Van der Sloot murder count: Holloway case impact

More than a year after being arrested, Joran van der Sloot, a longtime suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, is now officially being charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 21-year-old Peruvian student Stephany Flores in Lima last June.

Pictures: Joran van der Sloot, Natalee Holloway and Peru

Flores was found dead in his hotel room in May 2010, after meeting van der Sloot at a nearby casino.

Edward Alvarez, the lawyer representing the Flores' family, has said, "The accusation requests 30 years in prison and a fine of $75,000."

Ironically, Flores' body was found five years to the day after Holloway went missing in Aruba in 2005. Van der Sloot, 24, was arrested twice in connection with the Holloway case, but was never charged.

Van der Sloot's next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 12, when officials are also expected to set a date for the upcoming trial.

On "The Early Show," Jean Casarez, a correspondent for TruTV's "In Session," discussed the case, which she's been following closely.

Why has it taken so long for van der Sloot to be formally accused?

Casarez explained, "The Peruvian legal system has similarities to ours, but there are a lot of differences, also. What's happened in the last year, there's been the investigation -- that is done by the judge in Peru. He enters his chambers and he has people come and he interviews them and makes a written record of the entire case. He's been doing that for a year, and that's all in secret. He concluded that, gave all of his conclusions to the prosecutors, and what they have done now is filed formal charges. And it's first-degree murder they're accusing him of and also robbery. ... Now we're proceeding to trial."

Casarez said van der Sloot's lawyers aren't likely to look for an acquittal, but rather a lesser charge, such as a manslaughter.

"(They may claim) that van der Sloot, out of passion and great emotion, killed Stephany Flores, but the prosecution says, 'No, this is premeditated murder.'"

And could the Peru trial have any bearing on the Holloway case?

"I don't think so," Casarez said. "The one thing they do have that the FBI has wanted, and we believe they must have, is the hard drive of van der Sloot's computer, because his computer was on him when he was arrested a little over a year ago. But as far as any negotiated deal he'll give up information for Natalee Holloway to get a lesser sentence, I don't think Peru would do that, because Stephany Flores is their girl, and they're going to want prosecution to the fullest extent of the law on Joran van der Sloot."

CBS' Jan Crawford noted Natalee Holloway's mother, Beth Holloway, has issued a statement saying there is plenty of evidence in this case to back up the murder charge, and she commended authorities for their work. She said in the statement, "Perhaps now, justice will be served."

Casarez said there may be some relief for Beth Holloway, but said she must have mixed emotions, because she still doesn't know what exactly happened to her daughter.

"The family of Stephany Flores, I spoke with them yesterday, they're happy formal charges have been filed. They know what happened to Stephany, as horrible as it was, but Natalee's mother doesn't have those answers."