New Witness In Natalee Holloway Case

(AP)  A new witness has come forward in the 2005 disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway in Aruba, and prosecutors said Tuesday they are seeking more evidence against the only remaining suspect.

A woman told Dutch police this month that Joran van der Sloot confessed to her years ago that he was involved in Holloway's disappearance, according to Ann Angela, a spokeswoman for the Aruba Prosecutors' Office.

But the Dutch Caribbean island's chief prosecutor said authorities still lack proof they need to convict Van der Sloot, who has been arrested twice and released for lack of evidence.

"After three years of investigating, it is very, very difficult to find that evidence," prosecutor Hans Mos told The Associated Press. "We have to be realistic."

Holloway, an 18-year-old from Mountain Brook, Ala., was last seen in May 2005 leaving a bar in the Aruban capital Oranjestad with Van der Sloot on the final night of a high school graduation trip to the island. Extensive searches have found no trace of her.

Investigators reopened the case earlier this year based on hidden-camera recordings made by a Dutch TV crime show. On the video, Van der Sloot says Holloway collapsed on the beach after they left the bar and that he called a friend to dump her body at sea.

The new witness, once a friend of Van der Sloot, confirmed that he gave her roughly the same account shortly after Holloway's disappearance. But Mos said her statement does not bring authorities any closer to resolving the case.

He also said the witness would lack credibility in court unless she explains why she waited so long to come forward.

Attorneys for Van der Sloot did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment and there was no answer at his parents' home in Aruba.

Van der Sloot was last known to be living in Thailand but his current whereabouts are a "mystery," Angela said.

Angela said Aruban authorities hope to decide by the end of this year whether to prosecute Van der Sloot or close the case for good.

[Ken68us2006]

With Respects to the family it would be real nice to have a conclusion to what happened she wasn%u2019t alone. There are the acquaintance should have some knowledge of what happened. It is very sad though a decent explanation of what happened is due. It%u2019s been three years and not a clue! Let%u2019s get some real answers this happened in 2005 and why was the dumping of the Body not considered Murder? GEE she hangs out with people that just dump their body in the ocean when something goes wrong. Its time was the floor Searched with a qualified Scuba diver. My respects to the family Rest in Peace Natalie Holloway if you are passed my sorrows to the Family

[stephs2625]

I remember when I graduated in 2005 this was on all the major newstations everyday with pictures of her, her family, video clips, etc. Someone needs to check the SOL in Aruba. If it''s passed the SOL, quit talking about it. Millions and millions of people go missing every single day, but we never hear about it. What makes this one girl such a sensational story? The fact the she''s blonde, blue eyed and a southern American? Obviously, the Aruban system is not going to get anymore evidence, nor are they going to prosecute anyone for this. While it''s sad for her family to not ever see her again, we as the public don''t need to hear about something that has no relevance and is of no importance. They didn''t find anything new and no other arrests have been made. Drop it and let it die.

[cricketmk3]

autumn987...so you have computers at the mental institution?

[choiceshaveconsequences]

autumn987, are you on some kind of medication? I have no idea what you''''re trying to say. Posted by cdfoxtrot5
----
Maybe your alias explains it. Try a little more "speed" and if that doesn''t do it, play it backwards. LSD used to get the same results but it made my eyes glaze over.

[pcreversed]

I am throughly amazed at the hatred in these comments. Have any of you ever lost a child? It doesn''''t seem likely. I lost my only child and believe me the pain never goes away. Whomever said that time heals all wounds was full of ***. Natalie''''s family deserves to know what happened to their daughter so they can move on. Joran van der Sloot is a sleezebag and his father is worse for covering up for him. One day they will all get their comeuppance.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by jeannettelj at 08:58 PM : Nov 18, 2008


Who cares. She went off in the attempt to get gang banged and it did not turn out the way she wanted. Maybe it was because she was too *** for them. Maybe it was because she had the clap from all her other gang bangings. I don''t know but she brought this upon herself and is now working as an internet porn star or in Saudia Arabia as some camel jockey''s hoe. Either way, she is enjoying herself and got what she wanted. Nothing to worry about, that "southern bell" (tramp) got it the way she likes it.

[slim1h2o]

Posted by LMartinK at 12:46 AM : Nov 19, 2008


I agree, the last I heard, Arubas'' statue of limitaions for murder was 2 yrs.

[cdfoxtrot5]

autumn987, are you on some kind of medication? I have no idea what you''re trying to say.

[cdfoxtrot5]

gezus age christ, when are they going to FINALLY drop this moron of a non-story??? every few months this thing keeps popping up like herpes and goes on for weeks and then when they admit they ahev NO evidence it fades away again.
The twitties are media ***''''s with this thing, go twit twit twitter away already there''''s more important news than this STALE old dead-end story, enough already unless there''''s a CONVICTION.

Posted by newster1


Exactly. People go missing every day. Why is this chick so special? Did she find a cure for polio or invent a new energy source? No. She partied.

What I''d like to know is how her family keeps this in the media. Who do these people know??? It was the #1 story on CNN this evening. And she''s been missing for, what, two or three years now.

CBS: are you listening??? Most of us are SICK AND TIRED OF THIS STORY. Find some other tabloid-like story, why don''t ya??

[jeannettelj]

I am throughly amazed at the hatred in these comments. Have any of you ever lost a child? It doesn''t seem likely. I lost my only child and believe me the pain never goes away. Whomever said that time heals all wounds was full of ***. Natalie''s family deserves to know what happened to their daughter so they can move on. Joran van der Sloot is a sleezebag and his father is worse for covering up for him. One day they will all get their comeuppance.

[greeneyes222]

I agree - this isn''t news, it''s more speculation. Dear heaven, how long can the media perpetuate this?

Let the authorities solve this thing and you''ll have a story. Till then, enough already.