March 18, 2010 2:56 PM

Natalee Holloway's Skeleton: Did Vacationer Snap Photo of Missing Girl's Remains?

By
Kealan Oliver
Topics
Daily Blotter

Natalee Holloway (Credit: AP/Personal Photo)

LANCASTER, Pa. (CBS/AP) A Pennsylvania couple looking through underwater photos they took while snorkeling off the coast of Aruba believes one of the photos may reveal a skeleton on the ocean floor.

The photo, taken by John Muldowney of Manheim, Pa., has been turned over to the FBI.

The Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era reported the photo could be a human corpse, and that John Muldowney claims he has a gut feeling it's Natalee Holloway.

Picture Couple Believes Shows Human Remains (Credit: AP)

Natalee Holloway has been missing for almost five years. The Alabama honors student disappeared in Aruba, the same Caribbean island where Patti and John Muldowney went snorkeling.

While there has been much speculation about what happened to Holloway, no one has ever been tried in connection with her disappearance. Suspicion has hovered over Joren van der Sloot, who has twice been arrested in relation to the disappearance. Holloway has never been found.

The FBI has declined to comment on the photo.

CBS Affiliate KYW contributed to this report.


MEDIA

PICTURES: Natalee Holloway: Paradise Lost

MORE ON CRIMESIDER
February 23, 2010 - Joran van der Sloot Confession: I Killed Natalee Holloway, But Prosecutors Don't Believe Me



Add a Comment See all 14 Comments
by sd2416 June 3, 2010 11:42 AM EDT
The pictures arent 5 years old, they are from October 2009.
Reply to this comment
by annek22 March 22, 2010 3:58 PM EDT
This whole case was botched from the start. The last people with her were the two brothers and Joran. What more is needed? She is missing; they were the last ones with her. Simple right? Nope...because Joran's father was such an important person a VIP the cover up was grand. If those are her remains, who is to say that they have been there since 2005? Could be she was preserved and recently placed in the water. I am no expert here far from but, there are several possibilities here. After all this is not an ordinary case. This is a tourist place this type of thing is not what anyone in Aruba wants. The financial damage could be devastating. But hey, she never left the island, never returned home and has never contacted anyone. In the US there are cases where people have been tried and convicted without a body. EVIDENCE Joran has confessed! Even though the truth may never be known, he has talked...sad thing is he is still allowed to walk. If it turns out to be Natalee's remains, I pray that based on his confessions, Joran is arrested and officially charged with murder.
Reply to this comment
by ronshel March 19, 2010 7:46 PM EDT
Don't forget this picture is five years old.Plenty of time for the sea to erase any trace of this suspected body.
Reply to this comment
by berlinfoto-2009 March 20, 2010 3:24 AM EDT
I see nothing in the CBS text stating how old the photograph is.
I hope that the family does have closure soon.
I really do not believe that a human corpse, could remain on the ocean bottom for five years, in a area that has lots of snorkeling visitors every day.
Police every where are so Keystone, and all suffer from magical thinking.
by ronshel March 19, 2010 7:46 PM EDT
Don't forget this picture is five years old.Plenty of time for the sea to erase any trace of this suspected body.
Reply to this comment
by twistedsister1959 March 19, 2010 10:02 AM EDT
As bad as the Aruban authorities handle this case, I would not doubt if those remains have already been removed in the middle of night.
Reply to this comment
by rogermaddy March 19, 2010 3:25 PM EDT
I was thinking the same thing twisted. I just hope the remains can be identified and that they dont disapear. This cocky kid needs to be put where he belongs if this is her. I hope that it is for her family.
by txchacha1 March 19, 2010 9:14 AM EDT
I would just like to see Natalee's family get closure once and for all. They have been treated so badly by the "justice" system of Aruba. Joran and his buddies have been lucky so far - but everybody's bill comes due eventually and hopefully their luck has just run out.
Reply to this comment
by opinionatedgirl March 18, 2010 10:06 PM EDT
Hello
I certainly hope this is her remains. What suffering this young girl
and her family have went thru. I still do not understandy why a suspect
with many types of circumstansial evidence, can change his story
over and over and remain out of jail.

As for the Aruba trip itself, did the parents have to sign a release at the school allowing the kids to be able to drink alcohol? I always found this so strange. I understand peer pressure, but why would a trip to an island be approved by the school if underage drinking was allowed? By underage, I mean from a US perspective. I would never allow my teenager on a trip if alcohol was legal in a country. I hope this opens other parents eyes. Just because you child wants to do something, maybe you should say NO once in a while.
Reply to this comment
by lilbear925 March 18, 2010 9:17 PM EDT
Joran van der Sloot no longer has his father -- a Dutch lawyer and judge -- to stand between him and the law. I hope this will be the evidence the authorities need to put him away for good. He's a creepy guy.
Reply to this comment
by IndiasWorstTechSupport March 18, 2010 7:22 PM EDT
If you add contrast to it you could barely make out a face or a face of a doll.
Reply to this comment
by msay3 March 18, 2010 4:00 PM EDT
I hope that the authorities can pinpoint the location, send divers to recover the remains(if that is what they are) shown in the photo, make a positive ID, and if it turns out to be Natalie, then go after Joren van der Sloot with everything they have!!!
Reply to this comment
by mrsdolak March 19, 2010 8:07 AM EDT
i agree with you 100% i believe that if this is the remains of natalee then they do need to go after joren because he is a stupid person if he believes he is not going to get caught for mudering someone.
by Alexandra0602 March 19, 2010 6:06 PM EDT
I agree, Msay3.
That said, why are we privy to this prior to the area being searched? The entire investigation has been an utter abortion - why give those responsible for her murder any more opportunity to compromise the evidence? Unless, of course, they're hoping to...well, I'll keep that thought to myself in case there's a method to their madness.
Anyway, I hope those who could bring Natalee's loved-ones' nightmare to an end are acting responsibly.
See all 14 Comments
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