Aruba Search Scaled Back

Suspects In U.S. Teen's Disappearance Were Hotel Security Guards

(CBS/AP)  One of the suspects had a brush with the law, but it was not a violent or sexual offense, the officer said.

Police last week questioned and released three other men — described as "persons of interest" — who told police they took Holloway to a beach and then dropped her off at her hotel the night she vanished.

Holloway's parents and other relatives who rushed to the island last week refused to give up hope of bringing her home alive.

"We're not stopping," said Paul Reynolds, her maternal uncle.

That feeling was shared in Holloway's hometown of Mountain Brook, Ala., a tree-lined community of 22,000 that is home to many of the Birmingham area's most affluent families. Residents had attached yellow ribbons to everything from mail boxes to automatic bank machines.

Holloway has been missing since May 30. She vanished while on a five-day trip with more than 100 classmates celebrating their high school graduation. Seven chaperones accompanied them.

She had spend her last night dancing and eating at a Carlos' n Charlie's bar and restaurant, which has contributed US$5,000 (euro4,070) of a US$55,000 (euro44,770) reward offered for information on Holloway's whereabouts.

Her disappearance has upset Arubans, who take pride in their island's reputation for friendliness and safety.

The Aruba Tourist Authority usually gets about 25 e-mails a day from prospective visitors. In the past week, it has been bombarded with messages from more than 100 asking if they should go ahead with vacation plans, said Myrna Jansen-Feliciano, the agency's managing director. The visitors were reassured and few have changed their plans, she said.

"I can tell you that 100 percent of the private and public sector attention is on this matter," Rob Smith of the Aruba Hospitality and Security Foundation told CBS News. "There's no way there could be more attention focused on finding this young lady."

Tourism accounts for 70 percent of the economy in the territory of 97,000 people, with 73 percent of visitors coming from the United States. Many American tourists have volunteered in the search.

"I'm impressed by the people, their warmth and concern for Natalee," said Jim Robinson, a Pennsylvanian insurance executive who came to the island for a convention and offered to help search. "I would come back. Time will heal."