Possible Leads In Natalee Holloway Case

Two Years Later, Aruba Police Are Taking Another Look At The Three Men Who Last Saw Alabama Teen Alive

(AP)  A renewed investigation into the disappearance of an American teenager in Aruba has revived her family's hopes of a resolution — two years after the case triggered a wave of false leads, fruitless searches and widespread publicity.

Natalee Holloway of Mountain Brook, Ala., was last seen in public leaving a bar with three local men on May 30, 2005, hours before she was scheduled to board a plane home with high school classmates celebrating their graduation on the Dutch Caribbean island. She was 18 at the time.

Police have not disclosed why they recently visited the homes of the three young men who were the last people seen in public with her, but the flurry of activity after months of silence suggests authorities have not given up on finding her.

The three men — Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot and two Surinamese brothers, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe — were among the first of at least 10 people detained and released in the case. They have never been formally cleared as suspects, authorities said.

All three, who have denied any role in the disappearance, returned to the spotlight after prosecutors in Aruba said a review of the case by Dutch officials found "indications" that authorities should take another look at their homes.

A team of about 20 Dutch forensic experts dug outside the home of van der Sloot's family for two days in late April, and earlier this month Dutch and Aruban authorities conducted an "inspection" of the property where the Kalpoe brothers live with their parents.

The missing girl's father, Dave Holloway, called the renewed activity "a move in the right direction."

He said a search of the van der Sloot property in the opening days of the investigation was restricted to the apartment where Joran lived before leaving to attend college in the Netherlands, and that the Kalpoe home had never been properly searched.

The father said he does not plan any activities Wednesday to mark the two-year anniversary of his daughter's disappearance because the investigation is still open.

"We'll remember it's been two years, but we still don't have Natalee," he said in an interview from his hometown of Meridian, Miss. "You start memorializing that day and you lose focus that you're trying to resolve what happened."

No criminal charges have been brought in the case.

A spokeswoman for the prosecutors' office, Vivian van der Biezen, told The Associated Press the case had been exempted from a two-year limit on filing charges because of the ongoing investigation.

"The person has disappeared and up until today, there is no sign of her even though rewards have been posted for any information on her whereabouts," van der Biezen said.

Aruba's prime minister has acknowledged mistakes at the start of the investigation. Islandwide searches involving hundreds of volunteers, Dutch troops, and FBI agents have not turned up any trace of Holloway.

Negative publicity from the case may have been a factor in a decline in tourism last year on the island of white sand beaches off the coast of Venezuela, said Gina Lopez, a spokeswoman for the Aruba Tourism Authority. She said the island of 70,000 people wants the case resolved soon.

"What we want is to find what happened for the parents ... and for the community to say we've done all we can," she said. "The island feels we did what we could do."

The Dutch forensic team has left Aruba, but van der Biezen said some authorities from the Netherlands remain on the island to work with Aruba investigators.

[coffeebiz]

PeaceforUSA...I feel as you that this kind of 'not-knowing' must be devestating. You are just left in limbo unable to really start the grieving process. I hope this is resolved and whomever is responsible be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

[kevzgrl]

There are so many places in the US where fresh out of high school kids can go to have a good time - why let them go overseas with some "chaperones" and allow them to go in harm's way? I hope and pray that they find out what happened to this poor girl, to give her family some closure. I also hope (although I don't hold any false illusions about the Aruban legal system) that the person or persons who caused all this misery are prosecuted to the fullest.

[ralan40]

The bigger injustice is the fact that this type of thing happens all the time in our own country and yet people recently reported missing in the US are being robbed of much needed media attention that could possibly lead to their safe return for the sake of this case.
I totally agree with the other comments posted but feel we, as Americans should also learn from what has happened and use it to educate young people to be careful in these type situations.

[incog-nito]

Leaving a bar with three men you've just met, is never a good idea. There, somebody's got to say it.

[incog-nito]

Leaving a bar with three men you've just met, is never a good idea. There, somebody's got to say it.

[rodnacious]

The best way that we can force the Arubian authorities to protect its tourist and prosecute those preying upon Americans visiting the island of Aruba is to not go there.

Aruba depends heavily upon tourism, especially from America. Stop going to Aruba and watch the changes made to protect and solve crimes against American tourist.

[klingon69]

ok, here goes.
Whenever an American citizen visits another country, especially those of Central & South America, they take their life in their hands. Trafficking in humans, organs, blood is carried on continuously.
Unfortunately this young lady may never be found. If so, I would not be surprised if she was a s.e.x slave in some middle-eastern or asiatic country. Or maybe in forced prostitution in some other third-world s.h.i.t hole.
Americans, and especially our young should stay in this country. We have many beautiful places for the young to enjoy springbreaks, grad parties...etc. There is no need to enrich these foreign tourist traps, and no need to put oneself in the way of harm.

[tbweb]

PeaceforUSA wrote:

I truly wish this investigation would have an ending. What a nightmare this must be for Natalee's family and friends. I couldn't even imagine the pain....My thoughts, prayers and sympathy to all of Natalee's friends and family.

Posted by PeaceforUSA at 11:55 PM : May 25, 2007

Ditto!

[gunownerdan]

This is why teenagers should not drink and should not talk to strangers.

[peaceforusa]

I truly wish this investigation would have an ending. What a nightmare this must be for Natalee's family and friends. I couldn't even imagine the pain....My thoughts, prayers and sympathy to all of Natalee's friends and family.