Key Suspect Confesses to 2005 Killing of Natalee Holloway in Aruba, Enters Plea Agreement in Extortion Case

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The primary suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba has confessed to her murder and the disposal of her body. He has also consented to enter a guilty plea in a subsequent extortion case involving the young woman’s mother, according to a statement from a U.S. federal judge on Wednesday.

This revelation emerged during a hearing for plea and sentencing of Joran van der Sloot, 36, in a federal court in Alabama—situated not far from the Birmingham suburb where Holloway previously resided.

Beth Holloway, the mother of Natalee Holloway, addressed van der Sloot directly in court, stating, “You have irrevocably altered the trajectory of our lives and caused them great upheaval. You are, without a doubt, a murderer.”

Although van der Sloot is not formally charged in the death of Natalee Holloway, he was sentenced on Wednesday to a 20-year prison term for the crimes of extortion and wire fraud. As a condition of his plea deal, this sentence will run concurrently with another 28-year sentence he is serving in Peru for the 2010 murder of Stephany Flores.

U.S. Federal Judge Anna Manasco noted that van der Sloot’s admission to the killing and disposal of Holloway’s remains was factored into her sentencing judgment. “You have viciously taken the lives of two young women in separate incidents over the years, both of whom resisted your sexual advances,” remarked the judge.

Natalee Holloway disappeared while on a high school graduation trip. She was last observed departing a bar in the company of van der Sloot, who was subsequently interrogated but never prosecuted in relation to her disappearance. Although a judge had declared Holloway to be deceased, her body remains undiscovered.

Judge Manasco indicated that van der Sloot’s plea arrangement necessitated him to divulge all the information he possessed about Natalee Holloway’s disappearance.

The case has held the American public’s attention for almost two decades, inspiring extensive media reports, literature, films, and even podcasts. Media representatives gathered en masse outside the federal courthouse well ahead of the scheduled hearing.

The Holloway family has long been in pursuit of clarity regarding Natalee’s disappearance. Over the years, van der Sloot has provided conflicting narratives about that fateful night in Aruba. Authorities in Alabama revealed that during an FBI sting operation in 2010, van der Sloot falsely disclosed the location of Holloway’s body.

Prosecutors in the Alabama case reported that van der Sloot had demanded $250,000 from Beth Holloway in exchange for information on the whereabouts of her daughter’s remains. He ultimately agreed to accept $25,000 upfront, with the remaining $225,000 to be paid upon the recovery of the remains. Van der Sloot later admitted that this information was incorrect, according to a sworn statement from FBI Agent William K. Bryan, filed in 2010.

Prior to his arrest on the extortion charges, van der Sloot relocated from Aruba to Peru.

The Peruvian government provisionally extradited van der Sloot to face the extortion trial in the United States. An agreement has been reached to return him to Peruvian authorities once the U.S. proceedings conclude, as noted in a resolution published in Peru’s federal registry.

“Justice has at last begun to move in our favor,” Beth Holloway stated in June when van der Sloot was extradited to Alabama. “This has been an arduous and painful journey for our family.”

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More about Van der Sloot Confession

• Natalee Holloway Case: Wikipedia
• Joran van der Sloot’s Murder Conviction: BBC
• Extortion and Wire Fraud Sentencing: AL.com
• Judge Anna Manasco’s Remarks: NBC News
• Peru’s Extradition Agreement: Reuters
• Impact on Holloway Family: CNN