The Natalee Holloway Timeline
of her vanishment while in Aruba
detailing persons, places, organizations,
deliberate & accidental actions & in-actions,
events & supposed events, witnesses,
known suspects, outright lies,
corruptions, and crimes
of her vanishment while in Aruba
detailing persons, places, organizations,
deliberate & accidental actions & in-actions,
events & supposed events, witnesses,
known suspects, outright lies,
corruptions, and crimes
7-26-05
On 7-26 CARLOS A. PENATA RAMOS gave the following statements to his ARUBAN Police Interrogators:
(Thank You and Hat Tip to the “Scared Monkeys blog" and “Debbie”)
HERE is the drawing that RAMOS provided showing where he saw the 3 Main Murder Suspects in the car.
PROCESS – VERBAL I, Shaniro Baldrik KELLY, sergeant at the Korps Police force Aruba and at the investigative district classified 2, explain the following. On Tuesday, July 26, 2005 around 17:30, I, KELLY showed, at the Police force guard North, to the witness C.A. PENATA RAMOS, the seized gray Honda Civic belonging to the suspect D.S. KALPOE. The car became of interest in the search of the missing girl Natalee Holloway and was intentionally seized. C.A. PENATA RAMOS explained thereby this: I recognize the car which you now show me as the car in which I had seen the three boys on the night of Monday. It is the car in which I had spoken in my declaration. W.n.g.C.A. PENATA RAMOS After I, KELLY, read the declaration of the witness to him in Spanish, he explained that he would not sign it. He explained that he will grant no further collaboration to the Police force. Of which by me, KELLY, on oath of office made up this warrant which has been closed and has been signed at Bubali on 26 July 2005. Signed, S.B. KELLY
On 7-26 MSNBC reported:
Aruba pond drained in hunt for missing teen 2 new witnesses offer accounts at odds with main suspect's interpretation Lake drained for clues in Aruba caseJuly 26: Aruban officials began draining a lake in their search for an Alabama teenager missing since May 30.MSNBCUpdated: 11:28 p.m. ET July 26, 2005ORANJESTAD, Aruba - Aruban firefighters were draining a pond Tuesday in the search for an Alabama teenager who vanished nearly two months ago while vacationing on the island. Edwin Comemencia, a police spokesman, confirmed that the draining of the pond across from the Marriott Hotel was part of the investigation into Natalee Holloway’s disappearance but would not comment further. A jailed Dutch youth has said he was with Holloway in the area the night she disappeared. The draining was expected to take up to 24 hours. Earlier Tuesday, Holloway’s stepfather, George Twitty, said two new witnesses had come forward with information about the night she disappeared. One witness told investigators that he saw Joran van der Sloot, the 17-year-old who has been jailed as the main suspect, driving to a nightclub across the road from the Marriott Hotel around 2:30 a.m. the night Holloway disappeared, Twitty said. The witness said van der Sloot tried to hide his face with his hands as he drove to the Racquet Club with two Surinamese brothers, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, Twitty said. The Kalpoe brothers were held as suspects and later released. ‘What’s interesting is the time’The stepfather said the account places the three individuals near the hotel beach where van der Sloot says he left 18-year-old Holloway alone the last night she was seen in public. “What’s interesting is the time — 2:30 a.m. — when the three were supposedly on their way home,” said Twitty, referring to their previous accounts to investigators. The witness, a gardener whose name was not disclosed, gave his account to investigators on Friday, Twitty said. The Kalpoe brothers first told police that they and van der Sloot dropped Holloway at her hotel around 2 a.m. the morning of May 30. Later, they said they had lied to protect their friend and that they had dropped the Dutch youth and American teen at a beach near the hotel. Appearance at nightclub?A second new witness told a private investigator hired by Holloway’s family that she saw van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers drive into the Racquet Club three times that same night. The woman, who lives near the nightclub, has not yet spoken with investigators, he said. Aruban authorities did not comment on the stepfather’s statements. An attorney for van der Sloot, Richie Kock, said authorities had not told him about the new witnesses. Lawyers for the Kalpoe brothers were not immediately available for comment. No one has been charged in the case, and van der Sloot is the only suspect still detained.
On 7-26 CNN reported:
LAW CENTER
Aruba case reward rises to $1 million
Investigative material in missing teen probe sent to FBI
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (CNN) -- The mother of Natalee Holloway on Monday announced a reward of $1 million for the safe return of her 18-year-old daughter, who disappeared in Aruba nearly two months ago.
"We are just doing everything we possibly can in helping to further the search for Natalee," Beth Holloway Twitty told reporters in Aruba as she clutched a reward poster bearing her daughter's photograph.
She said "a group of friends" came forward to offer the additional money for the reward, which had been set at $200,000.
"We are doing everything we possibly can to find out if Natalee's alive out there," said Holloway's stepfather, Jug Twitty.
He said there have been rumors in recent weeks that Holloway might be in Venezuela or other areas, and "hopefully this will help" determine if that's true.
"It's all anonymous," he said, addressing potential tipsters. "We just ask for your help."
A $100,000 reward also is in place for information leading to Holloway's possible remains.
But Beth Holloway Twitty said her hope that they will soon get some answers as to what happened to her daughter was renewed this week because of several developments.
"A lot of good things have been set into motion, from, you know, the FBI, now, beginning to have access, to -- from declarations from audio and videotapes. There's witnesses coming forward now. That's encouraging," she said in an interview on CNN's "Larry King Live."
"We're optimistic that maybe we'll have a break this week," she added.
Meanwhile, FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela said Aruban authorities have provided the FBI with interviews, statements and documents in the case.
The information includes transcripts of the interrogation of Joran van der Sloot, the 17-year-old son of an Aruban judge and the only suspect who remains jailed in the case.
The FBI has been pressing Aruban authorities for a more active role, saying it believes FBI agents might be able to shed new light on the case.
The Aruban prosecutor's office released a statement saying an Aruban group arrived Sunday at the FBI's central laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
The Aruban group -- which includes a prosecutor, a Police Investigator and a legal and policy assistant from the prosecutor's office -- will stay for one week.
"During this week, they will discuss the case with members of the FBI to see how the expertise of the FBI may be of help," the statement said.
"Investigative material pertaining to this case was taken by the prosecutor to Virginia to be used when discussing the particulars."
The prosecutor's office also said four experts from the Netherlands are assisting the investigation, including two to help with interrogations.
A piece of duct tape with hair strands on it is still being analyzed in the Netherlands, prosecutors said. The chief prosecutor "will decide if and when the results will be made public," the statement said.
Holloway was last seen leaving a nightclub early on May 30 with van der Sloot and two brothers, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, ages 18 and 21. All three were taken into custody June 9, but the two brothers were released July 4.
Holloway was on a post-graduation class trip to Aruba with classmates from the Birmingham, Alabama, suburb of Mountain Brook when she disappeared.
Edwin Comemencia, a Police spokesman, confirmed that the draining of a pond across from the “Marriott Hotel” was part of the investigation into NATALEE's disappearance but would not comment further. The draining was expected to take up to 24 hours.
Earlier on 7-26, JUG TWITTY, said that in addition to the so-called “gardener witness,” another new witness woman had been located by his private Investigator T. J. WARD. This newest witness told T. J. WARD’s Investigators that she saw Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , driving to a nightclub across the road from the “Marriott Hotel” around 2:30 a.m. the same night NATALEE vanished, JUG TWITTY stated. This woman who lives near the pond supposedly told T. J. WARD that she saw Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE , and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE drive into the “Aruban Racket Club” three times that same night. The woman, who lives near the nightclub, has not yet spoken with Investigators, JUG TWITTY stated. The stepfather said the account is significant because it places the three individuals near the hotel beach where Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT says he left NATALEE alone the last night she was seen in public. "What's interesting is the time — 2:30 a.m. — when the three were supposedly on their way home," Twitty said, referring to their previous accounts to Investigators. Aruban authorities did not comment on the stepfather's statements. An attorney for Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , Richie Kock, said authorities had not told him about the new witnesses. Lawyers for the Current Murder Suspects KALPOE brothers were not immediately available for comment.
This woman who lives near the pond supposedly told T. J. WARD that she saw Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE , and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE drive into the “Aruban Racket Club” three times that same night. The woman, who lives near the nightclub, has not yet spoken with Investigators, JUG TWITTY stated.
JUG TWITTY restated again that when the case is over and certain information is made public, people will be shocked and surprised at what information becomes public.
On 7-26 BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY stated that scientific testing indicates that Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT was text-messaging Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE from Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT ’s cellular phone even though Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT was telling Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE he was at the Murder Suspects VAN DER SLOOT home (which means Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT could have been text-messaging from anywhere--even sitting in the back of Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE's car with KALPOE sitting with Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT )
BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY stated to FOX News that on 7-5 or 7-6 that ARUBA Prosecutor KARIN JANSSEN assured BETH that if any new evidence was discovered related to either/both of the Current Murder Suspects KALPOE’s that they would be rearrested. BETH also said the ARUBAN Police are “absolutely” communicating better with them this week.
TITO LACLE reported to FOX News that on 7-26 that at about 6:30 PM, six or seven ARUBAN firefighters were ordered by the ARUBAN Police to start draining a large pond that is very close (a couple 100 yard) just north of the “Marriott Hotel” and very close to the spot where the gardener witness stated he saw the 3 Main Murder Suspects at 2:30 AM to 3:00 AM on 5-30. It could take at least 24 hours and as long as a week to drain the pond using filtered pumps operating at 3000 gallons per minute. The pond is estimated to be 700’ long and 400’ wide. Speculation is because of the high suction power of the 8” hoses being used that authorities are looking for other physical evidence--perhaps someone’s clothing and/or shoes and/or flip-flops-- but are not looking for a body that could be severely compromised if caught in a filter by the high pressure pump.
TITO LACLE reported to FOX News that 7-26 that Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT is a member of the “Aruban Racquet Club” but TITO LACLE does not know, right now, if his membership gives him after-hours access to the club.
On 7-26 JOSSY MANSUR stated that Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT went to the his judicial office and cleaned out his office as he is no longer allowed to work there. (does that mean he was terminated, or, suspended?)
JOSSY MANSUR stated Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT will still be paid a salary, which expires 1-1-06. (in video footage shown concurrent with JOSSY MANSUR’s report, Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT was seen closing up the rear window of, then walking away from his red jeep with the white convertible top--if the video was filmed 7-26 it appears then that the red jeep has already been returned by ARUBAN Police to Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT (!!))
On 7-26 MSNBC reported that JOSSY MANSUR had hired 2 private Investigators circa 6-14 and that it was these 2 private Investigators who discovered the gardener witness.
On 7-26 the ARUBAN Police staged a reconstruction of the potential crime scene near the draining pond when the Police used Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE's silver “Honda” on the dirt road and with the help of the gardener witness. The gardener witness, along with several ARYBAN Police supervisors, flew in a helicopter over the area to chart out strategy and look at the pond from the air.
On 7-26 TIM MILLER stated to FOX News that he and some team members have returned to ARUBA. They plan on using a methane gas detector, ground penetrating sonar, and side-scan sonar on specific sites already planned. TIM MILLER claims they had spoken with a witness who claimed to have seen the 3 Main Murder Suspects in the pond area on 5-30, and TIM MILLER stated that because of what that witness told them that on about 7-12 they did search the pond just northwest of the “Marriott Hotel” by moving some debris with a backhoe and that they asked the ARUBAN Police if they could drain the pond but the Police refused.
On 7-26 NATALEE’s aunt, LINDA ALLISON stated that she is looking to hear from any woman or women who may have known and interacted with Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT prior to 5-29. LINDA is “seeking information from young women who may have experienced an unwanted encounter (threatened, drugs slipped in their drink, or raped) by Joran van der Sloot. There are rumors in Aruba that Joran has a history of preying on young women, especially American girls, who would be returning home from their vacation the next day. I’m sure that it would take a lot of courage for a rape victim to come forward, but their identity would not be revealed to the media. Also, we are looking for any photos or video taken at ‘Carlos & Charlie’s’ on the night of May 29.” LINDA’s email: support_for_Natalee@yahoo.com and hope_for_natalee@yahoo.com and investigation_for_natalee@yahoo.com
On 7-26 LINDA ALLISON also re-emphasized that Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT had lied to every Mountain Brook high school classmate he spoke to, saying he was a foreign exchange student who was a tourist staying at the “Holiday Inn.”
On 7-26 “People Magazine” via Internet service provider "America Online" reported:
Natalee Holloway's Mom: $1 Million Reward
TUESDAY JULY 26, 2005 02:00PM EST
By Todd Peterson
The reward for information leading to the return of Natalee Holloway was raised to $1 million by the missing girl's mother on Monday. Beth Holloway Twitty told reporters that friends had offered additional money for the reward, which was previously set at $200,000. Natalee's stepfather, Jug Twitty, said that recent rumors have surfaced that Natalee might be in Venezuela or some other country. "We are doing everything we possibly can to find out if Natalee's alive out there," he said. Several recent developments in the case offered new hope this week, Beth Holloway Twitty said, including fresh information provided to the FBI as well as new witnesses coming forward. "We're optimistic that maybe we'll have a break this week," said Twitty. Meanwhile, forensic officers in the U.S. and Holland are testing a piece of duct tape with blonde hair attached to it that was found in Aruba last week to see if it's a DNA match for Holloway. In Aruba, 17-year-old Joran van der Sloot, who admitted to being with Holloway the night she disappeared, remains in jail. Two brothers, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, ages 18 and 21, both of whom also spent time with Holloway that night were picked up by police on June 9 and released from jail July 4. The FBI reportedly has pushed for more access to the case from authorities in Aruba. A group of officials from the Aruban prosecutor's office traveled to the FBI's main lab in Quantico, Virginia, on Sunday in order to see how that agency might help the case. Holloway, 18, disappeared from Aruba while on a trip with classmates from her Birmingham, Ala., school. A $100,000 reward for information leading to the return of her possible remains is in place as well.
On 7-26 CNNHN reported:
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Tonight, breaking news. We go live to Aruba, 58 long days since Natalee Holloway vanished into thin air. Investigators commence draining a local pond in the same area where Natalee was last seen alive. And tonight, a new witness, the gardener, gives Police information leading them to this pond. And the clock is ticking. DNA testing under way at two crime labs a whole world a part, in the Hague, Netherlands, and Quantico, Virginia, FBI headquarters. The DNA testing of blonde hair found on duct tape, is this hair Natalee's?
…
But first tonight, live to Aruba. Breaking news in the Natalee Holloway missing girl case. Stunning information from a local gardener leads authorities to drain a pond as we speak. The draining has commenced in an Aruba area very near a racket club, where the gardener says he observed a car with the Kalpoe brothers and the jailed judge's son, Joran van der Sloot, parked around 2:30 in the morning the night Natalee disappeared. Now, let me tell you, nothing good is happening at 2:30 in the morning. And tonight, we're standing by for DNA results on blonde hair found on duct tape on an Aruban beach. Tonight, from Meridian, Mississippi, Natalee's stepmother Robin Holloway; in Aruba, editor of "Diario," Jossy Mansur; in Orange, California, defense attorney David Wohl; in Seattle, defense attorney Anne Bremner; in New York, clinical psychologist Dr. Patricia Saunders. But first to WBMA reporter, Anastasiya Bolton. Anastasiya, bring us up-to-date, friend. ANASTASIYA BOLTON, WBMA REPORTER COVERING STORY: Nancy, Investigators in Aruba are draining the pond of a racket club as we speak. That just started moments ago. That information came from a gardener at the racket club who gave sworn statements to Police over the weekend saying that he saw Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers in that car near the racket club at 2:30 in the morning the night Natalee Holloway disappeared. Why they're draining the pond, what they hope to find there? Sources tell us they may find a body there. They're looking for a body there. That's the latest from here. GRACE: I want to quickly go to David Wohl. David, I've had cases where bodies were found in water, where we looked for evidence, for clues in water. Very, very difficult. You and I watched it in court in the Laci Peterson case, how difficult that is to find evidence in water. Have you ever observed a body of water actually being drained or dredged? DAVID WOHL, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: No, Nancy, I haven't. But I mean, you know what happens to bodies. We know what happened to Laci Peterson after she was in the water of San Francisco Bay for a while. There generally isn't much left. That's why DNA evidence is so critical here. I'm sure it will be here. However, I don't hold out a lot of hope. That gardener said he saw a car resembling the car that the boys were driving. And I don't think the identification has been overly particular in this case. So I got my fingers crossed for Natalee's family, but I don't know at this point. We'll have to wait and see. It doesn't seem to be certain. GRACE: Well, I don't know about you, but when he said -- when this gardener said -- correct me if I'm wrong and just jump in -- he saw not only the car parked over to the side of the road, because he nearly ran into it, but also, when he looked at the car, and the lights came around, Joran van der Sloot tried to hide his face, and the two Kalpoe brothers ducked down in the back of the seat. Now, I don't know about you, Anastasiya, but when I see people in a car all ducking down, that makes me look even more. BOLTON: Nancy, all I can say that he gave sworn statements to Police that he saw the three men that looked like the Kalpoe brothers and Joran van der Sloot in that car. So far, Police tell us that his story is checking out, unlike Joran van der Sloot who, at this point, they say has given them 22 different accounts of what happened the night that Natalee Holloway disappeared. GRACE: Hold on. That number, 22, stuck in my throat. Twenty-two different stories? Did I hear that? BOLTON: Yes, you heard that correctly. GRACE: Oh, Anne Bremner, Anne Bremner, veteran defense attorney, I guess you want to go hide under the table about right now. Twenty-two different statements -- let me cough it up here. (LAUGHTER) ANNE BREMNER, TRIAL ATTORNEY: Nancy, I mean, that's a problem. But 22...(CROSSTALK) GRACE: I want your response. (LAUGHTER)Yes, that's a problem. You're darn right it's a problem.BREMNER: Sure, it is. But you know what, Nancy? They could be -- some of the stories could be kind of slightly different, slightly different. But here's the other thing. I mean, we talked about it before, and that's corpus delicti. There's no body; there's no evidence. And so you can't just convict someone on their words alone. So that, as a defense attorney...(CROSSTALK)GRACE: So we're going to give people a gold star, extra credit for hiding the body? Hold on, very quickly to the editor of "Diario," joining us from Aruba, Jossy Mansur. Sir, thank you for being with us. I want to find out more about this gardener. What do you think of his story? JOSSY MANSUR, EDITOR, "DIARIO": I'm totally convinced he's telling the truth. He has no reason to invent a story. He's not after money. The reward posts don't say -- do not specify any reward for just any information of the three suspects. I mean, the information is for Natalee being found alive, $1 million, or any information leading to the location -- or, in other words, to finding this girl in whatever shape she's in, that's $100,000. So he's not after money. GRACE: You are taking a look at some video that was just released on Friday of Natalee Holloway. Not only a beauty, as you can see with your own eyes, but an honor student, set to go to school to become a doctor. Isn't that right, Robin Holloway, she wanted to become a doctor? ROBIN HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S STEPMOTHER: That's right. From what she had told us, she wanted to be a pediatrician. I mean, she just had -- well, hopefully still does, just so much ahead of her. And she had the scholarship to University of Alabama, and she was so excited about her future. And now, these videos, I mean, they're so hard to watch. But everybody in the whole world can see just how beautiful, and vibrant, and wonderful she is, just...(CROSSTALK)GRACE: Well, the American dream, Robin, the American dream. Someone that made such great grades in high school, she had a full scholarship, telling the rest of us that, if you work hard enough, you can make it. I mean, this was a girl any parent, any family, would love to have.Never a problem, great grades, just beaming with joy, beaming with vitality. Very quickly, take a listen to this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S FATHER: We've heard a lot of different rumors. I mean, when we got on the island, you know, we had a lot of information that, you know, she was here or there or whatever. And all those turned out to be false. But, you know, we still hold on to the thread that maybe she's off somewhere. That's my hope. But the Police investigation has always come back and indicated that they're looking into this as a murder case. But, as a father and a parent, you still hold on to a possible miracle. (END VIDEO CLIP) GRACE: That's right. The family still hoping for a miracle. It is day 58 in the disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway. Back to Anastasiya Bolton. I want to go back to this gardener, because this is the first real lead we've gotten, other than Natalee was last seen with a judge's son -- all we see of this judge, as I said many times, is his back side whenever we try to ask him questions -- and these other two, the Kalpoe brothers.This is the first real lead we've gotten. And I want to ask you, Anastasiya, isn't it true that, with the new arrangement with the FBI, the FBI got to sit in during his interrogation of this gardener? BOLTON: My understanding is that the FBI is, indeed, now able to sit in on the interrogations. And, more importantly, as I understand it, they will be able to sit in on the interrogations of Joran van der Sloot. They're not able to ask questions, but the FBI is able to take a more active role in the investigation. GRACE: And very quickly, Jossy, before we go break -- everyone, Jossy Mansur is with us. He is the editor of "Diario" there in Aruba. You say this guy, this gardener, has no reason to lie. And also, the circumstances of the way he saw these three, allegedly, how they all ducked down in the back of the car, and tried to hide their faces, why, Jossy, would they feel they had to hide their faces and hide, that they were parked there near that racket club? MANSUR: Because they were trying to hide their faces at that the hour, because we have to remember that the two Kalpoe brothers and Joran held on to the statement that they dropped Joran off at the beach and then went home. But here we have someone that says categorically that they did not go home, they were in the car with Joran. Joran was sitting in the driver's seat. GRACE: And very quickly, as we go to break, Dr. Patricia Saunders, the fact that they were trying to hide from somebody they didn't even know, I find highly, highly probative. DR. PATRICIA SAUNDERS, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, it screams to consciousness of guilt, as does Mr. Joran changing his stories 22-plus times. GRACE: Twenty-two times. We'll all be right back. We are live in Aruba and the latest in the search for Natalee Holloway. We have not given up yet. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, MOTHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: I think Jug and I are both thinking this week, you know, a lot of good things have been set into motion, from, you know, the FBI now beginning to have access, from declarations to audio and videotapes, you know, of course, this witness coming forward now. I mean, that's encouraging. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEORGE "JUG" TWITTY, STEPFATHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: I've had several incidents where I just have gone ballistic and I try to just keep my cool. And I've had several conversations with van der Straten. And everybody knows that van der Straten and Jug do not see eye-to- eye, because, from the beginning, we just -- I just didn't believe that they were doing enough. And that's why I'm so excited about the new team that's in there. And I can already tell, being here a day-and-a-half, that some new things are happening.(END VIDEO CLIP)GRACE: The reward for Natalee Holloway's safe return now up to $1 million, $100,000 reward for information on Natalee's whereabouts. Take a look at tHat Tip line, 877-628-2533. Welcome back, everybody. I want to go straight back to the editor of "Diario." He is with us from Aruba tonight, Jossy Mansur. Now, Mr. Mansur, it's my understanding that you actually found the gardener and had him go to authorities with his story. MANSUR: That is correct, because we were searching for him for three- and-a-half weeks after we heard the rumor about the domino game in prison. And then we wanted to know his identity. And we searched and searched with a team that we have investigating this, Eduardo Mansur (ph) and (INAUDIBLE) and they finally found him last Friday. And they did a lot of talking to him and reassured him that the paper will stand behind him, as well as nothing the Police -- the Police aren't going to do anything to him. So he was finally convinced to go to the Police. He went at 7:00 at night. And he laid off his sworn testimony and signed it that same night. GRACE: Now, what domino game behind bars? MANSUR: That there was a domino game behind bars in which one of the Kalpoe brothers participated. And one other player in there yelled at him, "Listen, my gardener saw you at the racket club that early morning that Natalee disappeared." He got very white. He threw the dominoes on the table and walked away. So that rumor started to filter out, because there were many other people present around that domino table. We found out about it. And we started a search for this gardener. GRACE: Well, Jossy Mansur, that is a heck of a story. And apparently he is believable because, as we speak, the pond near where the gardener says he saw van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers parked around 2:30 a.m. near this racket club is being drained. Back to Jossy Mansur with "Diario." Tell me about the gardener. Who did he work for? Why did he happen to be there that night at 2:30 a.m.? And how close was the car to this pond? MANSUR: You know, he's a gardener of a friend of ours that we know very well. And that night, it was very hot in his apartment, as it has been hot all this week in Aruba. And he left his own apartment to go this house where he works as a gardener, where he has an air-conditioned room. And when he passed by the racket club, there was a car blocking the road. It's a dirt road that goes around where the water is being drained now. And for him to be able to pass this car, he had to climb a little mount that was by the car.He was very close to it, less than a yard away. And when he looked inside the car, he saw these three people that he identified was the many folders that have come out in the "Diario." GRACE: And when he saw the three of them, what, if anything, did they do? MANSUR: One of them -- the one that was sitting behind the driver's seat, which was Joran, threw his hands across his face to hide from him. And the other two ducked. GRACE: The other two were in the back seat? MANSUR: One in the back seat, one in the front seat. Both ducked, so as not to be seen by him. GRACE: And how close was this car to this pond that is being drained as we speak? MANSUR: Very close. Very close. A few yards away. GRACE: I want to go back to that domino game you told us about. We're showing video right now, Mr. Mansur, of the pond. It is being drained right now, based largely on what this gardener has told Police there in Aruba. It's going down right now. Back to this domino game. Who was playing dominoes with the Kalpoe brother, and how did you find out about it? MANSUR: Because his gardener told him through his father. He`s a young fellow. His father visits him in jail. He's there for the possession of some kind of illegal arm, nothing serious. And then they were playing there with four people, four people play domino. And some onlookers around them. And then this happened when he confronted Kalpoe, one of the Kalpoe brothers with this fact. Then the guy got mad. He became pale, threw the dominoes, and walked away. So it's an abnormal reaction to some kind of finger-pointing at him. GRACE: You know, David Wohl, what would we do without jailhouse confessions, jailhouse acting-out? I mean, come on, you're playing a game of cards and somebody says, "I know what you did," you throw down your cards, stomp away, turn white. WOHL: You know, it sounds almost too good to be true. GRACE: Oh, there you go. WOHL: You know these jailhouse rats. The problem is their credibility is sometimes brought into question by defense lawyers like Anne Bremner. So I don't know, but it's very interesting.And the problem is, it doesn't add up to me. I mean, these boys ducking down as he's -- you know, why would they know that he would think that they had just murdered someone and dumped them in a pond? I mean, there's some kind of disconnect here I'm not quite tuning into.GRACE: David Wohl, have you just lost your mind? Whenever anyone is guilty, they try to hide it. They know they've done something wrong. Question to you -- I'd appreciate a concise answer -- who is the rat? The gardener wasn't behind bars. So who's the rat in this scenario? WOHL: Well, the person who brought it up to the boys when they were in there, "My gardener saw you guys" -- I don't know. I just I'm not buying it, Nance. I'm not buying it. GRACE: You don't like it. And I think I know why you don't like it. To Dr. Patricia Saunders, give me your take on this, Doctor. SAUNDERS: I think this could be a potential blockbuster in the case. What's so telling is that the kid turned white. That's an automatic response that says...GRACE: Involuntary. Involuntary response. SAUNDERS: It's involuntary. And it says, "I am in deep trouble. I am guilty." GRACE: The thing that's concerning me, Anastasiya, is the proximity of the car to the pond. Anastasiya, what do we know that would link the three of them not just to the car, at 2:30 in the morning at that location, but to something being in the pond? Is there some other information about the pond that we don't know, Anastasiya? BOLTON: At this point, no other information has been released. But we do know that the pond is a quarter of a mile away from the Marriott each, where Joran van der Sloot said that he last left Natalee Holloway. He says he left her alive and well. Again, the racket club is right in between the Marriott and the "Holiday Inn" where Natalee was staying. GRACE: Jossy, question about the pond. What in the gardener's statement has led Police to drain this pond? MANSUR: The fact that he identified these three suspects in the Kalpoe's car at that hour, between 2:30 and 3:00, at that particular place. We have to remember that Joran is a member of the racket clubs. He knows that area very well, from the palm of his hand. And we have to remember also that Joran confessed to the Police on the 13th of June that, at 2:00 that same morning, he went to the beach to the north of the Marriott Hotel with Natalee. GRACE: So he is a member, his family is a member, of the racket club. And we've caught him in another lie, bottom line. MANSUR: Of course, we caught him in a lie, because, not only him, but the Kalpoe brothers also, because they claim they dropped him off there at 2:00 and then went home. But they were with him, because in a further statement to the Police on the 13th of June, Joran said that Deepak Kalpoe walked back to the beach where he had left Natalee asleep and then he didn't hear anything more. Then, at the end, when the Police asked him what he thought happened between Deepak and Natalee, he said, "I think he raped her and then murdered her." This is from the Police records. GRACE: Joran van der Sloot said a Kalpoe brother raped her and murdered her? MANSUR: Yes, he said that of Deepak. He mentioned Deepak in that statement. GRACE: With us from Aruba, the editor of "Diario," Jossy Mansur. We'll all be right back. Very quickly, to "Trial Tracking." Today, Donald Moringiello, guilty of murdering his wife Hattie "Fern" Bergeler. Moringiello shot Hattie four times in the chest, weighted her body down with cement blocks, and dumped her body in a Florida bay. Police couldn't identify Hattie for a month because Moringiello never bothered to mention she was missing. This was Moringiello's second go-around in court. The first jury hung.(COMMERCIAL BREAK) GRACE: Natalee Holloway, she was a dancer at her high school. Having fun like every other teenager in town, it looks like. Here we go. Very quickly, I want to go out to Natalee's stepmother, Robin Holloway. With us, Robin, had you heard the startling revelation that, in one of his many statements, Joran van der Sloot blame a Kalpoe brother for murder? R. HOLLOWAY: At one time, we had heard that he made the initial confession or said that something bad happened and Deepak helped bury her. But until Jossy said that, I had not heard that. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)T. J. WARD, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR HIRED BY NATALEE'S FAMILY: And I went door to door today in the racquetball club and was able to locate another witness who described the vehicle in question, owned by the Kalpoe boys, and they were able to tell me and describe clearly the car in question being in the area and in the racquet club around the homes about six weeks ago, which would estimate somewhere after the 29th and 30th of May.(END VIDEO CLIP)GRACE: Natalee's family has hired this private Investigator to literally go door to door asking for help in the Natalee Holloway case.Welcome back, everybody. Very quickly, back to Natalee's stepmother. Robin, I'm sorry. We got cut off when we went to break. I know that you're aware, as we all are, that Joran van der Sloot, the judge's son, has changed his story now allegedly 22 times about Natalee's disappearance. But have you ever heard that he directly named a Kalpoe brother as having raped and murdered Natalee?ROBIN HOLLOWAY, NATALEE'S STEPMOTHER: No. That makes me sick. I mean, just -- no, I had not heard that until this show right now, so -- that's hard to comprehend. And just -- and, yes, it's -- if that's the case, I mean, I don't understand why they're not in custody, why they're not interrogating them, too. I mean, just -- I just feel like those three hold a lot of answers, I mean, not just Joran, but all three need to be questioned.GRACE: Well, you have been saying that from the get-go, along with the rest of Natalee's family.Back to Jossy Mansur, the editor of "Diario." We understand tonight that Joran van der Sloot, the judge's son, has changed his story up to 22 times. What are the different stories, Jossy, that he has given?MANSUR: From what I understand, he gives varied answers to the same questions, but not with too much of a difference, but he keeps changing. For example, on one time, he says to the Police that he left the girl on the beach and went away because she wanted to walk back to the hotel, the "Holiday Inn." On another occasion, he said that he left her asleep there. Then on another occasion, he said that she got sick and he left her on the beach. So it keeps changing, but not with a variation that is very noticeable.GRACE: Jossy, didn't at one point he said he left her at the "Holiday Inn" and she was walking in and stumbled, and two -- a security guard tried to help her? Then later, he said he left her at the Marriott out on the beach?MANSUR: Oh, the story goes on and on and on. Sure. He said that -- the first time that they spoke about this was that they left her at the "Holiday Inn." She got out of the car and she stumbled. Two security guards came over. He even described the uniforms that they had. That's why these two people were picked up by the Police for questioning and then released, because they were innocent. But he keeps changing his story all the time, with some variations.GRACE: And I want to go to Anastasiya Bolton with WBMA-TV. Anastasia, have you heard about this startling accusation by Joran van der Sloot, directly pointing the finger at Deepak Kalpoe as not only a rapist but a killer?BOLTON: Nancy, we have not been able to confirm the statement, but Joran van der Sloot and the brothers have repeatedly turned on each other in this case. And again, remember, Joran has changed the story 22 times. So what is to say that this story may not be true?GRACE: So you had heard the story but couldn't confirm it?BOLTON: We have not heard this story and we have not been able to confirm it. But like I said, Joran van der Sloot has changed his story so many times, so I question the validity of it...GRACE: Well, this is...BOLTON: ... until we're able to confirm it.GRACE: This is what I don't understand, Jossy Mansur. With an allegation like that by Joran van der Sloot, even though he's a liar, why did they let the Deepak -- the Kalpoe brothers go?MANSUR: Oh, that's the $64,000 question. It's been going on and on in my mind also. I don't think they should have let them go. I've said that many times before. I think should have been held -- at least Deepak should have been held in custody and questioned and questioned all over again.And I can confirm that Joran said this about Deepak. I can confirm it because there are Police records that have it. It's signed -- these records are signed by four officers present when he made that statement, under oath.GRACE: And Jossy, how have you learned what is the content of the Police records? I thought prosecutors were keeping them so secret.MANSUR: Well, you know, I've been in this business for 33 years. "Diario" (INAUDIBLE) for the past 25 years as the number-one-selling newspaper on the island. During that time, we create credibility and we create contacts. And we have our bunch of contacts with every, every single organization on the island. So we're in a position to know.GRACE: Jossy, how has this affected tourism there in Aruba? The Alabama legislature has called for a boycott on tourism to Aruba.MANSUR: Well, that's their privilege of doing, I mean, but it hasn't affected the island at all. Absolutely not. Ever since this case began -- and I am so sorry that it happened here on the island. It's a very unique case with a high profile. But we've seen tourism as strong and as frequent and as voluminous as always.GRACE: Take a listen to this.(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE'S FATHER: I'm thrilled that the FBI is now involved. This gives another set of eyes to look at what`s going on. Every time you add something to the scales, it's going to -- you know, it adds up. You know, something is better than nothing. And so far, we've really had nothing. So the more you add to it, the better case you build.What good is this gardener? Well, he's a witness, and maybe he has some information that will help us narrow down the timeline and, hopefully, find the haystack. And if we can find the haystack, we can find the needle.(END VIDEO CLIP)GRACE: To Anne Bremner -- it always hurts -- always hurts -- when your client gives conflicting statements. And I find it very interesting that they've kept van der Sloot in and let the Kalpoe brothers go.BREMNER: Right. I mean, it's, like -- well, one thing I thought of, Nancy, is -- although I'm defense -- mostly defense -- you know, a finger pointing away from yourself often is a finger pointing at yourself. Maybe that's what they're thinking. Why did they let the other two go? I can't imagine, with this particular statement, 1 of 22 or 1 of 10 or whatever it is, it is evidence in the case. And it would seem to point away, actually, from van der Sloot in this case and toward the others.GRACE: Robin Holloway, I'm confounded that they let the Kalpoe brothers go. Now, did they -- are they telling -- are authorities telling the family what is in these Police reports that Jossy Mansur is telling us about?ROBIN HOLLOWAY: No. I mean -- well, as far as -- I mean, Beth is there in Aruba, and she's maybe in closer contact. But as for as Dave and myself, no, we had not heard this version of his latest lie or statement. I mean, last time I talked to Dave, we had counted 15 lies he had told. I did not realize it was up to 22 now.GRACE: And Robin, what are the lies that you're aware of?ROBIN HOLLOWAY: Oh, well, I guess it started -- he said he dropped her off at the "Holiday Inn." That changed to north of the Marriott. And didn't he say Deepak was with him and then he needed a ride? And -- I don't -- there's so many.GRACE: So, so many.Everyone, breaking news tonight. A pond near where the gardener says he saw the judge's son and the Kalpoe brothers parked 2:30 AM is being drained as we speak.To Jossy Mansur with "Diario." So this pond is on the property of the racquet club?MANSUR: It's right beside it, yes.GRACE: Who does it belong to?MANSUR: Between the racquet club and the main road.GRACE: Does it belong to anyone? Whose is it?MANSUR: I don't think it belongs to anyone. I think it belongs to the government.GRACE: So they didn't have to get authori4y to drain it. How long is this process going to take, Jossy?MANSUR: Possibly three or four or five hours, or until early morning. But it will be done tonight.GRACE: We'll all be right back. We're live in Aruba with the latest in the Natalee Holloway case. As we speak, a local pond is being drained for any evidence relating to the disappearance of the 18-year-old American girl.(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
On 7-26 the “AP” reported:
2 new witnesses come forward in Aruba probeJuly 26, 2005, 2:31PMAssociated PressORANJESTAD, Aruba — Natalee Holloway's stepfather said today that two new witnesses have come forward with information about the night nearly two months ago that the Alabama teenager disappeared on this Dutch Caribbean island.One witness told investigators that he saw Joran van der Sloot, a 17-year-old Dutch youth who has been detained as the main suspect, driving to a nightclub across the road from the Marriott Hotel around 2:30 a.m. on May 30, when Holloway disappeared, said George Twitty.According to Twitty, the witness said van der Sloot tried to hide his face with his hands as he drove to the Racquet Club with two Surinamese brothers, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe. The brothers were detained as suspects and later released.The stepfather said the account is significant because it places the three individuals near the hotel beach where van der Sloot says he left Holloway alone the last night she was seen in public."What's interesting is the time — 2:30 a.m. — when the three were supposedly on their way home," Twitty said, referring to their previous accounts to investigators.The witness, a gardener whose name was not disclosed, gave his account to investigators Friday, Twitty said.The Kalpoe brothers first told police that they and van der Sloot dropped Holloway off at her hotel around 2 a.m. on May 30. Later, they said they had lied to protect their friend and that they had dropped him and Holloway at a beach near the hotel.A second new witness told a private investigator hired by Holloway's family that she saw van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers drive into the Racquet Club three times that same night. The woman, who lives near the nightclub, has not yet spoken with investigators, he said.Aruban authorities did not comment on the stepfather's statements.Van der Sloot's lawyer said he had not received any information about it from authorities, and the attorneys for the Kalpoes were not immediately available for comment.The family on Monday increased the reward for information leading to the young woman's safe return to $1 million, from $200,000.No one has been charged in the case, and van der Sloot is the only suspect still detained.
7-27-05
On 7-27 ABC wrote, “Often times, you can find him in the background during Police press conferences, but Joe Mammana is not a cop, nor is he a local politician. And if you ask this former Marine who he thinks he is, he'll describe himself as a kind of modernized vigilante. Joe Mammana/Philanthropist: ‘I am a very vengeful person. I don't believe in an eye-for-an-eye, I believe in two for one.’ Over the years, Mammana has donated millions of his own money to help solve many of the Delaware Valley's high profile cases, including the murder of 10-year-old Faheem Thomas Childs of North Philadelphia. But he's also gotten involved in the case of Natalee Holloway, the Alabama teenager missing in Aruba. Mammana: "I put up $100,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of any that can bring closure to this for the mother." Mammana: ‘Society calls them rewards. In most cases I call them bounties.’ ”
On 7-27 JUG TWITTY confirmed that early on in the investigation that the pond currently being drained was a focus for ARUBAN Investigators.
JUG TWITTY also said 7-27 that he now thinks the F.B.I. And the ARUBAN Police Investigators are working noticeably closer together than they were “just” 2 or 3 weeks ago.
JUG TWITTY detailed 7-27 that 2 weeks ago (circa 7-13) “Texas EquuSearch” approached the ARUBAN Police wanting to drain the pond near the “Marriott Hotel,” but the Aruban Police would not allow “Texas EquuSearch” to drain the pond because the ARUBAN Police said they could not figure out then where to pump the pond water to.
On 7-27 BETH asked, why would the attorneys for Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE , and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE be going to ARUBAN court to fight letting the F.B.I. read the 3 Murder Suspects statements if the 3 Murder Suspects are each innocent? Would not their attorneys want the 3 Current Murder Suspects statements known, so they are cleared?
TITO LACLE reported to FOX News that 7-27 that there is not 1 witness, there are not 2 witnesses, but there are “several witnesses” that saw Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE's car and/or the 3 Current Murder Suspects near the “Aruba Racquet Club” and/or near the draining pond early in the morning of 5-30.
TITO LACLE reported to FOX News that 7-27 that his sources believe that the ARUBAN Police are looking in the pond for a missing tennis shoe sneaker that belongs to Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT.
On 7-27 AMERICAN homicide detective MARK FUHRMAN theorized that if the pond was low on water on 5-30 that the pond bottom would be muddy, and if someone was doing something in the pond mud/muck that a shoe could easily have gotten stuck in the mud and subsequently come off someone’s foot.
On 7-27 TITO LACLE reported to FOX News that DNA from a male person has been tested to be on NATALEE’s toothbrush that was in her “Holiday Inn” room she shared with 3 other friends. The toothbrush was taken into evidence 5-31 by ARUBAN Investigators, but only recently tested for DNA. TITO LACLE also stated his sources are claiming there is no other DNA evidence.
On 7-27 ELLIS-SCHIPPER (member of the "Aruba Strategic Communications Task Force") claimed that Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT has changed his stories he has been telling the ARUBAN Police Investigators 21 times. She also reported that their was a procedural violation made in regards to the court-ordered gathering of DNA samples from Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE , and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE. ELLIS-SCHIPPER claimed this is easily corrected by simply requesting or court-ordering another round of DNA samples from the 3 Murder Suspects and following the proscribed procedures. ELLIS-SCHIPPER further claimed that the majority of ARUBAAN's do seem to be critical of ARUBA Prosecutor KARIN JANSSEN going on vacation at this important time in the case.
On 7-27 JOSSY MANSUR stated that the ARUBAN authorities are taking the June 13, 2005 declaration confession of Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT “very, very seriously.” JOSSY MANSUR stated he has not heard that Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE has denied Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT ’s 6-13 confession theory that Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE was with NATALEE after Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT left her alone on the “Marriott Hotel” beach. JOSSY MANSUR thinks that the ARUBAN Police are looking for NATALEE’s remains in the draining pond. JOSSY MANSUR stated that circa 5-30 the pond was not filled with water but was, instead, mostly mud.
On 7-27 T. J. WARD stated that his investigations have revealed that now-retired Police commissioner STRATEN was a subordinate working for Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT in the early 1990’s. T. J. WARD has learned that ARUBAN law calls for someone to be charged with kidnapping if 2 people that were drinking are witnessed to leave a bar/restaurant area while together and one of the persons disappears. T. J. WARD has learned that Current Murder Suspect JOHN and Current Murder Suspect JONES are considering filing a civil lawsuit against the ARUBAN authorities. T. J. WARD’s current simple theory of what happened is that NATALEE was drinking alcohol, she may have been illegally given some type of drug or date-rape drug, NATALEE died or was murdered, Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT panicked and called Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT , then NATALEE’s body was disposed of. About the ARUBAN investigation T. J. WARD emphasized that the ARUBAN Police are highly trained, but, the ARUBAN Police in the very beginning, and for whatever reasons, did not perform functions they are highly trained to do, and that the ARUBAN Police supervisors have handled the investigation improperly causing it to be very slow and lethargic, possibly because of cronyism.
On 7-27 FOX News reported that Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT was filmed arriving in his red “Suzuki” jeep at his work offices where he reportedly was cleaning out his office and desk after his superiors told him to do so. Since he has a job contract with the ARUBAN government he will probably still be paid until his job contract expires on January 1, 2006.
On 7-27 CNNHN reported:
Aruban authorities continue to work to drain a pond they think may have clues to Natalee Holloway's disappearance
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Tonight, breaking news from Aruba. Does a remote pond in Aruba hold answers to 18-year-old Natalee Holloway's disappearance? A tip from a local gardener leads Police to drain the pond. Searchlights guide Aruban firefighters through the night as they drain nearly 3,600 gallons of water a minute. That process still under way tonight, authorities searching for Natalee. Will they finally find evidence of Natalee Holloway, or will Police turn up dry?
…
But first, live to Aruba for breaking news. The pond where authorities suspect 18-year-old Alabama beauty Natalee Holloway could be buried being drained tonight. Firefighters working in the dark, aided by searchlights, are draining nearly 3,600 gallons of water a minute. And tonight, we stand by for DNA results, results on hair found on an Aruban beach. Is this hair Natalee's?Tonight, in Aruba, "Diario" managing director and editor Jossy Mansur. Natalee's mother is with us, and stepfather, Beth and Jug Twitty. In Atlanta, private Investigator T.J. Ward. He was hired by the Twittys. In Philadelphia, defense attorney Joe Lawless. In Pittsburgh, forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht. And in New York, psychotherapist Lauren Howard.But first to CNN correspondent Susan Candiotti. She's been on the case from the get-go. Susan, bring us up to date, friend.SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Nancy, they've been working all day, pumping and draining those gallons and gallons of water out of that pond. They think they might finish by tomorrow. Now, why is this pond significant? Let's remind our viewers. It's because a witness who came in over the weekend to make a statement to authorities said that he saw a car the night that Natalee disappeared in the vicinity of a racquet club which is right next to that pond. And inside the car, he said, he claims to have recognized Joran van der Sloot and the two Kalpoe brothers. All of them are named as suspects. None is charged with any crime.So Police are now looking at that pond because they tell us -- these sources tell us because it is in the proximity to that racquet club. And they've been able to go around and talk to certain people who are able to verify, in some way, shape or form, what the witness is saying, maybe also confirming his whereabouts that night.Now, why they think this might be fitting into the timeline of things is because at that hour, at roughly 2:30-ish in the morning, when this man says that he saw the car, about 45 minutes after that, law enforcement says they have some evidence that Deepak Kalpoe, one of the brothers, was on the Internet, in a chat room. And they've been able to confirm that conversation, that he was sending messages over MSN messaging network to somebody else. And Nancy, that's why they're paying -- giving some more credibility to how this might fit in -- might fit into the scheme of things.Now, when they get through draining the pond, they don't know exactly what they're going to find. They could find nothing. But they're looking to see, quite frankly, they say, whether Natalee might be there or whether there is some evidence in the pond, perhaps doing some digging, that might link the three suspects to that pond.GRACE: With us, Susan Candiotti. I'm going to quickly go to Lauren Howard psychotherapist. You know, Jossy Mansur from "Diario" outlined for us last night what the gardener saw. He's the one that found the gardener, to start with.LAUREN HOWARD, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: Right.GRACE: And this gardener saw, according to him, late in the evening, around 2:30 AM -- you know what, let me go to Jossy Mansur with "Diario." We don't have Jossy? OK. OK, Lisa (ph). He'll be with us in just a moment.He says he sees the guys in the car...HOWARD: Right.GRACE: ... 2:30 AM, parked near this pond, near a racquet club. And as soon as he sees them, they all duck down. One of them hides the face. The judge's son, as well as the Kalpoe brothers in the back seat. Now you've got 3:00 AM, instant messages on the computer. What do you make of the timeline?HOWARD: Well, it's -- something -- whatever occurred, occurred not on purpose, by accident. These kids were high. They had been partying. And there is a need to sort of disclose, to get -- this is the way these -- this is the way this generation communicates. There's this need to kind of talk about it. And so...GRACE: Get their stories together?HOWARD: Right, and not stop to consider that it's traceable, that somebody'll find out, that they're actually leaving evidence that hurts themselves.GRACE: OK, we've got that satellite up to Jossy Mansur in Aruba. Jossy, if you could recount again exactly what it is -- everybody, we are waiting for the results of the pond that is being drained as we speak. It's turned out to be a much longer process than we were told yesterday. They are draining nearly 5,000 gallons of water a minute from this pond.Back to Jossy Mansur. Sir, if you can explain again what the gardener says he saw the night Natalee went missing.JOSSY MANSUR, MANAGING EDITOR, "DIARIO": Well, he spoke very clearly of what he saw. He left his home, a standard home, where he lives really. And he was on his way to a room that he has at the house that he works as a gardener because that room has air-conditioning and it was very hot. When he left his home, he had to pass on the dirt road close to that pond that's being drained now. And there was a car parked smack in the middle of that road, so he had to pass it at a very slow pace, climbing a little mound, and brought him within a yard of view in sight of the other car.And he claims to have seen Joran behind the wheel, one of the two Kalpoe brothers beside him and the other Kalpoe brother in the back. And when they saw him pass that close, Joran threw up his hands to hide his face, and the other two ducked on the seats.GRACE: I want to go to Beth Twitty. This is Natalee's mother. She is joining us tonight. Ms. Twitty, thank you for being with us. I know you're on...BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE'S MOTHER: Hi, Nancy.GRACE: I know you're on pins and needles, waiting to find out if there's any evidence to be found in the pond. But what do you make of what this gardener saw? And Beth, what do you make of the domino game we heard about?BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY: Well, Nancy, first off, you're exactly right. I mean, I'll be honest, I'm so preoccupied tonight, it's -- I'm really probably going to struggle. Yes, as far as the domino game, I think Jug has more information on that than I do. And as far as this gardener coming forward, I'm really encouraged, Nancy. I mean, I think that's a huge step forward for us. And you know, maybe it's taken him a little while to have some assurance and trust in order to come forward and make sure there are no repercussions for him coming forth with this information.GRACE: Then, let me go to your husband, Jug Twitty. Jug, last night we learned from Jossy Mansur about this domino game. For those of you that did not hear this, Jossy, please tell us again about the domino game behind bars.MANSUR: Well, there was a domino game going on there. One of the Kalpoe brothers participated in this domino game. There was another guy there in front of him. His father -- at his father's house this gardener works. And then he pointed at Kalpoe and told him, Listen, my gardener saw you early that morning by the racquet club. The guy got white all over, and he threw the dominoes on the table and walked away.GRACE: So is this Deepak or Satish Kalpoe?MANSUR: We have no idea yet.GRACE: One of the Kalpoe brothers. OK.MANSUR: One of them.GRACE: Back to Jug Twitty. What have you learned about this domino game?GEORGE "JUG" TWITTY, NATALEE'S STEPFATHER: Nancy, I actually know exactly what Jossy says right there. I've heard the same thing, and not just from him, from other people. And basically, somebody in there that knew about the story before they got in there, you know, was at the domino game and said what you just said, and it irritated one of the brothers. And again, I don't know which one.GRACE: Back to the gardener. Everybody, as we speak, the pond near where Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers were parked is being drained. It's taking quite a long time. We're on stand-by to see what is happening.Today, I understand, Susan Candiotti, that the pond was closed off for people to look at it. You couldn't see what was going on?CANDIOTTI: Well, you can get a good look at it from the road when you're driving by. You can easily see the activity on both sides of the lake, actually. You can see these large pumps set up. They do have barricades so that you can't walk directly up to it. But you can see the pumps going. You can see the water gushing. If you've got a long lens, you got a good look at it. And you can also see with your own eyes this happening. There's also a tent set up so that they can take a rest because it's extremely windy and dusty and hot there while this work is going on.GRACE: Susan, it's my understanding they worked through the night, firefighters worked through the night to drain the pond, including searchlights that they had to crank up so they could continue working through the night. Is that correct?CANDIOTTI: Yes, and it hasn't been easy, too. They've also had some breakdowns, some pumps getting stuck, and they've had to bring in other equipment. So they've been having a rough go at it. But nevertheless, they haven't stopped and they're still going, and they think they'll be able to complete the job by tomorrow. But naturally, we'll have to see.GRACE: Back to Jossy Mansur. He's the editor of "Diario" newspaper. What can you tell us about Paul van der Sloot packing up? That's the judge.MANSUR: Well, we understand that yesterday, he went to the courthouse, where he has his office, where he works (INAUDIBLE) normally. He packed all his belongings and left the building. So it implies he is no longer active as a substitute judge. His real time will be up the first of January of 2006. But I think that, considering the circumstances, he made the right decision to just walk away from the job.GRACE: Well, hold on, Jossy! The way the authorities have been handling this case -- and I know that Beth disagrees with me -- but the way they've been handling the case, they may be giving the guy a raise and a promotion! He may be on the Aruban supreme court by Monday morning!MANSUR: I doubt that very much. Things don't function that way here in Aruba, Miss Nancy. Absolutely wrong.GRACE: Jossy Mansur, question to you regarding that stunning statement you told me about yesterday that you say came from a Police report. And I'd like to tell everybody, I've got Mansur's paper right here. It's called "Diario." And on it, he is advertising the million- dollar reward for Natalee's safe return.You told us yesterday a stunning revelation regarding what Joran van der Sloot said about a Kalpoe brother. Explain.MANSUR: Of course. That statement was made on the 13th of June, when four Police officers interrogated Joran. And he told them in the beginning, Listen, I have a hunch of where Deepak buried the body of Natalee, under the sand by the fishermen's huts.So the four agents took him in the car. They took him over there. They walked him around to show them exactly where. And then while they were walking, they were questioning him further. And then he told them that he was on the beach with Natalee, and Natalee fell asleep. He went back to the car that was waiting for him. And then Deepak went back to where the girl was lying asleep on the beach. And then the Police further on asked him what he thought took place between Deepak and Natalee. And he answered, I think that Deepak raped the girl and then murdered her.GRACE: To Beth. Beth, have Police revealed these statements to you?BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, MOTHER: No, Nancy, they haven't. But you know, when I went back through my journal, as early as June 10 -- I think that was a pretty big day for us because we were having a meeting at that point, and that's when the possibility was being brought up that Natalee may not be alive. Now, we didn't have -- still don't have anything definitive, but we knew from even as early as June 10 that, of course, that could be a real possibility, Nancy.GRACE: Jug, when you hear a statement like that from Joran van der Sloot -- number one, we all know van der Sloot's a liar. Joran van der Sloot is a liar. He's changed his story now 22 times.You're seeing video that was just released at the end of last week of Natalee. This is the girl we're talking about.Jug, when you hear a statement like that by Joran van der Sloot, keeping in mind we know he's a liar, how does it sit with you that the Kalpoe brothers are walking free?GEORGE "JUG" TWITTY: It doesn't sit well. I mean, I tell you from -- you know, when they were let out, that it upset me. And as we said, before, you know, Beth went on and apologized for some of the things that were said -- but you know, fortunately, we have them here today because we were told they would be able to leave the island after they were set free, even though they were suspects. But you know, we wouldn't be able to get the DNA testing that we have today.And you know, I just -- Nancy, from the beginning -- you know, Beth and I were there that very first night, and I still believe that, of course, Joran is involved. Deepak's involved. And the father is involved.GRACE: With me tonight, Susan Candiotti, CNN correspondent, who has been on the case from the beginning, Jossy Mansur there in Aruba, and Natalee's mother, as well as her stepfather. Please stay with us.(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)GEORGE "JUG" TWITTY, STEPFATHER: I've had several incidents where I just have gone ballistic. And I try to just keep my cool. And I've had several conversations with van der Straten, and everybody knows that van der Straten and Jug do not see eye to eye because from the beginning, we just -- I just didn't believe that they were doing enough. And that's why I'm so excited about the new team that's in there. And I can already tell, being here a day-and-a-half, that some new things are happening.(END VIDEO CLIP)(COMMERCIAL BREAK)GRACE: Man, oh, Manischewitz. The Aruban authorities have really been working this case. Let's just take a look at some of the issues that have come up during the Natalee Holloway search. First of all, we heard that blood had been found in the car. Not! Then we found blood on a mattress. It was dog's blood. Then we heard bones had been discovered. Were they Natalee's? No. They were donkey bones. Then there were rumors of a confession. Then that was retracted.There was a 10-day delay in searching the getaway car. The Police decided to give the suspects alone time in a car for a drive through the country, handcuffed together. Think they cooked up a story then? Oh, yes, there was round one of catch and release, the innocent security guards detained, accused and released. Then there was round two catch and release. Judge Paul van der Sloot, the guy you just saw his backside, running down the street. Catch and release. Round three, catch and release, Steve Croes, the deejay on the party boat. Remember him?But the topper is this. Catch and release round four, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. Joran van der Sloot has pointed the finger at them in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. Now, the other day, Aruban authorities basically berated Natalee's mother, and she ate a dirt sandwich publicly and apologized for speaking out against the investigation. She is still there, working, trying to bring her girl home.Very quickly, I want to go defense attorney Joe Lawless. Joe Lawless, here`s a guy who's changed his story 22 times. Think he's nervous tonight that Police have gone so far as to drain that pond? It's being drained right now.JOE LAWLESS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, somebody's nervous, Nancy. What I have a concern about, though, is there are so many versions, there are so many different witnesses. I think this case is going to come down -- and unfortunately, I have to say this -- but assuming Natalee Holloway isn't with us anymore, I think the killers are going to be nailed by forensic evidence. I think it's great you have Cyril Wecht on tonight because so many people have told so many versions, it's going to be what evidence ties those suspects to the actual killing that's going to confirm it.GRACE: And to Daniel Horowitz. What do you make of the gardener's statement?DANIEL HOROWITZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Nancy, I don't buy it. I don't like the way this investigation is going. It's a typical jailhouse confrontation over the dominoes. Those are almost always made up.GRACE: Daniel...HOROWITZ: ... out of the blue...GRACE: Daniel, the gardener was not...(CROSSTALK)GRACE: The gardener in jail.HOROWITZ: I know, but...GRACE: OK?HOROWITZ: ... it starts there, and like dominoes...GRACE: It doesn't start...HOROWITZ: ... fall, and you get to the gardener...GRACE: I like that interpretation!HOROWITZ: ... and you...GRACE: Have you ever thought of writing children's fairy tales? Because that's made up of whole cloth, Daniel Horowitz.HOROWITZ: Well...(CROSSTALK)GRACE: ... because it started when the gardener saw these three hunched together in a car right before they all went home and created alibis for themselves...HOROWITZ: Oh!GRACE: ... by instant messaging and calling on the cell phone.HOROWITZ: Nancy, come on! Then this guy just sat on this information because the poor little gardener's scared to come forward? It's made up. It's a distraction. That guy, Van der Slime -- that's what we call him, Van der Slime, van der Sloot -- he did it. Focus on him. This is, unfortunately, leading up to the Arubaans saying, Look how much we did. We just can't find enough evidence. And then they let him go. It really makes me sick, but that's where we're headed.GRACE: To Susan Candiotti. Susan, we know the pond is being drained right now. How much longer until that is complete?CANDIOTTI: Well, they're -- they think that they might be able to complete it by tomorrow. But of course, it's been taking longer than they originally expected. It's a big job. Once they get that done, the question is, what are they going to do next? It's possible they intend to dig around in certain spots that they find interesting. Perhaps some areas of that pond are deeper than others.Normally, you know, that is a pond that doesn't have much water in it at all and didn't have much water in it at the time of Natalee's disappearance. But when the recent storms came through, including Emily, that's why you got a lot more water in there than you did before, about two feet or so.So let's see what happens once it's drained. Let's see what happens once they start digging around, probing to see what, if anything, they can find, any kind of evidence. They might not.GRACE: Tonight, we are hearing that the gardener's statement of seeing the three suspects hunched together in a car near this pond the night Natalee went missing -- we're hearing reports that he is being corroborated, backed up by others.We'll all be right back. Stay with us.(COMMERCIAL BREAK)GRACE: Natalee Holloway in happier times, living the life of any teenager here in America.Very quickly, I want to go back to CNN correspondent Susan Candiotti. Susan, would Deepak Kalpoe have time, from the time the gardener spotted him bunched together with the other two suspects on the side of the road, to get home and send those instant messages the night Natalee disappeared?CANDIOTTI: Our law enforcement sources say yes. As a matter of fact, CNN employees who have made that same drive and others also say yes. It takes about 25 to 30 minutes to get from that spot back to his house. And authorities do say that about 15 minutes after that is when Deepak got on line, and they've got him, they say, in a chat room. And they've also been able to corroborate that through the person that he was in the chat room with, who is a student in the United States.GRACE: And, Susan, we sent one of our producers, Eric (ph), down to Aruba, who made the drive and confirms it, as well.Everybody, with us, Susan Candiotti, as well as Natalee's mother and her husband. We'll be right back. We are live in Aruba.(COMMERCIAL BREAK)(NEWS BREAK)(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE'S FATHER: I did not have the opportunity to speak with her friends, but later on, I did find out that Joran had indicated to the group that he was a student visiting here from Holland. And the group thought he was a guest at the "Holiday Inn." And when they left Carlos and Charlies, he left with Natalee and Natalee alone. I suppose that Deepak was waiting in the car, and she may have thought it was a taxi. The Satish boy may have entered the car after Natalee and the other guys were already in the vehicle.(END VIDEO CLIP)GRACE: Welcome back, everybody. I'm Nancy Grace. Thank you for being with us. We're standing by, waiting for a pond there in Aruba to be drained fully. Authorities have worked around the clock, literally through the night. They used searchlights provided to them to continue draining a pond, hoping for clues regarding Natalee Holloway.To Jossy Mansur with "Diario" newspaper. Do we know who -- hey, here's a shot of the pond that's being drained now. Do we know, Jossy who has been visiting Joran van der Sloot behind bars?MANSUR: No, we don't have any knowledge of that. Certainly, his father and his mother and perhaps other family members. But we can't say that for certain because we just don't know.GRACE: Jossy, do we have any idea whether cops have put a GPS tracker on these Kalpoe brothers, whether they have tapped their lines? Anything?MANSUR: Well, I imagine they would have done so. But we don't have any certainty of that, except for those (INAUDIBLE) that were checked with the Police, those messages that were sent after 3:00 o'clock by one of the Kalpoe brothers.GRACE: Do we know what was in the message, Jossy?MANSUR: We don't know, but we do have a lot of printed material that was brought down from the Internet address, the e-mail address of Joran.GRACE: And what did that disclose?MANSUR: That disclosed that he is a real party boy, I mean, that he goes all out, that he boasts of his conquests, and then the other things that are not as favorable as one would imagine for him.GRACE: Oh, you mean his Web, site where you can go and look at pictures of...MANSUR: Oh, yes.GRACE: Yes. Yes. I saw that. To famed forensic psychologist -- pathologist, Dr. Cyril Wecht. Cyril, what is taking so long to get the results on the DNA from the hair?DR. CYRIL WECHT, FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST: I do not know, Nancy. I believe the tests have been finished. I believe that in these eight, nine, ten days, even allowing for weekends, that they have examined the hairs physically under the microscope for those kinds of characteristics to determine if it is human, Caucasian, blond, and then to have done mitochondrial DNA. They have the mother's hair, and this was not a problem, then, for them to have the material to test against that hair. So I do not know why they are withholding it.You know, it's pure conjecture. You read positive or negative results from that, but it would be pure inference. I am certain that the tests are finished.The other important things, of course, are going to be whether the body is there. I was wondering, Nancy -- I understand th!t there was no water, or very little, in that basin before Hurricane Emily. And I wonder if they had done anything to her, would they have dumped her in the basin area, which would have been visible at that time. If she was in there, and water did come into that basin in the past week or so, then there would have been a great amount of decomposition. And I do not believe it's going to yield many results unless you got...GRACE: I want to go back to the...WECHT: ... some bony injuries, fractures.GRACE: ... hair very quickly with Beth Twitty. Beth, Natalee is a natural blonde, correct? Does she have any highlights or anything on her hair?BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY: Oh, yes, Nancy. She's blond, but she did have some highlights in her hair.GRACE: And I'm just wondering, Cyril, if you tell me in a nutshell what effect that would have on the DNA analysis.WECHT: It will not hamper the DNA. In fact, mitochondrial DNA can often be performed even when the physical characteristics of the hair have become so degenerated as a result of post-mortem decomposition exposure.GRACE: Right.WECHT: So I think the mitochondrial DNA...GRACE: OK, wait! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Duh! The highlights affect the DNA tests? Is the answer no?WECHT: No. No.GRACE: OK.WECHT: The answer is no.GRACE: All right. Back to Beth Twitty. Beth, I want to talk to you about this gardener. So when did you first find out that there could be corroboration for his story.BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY: Oh, you know, probably the first part of this week, Nancy.GRACE: And I want to talk about that corroboration, Susan Candiotti. What corroboration, what back-up, what support do we have for this gardener's voracity, his truthfulness?CANDIOTTI: Well, we've been trying to find that out, and law enforcement is being pretty closed-mouthed about it. But we do know from them that they've been talking to people who know him, who know where he was that night, who know where he went afterwards, so who can corroborate what he was doing that night. They've talked to his girlfriend of course. You know, that might necessarily -- but that's one form of corroboration, as well.And then you have -- now, whether law enforcement has talked to this woman, I don't know, but they've also talked to -- or rather, the private attorney hired by Beth Holloway has talked to that woman who lives in the subdivision nearby, Who at least can corroborate to a degree that car might also have been in the area around the time of Natalee's disappearance. This is the woman...GRACE: Yes. Yes, that's a good point, Susan.And with us is the private eye that Susan Candiotti has just referred to, T.J. Ward. He was a veteran detective for many, many years on the Atlanta Police force, hired by the Twittys to go down. The man has been literally going door to door, asking people what they've seen, if they would help.Now, tell me, T.J., your woman that you found -- have you found anybody else? What you to make of the gardener's story? And can this woman corroborate the gardener's story?T. J. WARD, INVESTIGATOR HIRED BY NATALEE'S FAMILY: Well, the woman told me that she saw the car about a week after the 29th, into the 30th. You know, it's really funny that we see now the same car that has been identified by this woman showing up in the same area. I believe we're in a good chapter in the book because, if you'll recall, all the stories were over to the beach, right across the street. And now we have a pond that didn't have any water in it on the 29th into the 30th. And then we have boys going back a week after the 29th and 30th, going back maybe looking for something to make sure they've covered their tracks. We do have the right people in jail.GRACE: Hey, T.J. -- T.J., isn't it true -- you and I both saw this when I was prosecuting, you as a cop, people go back to the scene of the crime. It's like they can't help themselves.T. J. WARD: That's exactly right. That's exactly right.GRACE: They're like homing pigeons! You can't stop them!T. J. WARD: We're on the right page, and we have the right people. And for the Kalpoe brothers still out walking around -- I had contact with them on Tuesday before I left Aruba, and they're still in town. And I am very surprised that law enforcement, at this point in time, has not charged van der Sloot with at least kidnapping under Aruban law because...GRACE: Why do you say that?T. J. WARD: Because the Aruban law says if you leave the bar intoxicated with somebody, and that other party comes up missing, then you can be charged with kidnapping.GRACE: And I want to go to Daniel Horowitz very quickly. Daniel, these people, the lady that T.J. Ward found and this gardener -- no motive to lie. There's nothing in it for them.HOROWITZ: Nancy, there is no motive to lie, but it just doesn't make sense. As Dr. Wecht was saying, a body in a shallow pond of water...GRACE: We don't -- we...HOROWITZ: ... would tend to float up.GRACE: Wait. We don't know that!HOROWITZ: It doesn't match.GRACE: We don't know that's what they're looking for. And I want to ask Beth something...HOROWITZ: Well, that's a good point, Nancy. They could be looking for physical evidence other than a body. You're right about that.GRACE: Natalee has been missing now well over 50 days, Beth. And when you hear lawyers and prosecutors and forensic pathologists talking about evidence, how does that strike you? I mean, you still want to bring your girl home alive. I want you to bring her home alive.BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY: Well, Nancy, absolutely. But we have to think back. We've been going through this since June 10. What have I not been exposed to? What have I not been put through? Where has she not been? It just -- it's been endless, Nancy. So you know, all in all, though, you know, until I am shown definitively, of course I'm going to have hope that she's alive.GRACE: And Jug, do you think that the investigation is taking a different path now because of the gardener, the turn in evidence?GEORGE "JUG" TWITTY: I think a lot it has to do with that thing, a lot of it has to do with the new investigative team we have on board, the cooperation we have between the FBI and the Aruban authorities right now. Everybody knows that there are people in Washington right now, you know, now sharing some information. I think that's important.GRACE: We'll all be right back, everybody.
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GRACE: Tonight, the reward for Natalee's safe return, $1 million, $100,000 for information on Natalee's whereabouts. Tip line, 877-628-2533.Very quickly, to Jossy Mansur with "Diario" newspaper. Jossy, do either of these people have a dog in the fight? I mean, do they have any motive to lie, either the gardener or the neighbor?MANSUR: Absolutely not. They have nothing to gain by lying except trouble with the Police, trouble with contradictory things. They would be found out immediately. I don't see any incentive for them to lie.GRACE: And to Susan Candiotti. Susan, when will we get the DNA results? It's not just the Netherlands that are dragging their feet, it's in Quantico, Virginia, as well, the FBI headquarters.CANDIOTTI: Well, the FBI tells me, actually, they have made considerable progress and that preliminary results could be ready to be released as early as tomorrow. The question is, Will they be? But they are doing more than one kind of test. That's the explanation I've been given...GRACE: OK.CANDIOTTI: ... and that we could look for those preliminary test results on at least one of those tests to be announced as early as tomorrow.GRACE: And very quickly, Lauren Howard, these instant messages that have appeared on the suspects' computers, 3:00 AM -- why would the content be important?HOWARD: Well, the content's important from anywhere from alibi setting, which it doesn't do because it happened a half an hour later, ostensibly, from when the car was seen, to reading between the lines, to really revealing a certain anxiety. Why would -- if you've been out partying all night, you go home, you start instant messaging your friends, what's the sort of -- what's the juice of the content in those instant messages? Does it reveal a kind of anxiety, a nervousness, as opposed to an inebriated state or...GRACE: Well, I got to tell you something...HOWARD: ... a chilled-back state?GRACE: they're writing at 3:00 o'clock in the morning, going, Hi, how are you, I think that's very odd, to at 3:00 o'clock in the morning...HOWARD: But kids do that, Nancy. They do.GRACE: I don't know. I think...HOWARD: I mean, they do.GRACE: ... they could be establishing an alibi.
On 7-27 the ARUBAAN's news-source “Caribbean Net News” reported:
Readers’ letters about the Holloway investigation in Aruba
From what I have read and heard on TV, it is pretty clear to me that there is a cover up going on with respect to the van der Sloot family’s involvement in the disappearance and probable murder of a US citizen in Aruba. I and my family will not be visiting Aruba again. We Americans should all boycott the place until they show some willingness to really investigate the disappearance and get past the local political considerations.
Our Department of State should issue a travel advisory pointing out that victims of crime have no practical redress through the local legal system. Apparently feudalism still exists in Aruba, with the local nobility being exempt from law.
Hit ‘em where it hurts-in the pocketbook!
Paul S. DentonNew Hampshire, USA
I have been to other Dutch islands in the Caribbean – let me say that I was told by others that the Dutch DO NOT LIKE AMERICANS. Well, I decided I would go and see for myself, and sure enough, the Dutch only like our money we spend, but show contempt for Americans every chance they get. I usually travel with my 3 adult daughters… and you can believe that I will never, ever, go to a Dutch colonized country again.
I hope Natalee is found safe; but if not, I hope the guilty ones burn in hell! As for the 3 young men involved, I agree with many of the commentators, the truth only has one story. Lies after lies surely indicate guilt. Also the fact that the Police chief is the godfather of Joran and a best friend of Paul! Something really stinks in Aruba!
Jheri Tulane
We had a group trip planned to go to Aruba, and due to what happened to Natalee Holloway, we have cancelled our trip. We feel that at this point and time things are very unsafe and that we will not take any unnecessary chances at this time. Don't know if at this time we will reschedule.
Deborah L. Austin
I am currently happy to write to your paper today and proud of the prosecutor’s decision to hand over information to the FBI. It’s about time! Thank you! I can’t imagine the sayings at this point "could have, should have, etc., because it is not going to do any good for the families of Natalee or for Natalee.
Very true - there was an enormous disservice in the waiting period and crucial evidence might have been lost - but I believe justice will prevail and Beth Holloway-Twitty and family and the rest of the world will see closure on this case. Thank you to all the people who donated towards Natalee Holloway's trust fund. I am relieved that they have an Investigator there with them in Aruba and I am proud to be a part of helping.
Thank you to Geraldo Rivera and Greta van Susteren and all of Fox News for keeping this story of kidnapped teen Natalee Holloway current and going. For without all of you this story might be gone.
I am here, as well as my husband Greg, to support all the Holloway-Twitty families in the search for Natalee. I pray for Natalee's safe return every day and her whereabouts. Please whoever is out there that is scared to come forward - just look at Beth Holloway-Twitty - and her family and there sadness. They can’t go home and won’t without Natalee.
Let Aruba get its country back while we bring home our girl! Please come forward. We can forgive you if you just help them! I for one will forgive you if you can tell them where is Natalee.
Love and prayers to the Holloway-Twitty families. We are here always - your friends from Long Island, New York.
Ellyn & Greg Field
Is Aruba's low crime rate an urban myth?
The statement that Aruba has a low crime rate has become an almost daily mantra. So I decided to check for myself.
I was amazed to find that no statistics are available and it seems like they haven't been published for years. I wonder if they even keep statistics. If they are going to market their Island to tourists with the claim that it is much safer there than other Caribbean locations shouldn't they make these statistics available?
Joe Deagle
The government of Aruba is not doing enough to find this young girl. They must do more to ease the pain of the family and find some finality to this horror. I will not go to this island it seems like no one is in control of anything. The truth will be heard one day, because a lie is never consistent.
MaryCanada
As a resident of Alabama I am disgusted by the actions of some of our elected officials and by the racist remarks made by a couple of local talk radio hosts. My attitude is shared by many in the state of Alabama and I want to assure you not all of us think or feel the way these so called attention seekers are behaving.
As a flight attendant I have been to your beautiful island many times and felt safer then I do in America. The residents of Aruba and for that matter the other islands have always been friendly and have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome. I think the actions of a few in calling for a boycott of Aruba are nothing more then to draw attention to themselves.
One example concerns the actions and comments of a local couple who host a talk radio program by the name of Russ and Dee Fine. One thing you might find interesting about the Fines is when the story first broke they were disgusted by all the attention it was receiving. In fact Russ Fine tried to turn the entire show into a racial incident. This being and I quote Mr. Fine, "Had this been a black girl you would hear nothing about it."
Then when they discovered the tide was against them they jumped right onto the Natalee Holloway bandwagon and called for the boycott of Aruba, accusing everyone in Aruba of a cover up and as usual offering no proof. Then being the snakes that they are Mrs Fine slithered herself on Fox News throwing out theories that made about as much sense as owning a circus of pet rocks. Or as in Alabama what we say is vintage Fine.
However, lately I have noticed there isn't much coverage on Natalee Holloway so the Fines have pretty much lost interest as from what I have been told they don't even mention her name and haven't for the past week or so. So do what we in Alabama do, simply ignore them. Anyone with a brain in their head sees them for what they are. Two attention seeking bigots who make no sense whatsoever.
In closing I want to thank you for taking time to read this email and please keep in mind there are many Americans who are standing behind you. As I said I am a flight attendant and in checking out loads into Aruba they have been running strong and advance bookings are showing an increase over last year.
The gist of this? People don't care. They see what happened as a tragic accident and many of us feel this could have been avoided had Miss Holloway just used her head and exercised caution. The same caution you have to exercise in America.
So hang in there and have a great day.
Mark Lanini
I am so appalled and angry with the Aruba Police, government as well as the judicial system in Aruba that I hope your country loses most of your tourism and is financially devastated by it! It is such a tragedy what is taking place in Aruba with Natalee Holloway. Both Beth & “Jug” Twitty, Natalee’s father and stepmother are very decent kind and wonderful people who only want to find out the truth about their daughter.
How can they possibly hope to find her now when so much evidence has probably been destroyed! I am glad I don’t live in your country and have to deal with your judicial system. I feel so deeply sorry for Natalee’s parents and can only imagine what they must be going through.
Those three boys, if guilty, have had so much time and coaching from Joran’s father that it is absolutely unheard of. How many times can Joran change his story? Also, how could the prosecutor go on vacation when she is in the middle of an investigation! I am so shocked and outraged and I find it really pathetic.
This should never have happened and it certainly puts any ideas of going to your country out of the question for many Americans due to this tragedy and how poorly it has been handled. I hope the evidence comes back showing it does belong to Natalee because at least her family will have some closure and Joran and the Kalpoe brothers admit their guilt and do the right thing for once in their lives – including the “Judge” father whose career is over anyway. I thank God I am an American!
Nicole Lloyd
About the Natalee Holloway situation, I have just completed a course on Human Sexuality. Joran has the M.O. of a rapist. He acts defiant, smug and seems to smile into the camera with a disdainful look - like he is above the law - just like Scott Peterson. Read any book on abuse, usually suspects are in the immediate proximity of their victims.
Crimes are committed by opportunists and I believe the three young men knew from the gitgo that Natalee was warming up to Joran, they would make they way to the bar where she was partying, perhaps they loaded her drink with a date-rape drug (there are several popular brands easily accessible) and basically took advantage of her state of mind, her body and her life.
It seems nothing would have tempted Natalee to risk exposure to these perverts, if she was thinking correctly. My idea is that she was drugged, raped by Joran and maybe the other two boys, killed, and covered up in the sand, until lastly, Joran called daddy and told him what happened, and he had the fortitude to get rid of the body.
It is too sad and this is not just an Aruban thing. I know someone who did this locally to a dwarf woman - despicable - he raped her and murdered her with her own pantyhose and threw her in a local trash bin outside the bar she was hanging at.
Women are not men's playthings. Unfortunately, women have learned in society to be passive and not stand up for themselves just to be popular. I pray for Natalee daily and I hope her family does get the closure they deserve. These boys (and men), and ones just, like them - predators are everywhere. That's why we have to teach our children at a very young age that their bodies are sacred and that no one has the right to touch them ever without their explicit and implicit approval.
I don't blame the Holloways for being angry that everything that could have proven this case has been allowed to be washed away over time. It seems a lot of energy went into making sure the van der Sloot's had enough time to get rid of evidence. I wouldn't be a bit surprised either if her body was buried somewhere right on their own property.
Nevertheless, another sad time in human history, predicated by the bad people in society on the good. I do believe the good will prevail in the end and whether or not they are punished on earth, the predators will answer for their crimes in the hereafter. God Bless Natalee.
Marie CasavantCumberland, Rhode Island
As I read in horror, Mr. Franklin's letter dated July 11, 2005, it is inconceivable how law enforcement has responded to this ravaging case. If what he states is true, how could they have dared to release those boys back into the public? The actions of those three have not only devastated an American family and public, but their whole island as well. How could law enforcement not have seen the importance of holding those three? It would be surprising to me if tourism remains the same.
I have been following this case with much interest as I have a teenage daughter. I pray every day that one of those three (four, counting the judge-in-training) will come clean and give Natalee's family closure. The pain, agony, and anger that Beth Twitty awakens with everyday is only to be imagined by every mother. Everyone please pray for Natalee's family that an answer will be revealed and revealed soon. Enough is enough!
Jeanne BollesCharlotte, NC
My heart goes out to Natalee's parents and loved ones and friends. Natalee went to Aruba with 124 classmates. I think some or all of her classmates should be questioned for some clues. Also, bring in a psychic and see if there is information a psychic may be able to give with their very special gift. This needs to end. Her parents and relatives have had enough. They need information now.
Karen SteeleLafayette U.S.A.
I believe Juron's daddy is as deep in the mar as son is in the mud. I watched the news tonight and heard more on Natalee Hollaway, after that came the story of the newly wed gone missing from a cruise ship, and I have to tell you... Florida is looking better than ever!
S. R. Coleman
I am responding to the Holloway case. I am appalled at the Aruban people for even insinuating that Beth Twitty needs to apologize to the people. Her daughter is missing for heavens sake and maybe murdered by one of your people and she needs to apologize to you.? I think you people of Aruba need to apologize to her.
I am taking all my travel plans elsewhere. I would not be found on an Island that takes its time in gathering evidence. I wouldn't want to find myself in Beth's position. Our love and prayers go to Beth & Natalee's family.
Deborah Seger Nashville Tennessee
In regards to the Holloway disappearance, I am shocked and saddened to read so many angry letters from Americans, as well as Arubaans. None of us truly know exactly what has happened and therefore our remarks are based on speculation. Arubaans say: She shouldn't have gotten drunk. Where are they getting their information? Joran? Wow, that's reliable. Americans are saying: Find the killer or say goodbye to 60% of your tourism. Why? Because there is some very sick individual in Aruba? Take a look at the U.S. We've got our own nutcases.
But if there is anything that bothers me about this, it would be this: The government took the word of a 17-year-old Dutch boy and his friends and arrested the two security guards. It is only after Natalee's mother pushes enough that these same innocent security guards are released after Joran and his buddies' arrest. But for ten days, Joran and his buddies are left to do what? … Dispose of a body? Get rid of all evidence? I mean, after all, they have one swell of an attorney with an obvious interest - no body, no crime.
The bottom line is… I don't think we'll ever know what happened to Natalee for sure. Most of us (at least the ones with brains in our heads) know that she probably isn't with us any longer. She didn't just take a long walk after working her butt off for over 13 years and graduate as an honor student with a full scholarship to a University, just to say "To heck with it …I think I'll party some more." Aruba is a small island. If she left on her own accord, someone gave her a lift or boat ride.
So, since everyone has an opinion, this is mine: The brothers provided Joran with something along the lines of ecstasy - the date-rape drug. Since Natalee didn't do drugs, she overdosed and died. Hence, the reason for the brothers lying for their friend Joran. If they tell the truth, they could be charged as accessories. As it is, they've obstructed this investigation, but the Aruban government doesn't seem to care. Maybe if they did, . those brothers might be a bit more forthcoming in their truthfulness.
And to the "judge in training" - no body, no crime? How about - no soul, no heaven?
A. CauseySouth Carolina, USA
I am very upset for the family of Natalee Holloway, and for that matter most of all Natalee. I watched a TV show one evening and whether it was true or not, there was a couple psychics that solved a few murder cases. I'm up for any suggestion to help find this young beautiful lady that had a future in front of her. This puts me in tears everyday. If anything I will pray for that family and hope some how the mother and father will get this message.
Marilyn CoutsPittsburgh, PA
Thank God we did not complete our reservations to Aruba. We are spending our money in the US this year for vacation. I am outraged, disgusted, and indignant at the uncompassionate and unprofessional way this investigation is being handled. The fact that the Police did not get that duct tape and hair immediately to forensics, hung on to those 2 bones found on the beach, waited 10 days to search the cars of the suspects reflects a huge cover up.
Of course the reason for the cover up is economics, but now the Police have lost all credibility in the eyes of Americans and other nations. I watch the Holloway relatives and cry, and pray earnestly that God will shed His light on the darkness the authorities are trying to cover. I believe the duct tape is an answer to that prayer.
The Aruba “authorities” may think they can cover up this crime, but there are so many Christians in America praying, the darkness will come to light. I urge all people to stay out of Aruba. Do not give them your hard earned dollars; let them suffer for the horrible decision they made to try to cover this up.
If the authorities say they are not covering a crime up then that only leaves one other conclusion; they are ignorant, failures at their jobs, and should be fired.
Paula VermilyaAtlanta, GA
I feel for this mother as well as the natives of Aruba. The fact remains, Natalee has disappeared and the main goal should be to bring her home. We need to stop the finger pointing, the guessing, and pray for her return, whether it be dead or alive. I also believe that the three boys know something and should come clean.
Please find Natalee and let's bring this whole thing to an end. To the people of Aruba, how would you feel if your daughter was missing in another country? To all people, let focus on finding Natalee.
Julie Smith Oxnard, CA
I love the local native people on Aruba, and I've enjoyed my times on their "One Happy Island." But I am troubled by the Natalee Holloway "disappearance" and the lack of any eye-witnesses coming forward with information on the tiny 24/7 island. Some are actually trying to defend the indefensible.
Joran van der Sloot is a criminal, and his influential Dutch father Paulus van der Sloot is an accessory, whether indictable or not. A criminal is anyone who violates the law of the land, in this case Aruba. On Aruba it is illegal for minors to drink alcoholic beverages and gamble. Aruba law requires that one be at least 18 years old to do either. 17-year-old Joran van der Sloot is shown in photographs and on videotape doing both, sometimes in the presence of his father, Dutch judge-hopeful Paulus van der Sloot.
When a privileged 6'5", 190 pound young man repeatedly violates the law and there are no negative consequences, he soon feels that he can do anything and get away with it. Joran van der Sloot is a criminal, guilty of violating Aruba law. Joran's influential Dutch pappa Paulus van der Sloot has publicly condoned his juvenile son's illegal activities, so he is complicit in those willful violations of Aruba law.
And that is indefensible by Aruba authorities, Dutch officials, or the citizens of Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, or anywhere else. Joran van der Sloot is a proven liar, and the Kalpoe brothers are admitted liars. Anyone who will lie about one thing will lie about another. Anyone who regularly violates one, two or three national laws has no problem with violating another one.
And Dutch pappa Paulus van der Sloot is apparently guilty of much more than lying and/or formulating a lie.
While none of these facts guarantee that the van der Sloot's and Kalpoes are guilty of kidnapping and/or murder, it very definitely indicates that they are indeed capable of committing such a crime with the reasonable expectation of getting away with it.
We Americans and other concerned citizens around the world seek justice for Natalee Holloway, and we will settle for nothing less than a satisfactory conclusion to this case.
R. T. "Dan" HancheyRidgeland, Mississippi, USA
On 7-27 AL.com” reported:
DNA samples from Aruban suspects might have to be re-taken
DNA samples from suspects in the Natalee Holloway case may need to be re-taken because the correct procedure was not followed, the Aruban prosecutor’s office says. Attorneys for Joran van der Sloot, 17, and Satish Kalpoe, 18, went before a judge today to protest DNA samples that were sent to a lab in Holland last week. A judge is expected to rule Friday. Prosecutors argued they had the right to take the samples, but agreed the procedure was improper, said a spokeswoman. Tests aren’t complete on the samples — or on strands of blond hair found stuck to duct tape, which were also sent for testing. Meanwhile, police brought in extra pumps as they worked to drain a marshy pond on the Caribbean island. They believe there may be a clue there based on information from a new witness.Hannah Wolfson
**NOTE** WOLFSON is a reporter in BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA for the “Birmingham News”
7-28-05
On 7-28 AL.com” reported:
FBI: Hair on duct tape is not Holloway’sThe FBI says strands of blond hair found stuck to duct tape in Aruba are not from missing Mountain Brook teen Natalee Holloway. The hair, which was found in a national park on the north side of the island, was sent to the FBI’s lab in Quantico, Va. DNA tests released late this afternoon were negative, said spokeswoman Judy Orihuela. “It wasn’t her hair,” she said. There was genetic material on the duct tape, but Orihuela said that would likely not be tested.
Holloway, 18, disappeared May 30 on a trip to the Carribean island with fellow graduates from Mountain Brook High School. Meanwhile, Aruban authorities continued working Thursday to drain a marshy area in the search for clues.
Three pumps were working constantly during the day, but nothing had yet been found, said Mariaine Croes, spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office.Hannah Wolfson
**NOTE** WOLFSON is a reporter in BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA for the “Birmingham News”
On 7-28 AL.com” reported:
Authorities continue to drain pond in ArubaThree pumps ran all day today in Aruba as authorities continued to drain a pond in the hope of finding clues in the case of a missing Mountain Brook teen. Nothing had yet been found, said Mariaine Croes, spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office. She denied Internet rumors speculating that the remains of Natalee Holloway had been discovered. Holloway, 18, disappeared May 30 on a trip to the Caribbean island with fellow graduates from Mountain Brook High School. Her parents say they’re encouraged by the current stage of the search and continue to hope for the best until they have definitive evidence. No charges have been filed in the case and police have said there is no proof Holloway is dead. Investigators say they are more likely to find evidence or leads in the case than actual remains in the pond itself, a swampy depression that fills with water during the island’s rainy season.Hannah Wolfson
**NOTE** WOLFSON is a reporter in BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA for the “Birmingham News”
On 7-28 AMANDA YAMILETH GRUESO PORTOCARRERO made the following statements to her ARUBAN Police Interrogators:
(Thank You and Hat Tip to the “Scared Monkeys blog" and “Debbie”)
PROCES – VERBAAL We, Dennis Dominico JACOBS and Eric Louis SOEMERS, head agent and under inspector at the Korps Police force Aruba, former classified at the team particular projects and last mentioned at the section criminal organizations classified, explain the following: As a result of conversation with the woman, held on Friday, 28 July 2005 named "Judith GEERMAN" who called us around 14:30, our, statement, we went on to speak hereafter the same day, around 15:00, with the woman called: Amanda Yamileth GRUESO PORTOCARRERO, born at Narino in Columbia on August 5,1976, of profession living maid (servant) and living Monserat xxxxxxxxx on Aruba. The woman A.Y.GRUESO PORTOCARRERO aforementioned explained: - that she knows nothing of an illegal Colombian maid (servant) working at the VDS house. - that nobody told her that a maid said that she saw, in the early morning hours of Monday, May 30, 2005 clothing of Joran van der Sloot’s with white sand on/under them. - that all she knows concerning the missing girl is what she hears on the street and reads in the newspaper. Of what our, statement, on oath of office made up this warrant, closed and has been signed at Oranjestad on July 28, 2005. Signed, DD JACOBS E.L. SOEMERS
On 7-28 JOSSY MANSUR’s ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" newspaper in ARUBA ran an article entitled, “Breaking News…..Case Solved?.....Natalee buried in pond?,” which read in part, “they learned through various reliable sources that the Natalee Holloway case is (almost) solved. Diario reported today that around midnight the Police closed of the pond that was being drained in the vicinity of the “Aruba Racquet Club.” Immediately after that the local Police and F.B.I. went to the site with special equipment to conduct a thorough investigation. It is believed that the remains of Natalee Holloway have been found in the pond. Diario has approached the local authorities to get a statement from them regarding the finding of the body. The Police officers got nervous and wouldn’t go into details.”
On 7-28 ELLIS-SCHIPPER (member of the "Aruba Strategic Communications Task Force") claimed to FOX News that Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT is refusing to leave the ARUBA “K.I.A.” prison for interrogations. ELLIS-SCHIPPER claimed that in ARUBA you can lie to the ARUBAN Police without being charged with a crime, and there are criminal charges for the crimes of conspiracy and obstruction of justice.
JOSSY MANSUR added on 7-28 that the gardener witness saw Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE , and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE putting something in the pond. He added that the gardener witness has been in touch with the TWITTY’s attorney, SOUSA, the private Investigators that JOSSY MANSUR hired for Diario, “and others” before the gardener witness made his 7-22 written, sworn statement to the ARUBAN Police.
JOSSY MANSUR stated 7-28 that another witness has come forward who regularly scavenges for items out of an east island landfill to resell the items he finds. This witness, supposedly, has claimed to seeing some or all of the 3 Murder Suspects in the landfill on an unspecified date after 5-30.
JOSSY MANSUR stated 7-28 that when Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT made his 6-13 confession that there were 4 witnesses to the confession--all of them ARUBAN Police.
On 7-28 FOX News reported that the F.B.I. said that the blonde hair it analyzed that was found on the duct tape was not NATALEE's.
On 7-28 T. J. WARD stated to FOX News that the pond witness woman told T. J. WARD that she saw the Current Murder Suspect KALPOE car at the pond with Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE , and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE “about a week” after 5-30. T. J. WARD also stated that he has read the 6-13 written confession/declaration that Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT made about Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE may have killed NATALEE at the “Marriott Hotel” beach.
On 7-28 JOSSY MANSUR stated that his Investigators have found a surfer who lives near where the duct tape with blonde hairs was found and it is JOSSY MANSUR’s belief that because the surfer had long blonde hair and described that when he surfs he wraps duct tape around his shoulder blade and arm pit to hold his long hair out of his eyes that the found duct tape and hairs probably belongs to the surfer.
On 7-28 GABRIEL KELLY, an ARUBAN Fire Department Spokesperson, said, “Crews expected to finish draining the pond on Friday. So far we haven’t found anything out of the ordinary.”
On 7-28 TIM MILLER met with the new ARUBAN Police commissioner.
On 7-28 DAVE HOLLOWAY detailed that when he had the encounter with Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT at the “KIA” prison that Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT denied ever telling the 3 Murder Suspects boys the “Holiday Inn” alibi-lies, denied telling the 3 Murder Suspect boys, “No body, no crime,” denied ever coaching any of the 3 Murder Suspect boys, denied hiring the attorneys for the Murder Suspects KALPOE’s. DAVE HOLLOWAY stated, “In short, he denied everything.”
On 7-28 JUG TWITTY stated on FOX News, “Things are happening here that were not happening two or three weeks ago.” When asked if things are happening because of things that have been discussed publicly, or, because of things that have not been discussed publicly, JUG TWITTY answered, “Because of things that are not being discussed publicly.” JUG also stated “Well, we came to the island. Beth and I were in the hotel. We searched around. We went to Carlos and Charlie's, and everything. Long story short, one of the guys that was with us paid somebody on the beach $100 to find out who this kid was, where he lived. Basically, we went to the police station, got two uniformed officers, which I'm really interested in seeing those names. I've asked for those from the beginning because they were actually with us at least two hours that night because we took them to his house. Then we left there and went to the Windham. Then we came back to his house, and then we left there and came back to the Holiday Inn.” “And I've asked, you know, every time I get in a meeting with whoever, authorities, that I would like to see those statements from those two policemen.”
On 7-28 CNNHN reported:
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Tonight, breaking news. We go live to Aruba. DNA results are back on the blonde hair found in Aruba. Missing 18-year-old Natalee Holloway gone, day 60, six-zero. Aruban firefighters still working around the clock to completely drain a pond dry. Authorities there believe there could be evidence to answers. Questions about Natalee's disappearance still linger.Good evening, everybody. I'm Nancy Grace. Thank you for being with tonight.
...
But first, live to Aruba, breaking news tonight. DNA results back on blonde hairs found on an Aruban beach. Firefighters work night and day, literally, to drain a remote pond in Aruba. Does it hold answers to 18- year-old Natalee Holloway's disappearance? Nearly 5,000 gallons of water drained per minute. Will Investigators find evidence of Natalee's disappearance? And has a special team of Investigators traveled to Aruba to re-question Joran van der Sloot? Tonight, we wait on an Aruban judge to rule whether DNA samples taken from suspects van der Sloot and the two Kalpoes can be used by Police. With us tonight, in Aruba, Jossy Mansur, managing director and editor of "Diario," in Miami, Florida, Natalee's stepmom, Robin Holloway; in West Palm Beach, defense attorney Michelle Suskauer; in New York, defense attorney David Foley, forensic scientist Larry Kobilinsky, psychologist Dr. Joseph Deltito. But first to Aruba and CNN correspondent Susan Candiotti. Susan, bring us up-to-date, friend. SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we got the call from the FBI late this afternoon. The test results are negative, negative DNA test results. So that means that two different tests performed proved negative for a match on Natalee Holloway's hair on that piece of duct tape that was found by that park ranger on a beach that is on the opposite end of the island. So, again, it is not Natalee's hair on that piece of duct tape -- Nancy? GRACE: Susan, what can you tell me tonight about a search of a landfill there on Aruba? CANDIOTTI: Well, that company, Texas EquuSearch, is said to be out there at that landfill looking for any possible evidence that Natalee might be there. So far, we've heard nothing, so we assume there's nothing to it at this point. GRACE: Well, Susan, they're searching a landfill how? Do they have the dust buster, the machine that looks down into the dirt? CANDIOTTI: I don't know. We've been trying to reach out to Texas EquuSearch. So of course, they're looking through it with their equipment that they have. But I don't have anything more on that for you, Nancy. GRACE: Jossy Mansur with "Diario," what can you tell us about this landfill? JOSSY MANSUR, EDITOR, "DIARIO": Well, what we understand is that there is a witness that apparently saw this car with these three suspects in it dumping something in that garbage disposable place and that he came forward with a lot of fear, I mean, late, but still he decided to come forward and tell the Police and all of the people involved of what he saw. So that occasioned the EquuSearch to go there today with a lot of other people. And I believe they're going to start digging in there tomorrow with a backhoe, a large backhoe. GRACE: Jossy Mansur, who is this person that says they saw the three dumping something in a landfill? MANSUR: This is a man who usually spends a lot of time during the day and during the night at this landfill. He collects copper and other scrap material (INAUDIBLE) and then resells it to someone. GRACE: Here in the studio with me, forensic scientist Dr. Lawrence Kobilinsky. Lawrence, I'm having recollections, as you well know, of the case involving Lori Hacking, and the landfill, and the search that took so very, very long to find her remains. LAWRENCE KOBILINSKY, FORENSIC SCIENTIST: A landfill's a very difficult place to work in. There's all kinds of decaying matter. If they have dogs working, they would sense the decaying matter. It`s very difficult. There's a huge area to go through. You need heavy equipment. You have got to search every bit and piece. I can tell you that there is some ground-penetrating radar that can be utilized in this situation to facilitate and speed up the search, but it's got to be done by grid, segment by segment has to be searched. It's going to take a long time to go through this area. GRACE: Let me go to Elizabeth and Renee. Guys, if you could pull up that map of Aruba. Jossy Mansur, where is the landfill? MANSUR: It's over to the eastern section of Aruba, going towards the second largest city, Saint Nicholas, on the right hand. GRACE: Where is it in relation to the Holiday Inn? MANSUR: It's very far from the "Holiday Inn." GRACE: How about the Marriott? MANSUR: Further still from the Marriott. GRACE: Did you say the east side? MANSUR: Yes, towards the east... GRACE: OK, so it's on the other side. Gotcha. How far is it from the lighthouse? MANSUR: From the lighthouse, extremely far. GRACE: OK. MANSUR: The lighthouse is on the tip of the northern section of the island, northwestern section. GRACE: So this would be all the way over on the other side. Again, you stated this source is someone who spends time at the landfill collecting metal? MANSUR: Yes. For a long time, for many years he's been around there. GRACE: And you also said that Texas EquuSearch and others are at the landfill searching. Who are the others, Jossy? MANSUR: The others are representatives of the Aruba search-and-rescue team. GRACE: Back to Susan Candiotti, CNN correspondent on the case from the get-go. Another thing I want to bring up, before we go to break, Susan, is Natalee's toothbrush. What can you tell me? CANDIOTTI: Well, I have learned from -- we have learned from two sources that, in fact -- and law enforcement source confirmed to me that a toothbrush that was in her hotel room was found to have male DNA evidence on it. Now, the same law enforcement source tells me, in the same breath, that there is no evidence that any male was in her hotel room as part of their investigation. Something that's interesting, but at this point has gone no further -- Nancy? GRACE: To David Foley, veteran defense attorney. David, are you surprised that the DNA was negative for a match on Natalee? DAVID FOLEY, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: No, I'm not, Nancy. I thought basically, at this point, they're just going to look at every nook and cranny. And I think we would have known a lot sooner on the DNA test results if there was anything positive. I think this kind of to make the defendants kind of see and sweat a little bit, see if they'll talk a little more. GRACE: Take a listen to this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JULIA RENFRO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "ARUBA TODAY": Well, I think it's very highly unlikely to find a body in this pond. It was very shallow several weeks ago. And after the hurricane passed by, it filled up. And right now, they're busy pumping out that water. I think that they're looking for other possible evidence, since the witness who allegedly saw the three young men in that area, there's possibly some other type of evidence. (END VIDEO CLIP)GRACE: To Natalee's stepmother with us tonight, Robin Holloway. Robin, what else could they be looking for in that pond? ROBIN HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S STEPMOTHER: I don't know. I talked to Brenda (ph) earlier today. And she said it's taking a lot longer to drain it than what they initially thought. But, you know, we heard the rumor about the witness who saw the car come back, what, ten times just circling the area. So it sounds like they may have left something there. And didn't he lose his shoe? I mean, maybe they're looking for that. Just some type of physical evidence that could, you know, lead us to more answers. But as far as exactly what they're looking for, I don't know. But as far as I know, they haven't found anything or shared with us, if they have. GRACE: But, Robin, at the time Natalee went missing, the pond was largely dry, correct? HOLLOWAY: I believe so. At that time, it was. But I think it's still murky muddy in that area. Yes. GRACE: Right. So there could have been some water, or at least mud, at the bottom of that pond. I see what you're saying. These are shots of the pond we're talking about being drained bit by bit. Allegedly 3,600 -- there you go -- 3,600 gallons a minute. But, you know what, that really doesn't add up, Robin. They've been doing this for -- I was just doing the math in my head. That doesn't add up to over two days of pumping, does it? I mean, what do they have, a bicycle pump down in Aruba trying to get the water out? What the hey is going on? HOLLOWAY: I don't know what's taking so long. You know, even this duct tape evidence, I found out at the airport. I mean, I didn't even know about that until after it already been released on the news. So I don't know what's taking so long. GRACE: To Dr. Larry Kobilinsky, you're shaking your head "yes" regarding the possibility that a shoe or some other evidence left, not a body necessarily. Why? KOBILINSKY: Well, there are some rumors that van der Sloot was missing a shoe. And, obviously, if they can find his shoe in that pond, it puts them -- it links him to that site, as there is some other discussion about the possibility of finding Natalee there. But I must say that if, in fact, she is deceased -- I hope not -- but six months -- I'm sorry, two months is a very long time. And there's not going to be much of a body remaining. She's probably skeletonized. But let's hope that that's not the case and...GRACE: Let's hope. Let's hope. Let's just burn that bridge when we get there, OK?KOBILINSKY: That's correct. GRACE: Very quickly, to Jossy Mansur with "Diario," he repeatedly advertises the reward for Natalee Holloway up to $1 million tonight for her safe return, $100,000 for evidence as to her whereabouts. Jossy Mansur, what can you tell us about this theory floating around out there that a shoe is involved, a lost shoe belonging to either van der Sloot or the Kalpoe brothers? MANSUR: Well, that's a fact that's been going around for quite some time now, that he was barefoot when he walked back home and that he lost his shoe somewhere either on the beach or over here at the pond. GRACE: To Dr. Joseph Deltito, before we go to break, I want to just quickly run by you -- and then we'll go to Michelle Suskauer -- the legal significance is not your arena. But psychiatrically speaking, if this gardener is correct, that he drove up and he sees Joran van der Sloot and the two Kalpoe brothers sitting in a car, near this pond, and when the guy drives up, they all duck and try to hide, right there, Dr. Deltito, if they had had an innocent night out at Carlos and Charlies, why duck and hide behind the car seat when it was someone they didn't even know? JOSEPH DELTITO, PSYCHIATRIST: Well, apparently, they were either up to no good or had been doing something that was no good. Maybe they were using drugs in the back of a car at that moment, most likely related to Natalee and what they were doing at the time. But, obviously, it's a sign of guilt, and anyone would take it as ipso facto sign of some sort of guilt on their part or not wanting to be seen doing something at the moment. GRACE: Yes, and you know what? You're right, Dr. Deltito. There could be other explanations, such as drugs, such as who knows what, not related to Natalee. But since they were last seen with her, a logical excuse would be that it is related to Natalee. Michelle Suskauer, you know, you don't have to have a body. You don't have to have a confession or DNA to make a murder case. MICHELLE SUSKAUER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: That's right, you don't. But you do need something more than mere suspicion and conjecture. You need some kind of forensic evidence here. If you're not going to find her body or remains, if she's deceased, you need something more than just mere speculation. And in this case, if they don't have -- there's no DNA evidence at this point. If there's no body, there's no hair that's a match on the duct tape, it's just not going to be enough. If this kid does not confess, it's not going to be enough. GRACE: Well, you know, Scott Peterson never confessed either, all right? And we didn't have an eyewitness. We didn't have confession. We didn't have DNA. And there was a jury that convicted him. Very quickly, to Susan Candiotti. Susan, is it true that a team from the Netherlands has arrived in Aruba to re-question Joran van der Sloot? CANDIOTTI: That's what we hear, yes. That's my understanding. And apparently -- we don't know when it's scheduled. We heard that it was supposed to happen this week. Naturally, when they questioned him, because of a prior agreement, his lawyer is allowed to be present during any future interrogations. Not surprising that would happen in the United States, too. You the right to have a lawyer present with you. So we're waiting to hear when that interrogation is supposed to take place. I ask about it every day. GRACE: And what's taking so long, Jossy Mansur, to bring in the specialist from the Netherlands? MANSUR: That I don't know. But they finally brought them in. And they're specialists in behavioral science with troubled youth. There's two of them that will do the actual interrogation, and one that is a supervisor that will put all of the answers together. And then, together, they will analyze it and come to some conclusion as to what is troubling these people. GRACE: Jossy, did we ever find out -- did you ever find out why the father van der Sloot, the judge, packed up his belongings there at his office and took off? MANSUR: Well, we understand that he no longer practices as a substitute judge. And his presence in that courthouse is no longer necessary. GRACE: Quick break, everyone. We are live in Aruba. Please stay with us. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)GEORGE "JUG" TWITTY, STEPFATHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: From the beginning, Beth and I were there that very first night. And I still believe that, of course, Joran is involved, Deepak's involved, and the father is involved. (END VIDEO CLIP)(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, MOTHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: ... since June 10th. What have I not been exposed to? What have I not been put through? Where has she not been? It's been endless. You know, until I am shown definitively, of course, I'm going to hope that she's alive. (END VIDEO CLIP) GRACE: Natalee Holloway's family not giving up on the search for Natalee. We are into day 60 since Natalee went missing from her high school senior trip to Aruba. Straight bac+ down to Susan Candiotti. Susan, what else can you tell me about the re-questioning of Joran van der Sloot? CANDIOTTI: Well, as we wait for that to happen, by this team of Dutch specialists, I do know that, weeks ago, when originally authorities were talking to Joran van der Sloot, that the FBI had brought in a behavioral scientist and was trying to pass on advice and suggestions about what they might do when they go back to re-question him -- at that time, that's when a period of time when they were still talking to him. And my sources tell me that the advice wasn't being followed at that time. Clearly, things have changed in the interim. We know that a team of Investigators from Aruba are at FBI offices at Quantico, Virginia, and are going over interrogations, witness statements and all of that. And now we know that a team of specialist has come in. So, clearly, it would appear that advice is now being followed. They also have specialists, obviously, from the Netherlands who clearly have experience in interviewing young people, as well. So now it looks like they're going to be following that advice. GRACE: Susan, did you try to speak to the Kalpoe brothers today? CANDIOTTI: We attempted to get out there, but just couldn't make it. We were doing a lot of different things. So didn't have any no luck in reaching them this day. GRACE: And about this racquet club, Joran van der Sloot is a member there. What is it, a country club? CANDIOTTI: It's a private club, from what I understand. But I'm really not an expert on that, so I don't want to pretend to be. GRACE: What's that, a private club? That could be anything, Susan. CANDIOTTI: Well, obviously, you could -- never mind. GRACE: I don't think I like it. Hold on a moment. Let me get to Jossy Mansur. Jossy, what is this? Is this a country club? MANSUR: Well, it is a private club. And a private club is, as everyone knows, a place where members pay dues to keep up the maintenance and whatever as they have to do with the building and the surroundings. (CROSSTALK) GRACE: Wait a minute. Well, what's in there? Hey, Renee, Elizabeth, can you show me that close-up again? I see body and skin care. What else is -- keep it rolling. There you go. There's a whole list of accommodations inside. What's in there? Is there a golf course? Racquet ball? There you go. Well, missed it again. What's in there, Jossy? MANSUR: As far as I know, I'm not too familiar with it, either. As far as I know, they have tennis courts there. They have some other kinds of indoor sports taking place in there. GRACE: Is it expensive? MANSUR: I think so. GRACE: And what is this -- Joran van der Sloot still in college, still in school? MANSUR: No. He graduated from high school, with honors, as a matter of fact. He was awarded a partial scholarship to study in the USA. GRACE: And? MANSUR: And he was arrested in this case, and now he's in jail. GRACE: Where was he going to study in the U.S.? MANSUR: I have no idea. But I know it was published that he was -- and that he had graduated, he had a scholarship, and he was going to the U.S. for schooling. GRACE: OK. And what about the Kalpoes? What were they up to? MANSUR: I don't know. One of them works. The other one, I think, is still in school. GRACE: With me there on the island, Jossy Mansur with "Diario." Also with us, Susan Candiotti. She's been on the case from the get-go. As well as Natalee Holloway's stepmother, we'll all be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) GRACE: What will the Aruban Police think of next? Welcome back, everybody. I'm Nancy Grace. Thank you for being with us. Very quickly, I want to go back to Jossy Mansur with "Diario" there in Aruba. Jossy, I want to talk again about this landfill that Susan Candiotti told us about. The guy that observed -- says he observed Joran van der Sloot and the two Kalpoes throwing something into the landfill, who found him? Why did he finally come forward? What can you tell me about him? MANSUR: I think he was in touch -- he was found and was in touch, for example, with a lawyer of the Holloway family. He was in touch with some people that worked for us, that are making part of our investigating team. And some other people did contact him on the same thing. So he is a known figure in various circles. GRACE: Jossy, a question to you. Now, because you got a hold of this gardener and have come forward, there are now being attacks on your credibility, on the gardener's credibility, on your family members' credibility. Do you have a response? MANSUR: But, of course. If the Police is going through all these efforts to look at this one, if they're investing so much money, so much time and energy in that, I think they believe in the credibility of this witness as much as we do. GRACE: Well, long story short, it all goes back to this domino game behind bars. Someone was playing dominoes with the Kalpoe brother, and he got very angry, according to Jossy Mansur, when someone said, "The gardener saw you parked near that pond." And, of course, whoever heard that was behind bars. Of course, they have a criminal history. That's not a real surprise. Jossy Mansur will be right back, as well as with Susan Candiotti. Please stay with us.(COMMERCIAL BREAK) * (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE'S MOTHER: We are just doing everything we possibly can in helping to, you know, further this search for Natalee. And we have had a group of friends that have come forward, and they are helping us now to make it possible. We're going to be able to now raise the reward for the safe return of Natalee from $200,000 to $1 million. And we're just so hoping that, you know, just any information that someone has, or -- that they will feel comfortable to please come forward.(END VIDEO CLIP)GRACE: The reward up to $1 million tonight for Natalee's safe return, $100,000 for her whereabouts. Tip line toll-free 877-628-2533.Very quickly, Jossy Mansur, the reason I was asking about the racquet club and what it was, what they have there -- would Joran van der Sloot, being a member of the racquet club, have after-hours access to it?JOSSY MANSUR, MANAGING EDITOR, "DIARIO": Probably. At least, he knows the surroundings very well because he's always practicing over there and crossing the street towards that beach where they -- he said -- he claims that he was with Natalee that 30th of May in the morning.GRACE: And I want to speak quickly with Susan about the judge, Paul van der Sloot. You saw him today.SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we went over to the house to see whether we could talk with him, and as we pulled up, he was already in his car. And our CNN producer, Patrick Ottman (ph), did make eye contact with him. I jumped out of the car quickly to try to -- and yelled at him to please -- you know, could he please stop? But he was gone before we had a chance to really, you know, talk with him.GRACE: So he gave you his backside again?CANDIOTTI: Well, the car drove away quickly, Nancy.GRACE: Susan, that was a nice way to put it. Thank you.(LAUGHTER)GRACE: Very quickly, to psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Deltito. Dr. Deltito, the other night, we learned from Jossy Mansur that in a Police report, allegedly, Joran van der Sloot blamed one of the Kalpoe brothers of rape and murder of Natalee Holloway. How much stock do you put in that?JOSEPH DELTITO, PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY: I don't put much. And my understanding is that the translation came from a transcript in Dutch and the translation into English is really that he could have or he might have or something like that, and he didn't state it just positively that that's exactly what happened. But I put no credit on anything that he would say because he's probably just fending off anything in any direction, whether it's towards a friend, towards a family member, whatever, as best as we know.GRACE: But it would seem to me, Michelle Suskauer, that if the three of them are sticking together, why would he start pointing the finger at the Kalpoe brothers?MICHELLE SUSKAUER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: No, I am very suspect of any of the statements that he made because in Aruba, until just recently by judge's order, he did not have the ability to have an attorney present. So I don't know what kind of procedures they were using to try to get whatever they could out of him, what type of sleep deprivation, food deprivation.GRACE: Oh, good Lord!SUSKAUER: You know what, Nancy? This is not a grown-up, OK? This is a 17-year-old.GRACE: Wait! Wait, wait! Wait! If I could get Renee (ph), Elizabeth (ph), to just show me the video of him walking along -- this is after Police custody, during Police custody. He has not missed a meal, Michelle. No! He has not. Elizabeth, please show me...SUSKAUER: Well, I don't know...(CROSSTALK)SUSKAUER: You know what? I don't know who gave him his baloney sandwich before they questioned him or after they questioned him. But in Aruba, it's a prosecutor's dream. And if they can't get it out of him in Aruba and they don't have enough evidence in Aruba, it certainly wouldn't be standing up here. And it's just really thin right now. They can't get it out of him. They don't have the forensic evidence.GRACE: There you go! Now, there's a nice, healthy young man. He's about 6-5. He looks like he's weighing in at about 245.To David Foley (ph), don't start with me about sleep deprivation, how he's been punished. Let's talk about this statement, the fact that you would hope the three, as a defense attorney, they'd stick together. And here he is, blaming rape and murder on a Kalpoe brother.UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He never said that because if he did say it...GRACE: Oh, you know?UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know...GRACE: You know he never said that.UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because what they -- the interrogators would have went to the Kalpoe brothers and said, By the way, van der Sloot 's throwing you under the bus. You know, You'd better talk. So I -- and plus, I think they'd still be in custody. If a judge saw that, that there was a statement implicating the Kalpoe brothers in that way in rape and murder, I think they'd still be in custody.GRACE: Jossy Mansur with "Diario," he did say it?MANSUR: He did say it. We can confirm that. And why would two (INAUDIBLE) Police officers (INAUDIBLE) and two other Police officers that are ascribed (ph) to what we call (INAUDIBLE) that is the detective department would sign a deposition of this sort? Why?GRACE: So there are Police witnesses to the comment.MANSUR: Four of them. Not one, not two, four.GRACE: There's another shot of Joran van der Sloot -- has not missed a meal.To Susan Candiotti, response?CANDIOTTI: Nancy, van der Sloot 's attorney tells us that isn't exactly what he said. This is how he explains away the Police statement. He says that his client said, Well, maybe Deepak raped and killed her. So he's putting a different explanation to the context of it, that the Police were saying this and it was back and forth and back and forth, and his client was saying, Oh, I didn't do it. Maybe he did it.GRACE: And I want to go to Natalee's stepmother, Robin Holloway. Of course, that's what the defense attorney said.ROBIN HOLLOWAY, NATALEE'S STEPMOTHER: I would hope that would be on cassette tapes. I'm sure they record interrogations and transcribe them. So it should be (INAUDIBLE) I would imagine.GRACE: Dr. Kobilinsky...LARRY KOBILINSKY, FORENSIC SCIENTIST: Yes?GRACE: ... what strategy should they be using now in Aruba?KOBILINSKY: They absolutely need to turn the Kalpoe brothers against Joran or vice versa. Quite frankly, two months ago, the Police lost a great opportunity to turn one against the other. It's beyond that now. And now the only thing they can do -- Joran's incarcerated, the Kalpoe brothers are out. They've got to start talking to Joran about the Kalpoe brothers, saying very incriminating things about him in the hope that he will turn over and, you know, say something incriminating.GRACE: Well, he hasn't cracked yet, although we do know that he has changed his statement reportedly 22 times. Take a listen to this.(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE'S FATHER: We don't know the whole story. All we really know for a fact is that they left Charlie -- or Carlos and Charlies. After that, it's a lot of speculation and a lot of fill-in-the- blanks.If you and I were involved in something, and then I come to you and ask you to make up a story about we dropped her off at the "Holiday Inn," wouldn't you ask questions of why? If you were not involved in something, why would you make up the story?This is the 15th story he's told, and the Marriott story may not even be true at all.(END VIDEO CLIP)GRACE: To Jossy Mansur. What else do you think Police are doing now, tonight, to find Natalee Holloway?MANSUR: I think they're very busy with both sites. They're very busy with this pool that they have, the flood, whatever you call it, by the racquet club. They're draining the water. And I can give you an explanation why it's taking so long. Somebody who knows the area very well told me that where the water is sitting is either at sea level or a little below sea level, and water from the ocean seems to keep seeping back in at a certain rate that is not allowing them to really get rid of the water at the rate that they would like to.GRACE: And Jossy, before we go break, could you explain to me about this shoe again? I'm not getting -- how do we know? Why do we suspect that Joran van der Sloot left behind one of his shoes?MANSUR: That came out of some kind of a statement somewhere. I don't know, either. I can't pinpoint the exact time or place where he said that, or where they found out he's missing his shoes.GRACE: Susan Candiotti, what else can you tell us about the investigation tonight? The pond is still being drained, day three. We know the DNA has come back negative for Natalee Holloway. Many of us predicted that. That's like finding tape out on the street on 3rd Avenue and saying, Gee, maybe it belongs to Susan Candiotti. Well, it probably doesn't. But what else is happening? What are Police doing?CANDIOTTI: Well, naturally, I mean, they're trying to -- they had to look at the tape. Someone brought the tape, and naturally, you have to go the extra mile. You have to test it and figure out what it is, OK? So now that's been eliminated.In regard to the shoe, I keep asking about that. I'm not getting anything back, any confirmation about the shoe. So we're still waiting to hear about that. But look, as witnesses come forward, they got to check things out. They're going down the list. They're preparing to interview Joran again, evidently, to see that they can find out, if anything new. And things are just plodding along.GRACE: They certainly are. Susan Candiotti, thank you, friend.
On 7-28 MSNBC reported:
JOE SCARBOROUGH, HOST: Now, tonight‘s top headline: The frantic search for Natalee picks up steam, as cops search a swamp and a landfill. Welcome to SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY, no passport required, only common sense allowed. The draining of the swamp continues, and the DNA results are in tonight. We are live in Aruba with all the latest. Plus, exclusive video of a new search being conducted at a landfill after a new witness comes forward. SCARBOROUGH: Good evening. Now, tonight, we have an exclusive in the case of missing newlywed George Smith IV. He disappeared, of course, while he was on a honeymoon cruise in the Mediterranean. That turned into a bloody honeymoon. Tonight, you are going to be hearing from a passenger who was on the cruise the night the young newlywed vanished and what she saw in the moments before and after his blood stain appeared on the ship. She is going to give us the inside story. But first, there‘s a flurry of activity and a flurry of news coming out of Aruba tonight. We have all been waiting for the results of the DNA tests on those four strands of hair that were found on the duct tape. Tonight, we have answers, all this as Investigators continue to drain a swamp near where Natalee was last seen.And, also, of course, a search, a new search going in at a landfill based on more testimony from a new witness. Let‘s go live to Aruba right now for all the information. NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski is here and has the latest developments. Michelle, tell us what you got tonight. MICHELLE KOSINSKI, NBC CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, we are seeing the water levels dropping in this flooded field. The draining of this area is expected to be finished by midday tomorrow.And, you know, there is some disappointment out here tonight for people. They find out that those blonde hairs on duct tape were not in any way connected to Natalee Holloway. That means, still, there‘s been no sign of her on this island, and searchers are now going to have to rely on new leads—Joe. SCARBOROUGH: Well, so, talk about what‘s going on.Again, obviously, if the strands of hair are not Natalee‘s, obviously, that adds an intensity to the search while they are draining the swamp and also the landfill. Talk about the landfill search. What‘s going on there? KOSINSKI: Well, this is the first time we have seen this. Today, searchers go to that landfill, and they go there with a witness. And this person claims that, three days after Natalee disappeared, he was in this landfill disposing of some things, about 4:35, 5:00 in the evening. He says sees a white pickup truck pull up from a little distance and he says he sees some men take out what looked to him to be a body and then bury it in a particular location. Well, today, he took searchers out to that location.But, by now, after nearly two months, it‘s covered by two to three meters of garbage. So, searchers do, though, plan to be back out there tomorrow, as well as some other areas where they are using some new high-tech equipment that they just brought back to this island. SCARBOROUGH: Does the family consider these DNA developments to be positive or negative? You know, Michelle, it‘s always so difficult when you talk about the family, you talk about the mom and the dad, where, of course, if the blonde hair comes back and it matches their daughter, well, maybe they have closure, but they also may have a daughter who passed away. How did they take this new evidence regarding the DNA findings, and does it just mean, again, that the draining of the swamp and the search of the landfill is all that more urgent, all that more important? KOSINSKI: Right. Remember, when this duct tape and blonde hair was found in this park, a national park, where there are a lot of surfers, people in that area, people on boats nearby, things wash up on to the shore. People are out there all the time. So, there was always that possible unlikelihood that it would be connected to Natalee.So, to get this news, they are taking it in stride, and they see all of this other activity going on in different locations all over this island. So, that is giving them much encouragement, especially since two of these locations now, this field and the landfill, are based on new witness statements that apparently Police are putting some credibility in, at least for the moment. SCARBOROUGH: And the family is excited with the quickening of thepace of this investigation, I would assume KOSINSKI: Absolutely. In fact, when we talk to Beth Holloway a few days ago, she described these developments as huge, something that they have been waiting for, for so long, for witnesses to finally come out of the woodwork, whether they come forward on their own or they are found by these private Investigators, somebody who is willing to talk, who is willing to put aside any fears and say, I saw something happen, and for Police to actually act on those tips. And we are seeing them act on these in a very big way. SCARBOROUGH: All right. Thanks so much, NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski.And, of course, exclusive images you are looking at right now, while Michelle was talking, had to do with the search at the landfill. We are going to stay at—we‘re going to stay with this story, obviously, tonight, there, again, the exclusive video. That is of the search that‘s being conducted on the landfill, based on new information that authorities got in Aruba. We are going to go back to Michelle Kosinski throughout the hour. Obviously, we have been watching that swamp drain for three days now. It‘s taking a lot longer. We are going to find out why later on in the show, when we go back and speak with Michelle.But, right now, let‘s turn to Jossy Mansur. He‘s the editor of “Diario,” the largest newspaper in Aruba. Thank you so much for being with us tonight. I understand you have information from Police reports that talk about how Joran tried to blame one of the brothers for raping and murdering Natalee Holloway. Can you tell us about that information, about that so-called confession by Mr. van der Sloot ? JOSSY MANSUR, EDITOR, “DIARIO”: Sure. It‘s not a so-called confession. It was a confession given by Joran to four present Policemen, two of them what we call (INAUDIBLE). They are a little bit higher officers. And two that we consider (INAUDIBLE). That means that they work for the detective department. They‘re into investigation. Now, to these four people that have signed that deposition, Joran told that, I think—these are his exact words, I mean, the exact translation of what he said. He said, “I think that Deepak Kalpoe raped and then murdered Natalee.”SCARBOROUGH: So, Joran fingered his friend Deepak, saying that they actually—that he actually went on the beach, raped Natalee and then killed her. And that‘s what he told the Police. Why haven‘t the Police...MANSUR: That‘s what he said. He said...SCARBOROUGH: Why haven‘t the Police responded in a more aggressive way? Do they think that Joran was lying to them? MANSUR: Probably, because the guy has been lying so much. He has lied on at least 20 to 22 occasions.But so have the other two Kalpoe brothers, no? They lied that they were—that they left Joran over there at the beach with Natalee, then that they went home, which is not true, because, at least Deepak, according to Joran‘s confession, was on the beach with him at 2:00 a.m. on the 30th of May, that she disappeared. SCARBOROUGH: I will tell you. That is—again, it‘s an amazing confession, again, Joran saying that one of the Kalpoe brothers went back to the beach, raped and killed Natalee. I‘m curious, are you hearing anything from the Police, anything from the Investigators regarding these boys? Is there any chance that they are going to crack and turn on each other and keep their story consistent against one another? MANSUR: Well, I think they have been turning against each other. I know that, on another occasion, that they confronted the two Kalpoe brothers with Joran, in the presence of many Police officers, that they really yelled at each other and went at each other‘s throat and told different stories, and accused each other of many other things. We have no—no proof, definite proof, documented proof, like we have of the 13th of June confession by Joran. But this seems to have happened in those interrogations there. SCARBOROUGH: And I will tell you what. It‘s shocking information. Mr. Mansur, thank you so much for being with us tonight. We greatly appreciate your insights. Now, friends, that‘s not something that you are hearing. I mean, we just haven‘t seen that reported aggressively in the United States, that Joran van der Sloot, the main suspect in this case, actually said that one of the Kalpoe brothers went back to the beach—after he left her on the beach, went back to the beach, raped Natalee, and then killed her. I just think—again, I—it‘s remarkable how these investigations take place in Aruba. It‘s remarkable how there‘s no transparency down there, that we have to hear second- or third-hand what‘s going on, what‘s happening, and what somebody who was there the night that Natalee disappeared is saying about one of the Kalpoe brothers. Now, as we reported, our exclusive video from Aruba showing volunteers from the EquuSearch team looking through a landfill with a new witness who is claiming it‘s where Natalee‘s body was left. Could this landfill hold the awful truth about this case? Let‘s go live now to EquuSearch‘s Joe Huston and get the very latest on that search. Mr. Huston, thank you so much for being with us tonight. What can you tell us about EquuSearch‘s inspection of that landfill right now? JOE HUSTON, TEXAS EQUUSEARCH: Yes, we were given information that Joran and the two Kalpoe brothers buried Natalee in one or two different spots in the landfill. The information we received came from another source. We went out there and checked it out today. We have two different spots we need to look at. Some of the information the individual gave us turned out to be correct, from the standpoint of towels and other pass keys that were found in the same location. And our intent tomorrow is to get a backhoe or a front-end loader in there and dig through the different areas and see if we can‘t find any evidence about what exactly happened to Natalee. SCARBOROUGH: Mr. Huston, this is shocking news, also. I will tell you what. The dominoes really seem to be falling right now in Aruba. What can you tell us about this witness, and why would a witness wait eight weeks, eight weeks, to tell us that he or she saw Natalee buried at this landfill? HUSTON: It‘s my understanding that the witness is—was worried about what would happen to him if he told the truth or came up with the information. And it‘s because of that...(CROSSTALK)SCARBOROUGH: So, scared to tell the truth. (CROSSTALK)HUSTON: ... here.SCARBOROUGH: Yes, scared to tell the truth. Why was she scared to tell the truth about this possible murder and burial at this landfill? HUSTON: He didn‘t tell me at the time. SCARBOROUGH: OK. So, what—OK, so, it‘s a he. Again, you can vouch for this person‘s credibility. You believe that the story is credible. And the other information that he has given you has been credible enough for you all to tear through this landfill, which I understand, again, since—since she may have been buried there could have accumulated another six, seven, eight feet of additional garbage. How—isn‘t that like finding a pin in a haystack? HUSTON: Not really. We have enough information that there‘s a specific item close to where the body is supposed to be, which is large enough for us to be able to find. Remember the Lori Hacking case. She was buried inside a mattress. And that‘s the only reason they found her. We are looking for something. I can‘t tell you what it is at this time. But if—once we find that item, then we know we are in the right area. If we don‘t the item, then we‘ll know that we are on another wild goose chase. But we had enough of these leads since we‘ve been down here to try to follow up the ones that are credible and dismiss the other ones. But this seems very credible to us at this time. SCARBOROUGH: All right, Joe, we are going to be staying with you all, obviously, not only throughout this hour, but throughout the rest of the week and through the weekend, however long it takes to get the very latest on the search at this landfill.And, also, of course, we are going to be going back to Michelle Kosinski throughout the hour. They have been draining a swamp in Aruba for three days now. This is the third night they have been at it. We‘re going to be going back to Michelle as they get to the bottom of that. And, of course, when they get to the bottom of the swamp, they are going to bring the dogs in, try to do anything, as the desperate search to find Natalee Holloway continues late into the evening in Aruba. You are looking at a live picture of the swamp being drained right now. Now, next, we go inside the latest developments with a private Investigator hired by Natalee‘s family, who can sort through all of this activity.And, also tonight, another exclusive on the story baffling Investigators from America to the Mediterranean. You are going to be hearing from a passenger who was staying near this couple‘s cabin the night the groom disappeared, what she heard and what she saw. And could it help break this case? And sleeping with the enemy, a woman whose husband caught on tape trying to hire a hit man to kill her comes into SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY to tell her horrifying story. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)SCARBOROUGH: Fast-breaking developments out of Aruba tonight. You are looking live at where crews continue to drain a swamp. Also, they are looking through a landfill tonight based on some shocking new information. And later, nature‘s fury caught on tape. We‘re going to show where this is happening when SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY returns.(COMMERCIAL BREAK)SCARBOROUGH: NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski at the Aruban swamp still being drained, we are going to be checking back with her in a few minutes.But now, here to talk about the intense search for Natalee is her family‘s private Investigator, T.J. Ward.Mr. Ward, thank you so much for being back with us tonight. T.J. WARD, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR: Thank you. SCARBOROUGH: So many things happening in Aruba. Please break it down for us. You got the DNA evidence. You got the swamp being drained, and we just heard from this EquuSearch guy that he said that they were searching, again, this landfill, that they found a towel, that they found a key pass. It sounds like a lot of things are going on here. Please, if you can, for Americans that haven‘t been following this as closely, break down this investigation. What‘s the state of it tonight? WARD: Well, first of all, this is—this is the first I have heard about the EquuSearch‘s clue about going to the landfill.But I would like to turn around and focus on the information at the pond that‘s being drained right now. If we go back and we can believe the information from the gardener, who was there on the 29th into the 30th, who saw van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers in the vehicle belonging to Kalpoe, he specifically and without any reservation said that he saw van der Sloot behind the front wheel of the driver‘s seat, who covered his face when he pulled up on the car.And he also saw one of the Kalpoe brothers bend down in the back seat. Well, if we take this information into consideration, with the witness that we found, who also described the car to a T. a week later, who was circling through the racket club, we can take the information and not only compare that to the Marriott and the beach where the Police keep taking van der Sloot out to the beach, which is right beside the Marriott, this pond is directly across the road. And the time frame at 2:00 in the morning until the time that they understand that they have information that one of the Kalpoe brothers was on his computer at 3:00, we are not—we‘re talking about a very short period of time. Now, we also know about an implication of a letter from van der Sloot that was given to the Police at the time of his—that he was taken into custody. And, if this is true, that he is claiming that the—that Deepak, in fact, killed Natalee on the beach, after raping her, then we don‘t have a far-fetched story here that the beach is right across the street from the pond, and maybe there‘s some evidence around the pond, because the same vehicle a week later, after the disappearance of Natalee, from the 29th into the 30th, might even coincide with the fact that they were going back to find any additional evidence. SCARBOROUGH: You know, Mr.—I got to tell you, Mr. Ward, this is starting to sound a lot like the case out in California, where you have got Scott Peterson. He sits there, and he is able to push off Investigators, but soon evidence just starts dripping, drip by drip by drip. Pretty soon, it washes that guy away. He is going to face the electric chair sometime in his future. In this case, though, I am stunned by the new information we are finding out every night. I mean, tonight, we find out that van der Sloot says that one of the Kalpoe brothers raped and killed Natalee on the beach, and yet we are not hearing about that in America. We are not hearing—we are not hearing a lot of things. And these kids aren‘t even in jail. Why aren‘t they in jail, first of all? And, secondly, why can‘t these Aruban authorities break a 17-year-old kid? You give my kid like a PlayStation2 and a pile of chocolate chip cookies, and you got him talking in 30 minutes. WARD: Well, this is a very streetwise kid, van der Sloot, very, very streetwise. And he knows his father was in the judicial system, or is in the judicial system, up until yesterday, when he started cleaning out his drawer at the justice office. But he, in fact, I believed, called his father on the night and got advice what to do with Natalee Holloway. I believe that we have all three of the suspects—these are the parties that are responsible for the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, and I would rest assure that probably you will understand that Paul van der Sloot is probably going to be linked to this investigation somewhere down the road. What the problem is with people here in the U.S. is that we are not used to this kind of procedure. The procedure in Aruba is completely different than what we are used to in the U.S. In a normal investigation that I have been doing for the last 24 years in the private sector, when I get a case like this, I am able to go to law enforcement and to the prosecutor‘s office and pull information that‘s public.
And, of course, in Aruba, nothing is public. You can‘t get reports. You can‘t get information from the Police. And everything is hush-hush. I believe that it was very much a mistake, and the Aruban government knows, to leave the Kalpoe boys, let them go back on the street. But I rest assure, when the times comes, I believe the Aruban authorities, along with the FBI, monitoring this case, has the information, and when they do, they will take these parties back into custody. I believe you will probably also see a targeted investigation here in the very near future involved with Paul van der Sloot. This is all pulling together. After the information that we receive from whatever the pond gives us, whether they bring a sonar in and there‘s any evidence there, if not, I am returning Sunday on behalf of the family, and I will continue conducting the investigation I did under—covering this witness that knew about the car a week later. There‘s people there, and somebody on that island has...(CROSSTALK)SCARBOROUGH: You know, Mr. Ward, you‘re exactly..(CROSSTALK)SCARBOROUGH: You‘re exactly right, Mr. Ward. This is all starting to add up. This evidence, the draining of the swamp, the new witness...WARD: Exactly. SCARBOROUGH: ... that you found, it‘s all coming together. And I agree with you. I think the Kalpoe brothers are going to get nailed on this, and I think Paul van der Sloot, he is going to be sharing a jail cell with his son. Thanks so much for being with us, Mr. Ward. We greatly appreciate it. WARD: Thank you very much, Joe. SCARBOROUGH: And we want to get you back tomorrow. I mean, it‘s great to have somebody that can tell us what‘s going on down there without the filter...WARD: You are very welcome.SCARBOROUGH: ... of the Aruban and Dutch authorities. Let‘s bring in right now Bill Stanton, former NYPD Investigator. Mr. Stanton, you have been hearing all of this. It sounds like the pace of this case is quickening. What can you tell us about the ebb and flows of these sort of investigations? BILL STANTON, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR: Well, it‘s interesting to see the private Investigator, the different dynamic he brings to the table. He seems to be doing a wonderful job of collecting evidence and presenting it to the law enforcement. But what seems to be happening is a mystery wrapped in a riddle. And, Joe, what you have here, no one is directly saying, from what we are hearing, if it‘s credible, no one is directly say, I saw the Kalpoe brother kill Natalee. No one is saying they saw Joran kill Natalee. They are saying they think.And this way, I think he is being coached, in my opinion, by the father. I think the elder van der Sloot coached the son. And everybody is pointing fingers at everyone else, but no one is saying they saw directly. And that‘s going to be very hard for law enforcement to get a confession or to cut a deal. What...SCARBOROUGH: But, Bill, -- but, Bill, again, I mean, you take, again I talked about Laci Peterson. Scott Peterson sits there with this bland face in front of local newspapers, trying to cry as hard as he can, saying he misses his wife, Laci. He goes to the Super Bowl. Everybody says, we know he did it. And, pretty soon, evidence starts coming again. It starts dripping bit by bit in and gets him.STANTON: Yes. But...SCARBOROUGH: I mean, it looks like the same thing may be happening in Aruba, doesn‘t it? STANTON: Yes.But, Joe, what‘s happening is, the waters are being muddied. There‘s not one person. There‘s actually three. So, when everybody is pointing at everyone else and nobody is saying they saw it directly, who do you believe? Who do you go to? Do you cut the murderer a deal and say, listen, I will give you immunity to testify? It becomes very, very hard in an incident like this.Unless they were actually all together if and when this crime was committed, it‘s going to be very hard focusing in on one person...SCARBOROUGH: Yes. (CROSSTALK)STANTON: ... when we all think we know who actually did it. SCARBOROUGH: And of course, the witnesses, I mean, we are hearing these new witnesses coming forward saying they saw the boys in the car shielding their faces at 3:00 in the morning. Going to be very interesting. Bill, stay with us, because, when we come back, we want to turn to another big story, new details in the case of the missing groom George Smith, another SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY exclusive, a passenger who has some surprising, I would say shocking, details about what really happened that night.
7-29-05
If the ARUBAAN's already had a backhoe available at the dump that DAVE HOLLOWAY and MEL saw on 9-20-05 digging, why was it never used to help during the searches there?
On 7-29 the “Riehl World View” blog reported:
Judge: Joran van der Sloot Can Be Questioned By FBI
Was just informed that court results are now out in Aruba. All of the DNA evidence is said to have been thrown out - however, the tests can be conducted again through the proper procedures. Defense attorneys had challenged the testing as they claimed to have not been given enough time to argue against the procedure.
In possibly the most important development, a judge has ruled that suspect Joran van der Sloot can be interrogated by both Dutch and FBI officials.
On 7-29 AL.com” reported:
Prosecutors may need new DNA samples in Holloway caseAn Aruban judge ruled today that prosecutors will have to start over if they want to use DNA samples from a Dutch teen held in Natalee Holloway’s disappearance. Joran van der Sloot, 17, and two other suspects in the case were taken to a local hospital last week and asked to give saliva samples for testing. Defense attorneys argued that prosecutors had no right to take the genetic material and that proper procedure wasn’t followed. The judge said today that in van der Sloot’s case, prosecutors are allowed to take DNA but some documents were missing. They have been re-filed, according to the prosecutor's spokeswoman, Mariaine Croes. Van der Sloot is being held in the May 30 disappearance of the Mountain Brook teen but has not been charged. The judge also said investigators had no grounds to take samples from Satish Kalpoe, 18, another suspect in the case. The prosecutor can only take samples from Kalpoe if the investigation changes and if a judge approves, the judge ruled today.Hannah Wolfson
**NOTE** WOLFSON is a reporter in BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA for the “Birmingham News”
On 7-29 the DUTCH judge ruled that the DNA samples collected from Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT and Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE were collected in violation of proscribed procedures. The DNA samples from Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT can be requested/ordered again, with proper procedures for gathering to be followed. The judge ruled that there is not enough evidence against Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE to warrant further DNA sampling. Since Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE did not file a complaint about his DNA sample, his DNA sample is still valid for future comparisons. The judge also ruled that Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT must submit to further interrogations by the ARUBAN and/or DUTCH and/or F.B.I. Interrogators at a location that the interrogators so choose.
On 7-29 “People Magazine” via Internet service provider "America Online" reported:
Hair Did Not Belong to Teen Missing in Aruba
FRIDAY JULY 29, 2005 07:00AM EST
By Todd Peterson
Another lead yielded no new information about Natalee Holloway's disappearance, but it did provide some measure of relief for the missing girl's parents. FBI test results on strands of blond hair stuck to a piece of duct tape found on an Aruban beach show that the hair did not belong to Holloway, the Associated Press reports. Holloway, who disappeared while vacationing on a graduation trip in Aruba two months ago, has been the subject of an exhaustive manhunt – and an ever-widening mystery. In one of the latest developments in the case, a park ranger discovered the duct tape on the island's northeast coast, far from where Holloway was last seen. However, authorities sent the tape and hair to the FBI's crime lab in Quantico, Va., where it underwent genetic testing. The conclusion was that the hair did not belong to Holloway. "I was completely relieved," said Beth Holloway Twitty, Natalee's mother. "Every time we exhaust something like this it's a possibility that Natalee is still alive." In other developments in the case, officials on Friday were expected to finish draining a pond near a hotel that has become central to the search. A witness who claimed to have seen Joran van der Sloot, 17, a suspect in the case, near the pond at a time van der Sloot claimed to have been home, prompted the search. Currently, van der Sloot is the only suspect being held in the case. The witness also told authorities of seeing brothers Satish and Deepak Kalpoe with van der Sloot at the pond. The Kalpoe brothers were detained in the case but were released on July 4. A spokesman for crews draining the pond said nothing unusual had been discovered yet. Holloway disappeared May 30, just hours before she was scheduled to return home to Alabama.
On 7-29 CNN reported:
LAW CENTER
DNA on duct tape not missing teen's
Investigators drain Aruba pond in search for Holloway
PALM BEACH, Aruba (CNN) -- DNA taken from strands of blond hair stuck to duct tape found on a beach in Aruba does not match the DNA of missing Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway, an FBI spokeswoman said Thursday.
Two tests proved negative, said Special Agent Judy Orihuela, who added the 18-year-old woman's family has already been informed.
Meanwhile, Investigators continue draining a catch basin -- an operation that began 9 p.m. Tuesday -- for clues in the Holloway search.
In late May, the pond had about 2 inches of water, but after Hurricanes Emily and Dennis, the water rose to more than 5 feet. After the basin is drained, authorities expect to dredge the bottom. Firefighters have been pumping at least 3,600 gallons of water a minute, or 2 inches an hour.
The pond is next to a racquet club and across the road from the beach where brothers Deepak Kalpoe, 21, and Satish Kalpoe, 18, told Police they dropped off Holloway and their friend Joran van der Sloot, 17, early May 30, the day she disappeared.
Law enforcement sources close to the investigation told CNN a local gardener claimed to have seen the Kalpoes and van der Sloot sitting in a darkened car near the racquet club about 2:30 that morning.
The sources said that while the gardener did not specifically mention the pond, it is being drained because of its proximity to where he said he saw the car with the three males.
An appeals court judge in Aruba is expected to decide Friday whether DNA samples taken from suspects can be used as evidence.
Defense lawyers said the samples should not be allowed because proper procedures were not used to obtain them, and the prosecution agreed. If the evidence is thrown out, new samples can be taken.
The judge is also expected to rule on a motion to prevent local law enforcement officials from sharing evidence with the FBI.
The Kalpoes are still considered suspects in Holloway's disappearance despite being released from jail.
Van der Sloot, the son of an Aruban judge who at one point also was briefly detained, remains in custody.
His mother has said he acknowledged being on the beach with Holloway but left without her because she wanted to stay.
No one has been charged in the teen's disappearance.
Holloway was on a post-graduation class trip to Aruba with classmates from the Birmingham, Alabama, suburb of Mountain Brook when she disappeared.
On Monday, Holloway's mother announced a $1 million reward for her daughter's safe return.
On 7-29 CBS reported, “The family doesn't think the abduction angle has been pursued thoroughly enough by authorities in Aruba.”
On 7-29 CBS reported, “Strands of blonde hair found attached to duct tape in Aruba earlier this month didn't come from missing Alabama teen Natalee Holloway, the F.B.I. says. The hair was subjected to genetic testing at the F.B.I. crime lab in Quantico, Va.”
On 7-29 ARUBAAN's news-source “Aruba Today” reported and claims the female witness discovered by Twitty family Private Investigator, T.J. Ward in the Natalee Holloway case may be of little real value. “Aruba Today” wrote, “Private Investigator T. J. Ward, who is working for the Twitty family, speaks to a journalist from People magazine about his investigation. Ward ’s recent finding of a witness sadly fizzled out after she couldn’t identify the make or color of the car or even the date or time it passed by her home adjacent to the Racquet Club.” Reportedly, it appears her ability to place the car of Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE at the location is in serious doubt.
On 7-29 the “St. Petersburg Times” wrote, “Parsons said some articles of interest - clothing and bones - were found in Aruba while she was there, but none of it could be connected to Holloway. ‘One was a human bone several years old and the other was a donkey bone,’ she said.” (is one of these bones the bone found by FORNARO and turned in to the ARUBAN Police?)
On 7-29 “Texas EquuSearch” searched the draining pond with a methane gas device, searched the fishermen's huts beach area near the “Marriott Hotel” with ground penetrating sonar, and started searching a landfill dump on the east side of ARUBA near San Nicolas using a bulldozer and backhoe because a witness claims that they saw a body being put in the dump during the daytime by the 3 Main suspects, then they placed a small, blue, plastic kid’s pool over where they put the body. (a Miami newspaper reported that “Texas EquuSearch” had located 3 ARUBAN construction companies with the equipment they needed, but, all 3 ARUBAN companies personnel refused to help. One of the companies was managed by a man, supposedly, related or friends of the Current Murder Suspects KALPOE’s, and he, supposedly, told the other two companies not to cooperate nor help the “Texas EquuSearch” team)
On 7-29 an ARUBAN Police helicopter flew over the draining pond testing the pond with infrared equipment. There was a “hit” but it did not turn out to be NATALEE.
On August 12, 2005 TITO LACLE reported to FOX News that he placed a call to ARUBAN Police commissioner GERALD DOMPIG a couple of weeks ago (circa 7-28) acting on a tip of a woman who TITO LACLE deems credible. TITO LACLE asked ARUBAN Police commissioner GERALD DOMPIG to look into the surveillance tape of the inside exit of a casino (the “Excelsior” casino?) where the tipster might have bumped into NATALEE. The tipster said NATALEE had “fuzzy hair” and a crooked shirt. ARUBAN Police commissioner GERALD DOMPIG told TITO LACLE he'd “look into it.”
On August 4, 2005 CNN reported that it has become public that recently an ARUBAN government-employed park ranger accused and complained that on 7-29 “Texas EquuSearch” destroyed a turtle eggs nesting location in their search efforts. “Texas EquuSearch” denies they were ever even in the location.
TIM MILLER stated to MSNBC on 7-29 that the landfill witness and TIM MILLER walked and spoke at the landfill. TIM MILLER stated that because of the landfill witness being scared about coming forward and having little English language skills that the landfill witness brother originally contacted “Texas EquuSearch” about his brother seeing 3 men burying a woman’s body in the dump. TIM MILLER stated that they are also using the date of newspapers they are digging up in the landfill has a guide to the spots they are searching in because the landfill witness said he witnessed the 3 men burying the body on 6-1. described to him that the body was that of a woman with long blonde hair. The landfill witness claimed he saw her breasts. He also noticed a jeep-like vehicle sitting close to the white truck. The landfill witness saw the 3 persons bury the blonde woman’s body in a specific spot, after which the 3 men found a blue plastic “kiddie’s pool” in the dump and placed the “kiddie’s pool” over where they buried the blonde woman. TIM MILLER also stated that the ARUBAN Police Investigators have known about the landfill witness “for one-and-a-half weeks” (since 7-19 or 7-20)
BETH and JUG TWITTY left ARUBA on 7-29 and returned to BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.
On 7-29 “TravelVideo.TV” reported:
Aruba: Missing Holloway not slowing down tourism
Orlando, Florida (eTurboNews) --The disappearance of Natalee Holloway comes as a shock to Aruba, where crime against tourists is almost non-existent, according to the Government of Aruba and the Aruba Tourism Authority who pledge their full support and cooperation to her family.? Aruba is one of the safest islands in the Caribbean and a favorite amongst travelers with a repeat visitor rate of 40 percent, the highest of any Caribbean destination.
A thorough investigation has been underway for several weeks now with the support of both local and international authorities. The massive island-wide search is taking place on land and sea.? Both the F.B.I. and Dutch Police have sent in experts to work in conjunction with local law enforcement authorities.? Currently, Texas EquuSearch, a non-profit organization from the U.S., whose purpose to provide volunteer horse mounted search and recovery for lost and missing persons, are also on island aiding in the search for Natalee.? The Dutch Marines, Aruba Search and Rescue Teams and Coast Guard, who have provided helicopters to search from the air, have provided additional assistance.Concerned Aruban citizens have also joined the national search efforts along with Americans residing on the island and tourists.Director of Public Relations for the tourism ministry Gina Lopez dispels notions suggesting that Aruba?s tourism industry is about to crumble.?Heyer: How has the Holloway case affected tourism to Aruba? What is the current official statement?
Lopez: The Dutch kingdom’s message is out today. Our message remains the same however things are moving forward such as the government allowing workers to go out on a search of Holloway.
[In the Aruban statement, the tourism office underscores: Aruba is one of the only islands in the Caribbean with US pre-clearance facilities (Customs and Immigration) at Queen Beatrix International Airport Aruba. Thousands of visitors, about 40 percent, from around the world return to the island each year, in fact 30 percent of Aruba’s room inventory are timeshare units. Aruba has one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean with an average income of US$22,000 (Central Bank of Aruba, 2004). The island has a literacy rate of 97 percent (Central Bank of Aruba, 2004). Aruba‘s unemployment rate is 7 percent (Central Bank of Aruba, 2004)]. The Dutch government confirms it is a shock to them that the island receives a severe blow such as this, therefore the Dutch pledges its support for the Arubaans, as we are part of the kingdom and have the same legal system of government. In the Dutch ambassador’s statement, he said the legal system has received the highest approval in the US department of state. While ours may differ from the US, it is effective. But since people do not understand the intricacies of the Dutch system, to them it may seem complicated. When you compare the coverage and the information out there to what is actually happening, it may appear as though our system does not allow transparency.Heyer: How has the overwhelming negative publicity torpedoed the tourism business?
Lopez: The media exposure has been tremendous! For years, since tourism started in this country, we’ve been looking at increasing positive publicity. We never could because we never had the money to make it happen. And though we think it is overwhelming, we also think it is unfair to us. There are a lot of people missing in many places all over the world, in the US, the media seem to have taken its focus on Aruba. Since it has never happened before, Aruba known for being a safe destination, the press seems to have ganged up on Aruba. This anomaly has attracted them to us.Heyer: So has the publicity, overwhelming, almost coming out of our ears, done Aruba good or bad?
Lopez: No, it hasn’t been that bad. In fact, it has put Aruba on the map. For those who haven’t heard of Aruba before now know it exists. It has not gravely affected tourism. We have been doing well until the first quarter of the year. Noteworthy are the increases, January, February and March, all showed significant improvement over 2004 numbers. U.S. visitors to the island were up an amazing 15.98 percent in January over the same month the previous year. February also showed a strong 7.40 percent up spike over 2004. March was the most noteworthy month with a whopping 20.55 percent more U.S. arrivals year over year. These numbers bring the year-to-date U.S arrival up an incredible 14.68 percent, reinforcing Aruba’s position in the market. Occupancy in the hotels, according to the Aruba hotel association, is good from June until July, holding up at a high 80 percent. Our forecast remains good, according to our tour operators. Our air partners are optimistic. Over 40 percent of our visitors are repeat customers. Guests who have come here again and again know that this is an isolated case, though unfortunate, and the media attention will not sway them from their personal experience.Heyer: How do you react to the Alabama legislature boycotting Aruba tourism?
Lopez: Although I have not seen it approved as yet by Senator Jeff Sessions, it is sad that a legislative body of the US would pass a resolution to stop travel to Aruba based on a lack of understanding of our legal system.Heyer: So what are you doing to counter the approval of such legislation?
Lopez: Our officials are talking to some senators who are friends of Aruba. We have the Dutch kingdom involved and ready to talk with the Washington lobbyists - all to minimize the situation and to advise that the proposition is not based on facts. Aruba has been doing a lot of things to advance the investigation. The FBI, the Police, Aruban experts have been involved from the start. We feel the Aruban authorities have done their utmost but still some are doing this to punish us as according to them, we are not doing a lot. Natalee’s father Dave, a gentleman all throughout these 60 days, and his wife Robin have mentioned they do are not in favour of what the US senators are up to. They don’t approve of it but at the same time, have tried to understand and respect the intricacy of our system. Dave knows full well the Aruban government and the community have done a lot to assist in this case.Heyer: And Mrs Beth Twitty? What has she said thus far?
Lopez: I have not heard from her, only Dave and Robin Holloway.Heyer: How have jobs related to the industry been affected as almost 2/3 of your workforce relies on tourism?
Lopez: Except for the DJ initially dragged into the case, (no) there has been no effect on tourism jobs. The hotel occupancies have done great so far. There has been no reported loss of jobs. The tourists are so welcome and the events are ongoing. Today’s travelers are savvy and can differentiate between the hoopla and the real world. Crimes happen everywhere but Aruba happens to be the safest island in the Caribbean. It is an anomaly, one case too many.Heyer: What does Aruba say to those asking to boycott Delta Airlines for opening routes to Aruba?
Lopez: This situation has been blown out of proportion by CNN legal analyst and show host Nancy Grace. Sorry to say, she does not have her facts right. It is not true that Delta started its flights as the airlines NY connection has been an existing flight, however Delta changed its flight into Song. There was no new airline, no new number of seats, no new departure or arrival times; the only thing that has changed is the flight designation. We’ve always been in good contact with our airline partners. Our marketing support for Delta, who has been attacked by their own American customers, has not wavered since. If something bad turns out, it will not affect us but Delta who has 3000 US employees. Miss Grace has been very irresponsible not leaving room for speculation, punishing the people working for Delta. How will she justify their job loss? We spoke to the producers of her CNN show telling them that she is not acting responsibly. That if she wants to punish the island out of her own personal mission, that is something else. And that it is unfair punishing a country because of a few that have and may have not committed a crime as nobody has been officially charged until today. She has not given us enough time, The Scott Peterson case took 8 months and the Shasta Groene case, 6 weeks until a waitress was able to identify her at the diner. She needs to give the investigation time to solve the case until then, she cannot give her opinion. People are still innocent until proven guilty. Her producer said we hear you and we understand. But that was the end of it!Heyer: How does the Aruban tourism authority wish to move on from here and face the challenges of the future after closure on the Holloway case will have been reached?
Lopez: We want closure as much as the family does. We also want to be able to give space to the investigation, for it to take its course and be as thorough as possible, bringing perpetrators to justice. For tourism, it is important that we are out there, keeping and reinforcing our message that Aruba is a safe place and that all Americans are welcome to our island. There had been rumours that Americans are not welcome anymore as a consequence of the media hype. On the contrary, Aruba is as hospitable as ever. We look forward to having the US visitors come and enjoy our forthcoming activities such as the Aruba Music Festival, the International Salsa Festival and other concerts. It is business as usual in Aruba. The crime investigation is happening away from the activities. Thus tourists should know they can come to Aruba and not think their hard-earned vacation will be affected. Our PR activities are ongoing. Travelers who have booked to come have not cancelled. Our ACE Aruba Certified Agents have not stopped selling Aruba because they know they can sell us from experience.
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NANCY GRACE, HOST: Tonight, breaking news. We go live to Aruba and the search for 18-year-old Alabama beauty Natalee Holloway. The Aruban government strikes a mortal blow to the search for Natalee on DNA taken from the three chief suspects.And tonight, Investigators formally launch a search of a massive landfill on the southern tip of the tiny island. Firefighters still working tonight to drain a pond that could reveal answers to Natalee's disappearance. But tonight, sea water keeps rushing back into the pond as quickly as they can pump. Three suspects now spotted at that pond the night Natalee disappeared not by one, but two witness who have just come forward.
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And breaking news. Live to Aruba and the search for 18-year-old Natalee Holloway. Firefighters working around the clock, still fighting the forces of nature that are keeping a local pond from being drained.And tonight, tractor, bulldozer, high-tech detection equipment at work even into the dark at that landfill in Aruba. Two suspects free, while a judge's son, Joran van der Sloot, still behind bars.And tonight, an Aruban judge deals a death blow to the search for Natalee, throwing out DNA evidence on the three suspects. Tonight, in Aruba, Jossy Mansur. He is the managing director and editor of ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" newspaper. Natalee's uncle, Paul Reynolds is with us. In Atlanta, T.J. Ward, private Investigator on the case, hired by the family. In Salt Lake City, Captain Roger Winkler, Utah division commander of investigations unit there at the Salt Lake Police department. In Denver, defense attorney Lisa Wayne. In New York, defense attorney Debra Opri. And with us in New York, psychoanalyst Bethany Marshall.But first let's go to Aruba and CNN correspondent Susan Candiotti. Susan, bring me up to date, friend.SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Nancy, let's see. Where do we begin? First of all, let's talk a little bit about this important DNA ruling from the judge today, a judge throwing out DNA evidence that had been collected from two of the three named suspects in the case. In the case of, first of all, Satish Kalpoe, who has been released from jail, the judge ruled that there were not sufficient grounds to collect that DNA evidence in the first place, the saliva sample. Now, the judge said that if prosecutors come up with sufficient grounds, they are permitted to refile.In the case of Joran van der Sloot, who remains in jail behind bars, the judge ruled that there are sufficient grounds to collect a DNA sample from him. However, there are some of what the judge described as missing documents, but not specifying what kind of documents, and that prosecutors need to get those documents into the file and then they can refile their motion. But in the meantime, Nancy, the current DNA samples that were collected must be destroyed.GRACE: Now, that goes to Satish Kalpoe and Joran van der Sloot. It's my understanding we likely would have gotten the same ruling with Deepak, the other Deepak -- Deepak Kalpoe, but his lawyer didn't find the motion, right?CANDIOTTI: Apparently not.GRACE: Well, I'm stunned. I'm stunned that the judge has thrown out this DNA evidence. Susan Candiotti, what about the landfill? What can you tell me?CANDIOTTI: Well, according to sources familiar with the investigation, at least one witness has come forward who claims to have seen more than one person dumping what the witness says could have been a body. The body was, I am told, covered in some fashion, and that this happened at a public landfill not long before closing time.Now, when this happened, sources close to the investigation would not tell me exactly when this happened. But again, it was close to closing time. And this is a landfill where the public can go and dispose of waste. Now, this same witness claims to have told Police that he saw a vehicle and was able to provide a tag number to Police. I am told that this is a registered car in Aruba, but I can't tell you more than that.GRACE: So is this witness the tin man?CANDIOTTI: You know...GRACE: The man who collects metal, iron, copper, whatever, at the landfill?CANDIOTTI: I don't know that. The person's occupation has been described to me as a handyman.GRACE: I want to go to Jossy Mansur with "Diario." Jossy, do we know if this witness, who is now giving a car tag number and a very detailed statement about seeing people putting what may have been a body into the landfill -- is it the same guy you told us about last night?You're taking a look, everybody -- this is video of the landfill, where a witness has stepped forward as of tonight, stating he observed people, several of them, throwing what could have been a body into the landfill around the time of Natalee's disappearance.Jossy, is it the same guy who collects metal?JOSSY MANSUR, MANAGING EDITOR, ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario": Yes, ma'am, it is exactly the same person. He did give the description that he saw a car there, a white pick-up, with three male occupants throwing something that looked like a body, carried by two of them into that rubble that you see over there, that big bunch of thrown-away bags of garbage.GRACE: OK. Jossy, is there any way to tie in a white pick-up to this scenario?MANSUR: Yes, ma'am, because there's another witness that, before that, told someone that works at the hotels that he saw a white pick-up over there by the "Holiday Inn," in which three persons were also in, all of them male, carrying what looked like the body of a girl, putting it in the back of the white pick-up and driving away with it.GRACE: OK. So you've got a white pick-up at the "Holiday Inn," where Natalee was staying. You've got a white pick-up at the landfill. Both eyewitnesses state that there were three individuals, I'm assuming male. But can they give an identification of Joran van der Sloot or the Kalpoe brothers?MANSUR: None of them have given that kind of a description. They haven't identified the three males. But it's very important to note that the witness on the beach by the "Holiday Inn" has absolutely no knowledge of the witness over there to the east side of the island by the landfill or dump. They don't know each other, but still they give the same description of the same white pick-up.GRACE: OK, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Jossy Mansur, remember the fishermen that were out in the water? Didn't they state they saw a pick-up along the beach that night?MANSUR: Probably. I don't know. I haven't made any statements to that effect, ma'am.GRACE: Take a listen to this.(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE'S MOTHER: We've been going through this since June 10. What have I not been exposed to? What have I not been put through? Where has she not been? It just -- it's been endless. You know, until I am shown definitively, of course, I'm going to have hope that she's alive.(END VIDEO CLIP)GRACE: I want to go to Captain Roger Winkler with Salt Lake City Police Department. Sir, you were part of the search for Lori Hacking. Everyone, you will recall Lori Hacking was murdered by her husband, Mark Hacking, and finally, after weeks of searching, this American beauty's remains were found in a dump, a landfill. Tell us about that search and how difficult it is, Captain.CAPT. ROGER WINKLER, SALT LAKE CITY POLICE: Well, it's extremely physical -- physically demanding. It takes just a lot of hard work to get through this debris. Our primary search was to do a visual search of all debris, looking for any evidence that we could find on this case. Involved the use of large pieces of heavy equipment. We initially were looking at moving approximately 4,500 tons of debris. It wound up being closer to approximately 10,000 tons of debris, going through this by hand with rakes under difficult conditions. We had weather. We had insects. We had the physically demanding conditions, as well as the smell associated with the landfill.And going through that debris, doing a physical and visual search of all debris to identify evidence and then preserve that for court, is very demanding.GRACE: Captain, remember when it became so hot that the dogs had to be taken in, the cadaver dogs, because they couldn't keep working in the heat?WINKLER: Yes, ma'am. We actually had to change our whole operation to a -- basically, a graveyard operation, where we were working a late- night shift. So we would start at dark and finish up before daylight just because the dogs were overheating so badly.GRACE: Back to Jossy Mansur. Who is searching the landfill? Are any F.B.I. there, or is it just the Aruban authorities?MANSUR: I believe it's the EquuSearch team from Texas and also accompanied by a few individuals, private, our reporters, and the search-and-rescue party from Aruba. There's a whole bunch of people that have been searching all day long.GRACE: Are there any dogs involved?MANSUR: Well, I see stray dogs walking all over the place, but I don't think I (ave...GRACE: That's not what I had in mind! That's not exactly what I had in mind. I meant bloodhounds, scent dogs or cadaver dogs.I want to go very quickly to Paul Reynolds, Natalee's uncle. Sir, thank you for being with us. Do you think you're seeing a light at the end of the tunnel?PAUL REYNOLDS, NATALEE'S UNCLE: We've seen a significant change in the investigation. We feel it is becoming much more aggressive, much more responsive. We feel like that is a significant factor in allowing these witnesses to come forward and bring information. I think they feel more confident in their ability to do that. And we're very appreciative of that, and we feel that's going to help us resolve this case.GRACE: To Debra Opri, veteran defense attorney. Debra, you know from practicing here in the States that a murder case can be proven without a body. We saw that in the Scott Peterson case. But here, we don't have a confession. We don't have DNA. We don't have any forensic evidence. But Debra, just how valuable is it that Joran van der Sloot has changed his story up to 22 times now, including, according to Jossy Mansur, stating that a Kalpoe brother raped and murdered Natalee?DEBRA OPRI, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, here in the states, they don't put much credence on behavioral evidence. Look what happened with Scott Peterson. In Aruba, it may be different...GRACE: Well, he got convicted.OPRI: Well, we were lucky, but...GRACE: He got the death penalty!OPRI: No, we were lucky that it got to the media and Amber came out.But let me tell you something. I'll tell you what I'm troubled about in this investigation. I'm starting to develop an opinion that we have a severely bungled investigation because 61 days later, if they find that body now, what is she, a skeleton? What kind of evidence are we going to be left with, other than somebody saying, I can positively identify that truck?Look to why that landfill was not looked at in the early days of the investigation. If somebody's going to dump a body, why didn't these Investigators say, number one, take all the cadaver dogs immediately, go to all the landfills? How many landfills are on the island of Aruba? Were any of the landfills traced? Why is it, after they only get a million dollars together, the parents of Natalee, that somebody suddenly decides, Hey, gee...GRACE: Oh, here she goes!OPRI: No, I'm telling you, that should have...GRACE: Second verse same as the first!OPRI: Nancy! Nancy, the landfill should have been looked at early on, not 61 days later.GRACE: You're preaching to the choir.(CROSSTALK)GRACE: We've been screaming about the landfill from the get-go. But one thing they had in the Scott Peterson case that they don't have in the Joran van der Sloot case is the remains. They had Laci Peterson.OPRI: They may have remains, but we're not going to have much after 61 days.GRACE: We'll see. We'll see. I think you're likely right.To Lisa Wayne, she's right about this. The case was bungled from the get-go. I know the Aruban government hates it when we say that, but that is the reality.Elizabeth (ph), do we have that list so far? Oh, OK. Take a look at this, Lisa Wayne. Let's go. Number one, blood found in the car was reported on national TV. Not! Blood found on a mattress. It was a dog's blood. Bones were found. That made the headlines. They were donkey bones. Confession. That was widely reported, then retracted. Ten-day delay in searching the getaway car belonging to Joran van der Sloot. They gave the suspects alone time in a car together to cook up their story, handcuffed together.Round one, catch and release. The two security guards wrongfully arrested. They stay behind bars for weeks. Catch and release two. Judge Paul van der Sloot. We've gotten familiar with his backside as he runs from questions. Round three, catch and release. Remember the party boat deejay, Steve Croes? That's not all. Catch and release round four, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe.Very quickly to Bethany Marshall. Now the F.B.I. is being allowed to take part in the case. That should give us some encouragement.BETHANY MARSHALL, PSYCHOANALYST: I hope so. I mean, when you really look at this crime, it was planned, purposeful and predatory. Joran van der Sloot told a lie to Natalee when he first met her at the nightclub. He told her he was a foreign exchange student in order to gain her trust. This is a part of a crime that was planned. And here this kid -- if the allegations are true, the kid has the whole thing planned out, although he does get sloppy at the end. He has to tell the 22 lies to cover his tracks. But the people investigating the case can't carry out a thorough and thoughtful plan of their own.GRACE: We'll all be right back. We are live in Aruba and the search for Natalee Holloway. Breaking news not only in the search of the landfill, the draining of a pond, but a mortal blow to the search for Natalee dealt by none other than a set of Aruban judges. Stay with us.(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)TWITTY: (INAUDIBLE) coming forward. I'm really encouraged, Nancy. I mean, I think that's a huge step forward for us. And you know, maybe it's taken him a little while to have some assurance and trust in order to come forward and make sure there are no repercussions for him coming forth with this information.(END VIDEO CLIP)(COMMERCIAL BREAK)GRACE: A $1 million reward offered for Natalee Holloway's safe return, $100,000 reward for information on her whereabouts. Tip line, 877- 628-2533. Call toll-free.Welcome back, everybody. Very quickly, to Jossy Mansur with "Diario." Jossy, what can you tell us about the investigation?MANSUR: The investigation itself is going ahead full-time, full speed. The interrogations of the person still in custody is going on every day. And the Police is exercising, as well as the whole community, whatever activity is necessary to try to find this girl, alive, if possible, if she still is. If not, in whatever shape she is in now.GRACE: All right, Jossy, can you tell me about the equipment now being used? I understand bulldozers and very high-tech -- I call it a dust-buster, but it searches down into the dirt to look.MANSUR: It searches into the dirt to look. It also separates all these bags of garbage that you see lying around in heaps with some care. And then you have all these people poking with sticks and everything else into all of this garbage that they have to look through. It's a physical, time-consuming job.GRACE: To Paul Reynolds. All the equipment that is being brought in for Natalee's search -- does that hearten the family at all?REYNOLDS: All of the assistance that we have received, the equipment that's coming in, the assistance from EquuSearch has been a tremendous support for us. You know, we're struggling to understand some of the things that were done in the investigation, you know, why the Kalpoe brothers were released. They were covering up a crime. It tells us they have knowledge of a crime. And you know, we're hoping with the witnesses that are coming forward now, we can find more reasons to bring them into custody and continue questioning them.GRACE: To Jossy Mansur. What is it exactly, Jossy, they're looking for in the pond? We know this pond had very little water in it at the time Natalee went missing, so it's not a body.MANSUR: I don't know what they're looking for. Some say a shoe. I don't know what kind of a shoe. But from the information that we have from the Police, they are looking for a body somewhere near there.GRACE: OK. Very quickly, Susan Candiotti, please explain to us what is taking so long to drain the pond.CANDIOTTI: Well, part of the problem, as I understand it, is that there's ground water. I mean, we're very close -- that pond is very close to the ocean here, I mean, a few hundred yards, let's say. And so even though they're draining, draining, draining, draining, I think that is part of the problem. That's how EquuSearch is explaining it. And so those pumps are going around the clock even as we speak, over my shoulder, but it's too dark to tell. They've got some lights going on. So they're trying the best they can to get it out.Now, earlier today, they did bring in some equipment, including equipment that can determine methane gas, the presence of methane gas, which might indicate a body being present. But it turned up nothing. They're going to try again tomorrow.GRACE: Yes, when a body decomposes, it releases methane gas.We'll all be right back. We are live in Aruba.But quickly, to "Trial Tracking." Tonight, the search goes on for 24- year-old LaToyia Figueroa, 5 months pregnant, the mother of a 7-year-old little girl. LaToyia disappeared in Philadelphia 11 long days ago after a doctor's appointment. No activity on her cell phone or bank card.(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)LT. FRANK VANORE, PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT: She was last seen on Monday, we know -- that's 7/18, Monday, around 3:00 PM in the area of 59 (ph) and Walton (ph). Since then, we've done numerous surveys of that area. We've gone door to door. The family has surveyed the area and surrounding areas along with us. So what we're looking for is anyone who thinks they may have seen her not only that Monday, but any time after that. We'd like to talk to them.(END VIDEO CLIP)GRACE: Take a look. If you have any information on LaToyia Figueroa, please call the Philadelphia Police, 215-686-3183. There is a $10,000 reward.(COMMERCIAL BREAK)GRACE: You are seeing a live shot from Aruba. As we speak, a pond very near the "Holiday Inn" where Natalee Holloway was staying on her high school senior trip -- this pond is being drained. As you can see, bright searchlights light up the pond for firefighters to continue draining that pond. What are authorities looking for? We don't know. But we do know they believe that pond will yield some answers. And in case you need it, guys, my producer, Elizabeth, brought this along to try to help, since things are going so slowly, a little dip (ph) action.You know what, Susan Candiotti? They promised us last week it was going to take two days to drain this pond. What happened?CANDIOTTI: Well, that was actually earlier this week, actually.GRACE: I'm going to Fedex this to you, Susan. I'm Fedexing this, and I want you to hand it over to the Aruban authorities!CANDIOTTI: Nancy?GRACE: Yes?CANDIOTTI: I'll let you do that.GRACE: OK.(LAUGHTER)CANDIOTTI: Anyway, no, they're -- what's taking them long is because of this groundwater that's apparently -- that's what the authorities seem to think is part of the problem. But they're pumping all night long, all day, all night and they hope to be able to get in there tomorrow. The plan is to get some bulldozers in there, if they want to use it, to get people to walk through the pond area, once they get the water level down, and see whether they find any areas that they want to concentrate on.GRACE: And I've only got a couple of seconds left, Susan. But Susan's not going away. She's staying with us. What are they planning to do when they get the majority of the water out?CANDIOTTI: They're planning on doing a walk through that muck and see whether they want to pinpoint certain areas.GRACE: OK.CANDIOTTI: Then bring the bulldozer in.GRACE: We'll be right back with Susan Candiotti and Jossy Mansur. Stay with us.(COMMERCIAL BREAK) GRACE: Again, this is a live shot, straight from Aruba, firefighters working around the clock, draining a pond, a fairly large pond, searching for clues in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. Those bright lights have been set up to allow them to work through the night. Now, this pond is not too, far away from the "Holiday Inn" where Natalee was staying. Here's a shot, a map to help us understand. You see the "Holiday Inn" far left, the Marriott in the middle and the pond across the tracks.Welcome back, everybody. I'm Nancy Grace. Thank you for being with us. Very quickly, to Natalee's uncle. Joining us is Paul Reynolds. Paul, I understand that you took it upon yourself to go search the area of the of the Holiday Inn.REYNOLDS: Actually, I was following the EquuSearch people that were doing the ground-penetrating sonar over on the beach just north of the Marriott. And one of the EquuSearch personnel that I was speaking to had found something suspicious over -- under some trees adjacent to the north side of the Marriott.GRACE: Hold on. Hold on, Paul. This is a live shot of what he's talking about, near the hotels. Go ahead, Paul.REYNOLDS: We went over there and found a suspicious-looking bag, a small bag, but, you know, had a strong odor about it. We weren't sure what it was. We were looking around the area. We detected some strange-looking mounds close to that and some strange odors coming in that area.We contacted the Police. They sent some detectives over there, and you know, brought a dog over there to check it out. You know, I'm not sure that we found anything, but you know, it gives us confidence in the responsiveness of the investigation, the intensity. You know, while Dave and EquuSearch and all them are over at the landfill, you know, we're still looking in other places. It's -- you know, we're -- it's a multi-faceted investigation. And it's this much awareness and intensity that gives us hope.GRACE: To T.J. Ward. He is the private Investigator hired by Natalee's family. T.J., you told us the other night that a woman who lived -- who was staying in a home near that racquet club, where the van der Sloot's are members, had seen Joran van der Sloot's car driving around, I believe we said, three times. Very unusual. And we launched into a discussion about how criminals often go back to the scene of the crime almost instinctively. Now an interpretation what was she's saying is different. Response?T. J. WARD, INVESTIGATOR HIRED BY NATALEE'S FAMILY: Well, I don't know how she could change her story because when I took her statement from her, she described a car to a T. And then about 30 minutes later, I came back with a picture from law enforcement that was used when they took the -- Deepak's car into custody and took pictures of it. And she specifically said, That's the car. That's the car that I saw a week after the 28th -- I mean, the 29th and 30th of May, that was seen three times in the subdivision of the racquet club, where she lives, and was around the subdivision, and so on and so forth.The funny thing about this is if the gardener's story is correct and the center of attraction for the past six weeks now, the bringing the -- bringing Joran out to the -- Joran van der Sloot out to the beach by the Marriott, then this, in fact, would put this in the vicinity where it's happened.I heard about the landfill yesterday. I'm in Atlanta, and I'll be returning to Aruba on Sunday. But I heard about the landfill yesterday, and it's extremely a long way away from the timeline. If this gardener had seen, at around 2:00 AM on the 29th into the 30th -- saw Joran van der Sloot in the front seat of the car, covering his face and Deepak and his brother in the back seat, bending down so the gardener couldn't see him, then the area in which we should be searching -- of course, that's why we're draining the lake.Now, we have to take into consideration that the construction that's going on in this subdivision and all the tools that are out around the new homes and all, it would make sense. The water in the area around the 28th -- I mean, the 29th and 30th of May was only about inch or two deep, according to the witness that I interviewed...GRACE: Right.T. J. WARD: ... who's now changed her story. Now, just taking into consideration the gardener (INAUDIBLE) They could have -- they just would not have enough time to go to the landfill, if the timeline in which it's been -- has been considered all along, were taking Joran van der Sloot out to the beach.GRACE: OK. Well, T.J. Ward, you've been under cross-exam many times in court in Atlanta, so this is a tiny taste of what you're looking at if you ever become a state's witness in this case. Of course, everyone is going to try to discredit what you or your witness said.Here, I'm just wondering why, Bethany Marshall, a witness may back away from a statement. Very quickly.MARSHALL: Well, I think that in third-world countries, witnesses are often very afraid to come forward, especially once a case like this gets publicized. They're afraid of being caught in the crossfire.GRACE: You know, Lisa Wayne, I once had a judge I tried a lot of cases in front of. He was 84 years old, and he would tell the jury every trial, Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it's your duty to try to make all witnesses speak the truth, impugning perjury on no one. Now, when I consider timelines, and you've got various people throwing in their two cents about what they saw at a certain time, it is very easy to make a mistake about what time you saw what, Lisa.LISA WAYNE, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, I agree with you, Nancy. And making a mistake, though, when you're talking about making an accusation is a big deal. And what we have here is a classic situation of witnesses coming forward when there's been a time delay and media saturation as to this case. And you have no idea what the reliability might be of these witnesses at 61 days. It's very, very difficult. So you have to scrutinize that.And I have to tell you, I'm a little defensive of the law enforcement down in Aruba and the Aruban people because you know what? It seems to me they're trying very hard to make sure...GRACE: Oh!WAYNE: ... if they find -- if there is a suspect, it looks likes like one who has stayed in jail, which would have never happened in this country. They let innocent people go, and they're scrutinizing. So...GRACE: Well, I'm glad you've decided everybody's innocent before trial because...(CROSSTALK)GRACE: If I could finish! If I could finish! Jossy Mansur described a Police report in which Joran van der Sloot said a Kalpoe brother raped and murdered Holloway. Now, to me, that is very, very incriminating!To Debra Opri, response?OPRI: Well, Lisa, I'm going to say, for Lisa's point of view, I think you're putting it too far out there. What we need to see here is -- and Nancy, I think you've opened yet another door in this investigation tonight. We may have witness-tampering. We may have these people giving honest-to-God statements and then somebody getting to them afterwards, basically telling them to change their stories. If that's the case, we have a high-level problem.The other thing I need to mention, and you need to let your audience know this, until we have a crime scene, until we find a body, until we have a confession, we still have a missing girl, and we should be exploring searching other islands.UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Nancy...GRACE: You are seeing a live shot, everyone, of a chopper flying around the pond, even as we speak. Apparently, all methods possible are being used to find Natalee at this juncture. Maybe it's late. We're into day 61, but it seems to me that we can learn a lot -- we can determine a lot by the seriousness in which they are pursuing, Susan Candiotti, this pond.CANDIOTTI: Well, Nancy, of course, it's important to note here, we don't know what this helicopter is. I can't tell, because it's too dark, whether it's a Police helicopter. It could be a tourist helicopter. It could be a media-hired helicopter. We really do not know, and it's really important to point that out. But it certainly is circling the pond with a searchlight.GRACE: OK, let me -- Elizabeth, did you not just tell me that this is a Police chopper? Right. Susan, we're hearing on the ground in Aruba that this is a Police chopper. But you are right. We can't see it, but we're being told that it is a Police chopper.Jossy Mansur, a lot of energy, a lot of resources and manpower are on this pond.MANSUR: Yes, ma'am. And it must be for a specific reason. It must be because the authorities have leads that they are very reluctant to release as to what has happened and what they're looking for at this point. I don't think they're going to do all this investigation, all this digging, all this pumping for nothing. They must have some strong leads on which they are basing all this effort.GRACE: So tonight, a dual attack in the search for Natalee Holloway. As you can see, pumping going on through the night there at the pond. Also, a landfill is being searched as we speak. We are live in Aruba and the search for Natalee Holloway.As we go to break, I wand to remind you, we at NANCY GRACE want very much to help in our way solve unsolved homicides, find missing people. Tonight, take a look at Brenda Middlekauff, 40 years old. She disappeared July 19, 2002, from LePine, Oregon. Investigators found her body July, 2005, three years later. Police say her husband, who has a criminal history, is a person of interest. If you have any information on Brenda Middlekauff, call the Deschutes County sheriff, 541-383-4396. Please help us.(COMMERCIAL BREAK)GRACE: Welcome back, everybody. Million-dollar reward still up for Natalee's safe return, $100,000 for information on her.Very quickly, before we go to the missing groom story, Susan Candiotti, about this witness, thoughts?CANDIOTTI: Yes. This is the woman who spoke with T.J. Ward, the private Investigator. Nancy, I went over and spoke with her this day, and I also spoke with the interpreter who was with T.J. Ward when he talked with her. I saw the notes that the interpreter made after talking with this woman, who speaks only Spanish. I speak some Spanish.This woman said that she did not change her story, that this is what she told to the private Investigator, and this matches up with what the interpreter's notes also read. She said she wasn't ever sure of the color. She said it was blue or gray. She said that she saw it at least a couple of weeks afterwards. And she said that about 30 minutes after she met with the private eye, that two Police officers came over and talked with her, and she told them the same thing, and that the Police are now -- or rather, law enforcement sources, I should say, are telling us, quote, "It was not what we were looking for." Quote, "It was not the Kalpoe brothers' car." That's from law enforcement.GRACE: Susan Candiotti there in Aruba, thank you, friend.
On 7-29 DAVE HOLLOWAY stated to FOX News (VIDEO here )
7-30-05
If the ARUBAAN's already had a backhoe available at the dump that DAVE HOLLOWAY and MEL saw on 9-20-05 digging, why was it never used to help during the searches there?
On 7-30 “Texas EquuSearch” representatives went to the Murder Suspects SLOOT’s home to ask if they could search the property. Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT denied them access and, TIM MILLER implied that Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT cussed them out. “Texas EquuSearch“ then searched several locations of neighbors immediately around the property (including a septic tank, the access cover to which is situated directly behind the Murder Suspects SLOOT‘s property).
(seems to us that a truly innocent man would want to let them search, and, therefore clear himself and his son)
On 7-30 the pond near the “Marriott Hotel” beach and the “Aruba Racquet Club” was still being drained, and searched in spots where possible. So far, no significant evidence items have been reported publicly to have been found. The reason it is taking longer than expected to drain (although some people did predict it would take 1 day to 1 week) the pond is because it is slightly below sea-level, and underground water keeps seeping back into the pond.
On 7-30 “Texas EquuSearch” continued using the bulldozer and backhoe to search in the dump landfill on the southeast side of the island, and searching the draining pond, and the “Marriott Hotel“ beach area near the fishermen‘s hut.
On 7-30 the PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA “Post Gazette” reported:
Ex-Secret Service agent from city aids in Aruba searchSaturday, July 30, 2005By David Templeton, Pittsburgh Post-GazetteA former Pittsburgh Secret Service special agent has found himself in the middle of the Natalee Holloway murder investigation -- the Aruba case that's drawn worldwide attention.Arthur E. Wood Volunteering his time, Arthur E. Wood has produced a key witness whose testimony, he said, "kills the alibis" of three key suspects. The testimony persuaded police to drain a 30-acre pond in hopes of finding the body of the 18-year-old Birmingham, Ala., woman, who disappeared May 30.Wood said two suspects who were released from jail should be rearrested. Based on other leads, he and his crew also have begun searching an Aruban landfill for Holloway's body.Wood, 56, formerly of West Alexander, Washington County, retired from the Secret Service in 1996 and now lives with his wife, Paula, in Ocala, Fla.Now a private investigator, he e-mailed Jossy Mansur, owner of Aruba's Spanish daily newspaper, Diario, and the English paper, The Aruba Daily, with ideas about investigating the case. Mansur invited Wood to the Caribbean island off the coast of Venezuela to head a newspaper investigation of Holloway's disappearance.Wood has worked six weeks in Aruba."He has brought a lot of investigative knowledge to the case, and he has the respect of everyone," Mansur said. "He's done a wonderful job."Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe were arrested and jailed on suspicion of murder, but then released. Joran van der Sloot remains in an Aruban jail in connection with Holloway's disappearance.A key new development occurred when Wood heard a jailhouse story that Deepak Kalpoe had turned pale, then angry, during a dominoes game when another inmate provided accusatory hearsay. The inmate said a relative told him about a gardener's claim he'd seen the three suspects on a racket club roadway at 2:30 to 3 a.m. the day Holloway vanished.That story prompted Wood and crew to search monthlong for the gardener, who went by a common nickname and was Colombian.When Wood found him, the gardener recounted his experience of driving along a dirt road on racket club property at 2:30 to 3 a.m. that day and having to veer, then stop, because a sports car was blocking the road.He told Wood the three tried hiding their faces and ducking out of view inside the car. But the witness was certain they were the three suspects, said Wood, who persuaded the witness to take his story to police."This kills their alibi. Their timeline is destroyed by this witness," Wood said, noting their claims they left Holloway safely on a nearby beach about 1:30 a.m. before heading home.Wood said the gardener's testimony provides enough evidence to rearrest the Kalpoe brothers.That hasn't happened, but police did stage a re-enactment, then began draining the racket club pond along the dirt road in hopes of finding Holloway's body.Wood said he's not convinced the body is there.If her body were thrown into the pond, it would have resurfaced by now, he said, unless it had been weighted down. He doubts they had time to do that.Since then, Wood said, he has found another witness who said he saw three people burying a body in an Aruba landfill two days after Holloway's disappearance. With that information, Wood and crew got a permit, rented a backhoe and have begun searching for her body in the landfill."The man is a tremendous investigator," Mansur said. "He's been busy day and night, talking with people undercover and bringing very good information forward."Wood this week has been interviewed about the Holloway case on NBC, MSNBC, Fox, CNN and other stations.A native of Wheeling, W.Va., Wood joined the Secret Service in 1975. The federal law enforcement agency, best known for protecting presidents, also is responsible for investigating counterfeiting and financial crimes.During his 21-year career, he was assigned to protect every president from Jimmy Carter to Bill Clinton, along with former Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford and foreign dignitaries.In 1989, he was reassigned to Pittsburgh, where he investigated and helped solve a complicated Nigerian credit card scam, which led to the deportation of a number of Nigerians.
7-31-05
If the ARUBAAN's already had a backhoe available at the dump that DAVE HOLLOWAY and MEL saw on 9-20-05 digging, why was it never used to help during the searches there?
On 7-31 MSNBC reported about the landfill search for NATALEE’s remains (VIDEO)
On 7-31 the “AP” reported:
Police search landfill for Natalee
ORANJESTAD, Aruba — Police and volunteers used heavy equipment, shovels and trained dogs to pick through a landfill Saturday where a witness claims he saw men dumping the body of a blond-haired woman two days after Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway vanished.
Crews stopped the search late Saturday without finding anything, but planned to start again today, said Tim Miller, director of the volunteer Texas EquuSearch, which is coordinating the landfill search.
Miller said the witness claimed to have seen the men dumping the body on the afternoon of June 1.
The witness, an Aruban man who claimed to be dropping off trash at the time of the incident, has been questioned by the F.B.I. and Aruban Police, Miller said. "He said he saw a face, blond hair and a woman's chest, and that the body was dumped and covered," Miller said. "His story has been consistent."
The witness could not identify the men but said they were driving a light-colored jeep, Miller said. The witness told his brother what he saw soon afterward, and the brother told Police, he said.
Police spokesman Edwin Comenencia said Police searched the landfill after receiving the tip in days following Holloway's disappearance, but found nothing. He said the witness recently approached Holloway's family, who asked for another search.
"We had been there already and found nothing," Comenencia said. "But now the witness went to the family, and we said, 'OK, if you still want to search there, it's no problem.' "
Holloway's family has offered a US$1 million reward for information leading to Natalee's safe return, and a separate US$100,000 award for information that help solves the mystery. It was unclear if the witness had been seeking the reward.
The witness was at the landfill Saturday, trying to guide search crews to the location where he believed the body was dumped, Miller said. Miller said [he] spoke to the witness Friday when the landfill search began.
The landfill is on the southern part of the Dutch Caribbean island, the opposite side from where Holloway was last seen in the early hours of May 30.
Reporters were not allowed inside the site but could see the rescue crews and Police working from a distance.
It was unclear whether the landfill's administrative offices keeps records of vehicles entering the site. Calls to the office seeking comment were not immediately returned.
Miller said the search was difficult because the garbage is compacted, forcing crews to dig through refuse several yards (meters) deep.
"If Natalee is in here, it's going to be very hard to find her body," said Miller. "It would be very decomposed by now."
On the opposite side of Aruba, Police ordered crews to stop draining a pond near the Marriott Hotel, Comenencia said. They found no clues to Holloway's disappearance, he said.
Crews began draining the pond Tuesday, but it was still several feet (less than a meter) deep Saturday. Comenencia declined to say how Investigators reached the decision to stop draining it.
The pond became an area of interest after another witness claimed he saw three young men, including a Dutch youth who has been detained in the case, driving near it the night Holloway disappeared.
The witness told Investigators that he saw Joran van der Sloot, 17, and two Surinamese brothers driving near the pond between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. — a time they previously told Investigators they were already home, said Vinda de Sousa, a lawyer for the Holloway-Twitty family.
Extensive searches by Dutch marines, Aruban Police, and thousands of volunteers have found no trace of Holloway, who disappeared on the final night of a high school graduation trip to the Dutch Caribbean island.
No one has been charged in the case and van der Sloot is the only person detained as a suspect. The Surinamese brothers, 18-year-old Satish and 21-year-old Deepak Kalpoe, were previously held and released.
On 7-31 “Riehl World View” wrote,
Natalee Holloway Left Carlos And Charlie's With Deepak
In what was a controversial story at the time, I reported that Natalee Holloway left Carlos and Charlie's with Deepak Kalpoe and not Joran van der Sloot. In addition to sources used for that first report, I have now confirmed through another independent witness that the report was in fact accurate.
In attempts to re-construct the time-line for the night of Natalee Holloway's disappearance, it now seems that she did leave first with Joran van der Sloot - but the two did not walk off together immediately.
At some point after most of Natalee's friends drifted away, Joran v d Sloot and Satish Kalpoe are thought to have left the front of the club, perhaps to return to Deepak's car.
Natalee then went back inside the club very briefly before emerging with the elder Kalpoe brother, who, as previously reported, was said to have been holding her by the arm. That has been described as non-romantic in nature and more consistent with an effort to assist one as they walk. At some point during that time period an unidentified Mountain Brook student is reported to have asked her if she was "Okay." It's believed she responded that she was.
The two are said to have been observed walking up the street from C and C some 80 to 100 yards, passing by the other nightclubs on the street until at or through a nearby intersection. At some point time after they disappeared from view, the three boys and Natalee Holloway are reported to have come back through the area, all seated in the car of Deepak Kalpoe. The car containing Natalee Holloway is said to have been observed by another Mountain Brook student who was located upon the porch of another nightclub.
On 7-31 CNN reported:
LAW CENTER
Missing teen's mother leaves Aruba
Pond drained, but no new evidence discovered
PALM BEACH, Aruba (CNN) -- After spending two months on Aruba following the disappearance of her daughter, the mother of missing Alabama teen Natalee Holloway has returned home to Birmingham indefinitely.
Beth Holloway Twitty will return to the island if there are any developments in Holloway's case.
Meanwhile, a search of an Aruban pond has ended with no sign of the missing teen, said the lead Investigator on the case.
"The search at the pond is over," Roy Trump told CNN. "It's unfortunate, of course, but there was nothing there. We're finished at the pond."
The Aruban Police Investigator said divers made several attempts to look at certain areas of the pond in the small amount of water remaining but did not find anything of interest.
The pond was searched because of its proximity to a spot where a witness claimed he saw the three men named as suspects in Holloway's disappearance sitting in a car.
Brothers Satish and Deepak Kalpoe and their friend Joran van der Sloot were the last to be seen with her when she left a popular bar May 30.
Van der Sloot remains in custody. The Kalpoe brothers have been released for insufficient evidence, but they remain suspects in the case.
In addition to the pond, Trump said authorities are searching a landfill for the third time since a witness came forward shortly after Holloway disappeared.
The witness claimed he saw more than one person dump into the landfill something he believes could have been a covered body, CNN has learned from sources briefed on the investigation. The witness also gave Police a license tag number that reportedly belonged to a white pickup truck.
Police tell CNN that a tag check found that the vehicle was not at the landfill at or around the time the witness claimed.
About 11 members of EquuSearch, a Dickinson, Texas-based volunteer group that specializes in searches, also combed through the landfill Saturday. Spokesman Kevin O'Brien said the search was going "slow, very slow, with lots and lots of digging in pretty unpleasant conditions."
O'Brien said three cadaver dogs hit on specific areas within the landfill early Saturday, but a physical search located three containers of medical waste instead.
"So it's back to square one," O'Brien said.
The FBI had also combed the landfill with a dog but found nothing.
On the legal front
An Aruban appeals court Friday rejected both a prosecution request for van der Sloot's DNA samples -- and a defense request for Satish Kalpoe's DNA samples.
The attorney for Deepak Kalpoe did not file a motion in time to request his.
The appeals court did rule in favor of the prosecution on allowing van der Sloot to be transferred from his jail cell to the downtown Police station for any further interrogation. His lawyer had fought that motion.
Authorities must notify van der Sloot's attorney before he is questioned again, and the attorney must be present for the interrogation.
Holloway, an 18-year-old honors student, was in Aruba with classmates to celebrate their graduation when she disappeared.
On 8-1 JUG TWITTY stated that he and BETH gathered on 7-31 with many of the Mountain Brook high school classmates who were on the ARUBA trip. (JUG TWITTY also mentioned several of them have come to his office at “Phoenix Metals” and met with him the previous week) JUG TWITTY stated they “talked about everything,” especially the events of 5-29 and 30.
On 7-31 JOSSY MANSUR stated that a third witness has come forward who within a couple days of 5-30 was near the pond saw 3 men carrying a large, black trash bag.
On 7-31 JOSSY MANSUR stated that the Police are looking for a size 14, brand “K-Swiss” tennis shoe that Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT was missing, and had tried to buy a single same tennis shoe of in the 10+ days before his arrest. The Police think the tennis shoe may be in/near the pond.
On December 6, 2005 BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY stated to FOX News that early in the investigation, the family was told by the ARUBAN Police Investigators that blood was found inside the one 5-29/30-worn “K-Swiss” brand, size 14, tennis shoe that is predominantly white with some blue trim that belongs to Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT that was taken into evidence (the other 5-29/30-worn “K-Swiss” brand, size 14 tennis shoe has--according to the ARUBAN Police authorities--never been found). The ARUBAN Police Investigators told the family that the found blood inside the one tennis shoe taken into evidence would be forensically tested, but, to date, BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY stated she does not recall for sure if the ARUBAN Police Investigators have ever reported about the results of any blood tests, nor have the ARUBAAN's even said if the blood tests have ever been completed.
On 7-31 “Texas EquuSearch” volunteers continued digging through the landfill with a bulldozer and backhoe for a third day.
On 7-31 “Texas EquuSearch” representatives went to the Murder Suspects SLOOT’s home to ask if they could search the property. Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT denied them access by not acknowledging them. (seems to us that a truly innocent man would want to let them search, and, therefore clear himself and his son)
On 7-31 EDUARDO MANSUR discussed a third witness coming forward who saw Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE , and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE near the pond who put a body into a white or light color pickup truck.
On 7-31 EDUARDO MANSUR stated that he has seen the 6-13 written and signed confession of Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT that was witnessed by 4 ARUBAN Police Interrogators
On 7-31 FOX News reported that NATALEE’s Loved Ones have been speaking with “America’s Most Wanted” TV program host, JOHN WALSH.
On 7-31 AMERICAN private Investigator T. J. WARD returned to ARUBA. T. J. WARD stated that they have applied layered voice analysis technology to several interviews recordings that Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT has done. T. J. WARD reported that the layered voice analysis revealed that in his answers and statements about several key case matters, that Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT “was being untruthful.”
On 7-31 DAVE HOLLOWAY stated that he has been working with the “Texas EquuSearch” team the past 3 days that are methodically searching through the landfill dump near San Nicolas. DAVE HOLLOWAY stated that the pond near the “Marriott” has been cleared of containing anything related to the case by the ARUBAN Police. DAVE also stated that he feels based on recent witnesses statements that Current Murder Suspect PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT , Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE , and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE should all be re-arrested and interrogated.
On 7-31 CNN reported:
Missing teen's mother leaves Aruba
Pond drained, but no new evidence discovered
PALM BEACH, Aruba (CNN) -- After spending two months on Aruba following the disappearance of her daughter, the mother of missing Alabama teen Natalee Holloway has returned home to Birmingham indefinitely.
Beth Holloway-Twitty will return to the island if there are any developments in Holloway's case.
Meanwhile, a search of an Aruban pond has ended with no sign of the missing teen, said the lead Investigator on the case.
"The search at the pond is over," Roy Trump told CNN. "It's unfortunate, of course, but there was nothing there. We're finished at the pond."
The Aruban Police Investigator said divers made several attempts to look at certain areas of the pond in the small amount of water remaining but did not find anything of interest.
The pond was searched because of its proximity to a spot where a witness claimed he saw the three men named as suspects in Holloway's disappearance sitting in a car. (Full story)
Brothers Satish and Deepak Kalpoe and their friend Joran van der Sloot were the last to be seen with her when she left a popular bar May 30.
Van der Sloot remains in custody. The Kalpoe brothers have been released for insufficient evidence, but they remain suspects in the case.
In addition to the pond, Trump said authorities are searching a landfill for the third time since a witness came forward shortly after Holloway disappeared.
The witness claimed he saw more than one person dump into the landfill something he believes could have been a covered body, CNN has learned from sources briefed on the investigation. The witness also gave Police a license tag number that reportedly belonged to a white pickup truck.
Police tell CNN that a tag check found that the vehicle was not at the landfill at or around the time the witness claimed.
About 11 members of EquuSearch, a Dickinson, Texas-based volunteer group that specializes in searches, also combed through the landfill Saturday. Spokesman Kevin O'Brien said the search was going "slow, very slow, with lots and lots of digging in pretty unpleasant conditions."
O'Brien said three cadaver dogs hit on specific areas within the landfill early Saturday, but a physical search located three containers of medical waste instead.
"So it's back to square one," O'Brien said.
The F.B.I. had also combed the landfill with a dog but found nothing.
On the legal front
An Aruban appeals court Friday rejected both a prosecution request for van der Sloot's DNA samples -- and a defense request for Satish Kalpoe's DNA samples.
The attorney for Deepak Kalpoe did not file a motion in time to request his.
The appeals court did rule in favor of the prosecution on allowing van der Sloot to be transferred from his jail cell to the downtown Police station for any further interrogation. His lawyer had fought that motion.
Authorities must notify van der Sloot's attorney before he is questioned again, and the attorney must be present for the interrogation.
Holloway, an 18-year-old honors student, was in Aruba with classmates to celebrate their graduation when she disappeared.
