeswoman for the Aruba Prosecutors' Office.

But the Dutch Caribbean island's chief prosecutor said authorities still lack proof they need to convict Van der Sloot, who has been arrested twice and released for lack of evidence.

"After three years of investigating, it is very, very difficult to find that evidence," prosecutor Hans Mos told The Associated Press. "We have to be realistic."

Holloway, an 18-year-old from Mountain Brook, Alabama, was last seen in May 2005 leaving a bar in the Aruban capital Oranjestad with Van der Sloot on the final night of a high school graduation trip to the island. Extensive searches have found no trace of her.

Investigators reopened the case earlier this year based on hidden-camera recordings made by a Dutch TV crime show. On the video, Van der Sloot says Holloway collapsed on the beach after they left the bar and that he called a friend to dump her body at sea.

The new witness, once a friend of Van der Sloot, confirmed that he gave her roughly the same account shortly after Holloway's disappearance. But Mos said her statement does not bring authorities any closer to resolving the case.

He also said the witness would lack credibility in court unless she explains why she waited so long to come forward.

Attorneys for Van der Sloot did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment and there was no answer at his parents' home in Aruba.

Van der Sloot was last known to be living in Thailand but his current whereabouts are a "mystery," Angela said.

Angela said Aruban authorities hope to decide by the end of this year whether to prosecute Van der Sloot or close the case for good.

Natalee Holloway's mother, Beth Holloway, did not immediately return a telephone call Tuesday seeking comment.

Comments

[N2theblue]

One issue I've never seen addressed.­..........­.....there were CHAPERONES on that trip. Where were they when these 18 year-old kids were in a bar, drinking alcohol and getting loaded??????

[pab08]

Perhaps the media should do a story about parents who allow (and pay for) their teenage children to travel south of the border to party.

[Topfeeder]

Why do you want to go there and blame the parents? It is not uncommon to send graduates on a senior trip as a milestone. This was not spring break. Maybe no one in your family has graduated from high school or college and you are ignorant of this fact. Of course, it went horribly awry but in no way was it the parents fault.

[ElvisGump]

Natalee's dad is also my insurance agent. He was my late father's insurance agent too and considered my dad a friend. Whenever I go into Dave's office to pay my bill he is always glad to see me and we talk frequently about my dad. But not Natalee. I can see the long emptiness behind his smiling face. I've seen it before in people who lost a spouse or a child because I know too many people who have.

I know people are tired of hearing about this case. I think Dave's ex-wife is about half-crazy to begin with; it was her will that their daughter go on that outrageous overseas trip to begin with, something I'm certain her father opposed, but had no power to overrule.

Remember there are real people in real pain behind these kinds of media sensation stories. Real pain that will last all the rest of the days of their lives. I know some of you are sick of it, have varying opinions about Natalee and aren't mindful of how you express them. But she was just a teenager, and did not deserve her fate no matter what impetuous choices or mistakes she might have made. And there is at least a father still here who will grieve the rest of his days.

Show a little respect.

[Mort]

Well said.

[Topfeeder]

I was with you until you called the mother of the dead child half-crazy and essentially blamed her.

[ElvisGump]

Do you know the whole story? Or just what you saw on tv?

[canadiansoccermom]

You are right. It is not the parents fault or hers. It is her killer's fault and he should be brought to justice so that he can not objectify any more women.
The last video I saw of him, he was in Thailand negotiating prostitution rates with some girls. Who knows what else he is doing there.

[loyalreader]

I have always believed that these "teen-agers" were drinking too much, possibly drugs involved and a terrible accident happened. To believe that these males or male purposely killed her is a nasty thought. She knew these locals males, had partied with them on several other occasions. It is no ones fault likely,,,,,just a terrible accident. Her parents should put it to rest and not be seeking so called justice. What will they just, just another ruined life.

[canadiansoccermom]

He is not an innocent victim of circumstance. What would a nice young man be doing in Thailand trying to pimp some girls. He obviously has a low view of a women's worth.

[EileneLepht]

If it was an accident then he should have reported it.....cal­led an ambulance. Even if something just went wrong or she had a seizure, disposing of a body takes it to a whole new level. If someone dumped your child's body somewhere and you couldn't find it, I wonder if you could just "put it to rest" and move on with your life.

[Lizaxyz]

Well I hope they can find something to solve this case so her parents, extended family and friends can have some sort of closure. Blonde hair, blue eyes, is not the issue. The issue at hand is a young American woman was murdered abroad and the killer has not been apprehended yet.

[concernvoter]

Apparently, she was thrown to the sharks. They do not have anything to go on. This is considered a "Cold Case."

[TXfemmom]

The Dutch and Aruban authorities mishandled and blocked the investigation into this murder from the very start. Van Der Sloot's father is still in the legal system there, even with all he did, so that tells you that there are legal systems worse than ours.

[lovesds]

NO DISRESPECT BUT ENOUGH ON THIS STORY. WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER WOMAN WHO AREN'T BLUE EYED BLONDE HAIR? ALL YOU HEAR ON THE NEWS ARE ABOUT THE WHITE WOMAN THAT ARE MISSING. THE MSM ACTS LIKE THERE ARE ONLY WHITE WOMAN MISSING. I'M SO SICK OF THIS. THEY TREAT OTHER WOMAN OF DIFFERENT COLORS LIKE THEY ARE NOT WORTHY OF THEIR STORIES TO BE TOLD. ASK YOURSELF HOW MANY OTHER WOMAN NOT WHITE HAS THE MSM CARED ABOUT WHEN THEY ARE MISSING? WHEN THE MEDIA GETS TO CLOSE TO THE FAMILY YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL THAT THEY HAVE BECOME A BEST FRIEND OF THAT FAMILY. THE GUY HASN'T BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF ANYTHING BUT THE MSM WANT HIM TO BE GUILTY. THAT IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH US TRYING TO CONVICT PEOPLE BEFORE THEY ARE FOUND GUILTY. START DEMANDING YOUR MSM START REPORTING ON "ALL WOMAN" NOT JUST WHITE WOMAN.

[daedelus]

Stop shouting.

[ominous]

i agree with you , but i also think you should stop shouting.

think calm blue waters.

[surlybird]

Get out there and champion missing women who are not white then. Shouting at us is not doing much. Go hang up fliers and get a hold of a reporter, bug the hell out of them.

WAIT I GUESS TYPING IN CAPS ON SOME BLOG IS MUCH EASIER.

[bushgirlsgone]

.

I AGREE WITH ALL YOUR POINTS!!!

ARRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!
.

[vakay]

I agree with you too.

[nofltwlt]

It has been quite a while since I last saw this photo. The disappearance of Natalee Holloway is a shame. Aruba officials never did get completely behind the investigation of her disappearance; most likely to save their tourism trade.

I don't know about you, but I have been deluged with great offers to visit Aruba. I will never go there or spend on thin dime that would benefit Aruba.

[leeman79]

It's imperative that people understand the laws and judicial system of a foreign country, and attempt to research the performance of the law enforcement establishment of that country, before they travel there. This was an investigative disaster from the get go, and was clearly obstruction of justice because of the suspect's family connections. If there's not a travel advisory issued for this country or colony, or whatever the hell it is, there needs to be. For your kid's sake, be selective and be careful.

[sunny555]

Although it will never happen, I feel Americans should boycott Aruba until officials on the island truly try to solve this case. It is absolutely shameful that many leads have not been pursued, and the people who should care are indifferent. If this had happened in the US, this case would have been solved a long time ago. Natalee's family deserves some answers.

Moral of this story: if you go to Aruba, be very careful because if anything serious were to happen, you can't count on that country to use its resources to obtain justice.

[typhoon1999]

There are literally hundreds of missing women and children in states here in America. Are you calling a boycott of these states too? If they can't solve these cases with their resources, how do you expect a tiny island to do it?

[marcain]

i've been trained by media to follow the story because the people involved are attractive. no one cares when the ugly ones get whacked.

[pab08]

That is exactly correct. But don't forget, it REALLY helps if you have photos of your missing attractive, white daughter in a bathing suit. Then you can guarantee unending media coverage.

[PackyJ]

Obviously, the election cycle is over, and Faux Noise is now returning to tried and true "news."

[Mort]

Let's see... someone confesses to you, you watch the coverage on international news, you see they're getting nowhere with justice, you sit on this tidbit for 3 years before saying anything, and you can sleep at night?

[Egalitare]

Better living thru Chemistry

[rabiddog6708]

I believe that Joran Van der Sloot killed Natalee and have believed that from the beginning, but it doesn't appear that he will ever face justice. Sometimes the evidence just isn't there. I hope I'm wrong for the sake of Natalee's family.

[MalloMel]

If, "the evidence just isn't there," what makes you, "believe that Joran Van der Sloot killed Natalee and have believed that from the beginning.­"? I just don't understand why so many people think the way you do.