According to a recent court document, Joran van der Sloot, who has long been considered the key suspect in Natalee Holloway’s 2005 murder, admitted to her murder. It took 18 years for the Holloway family to receive the closure they deserved, but that day has finally arrived.
The 35-year-old, who is presently serving a 28-year jail sentence in Peru, arrived in the US on June 8 after being accused of extortion and wire fraud in connection with Holloway’s murder – he was not charged with her death but was the major suspect. His admission was all they required.
“It’s over. Joran van der Sloot is no longer the suspect in my daughter’s murder. He is the killer. He gave a proffer in which he finally confessed to killing Natalee. After 18 years, Natalee’s case is solved,” said Beth Holloway – Natalee’s mother. It’s a moment the Holloway family has been waiting on for far too long.
Joran van der Sloot pleaded guilty to extortion and wire fraud charges brought against him earlier this year on Wednesday (Oct. 18). He admitted to the 2005 murder via a proffer, which is when a ‘suspect discloses information they know about a crime, frequently as part of a plea deal,’ according to CNN.
The offer was then evaluated by a federal court, who did not provide any information about the confession, however, she did state that Natalee’s body would never be located. Beth, Natalee’s mother, elaborated on what van der Sloot confessed to and the heinous nature of the crime.
“He said that after killing her on the beach in Aruba, he put her into the water and that was the last that he ever saw her,” Beth told reporters on Wednesday (Oct. 18) – adding that Joran’s confession was verified with a polygraph test. “I’m satisfied knowing that he did it, he did it alone and he disposed of her alone.”
It is crucial to point out that Joran van der Sloot has not been charged with murder – in fact, he cannot be prosecuted for her murder (at least not in the United States). His 20-year prison sentence for extortion and wire fraud will begin once his existing 28-year prison sentence expires, which he received in 2012.
What Was Joran van der Sloot Charged With?
Joran van der Sloot’s recent sentence has been in the works for over 13 years. He was first charged with federal crimes in 2010 after the Holloway family accused him of attempting to extort $250,000 from them in exchange for revealing the location of their daughter’s remains.
The family was smart enough to contact the FBI, and they successfully carried out a sting operation that caught Joran in the act. The family ended up handing Joran a $10,000 down payment, and a $15,000 wire transfer, and the balance of $225,000 would be provided once they received the location.
The FBI was fast to respond when they found the address he gave them was for a building that had not yet been constructed at the time of the murder. Joran eventually acknowledged to lying about the location and was charged with extortion and wire fraud after calling his bluff. Joran’s destiny was ultimately revealed after 13 years.
Joran van der Sloot will travel to Peru to serve his 28-year prison sentence after being sentenced; he murdered a second woman in May 2010, on the five-year anniversary of Holloway’s disappearance. In June, he acknowledged to the murder and was sentenced to 28 years in jail in 2012.