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
4-18-06
On 4-18 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
His father was already questioned at the beginning of the case
Geoffrey van Cromvoirt detained as suspect in the case of the disappearance of Natalee
Perhaps a link to the case with uniform found in the Colony area near the sea
ORANJESTAD(AAN): In the noon hours of this past Saturday, the Public Prosecutor acted and detained a new person in the case of the disappearance of the student Natalee Holloway.
However, it was only in the afternoon hours that this detention was leaked to the press, and it is time to know who it is.
The youngster worked at one time for the VCB Security Company, which is also in charge of the administration of the Visibility Team in Aruba.
It can still be recalled how in the month of June 2005, when the government gave half a day free to all its workers to search, that in the vicinity of the sea, close to an area where kite surfing is done, at the entrance of Colony, a uniform of VCB (Video Camara Beveiliging) was found.
At that time, they interrogated the director of this company who is the same person who is in charge of the whole camera system on the side of the big hotels, along with the Visibility Team.
This same director is the father of the youngster Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, 19 years of age (born in Holland), who was also working in his father’s company, VCB., after his sister, who also worked there, became a Policewoman.
GEOFFREY WAS ‘FIRED’
DIARIO has information that Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was fired from his job because Police did not want to work with him. Aside from this, Geoffrey is a good friend of commissioner Gerold Dompig’s son, who also was working on the Visibility Team near the sea.
Both of them, according to colleagues, apparently were always talking about how they ‘had fun’ with female tourists who they met on the beach. They even said they liked to lie and say that they were Police so that they could do illegal things.
Some months back, commissioner Gerold Dompig’s son was ‘practically’ fired from the team. It is not known where Gerold Dompig’s son is working, but Geoffrey van Cromvoirt is working on the beach, near a water sports company. In other words, he is a ‘beach bum’.
Although there is no confirmation about what his role is in this case, it must be questioned if it starts with the link of the security t-shirt found on the coast near the entrance of the Colony neighbourhood. A lawyer said that on this cloth there is relevant forensic information.
The piece of clothing was a uniform similar to the one that Geoffrey himself used. More detentions can be expected in the case, although we have information that Geoffrey is not cooperating at all with authorities in this case.
On this photo of Geoffrey, from the DIARIO archives, he can be seen when his sister was sworn in as a Policewoman in San Nicolas. He was standing behind his sister that day.
HIS ROLE IN THE INVESTIGATION
Many people are asking, but no one has found the answer. What do authorities really have on this youngster? There is speculation that this arrest came after the program Opsporing Verzocht passed and that it produced about 100 tips. The Public Prosecution, however, is not giving any details. They have apparently learned from experiences in the past.
Although there’s an indication that perhaps Geoffrey met Natalee before Sunday, May 29 of 2005, there are others that show that possibly he was detained as a pretext to extract information that he could have, related to the involvement of van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers.
Apart from this, still authorities still must know whose DNA was found on the toothbrush from the hotel bathroom. It was a male DNA.
In the meantime, the American and Dutch press have also paid attention to this new detention. Some are even questioning if this is a ‘show’, due to the fact that Dave Holloway's book came out last week, containing grave accusations towards the Public Prosecution. It has even been said that when Natalee’s mother’s book comes out, that this will really sink Aruba.
CONNECTION WITH JORAN OR NOT?
Meanwhile, Joran’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, explained that his client does not know Geoffrey, although there are some details circulating to the contrary.
He indicated that they are happy that Geoffrey is an ‘unknown’ to them, and that it shows that authorities are really working on new tips and can find a solution to this.
Sunday morning, the American press started to flood the VCB Security Company with calls. In the noon hours, even their web site had been changed, where the company decided to remove a photo of Geoffrey which was on it. A photo of the father was also removed from VCB’s web site. There are even some who question if perhaps this company could have ‘manipulated’ videotapes from hotel security in van der Sloot’s favour. However, observers deny this speculation as baseless inventions.
Today, they will have to bring Geoffrey in front of the Judge commissioner to decide If his detention will be prolonged or not. In the meantime, it is DIARIO’s understanding that Geoffrey’s interrogation continues. He is a person who is regularly seen on the side of the beach, and they have to verify if he indeed could have met with Natalee.
On 4-18 FOX News reported:
Detention of Murder Suspect in Natalee Holloway Case Extended
ORANJESTAD, Aruba — An Aruban prosecutor on Tuesday ordered a 19-year-old man arrested on suspicion of involvement in Natalee Holloway's disappearance held in detention for eight more days.
Prosecutors, who have only identified the suspect as having the initials G.V.C., said he "was arrested in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Miss Holloway in May 2005."
"G.V.C. is suspected of criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance of Miss Holloway and of offenses related to dealing in illegal narcotics," prosecutors said in a written statement released Tuesday.
The case of the suspect, who was identified by the media as Godfried van Cromvoirt, was set Tuesday to go before a judge who would determine if the arrest and detention were justified.
Joe Tacopina, a lawyer for Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot, who earlier had been jailed in the case, called the latest news "a good development" for his client as the two do not know each other.
"Obviously, we want this to be resolved but also I want my client to be cleared and given that there's no relationship between Joran and van Cromvoirt, that's a good fact," Tacopina said in an interview on FOX News Tuesday.
Tacopina said the new arrest stemmed from "forensic information" from a shirt found in one area that was searched.
The missing Alabama teen was last seen leaving a bar on May 30 with van der Sloot and Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. All three were jailed earlier in the case.
FOX News' Julie Banderas and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
On 4-18 BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA NBC TV channel 13 reported:
Holloway's Parents Respond To van Cromvoirt Arrest
Dave Holloway, Beth Twitty Wait For Judicial System's Next Step
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- With so many rumors and theories coming out of Aruba, including one that places Natalee Holloway and Gottfried van Cromvoirt with each other the night Holloway disappeared, Holloway's parents spoke out on Tuesday to try to clarify the specifics.
Holloway's father, Dave Holloway, has hired an attorney to help the family try to separate fact from rumor after almost 11 months of trying to unravel the mystery of her disappearance.
Dave Holloway said facts are still rare, especially concerning 19-year-old van Cromvoirt.
"Down there, they don't really tell you a lot," Holloway said. "Because they don't want it out. It's kind of frustrating."
Holloway does not know if van Cromvoirt is being held because he is actually involved in Natalee's disappearance or because he just might have information about who was involved.
"We heard rumors (Tuesday) there may be some other arrests," Holloway said.
One theory about van Cromvoirt involvement comes from reports that Joran van der Sloot told Police that as he, Natalee and the Kalpoe brothers drove away from Carlos and Charlie's the night she vanished, they pulled alongside another car and drove side-by-side for a distance with the people in the vehicles talking back and forth. The people in the second vehicle have never been identified.
Natalee's mother, Beth Twitty, said she is hearing another story.
"I believe also this new suspect is somehow linked to or has access to a boat. I'm hearing he is also an acquaintance of Stephen Croes," Twitty said.
Croes is a party boat disc jockey who was arrested early on in Natalee's case. He backed up van der Sloot's first story about dropping Natalee off at a Holiday Inn.
"I have a feeling all of these suspects are tied together in some way," Twitty said.
Dave Holloway said he does not know when he will officially hear more about van Cromvoirt, but he said the judicial system's next step will tell him a lot.
"The tell-tale sign is how long they detain him and leave him in jail. If he's turned loose within the next eight days, you know there was not a whole lot to it," Holloway said.
In Aruba, Police arrest a person when they suspect he or she could be guilty, then they start gathering evidence. At least six people have been arrested in Natalee Holloway's case, but then released because of a lack of evidence, NBC 13 reported.
Natalee's parents said that because of what they call "Aruba's swinging judicial door," they are not getting their hopes up about van Cromvoirt yet.
On 4-18 CNN reported:
Does 'G.v.C.' know where Holloway is?
Man held in Aruba on suspicion of involvement in disappearance
(CNN) -- Aruban prosecutors said Tuesday that a 19-year-old man arrested over the weekend is being held on suspicion of involvement in the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway.
The man -- whom Police have identified only by the initials G.v.C. -- "is suspected of criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance of Miss Holloway and of offenses related to dealing in illegal narcotics," the prosecution said in a written statement.
He has not been charged with a crime, and no one has been charged in connection with Holloway's disappearance.
The prosecutor planned to hold the suspect for eight days, the statement said. He was arrested on Saturday and was scheduled to appear Tuesday before a judge.
The Aruban newspaper Diario identified him as Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, the brother of a Police officer, and published photographs of him attending his sister's swearing-in ceremony.
Holloway was celebrating her high school graduation with classmates and parental chaperones on Aruba, a self-governing Dutch protectorate off Venezuela, when she disappeared nearly a year ago.
A search of the tiny island by Dutch Marines, the F.B.I. and hundreds of volunteers failed to find her.
Holloway, then 18, was last seen leaving a nightclub in Oranjestad on May 30, 2005, with three other youths: Dutch national Joran van der Sloot, the 18-year-old son of an Aruban judge; and Surinamese brothers Deepak, 21, and Satish Kalpoe, 18.
The Kalpoes told Police they dropped off Holloway and van der Sloot near a lighthouse at a beach north of the Marriott hotel after they left the nightclub. van der Sloot 's mother said her son told her he was on the beach with Holloway but left her there alone because she wanted to stay.
The three men were arrested in June and later released after a court ruled there was insufficient evidence to hold them. The Kalpoe brothers were re-arrested and again freed in September.
All three have maintained their innocence.
At one point, van der Sloot 's father, Paul, and a disc jockey also were taken into custody, then released.
In February, Holloway's parents, Dave Holloway and Beth Twitty, filed a lawsuit against Joran van der Sloot. In court documents, the parents accuse him of "malicious, wanton and willful disregard of the rights, safety and well-being of the plaintiffs and their daughter." (Full story here)
On 4-18 the NEW YORK CITY “New York Post” reported:
TEEN WAS SEEN WITH NATALEE
HOTEL TAPE SHOWS ARGUMENT WITH MYSTERY MAN
April 18, 2006 -- The Dutch teenager who's been detained in Aruba in the puzzling year-old Natalee Holloway case was seen with the Alabama honors student on the night she disappeared, her friends have told authorities.
Her pals also told officials that Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, the 19-year-old arrested Saturday, spent time with Holloway earlier during her senior class graduation trip to the Caribbean island, a source close to the investigation said.
Aruban authorities are saying little about van Cromvoirt - in fact they haven't even released his name, only his initials.
Van Cromvoirt will remain in custody for another eight days because Aruban law allows cops to question someone for that long without charging them.
Until now, their investigation has focused on Joran van der Sloot, a Dutch national who claims he left Holloway on a beach near the "Holiday Inn" after a make-out session.
Van der Sloot was arrested with two pals, Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, who admitted they were with the 18-year-old Alabama teen last May 30, the night she vanished. A judge released all three for lack of evidence.
"This may be a watershed moment in this case. I don't think they're casually questioning,” said van der Sloot's attorney, Joseph Tacopina.
According to what Holloway's friends have told authorities, the blond-haired, blue-eyed van Cromvoirt was seen with their classmate after she left van der Sloot - the pals say they saw them in the "Holiday Inn" casino together. But when the casino's video surveillance tapes were turned over to Police, Investigators could find no sign of Holloway and van Cromvoirt, the source noted.
Van Cromvoirt's father is the security expert in charge of video surveillance at the hotel.
Aruban authorities are also scrutinizing a surveillance tape taken earlier on May 30 that shows Holloway arguing with a light-haired young man in a jewelry store in the Wyndham Hotel, according to the source.
They're trying to determine if the man is van Cromvoirt.
A source said Police records indicate that "Natalee told her mom and others she was in love with a blond-haired, blue-eyed Dutch kid."
Holloway's mother assumed the youth was van der Sloot, though he has darker hair.
Van Cromvoirt was arrested after Police took a white T-shirt into evidence, sources said.
The shirt is imprinted with the name of a beach patrol team van Cromvoirt belongs to and his father runs.
"The T-shirt has forensic evidence on it," said a source.
Van der Sloot's father claims his son never met van Cromvoirt.
"Joran did not know him at all," said Paulus van der Sloot, a former island justice official.
**NOTE** Several of the un-sourced claims in the 4-18 and 4-19 “New York Post” articles and other news sources sure do sound like the same claims by NEW YORK CITY native JOE TACOPINA’s, anxious, spins and twists of the last 3 days :D
On 4-18 JORGE PESQUERA, Director of the “Aruba Hotel and Tourist Association” (AHATA) wrote in its newsletter:
…
North American Marketing Retreat - June 19 - 24: The marketing retreat will take place the week of June 19 - 24 in New York City. Meetings and presentations with a variety of partners will take place Monday through Wednesday, with the Retreat taking place all day Thursday and Friday, and Saturday morning. A response form and survey just went out to everyone - so if you would like to attend and did not receive information, please contact scott@ahata.com
…
**NOTE** after NATALEE vanished, WIGGINS was a member of the ARUBA “STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE”
MARKETING UPDATES: Come Back to Aruba Direct Mail Campaign
As part of AHATA's $1.2 million additional marketing spend (900K in the USA), a direct mail piece to 125,000 previous Aruba visitors drops in the mail this week. Consumers are encouraged to visit a unique Aruba.com URL to see a variety of special repeat guest offers. Details have gone out to all partners, please advise me if you did not receive.
Resorts and attractions providing offers for this promotion are requested to advise their reservations departments of this promotion - and we also encourage partners to track production so we can evaluate for future promotions.
USA Today Aruba Supplement: Aruba is exploring the production of an all-Aruba special section this fall in USA Today. Details have gone out to all members to determine interest levels. If you did not receive, please let Scott Wiggins know at scott@ahata.com.
Coop Advertising Initiatives and Newspaper Inserts for April and May:
Boston Globe May 7
Boston Metro April 23
Massachusetts Valley News May 7
Connecticut Post Weekly April/May
NY Times April 23
NY Post April 16 & 23/May 7
Long Island Newsday April 16
Newark Star Ledger Weekly April/May
Bergen (NJ) Record Weekly April/May
Asbury Park Press/Home News Tribune/
Daily Record/Courier News Weekly April/May
Gannett NJ Hunterdon/Middelsex/
Monmouth/Morris/Ocean/Somerset Weekly April/May
Atlantic City Press/Staten Island Advance Weekly April/May
Philadelphia Inquirer May 14
Pittsburgh Post Weekly April/May
Washington Post April 23 & May 7
Washington Express April 23
Baltimore Sun April 23 May 21
Atlanta Journal May 14
Chicago Tribune April 23 & 30/May 7
Chicago Sun Times May 14
Detroit Free Press May 14
Houston Chronicle April 9 & 16/May 7, 14 & 21
Dallas Morning News May 7
Ft. Worth Star May 14 & 28
Orange County Register April 9
More Coop Updates in our next newsletter.
…
Passport Requirements: Effective January 1, 2007 - all U.S. visitors will be required to have a passport to visit the Caribbean (exception - Puerto Rico and USVI). Resorts and attractions are encouraged to help get the word out to current and future visitors.
…
Airlift Changes for Summer 2006:
American Eagle San Juan 2 x weekly Service suspended indefinitely
American Airlines Boston 4 x weekly Service suspended June through August
US Airways NYC La Guardia 1 x weekly Service suspended for month of May
US Airways Boston 2 x weekly Service revised to 1 x weekly for May
…
New Advertising Campaign: Meet Aruba launched its new advertising campaign, with the theme "We Mean Business". The ads are currently running in:
April Associations Now, Association Meetings, Travel Weekly and Travel Agent
May Corporate Meetings & Incentives, Associations Now, Travel Weekly & Travel Agent.
**NOTE** SCOTT WIGGINS is also an “Aruba Communications Task Force“ member
On 4-18 the “AP” reported:
Experts: Aruba arrest key development
ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- A 19-year-old man detained in the disappearance of a young Alabama woman had never figured in the case before, lawyers said Monday, prompting speculation that authorities were taking a new approach to the case.
The announcement that someone was being held in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway nearly a year ago was the first major development in months in the case, which has featured several false leads. Before Saturday's arrest, seven people had been detained previously and later released.
Lawyers for a Dutch youth and two Surinamese brothers jailed as suspects but later released because of insufficient evidence said the 19-year-old had not previously been mentioned in connection with the case.
"This may be a watershed moment," said Joseph Tacopina, who represents Joran van der Sloot, the Dutch teen who was with Holloway before she disappeared on May 30.
John Q. Kelly, a lawyer for the Holloway family, said he was told by Aruban prosecutors that the detainee has friends in common with van der Sloot and the Surinamese brothers.
"I was told it's not a case breaker. It's one step in the process," Kelly said Monday on NBC's "Today" show.
Aruban authorities have released the detainee's age and initials -- "G.V.C." He was scheduled to make his first court appearance today.
Tacopina said "G.V.C" was detained because Police recovered a shirt belonging to him with "relevant forensic information" from the south side of the island. The prosecutor's office has declined to specify the detainee's alleged connection to Holloway.
On 4-18 the “Caymanian Compass” reported:
Mystery boy detained in Aruba case
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) – Aruban authorities appeared to be taking a new tack in the disappearance of U.S. teenager Natalee Holloway as they prepared to ask a judge to continue holding a 19–year–old who lawyers said has never before figured in the case.
The teen, arrested Saturday, was scheduled to appear before a judge, who will decide if there is sufficient cause to hold him pending further investigation, said Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the public prosecutor’s office.
Authorities have shrouded the proceedings in mystery, declining to say why the 19–year–old has been detained or even to identify him beyond his initials, "G.V.C."
The announcement by prosecutors that someone was being held in connection with the disappearance of the Alabama teen nearly a year ago was the first major development in months in a case that has featured numerous false leads and the arrest of seven people who were later released.
Lawyers for a Dutch youth and two Surinamese brothers who were jailed as suspects, and released after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to hold them, said the 19–year–old taken into custody had not been mentioned in connection with the case.
Joseph Tacopina, who represents Dutch youth Joran van der Sloot, said "G.V.C" was detained because Police recovered a shirt belonging to him with "relevant forensic information" on the island.
Holloway, 18, was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot and the two Surinamese brothers, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe.
Van der Sloot’s father told The Associated Press that his son has never met the 19–year–old detainee.
"Joran did not know him at all," said Paulus van der Sloot, a former island justice official who also was detained and later released on suspicion of involvement in Holloway's disappearance.
Ronny Wix, a lawyer who represents the Kalpoe brothers, said he was not yet sure whether his clients know the detainee but he believes they will eventually be cleared of any involvement.
"There is no evidence that my clients have anything to do with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway," Wix told the AP.
Tacopina, who represents van der Sloot in a civil suit filed against him by Holloway's family, said the detention of "G.V.C." was good news for his client because it suggested the investigation was heading in a new direction.
"This kid has been under an umbrella of suspicion for 11 months based on no evidence," he said. van der Sloot has said he left Holloway at a beach near her hotel after they kissed on the final night of her high school graduation trip.
Dave Holloway, the young woman’s father, told NBC’s "Today" show he was hopeful about the detention, which came days after the Police said they had received dozens of tips following a Dutch television program that aired in Aruba and the Netherlands appealing to the public for help in the case.
"It’s a very, very new name that hasn’t even been on the radar screens," Holloway said. "Maybe it’s a break in the case. Maybe it’s that card that will bring the whole deck down. We don’t know at this point."
Holloway has been the subject of intensive searches involving Dutch Marines, the F.B.I. and hundreds of volunteers.
On 4-18 the BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA “Birmingham News" reported:
Twitty 'guardedly optimistic'
Missing teen's mother believes detainee has info about disappearance
Natalee Holloway's mother said Monday that she believes a man arrested in her daughter's disappearance may have new information and that she's "guardedly optimistic."
Aruban prosecutors will go before a judge today for permission to hold the 19-year-old arrested Saturday for eight more days. Prosecutor spokeswoman Mariaine Croes would only identify the man by his initials, G.V.C., and declined to comment on his possible link to the case.
Holloway's family said they believe the latest detainee is Geoffrey von Cromvoirt, the son of a man who owns a security company on the island.
Beth Twitty, Holloway's mother, said she believes Aruban authorities think von Cromvoirt may be a witness rather than directly involved in the case.
"I think they may be leaning toward him having information about that night," Twitty said. "Any movement going forward is good," she continued, speaking by phone during a trip to Los Angeles for a speaking engagement. "I think that this move will hopefully just open up something, new information. We'll see what progresses from here."
Holloway disappeared May 31 while on a trip to Aruba with fellow graduates from Mountain Brook high school. She was last seen leaving a club with three men, each of whom has been arrested and released in the case. Twitty said she still believes Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot and Surinamese brothers Satish and Deepak Kalpoe are the key to the case.
But van der Sloot's lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, said Monday that von Cromvoirt's arrest should divert attention from his client, who didn't know von Cromvoirt. He credited the recently assigned chief Investigator with following up previously neglected leads.
Tacopina said his private investigation - unconfirmed by Police or other officials - found that Holloway had met von Cromvoirt in her first few days on the island.
"This is the guy that Natalee was taken with or smitten with before Joran," he said.
Tacopina said von Cromvoirt was working for his father's company, VCB Security, which provided guards on the beach in the tourist area and also supplied security cameras to the "Holiday Inn," where Holloway was staying.
Hollway's father, Dave Holloway, said he wasn't sure there was any direct connection between von Cromvoirt's job and his daughter.
"The guy may have some information; I don't think they'd have arrested him unless they thought he did," he said. "We'll just have to wait and see. I don't get my hopes up high one way or the other."
Under Aruban law, prosecutors may detain suspects for up to 116 days before filing charges. They will have t/ return to a judge after the eight days are up to justify any extended detention.
On 4-18 ARUBAAN's news-source "Bon Dia" reported:
In the case of Natalee Holloway
19-year-old detained on charges of murder complicity
ORANJESTAD–This weekend, Police authorities detained a 19-year-old by the initials of G.v.C., related to the case of the disappearance of the young American student, Natalee Holloway.
The first reports showed that the decision to detain the youngster was on the basis of certain indications that he could have information related to the disappearance of the young American student. The v.C. youngster was part of the Visibility Team, which on top of it, actively participated in the search for Natalee, while his father conducted the security system by means of recordings, in the areas around the big hotels.
Unofficial reports that Bon Dia has obtained show that the detention of the young man van Cromvoirt was prolonged already by 8 days yesterday, while today in all probability he will have to be presented in front of a Judge commissioner related to his detention.
Other reports which were able to be collected about the detention of this new figure in the mysterious Holloway case, indicates that the detention of this youngster used the charges of article 302, which means premeditated murder, but also in conjunction with 50, which is complicity to commit premeditated murder and also in conjunction with 49, which is having information related to a premeditated murder but not divulging this to solve the case.
It is also Bon Dia Aruba’s understanding that his detention is also on the basis of article 300, which is for murder, in conjunction with 50, which is complicity by not giving information about a murder.
SPECTACLE
Once again, the detention of a new figure in the case of Natalee Holloway, has procured to start a new spectacle for the American media.
Various TV channels sent cameramen and reporters as of Sunday to Aruba to cover every development in this case, and this automatically means that there will be a series of incorrect information which will be sent to publication. As of yesterday they were talking of possible ‘forensic’ evidence from a uniform of the security company which was found many months back but this information is not based on fact.
Today, the same ‘upheaval’ there was previously during the appearance in front of a judge of the three youngsters – v/d Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers - can be expected.
On 4-18 the PIERCELAND, SASKATCHEWAN “Pierceland Herald” reported:
Aruba Disappearance Murder Suspect in Court
ORANJESTAD, Aruba - A 19-year-old arrested in the disappearance of a young Alabama woman appeared before a judge Tuesday, but authorities declined to reveal the outcome of the closed hearing.
But the prosecutor, Karin Janssen, signaled her agreement with the outcome of the hearing, telling reporters, "I never smile when I‘m angry."
Under Dutch law, which governs the island, suspects can be held for fixed periods of time without being charged with the consent of a judge. The courts also have the power to free suspects if the judge determines there is insufficient evidence.
Aruban authorities have disclosed only the suspect‘s initials — G.V.C. — although his name has been reported by some news organizations.
Holloway, who was 18 when she disappeared, was last seen leaving a bar with Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot and two Surinamese brothers on May 30. van der Sloot and the brothers, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, were jailed and later released after a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to hold them.
Van der Sloot‘s lawyer and another attorney who represents the Kalpoe brothers said the new suspect had not previously figured in the Holloway investigation.
Dave Holloway, the missing teen‘s father, said that relatives of the missing teen were unfamiliar with the 19-year-old Dutch man arrested in Aruba, where there have been months of searches, rumors and tips about the case.
Relatives are following news accounts and Internet postings about the arrest, he said, but they still do not know from official sources what Arubaans believe the man had to do with Holloway's disappearance.
On 4-18 ARUBAAN's news-source "Amigoe.com" reported:
Arrest in Holloway-case
ARUBA – Last Saturday, the Police has arrested the 19-year old Geoffrey van Cromvoirt in the case of the American student Natalee Holloway, who disappeared while vacationing in Aruba. Van Cromvoirt was taken before the examining magistrate today, but at the time this newspaper went to press, it was not known yet whether his detention was extended.
Was this arrest linked to tips received after the special transmission of Opsporing Verzocht last week Tuesday that devoted the program to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway nearly a year ago, on the final night of her high school graduation trip to Aruba? van Cromvoirt works with the Visibility Team. His father owns a security service, VCB that works for some big hotels. The Public Prosecutor (OM) has confirmed the arrest, but was not prepared to disclose why the person was arrested. It can be that he withheld information, but it can also be that he was seen with the girl on the night of her disappearance. The international media has again arrived on the island with some camera crew to broadcast the newest developments worldwide.
On 4-18 user identity “Rammstein” of the “Blogs for Natalee” reported:
According to Dario the son of Dompig and Geoffrey van C. are good friends. Supposedly they worked as beach-guards together. They are also said to have picked up girls under the guise of being Police-officers.
…
After the allegations that Geoffrey van C. wiped video=footage of himself and Natalee, the VCB company and family have refused to give any statements. The Lawyer of van C. Eline Lotter Homan, refuses to discuss the merits of the case against G. Van C.
If anyone thinks they might have heard the name Eline Lotter Homan before, they might be right. She was the lawyer for Steve Croes, who was arrested in june of last year for giving false testimony for one of the Kalpoe brothers.
On 4-18 user identity “Airplane” of the “Blogs for Natalee” reported:
Dave said in his book that Dompig's son came up to him and told him what had happened to Natalee. Several people wondered how he got that information. Well, if Dompig, Jr. and GvC are good buds, it could be that GvC told him what had happened to Natalee. That would make all kinds of sense.
On 4-18 MSNBC reported:
ABRAMS: We‘re back. We‘re finally learning more about why the authorities in Aruba arrested a possible suspect in connection with Natalee Holloway's disappearance. A 19-year-old identified publicly only by the initials GVC was taken into custody this weekend. We are learning that according to prosecutors he is—quote—“suspected of criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance of Ms. Holloway and of offenses related to dealing in illegal narcotics.”
Geoffrey von Cromvoirt is his name. At a proceeding today, a judge allowed prosecutors to hold him for eight more days. Authorities will not confirm the teen‘s identity. But again, the local papers identifying him as Geoffrey von Cromvoirt, a Dutch teen, who reportedly works as a beach patroller to prevent crimes against tourists and whose father owns a security company that provides surveillance for the hotel where Natalee was staying last summer. The attorney for Joran van der Sloot, a former suspect in the case, has said that von Cromvoirt was arrested because of forensic evidence found on his t-shirt and he says his client doesn‘t even know him.
Joining me now NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski is in Aruba, as well as the editor of “Aruba Today” newspaper, Julia Renfro, Aruban attorney Vinda de Sousa, who once represented Natalee‘s family in Aruba and former prosecutor, MSNBC analyst Susan Filan.
All right. Michelle, what do we know about what happened in court today?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well there was a proceeding and there was some confusion over whether it was going to be held in the courtroom or if a judge was going to a location where this boy is being held. So the technical side of it was also very secretive today. Not much information coming out. I mean that is quite a great deal, considering what we‘ve known over the past few days from prosecutors, that they actually do say that he‘s suspected of criminal offenses.
It‘s just that what are those criminal offenses? How far do they think the role was here and their suspicions? We know that prosecutors had to present some evidence obviously to have the judge agree to keep him for eight more days. And you know, and the longer they keep this 19-year-old, the more that the players (INAUDIBLE) will say well this arrest seems to be significant in some way. Indeed it does when you see what (INAUDIBLE) put out information wise. Keep in mind...
(AUDIO GAP)
ABRAMS: All right. Vinda de Sousa, suspected of criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance of Miss Holloway. Here in the United States we aren‘t allowed to have documents that talk about suspicions that are so vague. Criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance of Miss Holloway. What exactly does that mean?
VINDA DE SOUSA, ARUBAN ATTORNEY (via phone): Well, you see the system here is different than in the United States. In the United States it‘s accusatory and here it‘s inquisitory. That means that you can arrest somebody on a suspicion of a crime and then you start building up the case against the person. You start gathering more evidence and because the person is arrested, the person is at the disposal of the authorities to be questioned whenever they like. And they have other legal means to investigate the case that they would not have if the person is not arrested.
ABRAMS: Julia Renfro, do you have any idea exactly why they‘re holding him in connection with the Natalee Holloway case? I mean I know we didn‘t know a whole lot a few days ago. Do you know anything more today?
JULIA RENFRO, (the transplanted AMERICAN in ARUBA who moved to ARUBA 17+ years ago and owns an interest in many ARUBA businesses including an ARUBAAN's news-source): Well just like what you said earlier, what the prosecution has released. And obviously that‘s very little information, but we are under the understanding that there‘s a possibility that this young man was actually seen with Natalee prior to her disappearance.
ABRAMS: And based on what? I mean that is based on what?
RENFRO: Well, there has been some speculation that he was possibly seen on surveillance video with her in more than one of the hotels. As well as in certain documents that have been in the Police reports that this young man was associated with Natalee in some way, yes.
ABRAMS: Well, that seems to me, Vinda, to be a pretty big deal in connection with this case. And here we are, 11 months later with someone who presumably we knew something about many months ago.
DE SOUSA: Well, it‘s like you‘re saying presumably. And it‘s all speculation up to this point. And the prosecution and the authorities are not releasing any specific information. So my guess is that—I know for a fact that new tips have been coming in. And again, I‘m speculating but one of those tips could have led to the arrest in combination what they might have known before, but again, it‘s all speculation. We haven‘t heard anything specific.
ABRAMS: Susan, Joe Tacopina is the attorney for Joran van der Sloot on this program regularly has been basically saying that this is a huge development for his client, because he is saying that it will help clear Joran van der Sloot. We‘re a long way from there. We‘re many steps away from that, right?
FILAN: Absolutely. And that‘s his job. His job is to clear his client. And certainly in the court of public opinion, if not ultimately in a court of law. But he‘s saying what he needs to say to get the focus away from Joran and get the focus on somebody else because up until now, Joran is pretty much all we‘ve had and the Kalpoe brothers for 11 months. And it certainly looked significant in the beginning when they were held for such a long time.
I still can‘t help but feel and it‘s a hunch at this point that they‘re holding him—this new arrest person more as a witness. And I know you don‘t arrest witnesses in Aruba, but to say that he‘s got some criminal activity in connection with the disappearance and he was seen prior might just mean that they think he‘s somebody that knows something about what happened that night and maybe he slipped her a joint...
ABRAMS: Yes.
FILAN: ... and that‘s the criminal activity. Obviously, I don‘t know and I‘m speculating, too. But I think...
ABRAMS: Right.
FILAN: ... they‘re trying to crack this kid and get him to talk. And that‘s not going to help clear Joran.
DE SOUSA: But you know, if I may interject...
(CROSSTALK)
DE SOUSA: I‘m sorry, if I may interject...
ABRAMS: Yes.
DE SOUSA: ... you must remember that this new suspect was brought before the judge commissioner today and the judge commissioner had to take a look at his arrest and see if there was sufficient grounds to this point, at this point in time for him to be arrested. And if he were only held as a witness, the judge would have released him...
FILAN: Well I understand that. I understand that. But what they‘re saying is some criminal offense in connection with the disappearance. That certainly doesn‘t...
DE SOUSA: That‘s what they‘re saying...
FILAN: ... necessarily...
DE SOUSA: That‘s what they‘re saying...
FILAN: Right.
DE SOUSA: That‘s what they‘re giving out to the public. But in their...
ABRAMS: Yes.
DE SOUSA: ... affidavit and their subpoena they do have what they suspect him of, but they‘re not releasing it to the public.
ABRAMS: All right. Interesting. Interesting. All right. Michelle Kosinski, Julia Renfro, Vinda de Sousa, Susan Filan, thanks a lot. That‘s a very important point that Vinda just made, something to think about, and the reason we will continue to follow this closely.
On 4-18 MSNBC reported:
COSBY: And now to the latest in the Natalee Holloway investigation. A Dutch teenager arrested over the weekend will remain behind bars. That word is just coming in, and that‘s according to a judge in Aruba who is keeping them there for a number of days now.
Nineteen-year-old Geoffrey van Cromvoirt will be seeing the inside of a jail cell for at least another week. LIVE & DIRECT tonight from Aruba is NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski.
Michelle, why the decision to keep this young guy behind bars?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CORRESPONDENT, NBC NEWS: Hi, Rita.
Well, we know from the past couple of days he‘s been under arrest since Saturday, so prosecutors had some evidence against him, some reason to keep him in jail. And then it turned out that they were going for eight more days, so they had something more about him that they wanted to explore, wanted to bring before a judge. And that‘s what happened late this afternoon.
Interestingly, we didn‘t see them bring the suspect, 19-year-old Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, to the courthouse. Instead, we saw a prosecutor and a judge go to him, to the jail where he‘s being held.
After that, prosecutors released a statement saying they got what they wanted, they got the eight more days of custody. And they said that this young man is now suspected of committing some criminal offenses that may relate to Natalee Holloway's disappearance.
And also he‘s suspected in some criminal offenses related to dealing illegal narcotics. We don‘t know any more detail about those criminal offenses, as they put them.
So we don‘t know if this case is going in the same direction it‘s been going or if this arrest might be more significant and might take some of the focus off of the three suspects, Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers.
So the detail is not coming from prosecutors, although some of the other attorneys in the case who do have access to some information have been vocal about certain things. For instance, the attorney for Joran van der Sloot said that, within the last two weeks, he won a court motion that granted him access to thousands of pages of investigative documents.
He says, in those documents, he learned that Police found a t-shirt back in June, possibly belonging to van Cromvoirt and possibly containing some sort of forensic evidence that may relate to this case. Also, he says those documents indicate that van Cromvoirt worked in security for his father‘s company, that he did some beach patrol.
And he says that Police believe, based on what he saw in those documents, that van Cromvoirt knew Natalee Holloway in the days leading up to her disappearance in May—Rita?
COSBY: Michelle, thank you very much.
So just how is Natalee‘s family reacting to this latest arrest? LIVE & DIRECT right now is Natalee‘s mother, Beth Holloway-Twitty.
Beth, first of all, did you know if Natalee ever met this boy or ever spoke of this boy?
BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, MOTHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: You know, I spoke with some of Natalee‘s classmates that were with her on the island, some of her very closest friends spoke, and the answer is, no, Natalee never mentioned him. They were unaware of him. And no.
COSBY: You know, we heard, Beth, that she had some crush on some sort a light-haired boy at some point. Is it any possibility that it could be this guy?
TWITTY: No, and that‘s simply not true. That was just some information that I believe was coming from Julia Renfro in the “Vanity Fair” magazine article. It was not true. Natalee never phoned home. She was not even able to make an international call on her cellphone.
And, no, her closest friends said that she never mentioned it and they were not aware of any individual of this sort.
COSBY: You know, Beth, thank you for clearing that up. Also, we just heard from Michelle that they‘re holding this guy now, they‘re holding him for eight more days.
And I‘ve been making a lot of calls to folks in Aruba in the last little bit. They‘ve been telling me that they believe, for this boy to be extended in his stay, that there would have to be something significant, something sort of tying to the involvement surrounding Natalee. What are you hearing?
TWITTY: You know, well, Rita, it‘s just really hard to tell. I‘m not so sure if we‘re leaning towards information versus involvement. But if it is information, you know, it may be after the fact. I mean, we know who Natalee‘s original perpetrators were, and those were Joran van der Sloot, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. Now, whether this last suspect came in after, you know, that we don‘t know.
COSBY: You know, the other thing we‘re hearing is that this boy - as we look at a picture of him—could be cooperating, could be talking to authorities. And there‘s also some word that maybe it could lead to some other arrests. Are you getting any indication that there could be something else coming down the pike?
TWITTY: Well, nothing definitively right now, Rita. I think that, once we got through the day, I was just really concerned if they were going to detain him for an additional eight days. And, you know, as far as any other arrests upcoming, no, I have not heard that.
COSBY: One of the things, Beth, too, Steven Croes. We‘ve been hearing a lot from folks that they are looking at Steven Croes again and his story. Of course, he is the guy who kind of came up with that fabricated story to back up the Kalpoe brothers and Joran, saying that they dropped her off at the "Holiday Inn," which of course was totally false. And everybody thought it was a little fishy.
Have you always sort of wondered if this guy maybe knew more than he said?
TWITTY: Oh, absolutely. I don‘t see how anyone could just come forward just out of the goodness of their heart and be a lying witness and risk being arrested. You know, there was a reason Steven Croes stepped forward, and there was a reason why Joran mentions him.
And one of his first statements he gives to the Police is how he states that Steven Croes was a witness to seeing him drop Natalee off with the two minority security guards. He didn‘t just do that for nothing, Rita.
COSBY: Yes, what do you think is behind it, Beth? What do you suspect?
TWITTY: You know, I don‘t know. Unless he is the one, the individual who has access to a boat, but I believe also this new suspect is somehow linked to or has access to a boat, also. And I‘m hearing that he is also an acquaintance of Steven Croes.
And, you know, until we can connect those together, you know, I don‘t know, but I have a feeling that all of these suspects are tied together in some way.
COSBY: What do you hope happens next, Beth, as you watch developments in Aruba very closely, as we are, but no one‘s watching it more closely than you?
TWITTY: Gosh, you know, we just want some information, Rita. And this is the time where now we know they do have plea bargaining in the Aruban system. We‘ve had some law professors come forward from Holland to say, yes, they do.
You know, this is the time to get the answers out of these suspects as to what happened that night. We just need one small break in order for us to proceed in this, Rita, just one break.
COSBY: And we‘re hearing that authorities obviously feel there‘s enough to keep this guy. Hopefully, he has some information, Beth, and hopefully this case will be solved soon.
Beth, thank you so much.
TWITTY: Thank you, Rita.
COSBY: Thank you.
And there‘s a lot more on this story coming up. What about the legal trouble for Joran van der Sloot and also the Kalpoe brothers? Does this mean that any of this is over and could more arrests be around the corner? That‘s coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSBY: And tonight, we are following the breaking developments out of Aruba: a new arrest of a new suspect taking place over the weekend.
Geoffrey van Cromvoirt went before a judge in Aruba today. He‘s 18 years old and is being held for both a possible link to the Natalee Holloway case and for drug charges. LIVE & DIRECT tonight from Aruba is attorney Arlene Ellis Schipper. She is a spokesperson for the Aruba strategic communications task force. Also with us, once again, is sex crimes prosecutor Stacey Honowitz.
Arlene, let me start with you. We just heard that this boy is going to be held for eight more days. What do you know is behind this?
ARLENE ELLIS-SCHIPPER, ARUBA “STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE” MEMBER: Well, we know very little. As Michelle already indicated, the Police and the prosecutors are very tight-lipped.
What I can tell you of the law of Aruba is that suspects can be held, if the investigation so warrants. There is two elements. First, he has to be qualified as a suspect. Apparently that has been done. And, second, there has to be serious suspicion. And if that is the case, one can prolong the Police custody with eight more days, which has been done.
COSBY: You know, Arlene, you‘re there on the island. The sense, when I‘m talking to people, they feel like they‘re getting something now substantive. At first, they didn‘t feel that way about this boy. They did initially, then they sort of backed off, but now the sense is that maybe he‘s cooperating, giving something. What are you hearing?
ELLIS-SCHIPPER: Well, I haven‘t heard whether he‘s cooperating or not. There‘s a lot of rumors flying around, and I‘m very hesitant to speculate on those things.
I know that the sense on Aruba is that—just hope that this case will be solved, because we don‘t know even which role or which capacity of a suspect he is. So we shouldn‘t jump to conclusions in that respect, either.
COSBY: You know, but, Stacey, the reality is they needed something significant to hold this boy. The bottom line is: They found it. Eight more days, the public‘s watching. You know that they got to have something to hold this boy after all this.
HONOWITZ: Well, absolutely, Rita. And I think Arlene is right. You know, we can‘t speculate, but I think what most people, when another arrest is made, rumors fly, and everybody has their own opinions as to why this person is in custody.
But there had to be something significant, some kind of nexus to allow him to stay in prison at this time, to give more statements, to maybe cooperate. But we don‘t know his direct involvement.
I think it‘s really important that people understand that sometimes it takes more than 11 or 12 months to solve a crime. Sometimes it takes years. And in this case, if they‘re moving along, if they‘re finally taking the bull by the horns, and if they have a change in the guard—which they have had; a new prosecutor has come in—maybe they are starting to make some progress where they can connect the dots and we can move along in this case, and maybe have the ending that we‘re looking for, a resolution to the case.
COSBY: You know, and, Stacey, I know that they don‘t, quote, “do plea bargains” in Aruba, but this boy is looking at some drug allegations, they‘re looking at him for, and also criminal involvement tied to Natalee Holloway. If he didn‘t have something to do with the actual—if it is murder, and, again, we don‘t know that at this point, but if it that, and maybe he just knows some information following it, can‘t they leverage something on this boy? Can‘t they hold something over on him?
HONOWITZ: Well, I‘m sure they can. And I don‘t really know what type of plea bargaining goes on over there. But you know it happens every day.
Listen, if you give us information, then maybe we can hold back on some of these charges. But, again, we don‘t know what the involvement is. It could have been something before the fact, during the actual crime, or maybe even obstruction afterwards, just having some information that he didn‘t turn over initially.
So, again, Rita, we‘re all speculating. We have to wait and see in the next eight days what comes out of this.
COSBY: And we‘re going to be watching. Both of you, thank you.
And still ahead, the search for clues in Aruba. Coming up, we‘re going to hear from an Investigator working for Joran van der Sloot‘s defense team. How does this arrest change their current investigation? That‘s next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE TACOPINA, JORAN VAN DER SLOOT ‘S ATTORNEY: I don‘t think they‘re arresting people just to let them go. I don‘t think they‘re arrested people to say two days later, “Oh, well, we arrested him, but we really don‘t have anything on him.” They‘ve been down that road before in this case; that‘s the last thing this prosecutor wants to go through.
So I think this arrest is more substantial than they‘re willing to acknowledge at this point, which is fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSBY: ... in Aruba is keeping a 19-year-old Dutch man behind bars for another week, we just got that word tonight. It‘s for a possible connection to the Natalee Holloway case.
Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was arrested over the weekend, but now there are plenty of questions about the evidence against him and what role he may have played in Natalee‘s disappearance.
LIVE & DIRECT tonight is private Investigator Les Levine. He has been working with Joran van der Sloot‘s American defense attorney, Joe Tacopina. And also with us tonight is former F.B.I. profiler and MSNBC analyst Clint van Zandt.
Les, what are you hearing about maybe more arrests coming in this case?
LES LEVINE, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR: Well, our information is that there are approximately two more arrests that are pending. When they‘re going to take place, of course, we have no way of knowing. The Aruban authorities are finally keeping their information as close to the vest as they possibly can.
I think the worst part about this...
COSBY: But...
LEVINE: Go ahead. I‘m sorry.
COSBY: Go ahead.
LEVINE: The worst part...
COSBY: No, but I was going to say, what do you know about this guy, this Geoffrey van Cromvoirt? Had you ever heard this name? And what have you guys been able to dig out?
LEVINE: Well, we don‘t know the name, other than the fact that the evidence that we understand that they‘re using to have finally gotten to him was something that they found the first week of June. They found this shirt, along with other physical, on the beach, which may or not be related to this case.
But why this took 11 months for them to get to this young man, whose father runs the security, not only at the "Holiday Inn" but has a subdivision of his company that does the beach patrols, and from what we understand, this young man was working that night, this is just a travesty, to have persecuted Joran van der Sloot for 11 months when this evidence was lying in their file somewhere.
COSBY: You know, Clint, what do you make of this? You know, Les brings up a good point. Here it is, 11 months later.
experienced F.B.I. criminal profiler CLINT VAN ZANDT, FORMER F.B.I. PROFILER: Yes, well, first of all, Rita, we don‘t know what the evidence is. You know, if there is—if Natalee Holloway's DNA is on that shirt, that‘s fine. But if it happens to be this young man‘s blood or your or my blood, it doesn‘t make any difference whatsoever.
So, you know, because a t-shirt was buried in the sand miles from where Natalee was last seen, unless that can be linked forensically to the victim in this case, it means nothing whatsoever.
LEVINE: Well, what it means is, is that now they have a suspect in custody who should have been a suspect 11 months ago. Whether or not her DNA is on this shirt or not a relevant issue, of course.
But this young man‘s shirt was found on the beach. Why did it take them 11 months to develop a case against him? And it‘s not only 11 months. It seems that the other, Mr. Dompig, totally ignored this, and the new Investigator has found cause to make this arrest.
VAN ZANDT: Well, you know, we don‘t know that yet.
(CROSSTALK)
COSBY: Hang on, Clint, hold on one second.
Les, what are you hearing about this guy? Are you hearing that it‘s to the degree where he is a potential suspect? I mean, the language is pretty strong. They‘re holding him over eight days.
LEVINE: Well, I think I would have to believe that they would not have made this arrest unless they had something that was fairly strong. The last thing they need right now is another black eye, and I would hate to think that they would have now gone on another witch hunt against another young man who ultimately will be proven to be not involved.
COSBY: And, Clint, where do you see this headed, real quick?
VAN ZANDT: Yes, Rita, you know, the standard here to arrest someone is just suspicion, not probable cause like there is in the United States. They‘ve arrested now eight people who have been in and out of the swinging doors of the criminal justice system in Aruba.
From the Investigator‘s standpoint, you still have to stay focused on the last three people she was with, and you have to wonder why their stories changed so many different times.
Show me some hard linking physical evidence to someone else, and that‘s fine, because you don‘t want to get locked into these three principal suspects to the exclusion of anybody else, but let‘s not start grabbing people off the beach until we can prove it.
COSBY: All right, guys. That‘s going to have to be the last word, both of you. Thank you.
On 4-18 MSNBC reported:
SCARBOROUGH: New developments out of Aruba as the new 19-year-old suspect in the Natalee Holloway investigation was in court today in Aruba facing charges related to her disappearance and drug dealing. We‘re going to be talking to the attorneys for Natalee‘s family and for prime suspect Joran van der Sloot in just a minute. But first, let‘s go to Aruba and get the very latest on today‘s developments from NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski. Michelle, what do you have?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Joe. Prosecutors got exactly what they wanted. They, with a judge, actually went to the jail where Geoffrey van Cromvoirt is being held. They presented their evidence against him. And now he‘ll be held there for another eight days.
They also have spelled things out for us. Prosecutors say now this young man is suspected of criminal offenses that may relate to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway as well as criminal offenses related to dealing illegal narcotics. That‘s the first we‘ve heard of that. Although we have been hearing from some other attorneys who do have access to information in this case, including the attorney for Joran van der Sloot, who has long been the key suspect here.
His attorney says that he‘s seen thousands of pages of investigative documents that show that Police found a t-shirt they think belonged to van Cromvoirt back in June, that he says also showed—may contain some kind of forensic evidence that may or may not relate to this case. He also said that there‘s documents indicate that Police think van Cromvoirt and Natalee Holloway knew each other in the days leading up to her disappearance in May.
Prosecutors aren‘t commenting right now on any of those details. And, by the way, if they want to hold him longer than eight days, they‘re going to have to go back before a judge and present more evidence. Joe?
SCARBOROUGH: Thank you so much, NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski.
And now despite the arrest, Joran van der Sloot remains one of three prime suspects in the case. And I‘m joined now by his attorney, Joe Tacopina. Joe, thanks for being with us tonight. Can you tell us about the forensic evidence that was found on that t-shirt of the suspect?
JOE TACOPINA, ATTORNEY FOR JORAN VAN DER SLOOT : Not much more than you just heard Michelle say, Joe, I can‘t. I mean, look, obviously I‘m not in their lab. I‘m not in the prosecutor‘s office like, you know, the Holloway family‘s attorney gets invited into. We‘re doing our own investigation. We‘ve spoken to law enforcement sources. What they‘re going to do with that forensic evidence, you know, I don‘t know. How it ties in exactly, I don‘t know. I‘m just talking about what we‘ve heard. I‘m sure of it. And we‘ll see how it unfolds.
SCARBOROUGH: Joe, a lot of you were skeptical of your claim earlier that your client, Joran van der Sloot, did not know this new suspect.
TACOPINA: Right.
SCARBOROUGH: Is Joran, the father and the family still standing by that claim tonight?
TACOPINA: I‘m still standing by it. They are still standing by it, Joe. This case is unbelievable. You know, it‘s as if people should be grilled that there may be some life, some new direction, maybe some resolution coming for the Holloway family. Yet people who supported the Holloway family seem to be almost distraught that this may be pulling away from Joran. And, you know, I just don‘t for the life of me get it.
I heard John Kelly say this afternoon, the Holloway family attorney, that he doesn‘t doubt that Joran doesn‘t know this individual. Yet people are trying to find some connection. I‘ve seen Fugazi pictures put up on the Internet of people they think is this kid Geoffrey. Joran—let me be clear Joe—Joran does not know this individual, period.
SCARBOROUGH: Do you think this arrest may exonerate your client?
TACOPINA: I think any arrest will exonerate my client. My client is not guilty of harming Natalee, not responsible for her disappearance. You know, they‘ve investigated him for 11 months. They flew in fighter jets from—F-16‘s from Holland. The U.S. F.B.I. got involved. Three countries investigated it. They‘ve only looked at him. There‘s not one piece of evidence pointing to him, Joe. There‘s evidence that exonerates him. I‘m confident no matter where this investigation goes, it doesn‘t land at my client‘s footsteps.
That being said, you know, I hope that they have some answers. And I hope that they get some answers. I hope that they solve this thing. This new Superintendent Dolfi seems to be on the mark as far as putting some life into this investigation, Joe. And quite frankly, if solving it means someone else is charged, you know, clearly I‘m happy for the Holloway family. Dave Holloway seems like a terrific guy who has been through a lot in that family. And, you know, hopefully they‘ll get some answers. And hopefully my client‘s family will stop being berated and living under a cloud of suspicion. People have said the worst things about them. And I hope they‘re ready to stand by their words.
SCARBOROUGH: All right. Thank you so much, Joe Tacopina—greatly appreciate you being with us tonight. Let‘s bring in now Natalee Holloway's aunt, Linda Allison, and the attorney for the family, John Q. Kelly.
Linda, what can you tell us about what the family is being told about this new suspect and possible new arrest in this case?
LINDA ALLISON, NATALEE HOLLOWAY‘S AUNT: With this information coming forward today, we—I mean, I‘m sorry, on Saturday—about this new arrest, we‘ve been really excited that there shows progress in this investigation. Although we are guarded with this new evidence here, because we don‘t know. And we have been just been on, as we keep referring to, an emotional roller coaster ride, because we get our hopes up so much of the time, and only to find out that evidence didn‘t play out in this investigation and to find out what happened to Natalee.
SCARBOROUGH: You hearing anything about future arrests?
LINDA ALLISON: I have heard that there‘s potentially going to bring in two more people to either interview or maybe arrest. And so I‘m anxiously also eagerly waiting for that information as well.
SCARBOROUGH: Any names we‘ve heard of before?
LINDA ALLISON: Well, I just have heard rumors today about two potential that I probably not want to discuss at this time, in case that is potentially an arrest. Don‘t want to tip off anyone there to be looking out for that.
SCARBOROUGH: Ok. Hey, John, do you believe that Joe‘s client did not know, does not know Joran van der Sloot—or that Joe‘s client does not know this new suspect?
JOHN Q. KELLY, ATTORNEY FOR NATALEE HOLLOWAY‘S FAMILY: You know, I have to take Mr. Tacopina and Joran‘s word at face value. If they‘re saying they didn‘t know him and have no relationship with him, I‘ll accept that.
SCARBOROUGH: All right. What about Joe saying yesterday that this may be a watershed moment for this investigation? Do you believe this may be the crack in the case that your clients have been looking for for almost a year now?
KELLY: We hope. I mean, we‘re guardedly, you know, optimistic. We‘re being very cautious in what this all means. I‘ve been told this is not a case breaker in and of itself. I‘ve been told there are not any additional arrests that are imminent right now. But I know the prosecutors are enthusiastic about what they‘ve accomplished so far and are satisfied with the interrogation so far of the suspect.
SCARBOROUGH: And why are they positive about this? Where do they believe this young man‘s testimony will lead them?
KELLY: To the answers as to what happened to Natalee. You know, there are some drug allegations, too, but that really doesn‘t concern us. It‘s getting some answers as to what happened to Natalee and bringing her home ultimately Joe.
SCARBOROUGH: Does it take the trail back to Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers?
KELLY: I don‘t know. Wherever the trail goes as long as it leads to some answers about Natalee‘s disappearance. That‘s the trail we want followed. We are not focused on anybody. This is not a vendetta. This is not a witch hunt. We just look at the evidence and what the evidence has supported up to now. And wherever—if it takes a turn to the right or the left, we‘ll go with it, certainly.
SCARBOROUGH: All right. Thanks so much John Q. Kelly and Linda Allison. We appreciate you being with us tonight.
On 4-18 MSNBC reported:
RITA COSBY, HOST: And now to the latest in the Natalee Holloway investigation. A
Dutch teenager arrested over the weekend will remain behind bars. That word is just
coming in, and that‘s according to a judge in Aruba who is keeping them there for a
number of days now.
Nineteen-year-old Geoffrey van Cromvoirt will be seeing the inside of a jail cell for at
least another week. LIVE & DIRECT tonight from Aruba is NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski.
Michelle, why the decision to keep this young guy behind bars?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CORRESPONDENT, NBC NEWS: Hi, Rita.
Well, we know from the past couple of days he‘s been under arrest since Saturday, so
prosecutors had some evidence against him, some reason to keep him in jail. And then
it turned out that they were going for eight more days, so they had something more about
him that they wanted to explore, wanted to bring before a judge. And that‘s what
happened late this afternoon.
Interestingly, we didn‘t see them bring the suspect, 19-year-old Geoffrey van Cromvoirt,
to the courthouse. Instead, we saw a prosecutor and a judge go to him, to the jail where
he‘s being held.
After that, prosecutors released a statement saying they got what they wanted, they got
the eight more days of custody. And they said that this young man is now suspected of
committing some criminal offenses that may relate to Natalee Holloway‘s disappearance.
And also he‘s suspected in some criminal offenses related to dealing illegal narcotics.
We don‘t know any more detail about those criminal offenses, as they put them.
So we don‘t know if this case is going in the same direction it‘s been going or if this arrest
might be more significant and might take some of the focus off of the three suspects,
Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers.
So the detail is not coming from prosecutors, although some of the other attorneys in the
case who do have access to some information have been vocal about certain things. For
instance, the attorney for Joran van der Sloot said that, within the last two weeks, he
won a court motion that granted him access to thousands of pages of investigative
documents.
He says, in those documents, he learned that police found a t-shirt back in June,
possibly belonging to Van Cromvoirt and possibly containing some sort of forensic
evidence that may relate to this case. Also, he says those documents indicate that
Van Cromvoirt worked in security for his father‘s company, that he did some beach
patrol.
And he says that police believe, based on what he saw in those documents, that Van
Cromvoirt knew Natalee Holloway in the days leading up to her disappearance in May—Rita?
COSBY: Michelle, thank you very much.
So just how is Natalee‘s family reacting to this latest arrest? LIVE & DIRECT right now is
Natalee‘s mother, Beth Holloway Twitty.
Beth, first of all, did you know if Natalee ever met this boy or ever spoke of this boy?
BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, MOTHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: You know, I spoke
with some of Natalee‘s classmates that were with her on the island, some of her very closest
friends spoke, and the answer is, no, Natalee never mentioned him. They were unaware of
him. And no.
COSBY: You know, we heard, Beth, that she had some crush on some sort a light-haired
boy at some point. Is it any possibility that it could be this guy?
TWITTY: No, and that‘s simply not true. That was just some information that I believe was
coming from Julia Renfro in the “Vanity Fair” magazine article. It was not true. Natalee
never phoned home. She was not even able to make an international call on her cellphone.
And, no, her closest friends said that she never mentioned it and they were not aware of
any individual of this sort.
COSBY: You know, Beth, thank you for clearing that up. Also, we just heard from Michelle
that they‘re holding this guy now, they‘re holding him for eight more days.
And I‘ve been making a lot of calls to folks in Aruba in the last little bit. They‘ve been telling
me that they believe, for this boy to be extended in his stay, that there would have to be
something significant, something sort of tying to the involvement surrounding Natalee. What
are you hearing?
TWITTY: You know, well, Rita, it‘s just really hard to tell. I‘m not so sure if we‘re leaning
towards information versus involvement. But if it is information, you know, it may be after
the fact. I mean, we know who Natalee‘s original perpetrators were, and those were Joran
van der Sloot, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. Now, whether this last suspect came in after,
you know, that we don‘t know.
COSBY: You know, the other thing we‘re hearing is that this boy - as we look at a picture
of him—could be cooperating, could be talking to authorities. And there‘s also some word
that maybe it could lead to some other arrests. Are you getting any indication that there
could be something else coming down the pike?
TWITTY: Well, nothing definitively right now, Rita. I think that, once we got through the day,
I was just really concerned if they were going to detain him for an additional eight days. And,
you know, as far as any other arrests upcoming, no, I have not heard that.
COSBY: One of the things, Beth, too, Steven Croes. We‘ve been hearing a lot from folks
that they are looking at Steven Croes again and his story. Of course, he is the guy who kind
of came up with that fabricated story to back up the Kalpoe brothers and Joran, saying that
they dropped her off at the Holiday Inn, which of course was totally false. And everybody
thought it was a little fishy.
Have you always sort of wondered if this guy maybe knew more than he said?
TWITTY: Oh, absolutely. I don‘t see how anyone could just come forward just out of the
goodness of their heart and be a lying witness and risk being arrested. You know, there was
a reason Steven Croes stepped forward, and there was a reason why Joran mentions him.
And one of his first statements he gives to the police is how he states that Steven Croes was
a witness to seeing him drop Natalee off with the two minority security guards. He didn‘t just
do that for nothing, Rita.
COSBY: Yes, what do you think is behind it, Beth? What do you suspect?
TWITTY: You know, I don‘t know. Unless he is the one, the individual who has access to a
boat, but I believe also this new suspect is somehow linked to or has access to a boat, also.
And I‘m hearing that he is also an acquaintance of Steven Croes.
And, you know, until we can connect those together, you know, I don‘t know, but I have
a feeling that all of these suspects are tied together in some way.
COSBY: What do you hope happens next, Beth, as you watch developments in Aruba
very closely, as we are, but no one‘s watching it more closely than you?
TWITTY: Gosh, you know, we just want some information, Rita. And this is the time
where now we know they do have plea bargaining in the Aruban system. We‘ve had
some law professors come forward from Holland to say, yes, they do.
You know, this is the time to get the answers out of these suspects as to what happened
that night. We just need one small break in order for us to proceed in this, Rita, just one
break.
COSBY: And we‘re hearing that authorities obviously feel there‘s enough to keep this guy.
Hopefully, he has some information, Beth, and hopefully this case will be solved soon.
Beth, thank you so much.
TWITTY: Thank you, Rita.
COSBY: Thank you.
And there‘s a lot more on this story coming up. What about the legal trouble for Joran
van der Sloot and also the Kalpoe brothers? Does this mean that any of this is over and
could more arrests be around the corner? That‘s coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSBY: And tonight, we are following the breaking developments out of Aruba: a new
arrest of a new suspect taking place over the weekend.
Geoffrey van Cromvoirt went before a judge in Aruba today. He‘s 18 years old and is
being held for both a possible link to the Natalee Holloway case and for drug charges.
LIVE & DIRECT tonight from Aruba is attorney Arlene Ellis Schipper. She is a
spokesperson for the Aruba strategic communications task force. Also with us, once again,
is sex crimes prosecutor Stacey Honowitz.
Arlene, let me start with you. We just heard that this boy is going to be held for eight more
days. What do you know is behind this?
ARLENE ELLIS SCHIPPER, member of the ARUBAN STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
TASK FORCE:
Well, we know very little. As Michelle already indicated, the police and the prosecutors
are very tight-lipped.
What I can tell you of the law of Aruba is that suspects can be held, if the investigation
so warrants. There is two elements. First, he has to be qualified as a suspect.
Apparently that has been done. And, second, there has to be serious suspicion. And if
that is the case, one can prolong the police custody with eight more days, which has
been done.
COSBY: You know, Arlene, you‘re there on the island. The sense, when I‘m talking to
people, they feel like they‘re getting something now substantive. At first, they didn‘t
feel that way about this boy. They did initially, then they sort of backed off, but now the
sense is that maybe he‘s cooperating, giving something. What are you hearing?
SCHIPPER: Well, I haven‘t heard whether he‘s cooperating or not. There‘s a lot of
rumors flying around, and I‘m very hesitant to speculate on those things.
I know that the sense on Aruba is that—just hope that this case will be solved, because
we don‘t know even which role or which capacity of a suspect he is. So we shouldn‘t
jump to conclusions in that respect, either.
COSBY: You know, but, Stacey, the reality is they needed something significant to hold
this boy. The bottom line is: They found it. Eight more days, the public‘s watching. You
know that they got to have something to hold this boy after all this.
HONOWITZ: Well, absolutely, Rita. And I think Arlene is right. You know, we can‘t
speculate, but I think what most people, when another arrest is made, rumors fly, and
everybody has their own opinions as to why this person is in custody.
But there had to be something significant, some kind of nexus to allow him to stay in
prison at this time, to give more statements, to maybe cooperate. But we don‘t know his
direct involvement.
I think it‘s really important that people understand that sometimes it takes more than
11 or 12 months to solve a crime. Sometimes it takes years. And in this case, if they‘re
moving along, if they‘re finally taking the bull by the horns, and if they have a change in
the guard—which they have had; a new prosecutor has come in—maybe they are starting
to make some progress where they can connect the dots and we can move along in this
case, and maybe have the ending that we‘re looking for, a resolution to the case.
COSBY: You know, and, Stacey, I know that they don‘t, quote, “do plea bargains” in Aruba,
but this boy is looking at some drug allegations, they‘re looking at him for, and also
criminal involvement tied to Natalee Holloway. If he didn‘t have something to do with the
actual—if it is murder, and, again, we don‘t know that at this point, but if it that, and maybe
he just knows some information following it, can‘t they leverage something on this boy?
Can‘t they hold something over on him?
HONOWITZ: Well, I‘m sure they can. And I don‘t really know what type of plea bargaining
goes on over there. But you know it happens every day.
Listen, if you give us information, then maybe we can hold back on some of these charges.
But, again, we don‘t know what the involvement is. It could have been something before the
fact, during the actual crime, or maybe even obstruction afterwards, just having some
information that he didn‘t turn over initially.
So, again, Rita, we‘re all speculating. We have to wait and see in the next eight days what
comes out of this.
COSBY: And we‘re going to be watching. Both of you, thank you.
And still ahead, the search for clues in Aruba. Coming up, we‘re going to hear from an
investigator working for Joran van der Sloot‘s defense team. How does this arrest change
their current investigation? That‘s next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE TACOPINA, JORAN VAN DER SLOOT ‘S ATTORNEY: I don‘t think they‘re arresting
people just to let them go. I don‘t think they‘re arrested people to say two days later, “Oh,
well, we arrested him, but we really don‘t have anything on him.” They‘ve been down that
road before in this case; that‘s the last thing this prosecutor wants to go through.
So I think this arrest is more substantial than they‘re willing to acknowledge at this point,
which is fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSBY: ... in Aruba is keeping a 19-year-old Dutch man behind bars for another week,
we just got that word tonight. It‘s for a possible connection to the Natalee Holloway case.
Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was arrested over the weekend, but now there are plenty of
questions about the evidence against him and what role he may have played in Natalee‘s
disappearance.
LIVE & DIRECT tonight is private investigator Les Levine. He has been working with
Joran van der Sloot‘s American defense attorney, Joe Tacopina. And also with us
tonight is former FBI profiler and MSNBC analyst Clint Van Zandt.
Les, what are you hearing about maybe more arrests coming in this case?
LES LEVINE, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR: Well, our information is that there are
approximately two more arrests that are pending. When they‘re going to take place, of
course, we have no way of knowing. The Aruban authorities are finally keeping their
information as close to the vest as they possibly can.
I think the worst part about this...
COSBY: But...
LEVINE: Go ahead. I‘m sorry.
COSBY: Go ahead.
LEVINE: The worst part...
COSBY: No, but I was going to say, what do you know about this guy, this Geoffrey van
Cromvoirt? Had you ever heard this name? And what have you guys been able to dig out?
LEVINE: Well, we don‘t know the name, other than the fact that the evidence that we
understand that they‘re using to have finally gotten to him was something that they found
the first week of June. They found this shirt, along with other physical, on the beach, which
may or not be related to this case.
But why this took 11 months for them to get to this young man, whose father runs the
security, not only at the Holiday Inn but has a subdivision of his company that does the
beach patrols, and from what we understand, this young man was working that night, this
is just a travesty, to have persecuted Joran van der Sloot for 11 months when this
evidence was lying in their file somewhere.
COSBY: You know, Clint, what do you make of this? You know, Les brings up a good
point. Here it is, 11 months later.
CLINT VAN ZANDT, FORMER FBI PROFILER: Yes, well, first of all, Rita, we don‘t know
what the evidence is. You know, if there is—if Natalee Holloway‘s DNA is on that shirt,
that‘s fine. But if it happens to be this young man‘s blood or your or my blood, it doesn‘t
make any difference whatsoever.
So, you know, because a t-shirt was buried in the sand miles from where Natalee was last
seen, unless that can be linked forensically to the victim in this case, it means nothing
whatsoever.
LEVINE: Well, what it means is, is that now they have a suspect in custody who should
have been a suspect 11 months ago. Whether or not her DNA is on this shirt or not a
relevant issue, of course.
But this young man‘s shirt was found on the beach. Why did it take them 11 months to
develop a case against him? And it‘s not only 11 months. It seems that the other, Mr.
Dompig, totally ignored this, and the new investigator has found cause to make this arrest.
VAN ZANDT: Well, you know, we don‘t know that yet.
(CROSSTALK)
COSBY: Hang on, Clint, hold on one second.
Les, what are you hearing about this guy? Are you hearing that it‘s to the degree where he
is a potential suspect? I mean, the language is pretty strong. They‘re holding him over
eight days.
LEVINE: Well, I think I would have to believe that they would not have made this arrest
unless they had something that was fairly strong. The last thing they need right now is
another black eye, and I would hate to think that they would have now gone on another
witch hunt against another young man who ultimately will be proven to be not involved.
COSBY: And, Clint, where do you see this headed, real quick?
VAN ZANDT: Yes, Rita, you know, the standard here to arrest someone is just suspicion,
not probable cause like there is in the United States. They‘ve arrested now eight people
who have been in and out of the swinging doors of the criminal justice system in Aruba.
From the investigator‘s standpoint, you still have to stay focused on the last three people
she was with, and you have to wonder why their stories changed so many different times.
Show me some hard linking physical evidence to someone else, and that‘s fine, because
you don‘t want to get locked into these three principal suspects to the exclusion of anybody
else, but let‘s not start grabbing people off the beach until we can prove it.
COSBY: All right, guys. That‘s going to have to be the last word, both of you. Thank you.
On 4-18 JOHN Q. KELLY stated to FOX News:
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: John, there's another eight days that this man is going to be detained, "G.V.C." What do you think about that?
JOHN Q. KELLY, HOLLOWAY FAMILY ATTORNEY: Well, it's encouraging. It means that a judge determined that there was sufficient evidence to support the prosecutor's decision to hold him for another eight days.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you have any idea why "G.V.C." is being detained? We have the public statement, but it doesn't tell us a whole lot.
KELLY: You know what, Greta? I actually do. The problem is — and I know you know that, you know, when I got involved, it's taken months to sort of build that bridge to the prosecutor's office and overcome a lot of obstacles. And she's very diligent now. She's sharing a fair amount of information with me for the family, and I can't discuss a lot of this right now.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Is it fair to say that when you were on the show the other night, you were sort of lukewarm on whether this was a huge step forward or not? And if so, what's the temperature tonight?
KELLY: It's risen a little bit, Greta. That's a good way of putting it.
VAN SUSTEREN: So you think this is more important than you thought earlier?
KELLY: It could be. I'm not saying it definitely is, but it could be significant, and you know, we're still in the wait-and-see mode, though.
VAN SUSTEREN: It's interesting because in the statement issued by the chief prosecutor's office, it talked about detained also in connection not just with Natalee Holloway's disappearance, but illegal narcotics. Had you heard about this before?
KELLY: I had from the prosecutor's office right after this broke. Yes, I had discussed that with Ms. Janssen.
VAN SUSTEREN: Is the illegal narcotics separate and apart, like an unrelated matter, or is it linked to Natalee Holloway? Because illegal narcotics, for all we know, could be from some drug deal seven months ago.
KELLY: Sure, it could. Once again, I can't say, Greta, but as I say, they're all related. He was charged with that when he was first told he was being arrested on Saturday evening.
VAN SUSTEREN: John, what I heard a little bit earlier today from someone I spoke to in Aruba is that the lawyer for "G.V.C." is also the lawyer — it's a woman — who represented Steve Croes, who is the man who came forward with the false alibi to the Police which supported lie number one of Deepak, Satish and Joran. Do you know anything about the lawyer representing both Steve Croes and now "G.V.C."?
KELLY: I know that's the situation. It's a woman, and that is the person who represented Croes and would be representing this individual now. And actually, Ms. Janssen, when I talked to her today, she was just getting ready to turn over the dossier to "G.V.C.'s" attorney for review before they did go into court.
VAN SUSTEREN: Now, Steve Croes, John — it was sort of a curious thing. He came forward seemingly out of the blue and said that he witnessed Deepak, Satish and Joran dropping Natalee off at the "Holiday Inn" and stumbling, and then two security guards coming up. That was a complete lie that he sort of volunteered, went to the Police. He was taken into custody. He was then released. Is he free and clear of all of this, or is he still somewhat in the mix?
KELLY: Actually, there's a rather large mix still. I mean, I know Joran's attorneys have been stating that he doesn't know this individual, which I have no reason to doubt. But I've also been told that GVC has involvement with other people that are involved with the three principal suspects. So if you sort of bridge the gap there and look at Croes, you can try to speculate a little bit there as to what's going on.
VAN SUSTEREN: Then it's bizarre that this lawyer would represent both Steve Croes and GVC because at least here in the United States, I think most lawyers would say that there is a potential for conflict of interest and a lawyer shouldn't be representing both.
KELLY: I think that's right. But you know, when you're talking about the first 48 hours, and you know, looking for counsel right way, I think that's what happened. Once she reviews the dossier, she herself may decide — and you know, rightfully so — there is a conflict there and have to advise him to seek other counsel.
VAN SUSTEREN: I mean, things are obviously done differently in Aruba, but you would at least hear — the prosecutor would give everybody the heads-up in court that there's a potential conflict. You wouldn't even get the dossier to the lawyer so another lawyer can be brought in before there's that problem.
KELLY: Well, I don't know if it's the prosecutor's obligation, especially down there. I think it's the obligation of the attorney representing the client to make that determination.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAN SUSTEREN: How are your clients, Beth and Dave Holloway — how are they taking this news?
KELLY: They're on pins and needles, Greta. You know, we try to downplay expectations. We try to be very cautious, to say the least, in how we view any new developments. But on the other hand, you at some point want to feel some encouragement. And you know, they're just in a "wait and see" mode. They hope that this develops into something. They hope for some resolution, and they want to bring Natalee home. And you know, if this is the answer or the start of getting some answers, then that'd be terrific.
VAN SUSTEREN: And it's so regrettable if everyone gets sort of hopped up that finally, there'll be a resolution, if it turns out that this was simply a false lead.
KELLY: Well, you know what, Greta? That's true. And I would hope, at this point, the Aruban authorities have learned their lesson from so many missteps in the past that they'd be acutely aware of the possibility of raised expectations and that they would not take such drastic steps, if they thought it would just be another, you know, deflated balloon at the end. So hopefully, we're onto something, but we've got to be very cautious and we've got to let it develop in the way they want it to.
VAN SUSTEREN: Except I can't fully blame them if this sort of gets hyped up because we in the media are sort of up to our eyeballs in terms of being interested and fascinated. I mean, they actually rather quietly went out and arrested him on Saturday, and they followed the procedure. They're not issuing any, you know — you know, huge statements out there. So if it gets sort of larger than life, this one isn't in the prosecutor's lap, I don't think.
KELLY: No, no, no. In fact, Greta, they did not go out and arrest this individual. They were just questioning him as a witness. And after about six hours of talking to him, they then made the decision to detain him and arrest him, so as a result of just the questioning, and not you know, forethought to go out and arrest him that resulted in this.
So they've been very cautious. Any time I've talked to Ms. Janssen, she's been very cautious in what she's told me, downplayed all expectations, told me to relay that to the family also. Their press release has been no more than a couple sentences. And they're playing it just the way they should. So I can't say anything, you know, bad about the way they've handled it so far.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know if chief Deputy Dompig, who has resigned from the case — whether or not he know the father of "G.V.C.," the father who runs the security business?
KELLY: I don't have any direct knowledge. I've got to think that, you know, the deputy chief would have been familiar, at least, with the one who is responsible for the safety along the public beaches, the visibility patrol. Just a guess but, you know, I would think they would have had to cross paths at some point.
VAN SUSTEREN: Any information at all or any sort of suspicion that Natalee might have known or might know "G.V.C." even before the night of May 30 or the early morning hours of May 30, when she disappeared?
KELLY: I've got that answer, but I can't give it to you, Greta. I'm sorry.
VAN SUSTEREN: OK.
KELLY: Don't try the guessing game. It's not going to work.
VAN SUSTEREN: No, I'm not trying a guessing game, I'm trying to pry, trying to peel back. But you know, nothing ventured, nothing gained...
KELLY: Absolutely.
VAN SUSTEREN: ... in terms of trying to get facts. You know, it's all about asking questions.
KELLY: Of course it is.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right, so eight days "G.V.C." is going to be in custody. I assume he's going to be interrogated, right?
KELLY: He was actually being interrogated during the course of today, before they were bringing him into court.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know the substance of his responses? I know you can't tell us, but do you know the substance of his responses?
KELLY: I've got some general ideas, once again, but no specifics.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know if the prosecutor is encouraged by the responses that she's getting closer to resolving what may have happened to Natalee?
KELLY: I'd describe her as energized.
VAN SUSTEREN: And that's different from how you've typically seen her?
KELLY: You know what? She's been pretty good lately. You know, we've been pushing a lot, and she's felt that, you know, she's getting a little more support now. I think she's been working really hard, Greta.
VAN SUSTEREN: Any thought or any information as to whether there's likely to be more arrests in the very near future?
KELLY: That's a possibility.
VAN SUSTEREN: Is that just sort of a visceral gut reaction, or do you — or have you heard something that makes you — that leads to you believe that?
KELLY: It's more than a gut reaction.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. So I guess that you've heard something. Any idea about this shirt that was found that apparently forensically was tied to "G.V.C."? Have you learned anything what that forensic tie is?
KELLY: Yes. None.
VAN SUSTEREN: None at all?
KELLY: None.
VAN SUSTEREN: Just his initials?
KELLY: The T-shirt has nothing to do with this arrest or what's going on right now.
VAN SUSTEREN: So what it was on Saturday that brought him in for questioning?
KELLY: All I can tell you is it was a combination of factors.
VAN SUSTEREN: A combination of factors related to the illegal drug that's mentioned in the public statement or something related to Natalee?
KELLY: A little bit of both, actually. And it was brought in, as I said, just from, for lack of a better term, chatter. And they wanted to follow up on things that were being said, and one thing led to another and it resulted in an arrest a little bit after 8 o'clock Saturday night.
VAN SUSTEREN: So the clock now begins to run, eight more days and interrogation. And maybe we'll learn some more information. John, as always, thank you.
KELLY: Sure, Greta. Thanks.
On 4-18 CNNHN reported:
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Very quickly to tonight`s "Case Alert." Nineteen-year-old
Geoffrey Van Cromvoirt appearing in an Aruban courtroom today, Cromvoirt detained in
the disappearance of 18-year-old Alabama beauty Natalee Holloway. It`s alleged a
T-shirt found on the south end of the island belonged to Van Cromvoirt and may contain
forensic evidence
4-19-06
On 4-19 FOX News reported:
Dad: More Arrests May Come
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Natalee Holloway's father told an Alabama media outlet that he has heard rumors of more arrests coming in his daughter's disappearance, FOX News has learned.
No other information was immediately available on whether Dave Holloway's suspicions could be confirmed and if so, when such arrests might be made.
The family's attorney, John Q. Kelly, told FOX News on Wednesday that additional arrests weren't "imminent" — which he defined as happening in the next few days. But there could be more people detained in the case later, he said.
Meanwhile, Natalee Holloway's mother, Beth Holloway-Twitty, believes the new suspect arrested over the weekend in her daughter's disappearance in Aruba may have important information about the case, but isn't necessarily involved.
Holloway-Twitty said she thinks the arrest of the 19-year-old Aruban man, identified in the media as Godfried van Cromvoirt, is a positive sign toward solving the mystery of what happened to Natalee, who has been missing since May 30.
Twitty said Dutch authorities still haven't spoken with her about new developments in the case.
On Tuesday an Aruban prosecutor ordered van Cromvoirt, whom prosecutors have only identified with the initials "G.V.C.," held in detention for eight more days. He was arrested Saturday on suspicion of involvement in Natalee Holloway's disappearance.
"G.V.C. is suspected of criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance of Miss Holloway and of offenses related to dealing in illegal narcotics," prosecutors said in a written statement released Tuesday.
A judge ruled Tuesday that the arrest and detention were justified, so the suspect could continue to be held in custody.
Natalee Holloway, then 18, of Mountain Brook, Ala., was last seen leaving a bar with Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot and two Surinamese brothers on May 30 — the final night of her high school graduation trip to the Dutch Caribbean island. The three local men were jailed but later released after a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to hold them.
Joe Tacopina, a lawyer for van der Sloot, called the latest news "a good development" for his client as the two do not know each other.
"Obviously, we want this to be resolved but also I want my client to be cleared and given that there's no relationship between Joran and van Cromvoirt, that's a good fact," Tacopina said in an interview on FOX News Tuesday.
Tacopina said the new arrest stemmed from "forensic information" from a shirt found during the investigation.
FOX News' Julie Banderas and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
On 4-19 FOX News reported:
Aruban Coast Guard Uses Sonar in New Search for Natalee
ORANJESTAD, Aruba — A new search was underway Wednesday off the Aruban coast for missing U.S. teenager Natalee Holloway, authorities said — while continuing to rebuff questions about a 19-year-old arrested over the weekend in connection with the year-old case.
The public prosecutor's office said the Aruban coast guard was using sonar and other equipment to search an undisclosed area off the Caribbean island. The search, the latest of many for the missing Alabama teen, was in its fourth day but had not previously been disclosed.
Officials also said they were also interviewing witnesses and were in contact with authorities in the Netherlands about tips received after the airing of a television program devoted to unsolved crimes.
Authorities declined to provide details about the developments or to answer questions about a 19-year-old who is being held on suspicion of involvement in Holloway's disappearance. A judge on Thursday approved a prosecution request to hold the man pending further investigation. He was also detained on suspicion of drug offenses.
Under the law, another hearing for the 19-year-old — identified only by his initials, G.V.C. — must be held by at least April 25 if the prosecution wants to continue holding him, said Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the public prosecutor's office.
The 19-year-old's defense attorney, Eline Lotter Homan, declined to comment on the case.
Holloway, who was 18 when she disappeared, was last seen leaving a bar with a Dutch teen, Joran van der Sloot, and two Surinamese brothers on May 30.
Van der Sloot and the brothers, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, were jailed and later released after a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to hold them.
Searches involving Dutch marines, the F.B.I. and hundreds of volunteers have been conducted throughout the island and off the coast. More recent searches have focused on dunes along the island's north shore.
On 4-19 “Antillen.nu” reported:
Father of GVC is Former Policeman
BREDA/WILLEMSTAD (19-04-06) - Geoffrey van Cromvoirt is the son of a former Policeman. His father, Willem, was eighteen years Policeman in the Dutch town Breda when he decided (end 1997) to start his own business, according to the Dutch newspaper BN/De Stem.
On 1 January 1998 he started Video Camera Security, a firm which aimed at the security of companies with video systems.
In 1999, his father decided to move to the Dutch Antilles. According to an ex-colleague, he started at first on Bonaire by the name VCB Security.
Meanwhile the company operates at several places on the Antilles. On Aruba it’s one of the larger security companies. The "Holiday Inn" is one of their customers, the hotel Natalee Holloway disappeared on 30 May 2005.
On 4-19 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
How was he not brought in front of the judge as usual?
Geoffrey’s detention has to do with drug possession as well!
New suspect is represented by attorney mr. Eline Lotter-Homan
ORANJESTAD(AAN): When any native son is detained, and has to be presented in front of the Judge commissioner, according to the rules, the detained is brought to the Justice Building.
But what happened Tuesday? This was not the case. The new detainee in the Natalee’s case, Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, was not brought to the Court Building! Why? Because he is Dutch…because of this they want to protect him? This is what some people called and asked DIARIO. More than clear, the newspaper told them they better call and ask the Public Prosecutor.
Why did they not follow normal procedure in such a situation? If the case was that an Aruban was detained, would they not have brought him to the Court Building no matter what the cost?
Finally, in the afternoon hours, a Judge commissioner went to the Noord Police station, where the 19-year-old detainee was presented. Here, the Judge commissioner reviewed the detention formalities, and decided that the detention was conducted legally, and the prolongation of the detention for 8 days as asked by the prosecutor is valid.
When exiting, prosecutor mr. Karin Janssen had a smile on her face. This shows in a silent way that they are happy with the decision.
GEOFFREY’S ATTORNEY
Tuesday, in front of the Court, DIARIO interviewed attorney mr. Petrochi, who was the appointed lawyer when the new suspect in the Natalee Holloway case, Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, was detained.
DIARIO asked the attorney if he found out what exactly was the reason for van Cromvoirt’s detention; however, he said that he didn’t know the reason. He said that he is no longer the attorney of this suspect. He only attended to the first part of the detention.
Now, the case of van Cromvoirt is in the hands of another attorney. Attorney Petrochi could not confirm who was the new lawyer; however, DIARIO was able to find out that it was going to be mr. Eline Lotter-Homan who will represent van Cromvoirt in this case.
The 19-year-old’s detention was prolonged; however van Cromvoirt had to appear in front of a Judge commissioner Tuesday, to determine if the suspect’s detention was valid. This also went well.
In the meantime, reports continue to come in about this detention mystery. The Public Prosecution continues to maintain its silence, although once in a while they let something leak.
DRUG DEALING AS WELL
But the detail which surprised everyone the most is that Geoffrey is not only imprisoned due that he could have something to do with Natalee’s disappearance, but also that he was arrested on drug dealing accusations.
It is still not officially known how Geoffrey is connected to the disappearance. But the detailed revealed Tuesday in DIARIO related to the VCB Security t-shirt and forensic material on it, could be a strong indication.
On the other hand, the details given in terms of the drug matter and Geoffrey, has made local observers immediately think more deeply. They find that this new case ‘smells very strange’.
They explained to DIARIO that if a person is suspected of crimes related to drugs from any force, or investigative team, any drug case in Holland (DIARIO does not want to mention more) and he is detained…the official asks the Judge commissioner to search the suspect’s house from top to bottom to find any substance that has to do with drugs.
His computer is opened and they take out the innards! In his room, they let dogs smell on top and below the bed to find out if they can at least find a seed, white substance, continue to every corner of the house in order to have evidence. All this to avoid that in the future this happens in the force, so that they not fail Investigators again.
But here again, clearly they have committed a flagrant error! They invited Geoffrey to come to the station, where he was then detained. Those in charge of the investigation have to come to their conclusions and take their retirement, not today, but yesterday – along with all the wise people from the Public Prosecution, with the exception of ‘Tante Truu3” [Aunt Truus].
On 4-19 TACOPINA stated on the “Don Imus Radio Show”:
IMUS: Please welcome now to the program, our old friend, defense attorney, Joe Tacopina. Good morning, Joe.
TACOPINA: Good morning, guys.
IMUS: How are you?
TACOPINA: Good, how are you?
IMUS: So, don't you represent somebody in this Natalee Holloway deal?
TACOPINA: Yeah, I represent the kid who's been dragged through the mud for the last 11 months--Joran van der Sloot and his family.
IMUS: Aren't they the people Bo Dietl got in a fist fight with or something?
[laughter]
TACOPINA: I knew I was on the right side of the case when I saw a video of Bo shoving a summons of complaint down my client's shirt when he got off the plane. Yeah, that's the one.
IMUS: Well, what was that all about?
TACOPINA: That was about them filing their lawsuit in New York. We have this great lawsuit that's been filed by the Holloway family in New York against Joran and his Dad, over what they call a conflict that occurred in Aruba, charging Alabama law. And, I guess they think New York taxpayers should fund this one. So they want to try it in New York. But we moved to dismiss that. Bo is the process server who served Joran when he got off a plane in New York City.
IMUS: Why weren't you there defending your client? Punch Bo in the mouth when he tries to shove this thing.
TACOPINA: Thanks to Bo's work I was retained a day later.
IMUS: Oh, you were?
TACOPINA: Yeah, that's when they hired me.
IMUS: So this kid didn't kill her?
TACOPINA: Imus, let me tell you something--they contacted me a week before I decided to sign on board. The reason I didn't agree right away because this is not just a case where you go into court and defend someone pursuant to the constitution and canons of ethics. You aren't the judge for the execution as a defense lawyer. For the most part it's not really a relevant factor if he's guilty or not. You're supposed to defend within the confines of the constitution. But in this case, it's more than just defending Joran in court. To defend him properly you had to go out there and sort of prove his innocence and make statements like I've been making. I'm certain he had nothing to do with her disappearance. But before I did that I didn't want to look like a total idiot. You know how hard that is for me to do.
[laughter]
I figured I'd try and do a little investigation first and make a determination. A week later, I came back to the van der Sloot family and I said that I had absolutely no problem in representing him and I am certain he's going to be cleared, and I think that within the recent days that the evidence has unfolded that's going to start peeling away this investigation from Joran.
IMUS: I haven't followed this as closely as apparently everybody else has because… I don't know why. I don't know.
TACOPINA: I had not either. I'll be honest with you. It's not really a local story or anything but I'll tell you, there's a sub-culture of people out there who watch the cable news shows at night.
IMUS: Oh I know.
TACOPINA: Honest to God. I get maybe 75 emails a day on this case from people who watch, who love this kid and feel bad for his family, and those who hate this kid and despite any lack of facts to support their conclusions they think he's a murderer. And then I get people who have solved the case. It's unbelievable. It's like the Da Vinci code this thing. It's almost like it's become an obsession with some people to try and find out what happened.
IMUS: Here's what little I know about it and then you can tell me if I'm wrong. Did he have any contact with the Holloway girl at that nightclub on that night she disappeared?
TACOPINA: Oh absolutely.
IMUS: Oh, he did?
TACOPINA: Oh sure, sure. He left her on the beach about 2:40 A.M. in the morning.
IMUS: He left her dead on the beach?
TACOPINA: No, she was quite alive. A little intoxicated but quite alive, and this kid, Joran, has phone records to back up his phone call to his friend to come and pick him up at about 2:40 am.
IMUS: Why did he leave her on the beach?
TACOPINA: Why or when?
IMUS: Was he hosing her on the beach or what?
TACOPINA: Let me do this thing in a condensed explanation. He meets her at a bar. They leave. Joran's a nice kid, an attractive kid. They leave the bar with two of their friends and they get dropped off at a beach near her hotel not too far from her hotel.
IMUS: How many of them in the party?
TACOPINA: It wasn't a party. It was a bar they were at.
IMUS: No, how many people were dropped off at the beach you moron.
TACOPINA: Oh, no, just Joran and Natalee.
IMUS: Oh, okay.
TACOPINA: Joran's two friends dropped him off at the beach. He walked with Natalee.
IMUS: Hang on one second. What Charles?
CHARLES: Don't cross-question the lawyer in this case for crying out loud, there's no necessity. You merely misunderstood what you were referring to as party. Had they been in the bar or were you referring to the party of apparently four people.
IMUS: Yeah.
CHARLES: That's a very logical thing for him to have misinterpreted you, thinking you were referring to the bar they had just left. Don't call this man a moron!
TACOPINA: Thank you Charles. Did you get the bottle of wine I sent you yesterday?
[laughter]
CHARLES: Yes, I did Joe. Thank you.
IMUS: So, Joran and Natalee, there's just the two of them that got dropped off by somebody? What, these other two little squirrelly-looking guys? They dropped these two little rug merchants--the two little rug merchants drop Natalee and Joran off at the beach, right?
TACOPINA: That's right.
IMUS: Near the hotel.
TACOPINA: Near the high rise hotels. They walk toward the fishermen's huts and they're on the beach for about a half hour. Joran, who's been an honor student all his life, had a final exam the next morning and about 2:45 A.M. he told Natalee he had to go. It's time for them to take her back to the hotel. He had to go, and she didn't want to leave. She said, “I'm staying here, I don't want to go. Stay with me tonight. Stay on the beach,” and this is where he makes the mistake that he says he'll regret the rest of his life. He then called his friend at 2:40 A.M.. His records back it up, Imus, and he says, “This girl wants me to stay on the beach. I'm not staying. I have a test at 8:30 A.M.,” which he did. That's verified. He went to the test. He got a 98 on this test by the way. He took the test and passed it.
He then gets a ride home and he's on his own computer with his own password at about 3:10 A.M., so, the computer and phone records back up his story. That's his story. He has an alibi that shows he didn't have enough time to kill and dispose of a body.
IMUS: When he calls and made the telephone call to some friend of his, who was that friend and what did the friend do?
TACOPINA: That was the same kid who dropped him off--one of the Kalpoe brothers.
IMUS: Okay, then did they come down to stay with Natalee, or what?
TACOPINA: No. One of the brothers came back and picked up Joran.
IMUS: Oh, I see.
TACOPINA: At a spot down the beach a little bit, and Natalee, Joran left her there.
IMUS: On the beach?
TACOPINA: On the beach. She was certainly drunk. She certainly looked like she was. You know, fading in and out of consciousness, and he left her there.
IMUS: Drunk on the beach?
TACOPINA: Drunk on the beach.
IMUS: What a charming young man you're representing here.
TACOPINA: Well, you know what? Listen. He's a 17-year-old boy at the time and I'll tell you he's been through hell and back. He regrets that he did that.
IMUS: Well what? That he's 17? He can't make a judgment? I was 17 in the Marine Corps.
TACOPINA: Well that's a scary thought.
IMUS: Well, no, but I'm just saying that's a lame excuse. That he's 17 years old and can't make a judgment about someone who is in and out of consciousness, drunk on the beach.
TACOPINA: That's not an excuse-it's a mistake, and he admits that mistake but he has obviously no legal obligation. It doesn't make him a murderer. He hates that happened but the long story short is that he leaves her on the beach. He goes home. He's on his computer. She says she's going to walk back, and that's the end of it. We don't hear anything else until the next day when her family arrives and approaches them in a very aggressive manner. But listen, interestingly, the people--the guy who was just arrested and there are two more people who are about to be arrested, are all members of this beach patrol.
IMUS: Right.
TACOPINA: The beach patrol are basically the people who are supposed to be patrolling that beach, 24/7.
IMUS: Oh, I see.
TACOPINA: So you understand where this may be going?
IMUS: Yeah.
TACOPINA: So, his story has been corroborated and the kid they have in custody now, the judge just agreed that the prosecution met her heavy burden in holding him for another eight days because they've obviously put forth some evidence that he has some involvement in her disappearance.
IMUS: I'm talking with Joe Tacopina, the defense lawyer who's representing Joran van der Sloot or whatever his name is. Yeah. In this Natalee Holloway mess.
What do you think happened to her? What do you think?
TACOPINA: Well, I know what I think. But, you know--
IMUS: What do you think?
TACOPINA: Let me say this. Let me just preface here that I loathe, in this case, I really don’t want to speculate. Because that's all that's happened in the last 11 months, and I've seen a kid and his family be destroyed over the fact that people are speculating.
IMUS: Oh, okay.
TACOPINA: That this kid is a murderer, a predator, and all the things he's not. Saying some very hurtful things. I don't know what happened to this girl. I've heard theories but if you follow what the prosecution is doing now, you know, the fact that a member of the beach patrol and perhaps three members of the beach patrol are about to be brought in and charged possibly with her murder, I think the conclusion may be not that far off.
…
IMUS: You have to take a shower after talking to you about your clients.
TACOPINA: You know, I've heard some of the other people you've had on this week, and the presumption of guilt seems to be the way to go here. But I have a problem with that.
IMUS: So do I, by the way.
TACOPINA: I represent a kid like Joran van der Sloot and can actually help someone get out from under a rock that looks like it will never get off him. It makes me feel pretty good. So, I don't think I need to shower. As a matter of fact, I don't think I'll shower for two days because of that.
IMUS: Nancy Grace's already got these people convicted.
TACOPINA: Nancy does what she does. She's very good at it. Nancy and a bunch of other people go on TV and presume guilt at all times, and Joran? I have a list of people, Imus. When I want to collect some money for Joran and buy him a house I'm going to draw up some lawsuits on some people at the end of this case for libel and slander. Because people have actually gone out and called him a murderer and they better be ready to back up those words and I know who they are and we're going to make an example of a few people, I'll tell you that much.
IMUS: Oh you aren't going to do anything!
TACOPINA: You watch. You call him a murderer--right now!
IMUS: Well I don't watch these shows. I don't know anything about the case. Why would I do that, you moron?
TACOPINA: Well, no one else knows anything about the case but they call him a murderer.
IMUS: You're a murderer! You're a murderer, a phony, and a pretty boy. Well, thank you, Mr. Uh…
CHARLES: Tacopina.
IMUS: Tacopina…
TACOPINA: Thanks, Charles.
IMUS: …for agreeing to appear on our program and talk about your client. So. Interesting stuff.
CHARLES: It is.
…
BERNARD: By the way, Bo Dietl did call this Joran van der Sloot a murderer.
IMUS: Exactly. You gonna sue him?
TACOPINA: Fortunately for Bo my friends get immunity. I'm going to give all my friends a pass.
[laughter]
IMUS: Thanks Joe. Joe Tacopina here on the Imus in the Morning program.
On 4-19 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
They’re back
ORANJESTAD (AAN): You can see here various cameramen, soundmen and producers who have come from the U.S. again in order to cover the recent developments in the Natalee Holloway case in Aruba.
They stood from morning to afternoon in front of the Court Building at the Beach, waiting for authorities to bring Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, the new detainee, in front of the Judge commissioner.
However, this did not happen at the Justice Building, but at the Police station itself.
On 4-19 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
Natalee Holloway case once again a tourist attraction
ORANJESTAD(AAN): During the whole case of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, it can be observed that not only does the case attract the attention of the local and international press, but also that of tourists, who are in Aruba on vacation.
At the beginning of this case last year, there were some tourists who turned up at the Court, to take pictures of the various suspects in the case of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.
So much so, that it has been said that some tourists came to Aruba especially to be close to the case and take pictures.
Perhaps some of them were interested in obtaining a good picture which they could sell to certain magazines in the U.S., or keep as a souvenir.
Now that the international press has massively turned up in Aruba again, after a new suspect was detained, once again different tourists have turned up at Court on Tuesday, to take pictures of Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, who is the new suspect in the case of the disappearance of the American youngster.
DIARIO took notes, and took pictures of some tourist who turned up with a disposable camera, in order to get the opportunity to take a picture of the new suspect.
On 4-19 user identity “Rammstein” of the “Blogs for Natalee” reported:
according to unconfirmed reports from Aruba, Geoffrey van C. has been boasting for months that he knows what really happened to Natalee Holloway. In the night that Natalee disappeared he was on duty in the vicinity of where Natalee disappeared.
According to Joe T. Geoffrey van der C. has met Joran van der Sloot one time in a bar in Aruba and said "Hi" to him. Joran does not remember that but he knows he has never had a conversation with Geoffrey van C.
Deepak and Satish also deny knowing the new suspect.
Also new is that Geoffrey van C. was born in Breda in the Netherlands and only moved to the island about 6 to 7 years ago when van der C.'s father, a Police-officer in Breda decided to quit his job and move to Aruba to start a new life (and starting a security firm).
On 4-19 ARUBAAN's news-source "Amigoe.com" reported:
Holloway-detainee also suspected of drug dealing
ARUBA – On Tuesday afternoon, the Public Prosecutor (OM) confirmed that Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was arrested last Saturday in the current investigation on the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The only statement made by the OM in a press report is that van Cromvoirt “is suspected of facts that can be related to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and drug dealing”.
The local as well as the international media were at the court-house waiting for van Cromvoirt to be brought before the examining magistrate. Nobody knew at what exact time this would be and the OM had not said anything other than ‘he will be brought before the examining magistrate today’. This was enough reason for the international media to wait. FBI-profiler Clint van Zandt called the arrest of crucial importance and said that he anticipates that this arrest would lead to a new clue in the Holloway-case.
An examining-magistrate from Curacao has extended the detention of van Cromvoirt with 8 days. This was done in the presence of van Cromvoirt’s lawyer Eline Lotter-Homan.
Arthur Dowers (AVP) made it clear that Aruba is not really waiting for a new round of negative information around the Holloway-case. “This case has a big effect on the tourism. New developments should be made public. We have to be transparent and open.” Joran van der Sloot’s father, Paul van der Sloot told the Associated Press that his son doesn’t know van Cromvoirt. The Kalpoe’s lawyer Ronnie Wix indicated that he is not sure whether his clients know van Cromvoirt. This is the first time that van Cromvoirt has come in contact with justice.
On 4-19 the “AP” reported:
Mother hopes daughter's murder case closer to being solved
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The mother of a missing Alabama girl says the news of an arrest in the case may indicate progress is being made.
Beth Holloway-Twitty says she feels the arrest of a 19-year-old Aruban male in connection with her missing daughter Natalee Holloway is a positive sign toward a resolution. She thinks he may have information rather than involvement in the case.
Twitty says she's still unaware of new details from Dutch authorities in charge of the Caribbean island government.
Holloway was 18 when she disappeared, last seen leaving a bar with Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot and two Surinamese brothers on May 30th. The three were jailed and later released after a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to hold them.
Under Dutch law, suspects can be held for fixed periods of time without being charged with the consent of a judge.
On 4-19 the NEW YORK CITY “New York Post” reported:
'SLAY RAP' VS. ARUBA YOUTH
2 FELLOW GUARDS EYED FOR 'BODY DUMPING'
April 19, 2006 -- The jailed teen suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway was ordered held for an additional eight days yesterday on suspicion of premeditated murder - as cops zeroed in on two more men they believe may have helped him kill her and dispose of her body.
A judge approved a prosecutor's request to keep Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, 19, behind bars until next Wednesday as cops strengthen their case against him.
Van Cromvoirt "is suspected of criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance of Miss Holloway and of offenses related to dealing in illegal narcotics," the prosecutor's office said.
But sources told The Post the blond-haired, blue-eyed teen is being detained on five charges - suspicion of premeditated murder, murder, possessing information relating to premeditated murder, complicity in premeditated murder and distribution of narcotics.
Van Cromvoirt, who is Dutch, works for his father's private security company, VCB Security, which patrols the beaches outside Aruba's hotels to protect tourists. He was part of the team keeping an eye on the "Holiday Inn" where Natalee was staying the night she vanished.
Two more members of that security team are expected to be arrested shortly, the sources said.
Natalee's pals have told authorities they saw van Cromvoirt hanging out with her earlier in their graduation trip.
Van Cromvoirt was picked up Saturday after Police seized a white "VCB Security" T-shirt - possibly belonging to the suspect. Sources said the T-shirt has "forensic evidence" on it - believed to be specks of blood. Authorities in Aruba did not disclose what kind of drugs van Cromvoirt is accused of pushing - and whether Natalee had used them.
The arrest of van Cromvoirt, whose sister is on the Aruba Police force, and the impending bust of more suspects takes the heat off Joran van der Sloot and brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. They were held in jail for several weeks last year.
That trio admitted leaving a bar with Natalee on the night of her disappearance, but van der Sloot insisted he'd last seen her on a beach near her hotel - very much alive - after they'd fooled around.
The cops' suspicion about van der Sloot eased after his lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, launched an aggressive investigation and uncovered new evidence, which he turned over to the media over the past few weeks.
Holloway, 18, a senior from Mountain Brook, Ala., was on the final night of a five-day trip with her class to the Dutch Caribbean paradise when she vanished on March 31, 2005. Numerous searches of the island by Dutch marines, the F.B.I. and hundreds of volunteers have turned up no traces of the blond schoolgirl.
Natalee's mom, Beth Twitty, said she was "guardedly optimistic" that authorities may have finally solved the case.
In another development, Aruba Police chief Gerold Dompig is no longer in charge of the Holloway investigation, sources said. It's not clear who has taken over the probe.
PERSONAL NOTE.... Several of the un-sourced claims in the 4-19 & 4-18 NEW YORK CITY “New York Post” articles and other news sources sure do sound like the same claims by NEW YORK CITY native JOE TACOPINA’s, anxious, spins and twists of the last 4 days J
On 4-19 DUTCH news-sourced “Antillen.Nu” reported:
BREDA/WILLEMSTAD (19-04-06) - Geoffrey van Cromvoirt is the son of a former Policeman. His father, Willem, was eighteen years Policeman in the Dutch town Breda when he decided (end 1997) to start his own business, according to the Dutch newspaper BN/De Stem.
On 1 January 1998 he started Video Camera Security, a firm which aimed at the security of companies with video systems. In 1999, his father decided to move to the Dutch Antilles. According to an ex-colleague, he started at first on Bonaire by the name VCB Security. Meanwhile the company operates at several places on the Antilles. On Aruba it's one of the larger security companies. The "Holiday Inn" is one of their customers, the hotel Natalee Holloway disappeared on 30 May 2005.
On 4-19 the “AP” reported:
Family Defends Murder Suspect in Holloway Case
ORANJESTAD, Aruba - The family of a 19-year-old arrested in the case of a young Alabama woman who went missing last year while visiting Aruba said Wednesday that he had nothing to do with her disappearance.
The family of Geoffrey van Cromvoirt also said in a statement released by his lawyers that he is not friends with any of the people previously detained in the Natalee Holloway investigation, which has gathered force in recent days with new searches and witness interviews.
"The family van Cromvoirt distances itself completely from all expressions or statements which bring Geoffrey van Cromvoirt in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and any statements in which any role is attributed to him in this case," the family said in a statement that released in Dutch by his lawyer, Eline Lotter Homan.
Aruban prosecutors, identifying Cromvoirt only by his initials, said he was suspected of "criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance" of Holloway but have not provided details about why he was arrested.
Holloway, who was 18 when she disappeared, was last seen leaving a bar with a Dutch teen and two Surinamese brothers on May 30 — the final night of her high school graduation trip to the Caribbean island.
The Dutch teen, Joran van der Sloot, and the brothers, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, were jailed and later released after a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to hold them.
The public prosecutor's office said Wednesday that the coast guard was using sonar and other equipment to check an unspecified area off the Caribbean island. The search, the latest of many for Holloway, of Mountain Brook, Ala., was in its fourth day but had not previously been disclosed.
Officials on the Dutch island also said they were interviewing witnesses and were in contact with authorities in the Netherlands about tips received after the airing of a television program devoted to unsolved crimes.
A judge on Tuesday had approved a prosecution request to hold the man pending further investigation. He was also detained on suspicion of drug offenses.
Under the law, another hearing for the 19-year-old must be held by at least April 25 if the prosecution wants to continue his detention, said Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office.
Searches involving Dutch marines, the F.B.I. and hundreds of volunteers have been conducted throughout the island and off the coast. More recent searches have focused on dunes along the island's north shore.
On 4-19 the ARUBAAN's news-source “Caribbean Net News" reported:
Suriname to prosecute bank and casino executives
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Executives of DSB bank, Suriname’s oldest and most prestigious commercial bank, have been charged with an alleged conspiracy to transfer millions of US and other foreign currencies from a casino to Dorsett Hotels & Resorts Inc.
Among those charged are casino manager Jeffrey Clague from New Zealand, and one of the two owners of Suriname Palace Casino, Gautham Parbhoe, a Surinamese businessman.
President of DSB bank Sigmund Proeve, former president Ed Muller, and top executive Patrick Bhagwandien were summoned to appear in court next week. Dorsett and its Surinamese subsidiary company (Suriname Leisure) were also charged.
According to the subpoena, the suspects have violated the country’s currency laws because the money transfers were not sanctioned by the Currency Board. Most of the illegal transfers occurred between 1999 and 2003, but continued beyond 2003, according to Gautham Parbhoe who is also being charged with the transfers.
In an interview with Caribbean Net News, the casino owner welcomed the trial, expressing he has nothing to fear.
According to his defense argument, he and his late brother wrote numerous letters to the executives of the bank, the Currency Board, Central Bank and other authorities after they discovered the illegal transfers in 1999.
However, his communications went unanswered and the money transfers were completed without permission.
“Nobody has done anything about our complaints. I am not keeping my mouth shut any longer. This illegal activity that has ruined me financially should stop,” said Parbhoe.
He also claims that casino management committed tax evasion with the consent of top officials from the Internal Revenue Service. “When the trial starts, a number of people will go down,” said Parbhoe.
The casino was closed in December 2004 after the Ministry of Justice and Police deemed the operations to be illegal, because Parbhoe withdrew his casino license from the venture in 1999.
In January 2005, the Suriname Palace Casino was evicted from the building where they previously operated the casino.
On 4-19 MSNBC reported:
ABRAMS: We're back. NBC news has obtained a transcript of what is allegedly a secretly recorded conversation between Aruban suspects Joran van der Sloot and Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. This as rumors are flying that there could be more arrests in connection with the Natalee Holloway case, a judge says prosecutors can hold a possible suspect the rest of this weekend for another week. The 19-year-old identified by his initials, GVC, identified by local papers as Geoffrey von Cromvoirt, is being held in connection with the case and on possible drug charges. But first, NBC's Michelle Kosinski is live in Aruba with the details of this transcript. Now, Michelle, I understand that you were able to get your hands on this exclusively. What's in it?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, it has a lot of things. And we should say it was obtained by a local private Investigator, he's been on this island, he's actually an American, but he's been here for a long time. He's recently come back. He spent months working on the Holloway case and when we took this transcript to Police, one of the top-level Investigators vouched for it.
They said yes, this is a real transcript and this conversation took place. It's a secretly recorded conversation among the three suspects in Natalee Holloway's disappearance. While they were in custody, it was recorded by Police, when the boys were left alone together. And basically, there's a big argument among them. They accuse each other of lying to the Police, accuse each other of saying certain things they shouldn't have and you see the Police strategy.
Obviously, Police took statements from each of them and Police went back and said he said this about you, he's saying this, why are you saying that? And they really criticize each other and then accuse each other of doing something to Natalee, and it makes you wonder, what do they know and what don't they know. For one part of the transcript, Joran says very calmly to Deepak Kalpoe, you know what happened to that girl. If you don't know, then nothing has happened to her.
Later in the same conversation he says to Deepak I will laugh if they find the girl alive. I know very well that you are afraid. That is if you did something bad with the girl and if they find the girl, then we will see. Satish responds I'm not afraid. Why must I be afraid?
Deepak: I want them to find the girl. You're going to talk (EXPLETIVE) about me that I buried the girl by fisherman's hut.
And Joran says who said about burying? I said nothing about burying. That's what you testified, according to Deepak. Stop with that (EXPLETIVE).
Joran says I said nothing about burying. The only thing that I can think of is that you know people, that is the people from automotive enterprises.
Satish gets in, responds yes, yes, yes, yes, after I got that flat tire (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Yes, yes, yes, I picked you up and after that I went to the beach again for her.
Joran says who said that?
Satish: You said that.
So Joran says I never said that friend. I never said that you've been back friend. That is your problem. If they all find that girl then they will see that (EXPLETIVE).
And they go on. They are screaming at each other at one point, asking why they lied. You know Joran is accusing the Kalpoes of doing something wrong with Natalee and the Kalpoes are saying the same thing to him. They said to each other well, if you didn't do something wrong, then you wouldn't have lied. And it goes on and it's a very heated exchange among these three.
ABRAMS: Michelle, does the person who gave this to you, the private Investigator who you mentioned, does that person believe that this interchange that we see in this transcript, do they believe that helps or hurts Joran and Deepak and Satish?
KOSINSKI: They can see it both ways. There are certain areas where they talk about phone calls that were made. Joran gets angry at one of the Kalpoe brothers. He says that he called him on his home phone and he should have known that it was wiretapped and he said things like I hit the jackpot. I hit the (EXPLETIVE) jackpot.
You know, he's angry that the Kalpoe brothers would say things like that. So, there are times in this transcript, you're reading the conversation where it seems like you know you could draw the conclusion maybe they know something and then other times it seems like they're accusing each other of doing something, as if maybe they don't know what happened. So you know there might be just a point in time at which their knowledge of what happened is cut off, but you know it's just the question is still there.
It really doesn't necessarily lend anything to our knowledge of what happened to Natalee. One more frustrating thing to come up, it sheds light on their relationship and things that were said, even you know the lies that were told to Police, but still, we don't know where Natalee is.
ABRAMS: All right. Michelle Kosinski, stick around. Let me bring in Rosemarie Arnold, who is one of Joran van der Sloot's attorneys and victim's rights attorney. Thanks for coming in. Appreciate it.
ROSEMARIE ARNOLD, ATTORNEY FOR JORAN VAN DER SLOOT : You're welcome, Dan Abrams.
ABRAMS: Nice to see you. So, all right, I'm assuming that based on the fact that you are Joran van der Sloot's attorney that you think that this is helpful to him?
ARNOLD: I think that the tape makes it perfectly clear what exactly happened and that is that the Police separated them. They interrogated them for hours at a time without feeding them, without letting them sleep, and the Police told each of them separately that the other one ratted them out and did something, so then the Police put them all together and it's no wonder they're screaming at each other that you lied, because they're really under the belief that the other kid, the Kalpoe brothers versus Joran and vice versa, lied about them to the Police.
Because that's what the Police told them. And I think if you look at the transcript, it's perfectly clear that no one knows what happened to Natalee, at that time. And also, you have to look, you're saying this transcript is authentic. But this transcript was obtained by an Investigator who works for a man named Jossy who owns a newspaper in Aruba...
ABRAMS: ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario".
ARNOLD: ... and this man has a serious political issue with the van der Sloot's, because as I understand it, Paul van der Sloot...
ABRAMS: But I don't get it. On the one hand you're saying that this helps your client and then on the other hand you're bashing the guy who provided it.
ARNOLD: Oh, no, no, no, no. I think it clearly helps my client, but when he brings out this tape, he doesn't say and tell everybody nor did the Police, well when we obtained this tape, it was after we told each of the kids that the other one ratted them out, that the other one said oh you did this, you did this, and you can hear them on the tape saying you lied about me.
Why did you tell the Police that? That's not true. Because the cops were telling them that Deepak said this about you and Joran said this about you, and the cops are saying that you know what happened to Natalee and none of them know what happened to Natalee. That's pretty clear from reading it.
ABRAMS: All right.
ARNOLD: I don't think that was Jossy's intention when he released it though.
ABRAMS: All right. Stick around if you can, because coming up, we're going to get reaction from Natalee's mother, Beth Holloway-Twitty joins us after the break.
And later I'm going to respond to your e-mails. Some of you saying that because I am a Duke alum, my coverage of the story has not been fair. If I'm not fair it's not because I'm a Duke alum. It's because I'm not fair...
Your e-mails abramsreport@msnbc.com. Please include your name and where you're writing from. I respond at the end of the show.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ABRAMS: Coming up, Natalee Holloway's mother, Beth, reacts to reports that there could be more arrests in connection with her daughter's disappearance. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ABRAMS: We're back. We're talking about the latest news in Aruba. A judge saying prosecutors can hold a possible suspect in the case for another week and there are rumors that more arrests could be imminent.
Joining me now once again is Natalee Holloway's mother, Beth Twitty.
Beth, thanks for coming back on the program. Appreciate it.
BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S MOTHER: Thank you, Dan.
ABRAMS: Beth, do you get the feeling as we do that there is suddenly 11 months after the fact this momentum?
TWITTY: Well, absolutely there is. And I mean, you know, we're real encouraged by it and you know we just need a break, Dan, and if this new suspect has some information about what happened that night to Natalee, you know, I'm just, gosh, I mean we've just all been waiting so anxiously for any type of break in the case. I mean we would welcome it. Absolutely.
ABRAMS: Have the authorities been in contact with you? I mean do they tell you what's going on?
TWITTY: Well they are keeping in touch with John, the attorney, so I mean that's the line of communication now and then he notifies me once they've updated him.
ABRAMS: Do you know anything about why this latest young man was arrested, Geoffrey von Cromvoirt? I mean, because Joe Tacopina was on this program, the attorney for Joran, saying that he believed he was arrested in connection with a t-shirt with alleged forensics on it. Do you know anything about that?
TWITTY: Well, I am aware of the shirt with the DNA on it, but what I'm hearing is that the shirt has no connection. And that, you know, this new suspect was a person that possibly they could have, you know, interviewed this summer or thought about questioning this summer for whatever reason maybe they decided not to and you know from what I'm understanding is one of the officials began reviewing some documents, thought he might have some pertinent information and then questioned him you know, this weekend and that's what led to the arrest. I think that once they were questioning him, they saw a few discrepancies in what his answers were and arrested him.
ABRAMS: Beth, any truth to this, I don't know if it's rumor or report, et cetera, that Natalee had said something to you about having a crush on a blonde haired, blue eyed boy in Aruba?
TWITTY: Dan, there's just—there's no truth to that at all. You know Natalee had not called me. She didn't have international calling on her phone and no she never—her friends said that this never happened, it was never mentioned. And just simply it's just another rumor that had started and it's just not true, Dan.
ABRAMS: I've asked you this question before in the past. But you know, with these new developments, I want to ask you again. Is it possible that with this arrest, and with other arrests, that you could become convinced that Joran van der Sloot and Deepak and Satish Kalpoe were not involved in Natalee's disappearance?
TWITTY: Well, you know, Dan, I've always stuck with something and we know for a fact, we know that Deepak and Satish and Joran took Natalee, we know the sexual assaults they committed against her by both of the suspects' admissions by Joran van der Sloot and Deepak Kalpoe, what we don't know is what they did with Natalee when they were finished with her. We don't know if they—we don't know that...
(CROSSTALK)
ABRAMS: But he's ambiguous. I mean at the very least, I mean you regularly sort of say that as a matter of fact, that they have admitted to it, but there is some ambiguity at the very least about whether they admitted to that.
TWITTY: Well, in Joran's statement and also now Joran van der Sloot admitted this in person to at least eight witnesses on the very night we arrived on the island. So that is a fact from Joran van der Sloot.
ABRAMS: That what?
TWITTY: That he admitted the sexual assaults that he committed against Natalee while she is coming in and out of consciousness. Now that is something that he did by his own admission to eight witnesses the night we landed on the island.
ABRAMS: Finally, do you know anything about these rumors of a possible imminent arrest?
TWITTY: Well, I've heard something just as you had. I'd heard that there may be additional arrests upcoming and you know I just can't imagine who it might be. I don't know if there will be re-arrests, possibly some other, you know, suspects that were arrested early on. Perhaps maybe Steven Croes. I don't know.
ABRAMS: All right. Beth, as always, thanks a lot for coming on the program. Appreciate it.
TWITTY: Thank you, Dan.
On 4-19 MSNBC reported:
COSBY: And now to the Natalee Holloway case and a secretly recorded conversation first obtained by NBC News between the three key suspects, Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers. The conversation was recorded while all three men were in Police custody.
Meanwhile, we're also hearing more today about a new round of searching for the missing Alabama teen. LIVE & DIRECT tonight from Aruba is NBC's Michelle Kosinski.
Michelle, let's get right to the tape. When was this conversation recorded and what do they say?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CORRESPONDENT, NBC NEWS: Hi, Rita.
Well, it had to have been done on or before June 29th. That's the date that's on the Police transcript and it's the date that it was transcribed, so not necessarily the date that it was done, but roughly, we guess, about a month after Natalee disappeared.
And you just see the three suspects alone together, according to Police, arguing, accusing each other of lying in their statements to Police, accusing each other also of doing something to Natalee. The thing is nowhere in the transcript does it indicate that any of them actually know exactly what happened to her.
To read from it at one point, Joran says to Deepak Kalpoe, “I will laugh if they find her alive, expletive. I know very well that you're afraid, that is, if you did something bad with the girl, and if they find the girl, then we will see.” Satish replies, “I'm not afraid. Why must I be afraid?” Deepak: “I want them to find the girl.” He says, “You're going to talk (expletive) about me that I have buried the girl by the fisherman's hut.”
Joran replies, “Who said about burying? I said nothing about burying.” Deepak: “That's what you testified. Stop with that (expletive).”
Joran responds, “I said nothing about burying. Only thing that I can think of is that you know people, that it is the people from Automotive Enterprises.” And Satish says, “Yes, yes, yes, after I got that flat tire, huh? Yes, yes, yes. I've picked you up, and after that, I went to the beach again for her.”
And after that, Joran says, “Who says that?” And Satish says, “You said that.” And Joran says, “I never said that to Police. I never said that at all.”
So you see them really going back and forth. At one point, Joran says, “Well, you must have done something bad, otherwise you wouldn't have lied.” And then they say something to him, like, “If they find the girl, they'll put you behind bars for 15 years.”
So we never really gain any insight into what happened to Natalee, but you see them fighting over what exactly has come out and what was said to Police.
Also on the island right now, prosecutors just revealed to us that they've been doing searches for four days in the ocean off the coast of Aruba in conjunction with the Aruban Coast Guard and also some Dutch investigators. We also know they're using sonar and they'll be back to their searches tomorrow.
Back to you, Rita.
COSBY: What about the suspect, also, Michelle, Geoffrey van Cromvoirt? What is the latest with him?
KOSINSKI: He's still behind bars. He's now in the second of the eight days that prosecutors extended his detention. And tonight, his attorney put out a statement in Dutch. In fact, she said, it's in Dutch because, hey, that's the language of the island.
We were able to get that roughly translated, and she disputes some of the things that she says has been reported on, she claims, inaccurately. Some of the attorneys involved in the case said that this boy may have been working for a security company, might have been doing beach patrol that might have been in the area where Natalee was staying.
Well, she says, yes, he did work for beach patrol at some point, but not during the time that Natalee was on the island. She also says that this boy does not know any of the three suspects in the case, and also that he was not installing security cameras and the company he worked for didn't install any in the hotel where Natalee was staying. So a few clarifications there.
COSBY: All right, Michelle, thank you very much.
Well, just what effect does all of these taped conversations you just heard from Michelle have on the case? And how important could it be to the investigation? LIVE & DIRECT right now is Holloway family attorney John Q. Kelly.
John, I want to put up a couple of quotes. It says, “If you know what happened to the girl, if you don't know, then nothing has happened to her.” And then I want to put up another quote. It says, “If you go against me, I'm also going to go against you.” Satish then says, “We're not getting you into trouble. We're just telling the truth.”
Joran then goes on to say, “You're not doing that. Half of what you have said is not the (blank) truth.”
What do you make of the fact, John, that they're arguing over all of these details?
JOHN Q. KELLY, HOLLOWAY FAMILY ATTORNEY: You know what, Rita? You really have to put it all into context. It's a very lengthy transcript. The conversations between the three of them, I'd describe as cautious, guarded, but menacing and accusatory also.
And the message between all of them seems to be: Each of us knows what the other did, but ultimately, you know, if we keep our mouth shut, then, you know, they don't find the girl and we don't say anything, we'll be OK, so we all have to, you know, stick together on this.
COSBY: You know, John, what do you also make of the fact that now we're hearing that there's, what, a fourth day of searches in the water? Did you get any signal at all from the prosecutor's office that they were starting the search?
KELLY: Oh, sure.
COSBY: And what is the tip to do it?
KELLY: Sure, actually, the water searches have nothing to do with the arrest that was made Saturday. The searches commenced last Monday and Tuesday, well before the arrest, and they had to stop the searches because of the choppy waters.
It was the Aruban Coast Guard using sonar equipment. And I was told that the waters had calmed down yesterday, and there were very specific places where they had plausible information that they were going to be searching yesterday, today, and tomorrow, also.
COSBY: Yes, and, John, plausible information. How do you read that?
KELLY: Plausible, that's a quote, just that it's—don't get your hopes up, you know. We feel there might be something to it, and we want to be diligent. We want to go out there, leave no stone unturned, and someone gave us some information. And, you know, maybe it's not fully accurate. Maybe there's nothing to it, but we feel that we've got to follow through on this, and I appreciate that.
COSBY: All right, John. Well, thank you very much. And, everybody, we'll be right back with some more right after the break.
On 4-19 JULIA RENFRO (the transplanted AMERICAN who has lived in ARUBA for 17+ years and has several business interests there, including an ARUBAAN's news-source) said to FOX News:
O'REILLY: We have a document. I don't think anybody else has it and I think you'll be interested to hear about it.
Joining us is Julia Renfro who is visiting the USA.
You're the editor of that paper? Did you get promoted?
JULIA RENFRO (the transplanted AMERICAN in ARUBA who moved to ARUBA 17+ years ago and owns an interest in many ARUBA businesses including an ARUBAAN's news-source): I've always been editor in chief.
O'REILLY: I got this Police report. We can't vouch for its credibility. It's dated June 29 and it's a conversation between the Kalpoe’s and Joran and in it they're arguing about what they should say about Natalee Holloway to the authorities. I don't know if this was surreptitiously recorded. Basically they're doing strategy here. Joran says, "If you let me suffer there's going to be a problem." He says that to the Kalpoe brothers. He also says that they should say this, and say that. They're kind of stage managing this stuff--what they should say or do. It's very disturbing. Know anything?
RENFRO: What I know is the authorities--the Police--have set these boys up and they're telling each other stories. Basically it's my understanding they were arguing. Joran was upset with the Kalpoe brothers that they had told the authorities that the father had said “no body, no case” and that wasn't true, and Deepak also says he didn't say it.
O'REILLY: You believe this transcript is legitimate.
RENFRO: Oh yes.
O'REILLY: Nobody admits it's legitimate. It's not damning because nobody admits killing Natalee, but they were in collusion about what to tell authorities.
This latest arrest of this 19-year-old kid, apparently there's some kind of a drug connection?
RENFRO: This young man was brought in after this most recent airing of the recreation of Natalee's disappearance, apparently about 100 tips came and maybe one pointed to this young man.
O'REILLY: Do you believe this guy is involved?
RENFRO: You remember you and I discussed the blue eyed blond boy hanging out with the group,
O'REILLY: Natalee's mother denies that completely.
RENFRO: Denies it, but the transcripts from the beginning show both Beth and the students claiming that Joran, they're not calling him by name, but they're saying a Dutch boy, a student was hanging around the group the whole time.
O'REILLY: C’mon, they should be able to identify Joran or this kid.
RENFRO: You have to remember that it was 9 days before Joran was arrested. In those 9 days there were plenty of interviews where Beth and the students said that this student had spent quite a bit of time with the group.
O'REILLY: We can't confirm one way or the other it seems.
RENFRO: Joran did not spend time with them; possibly another boy.
O'REILLY: The drug dealing; what do you know?
RENFRO: Apparently, allegedly, he had drugs on him--that's the word in Aruba--when they arrested him.
O'REILLY: I heard ecstacy. Last question. Another rumour about more arrests, more security guards.
RENFRO: Right. Actually what they're saying is there are two colleagues of this young boy that could be arrested and then of course John Kelly is saying that this could be the Kalpoes and Joran. It's all speculation.
O'REILLY: I'm so tired of speculation. I wish they'd solve this case.
On 4-19 user identity “pdh3” of the “Blogs for Natalee” reported:
Remember my friend who was raped and beaten on an Aruban beach a few years ago? I think it's possible that there are many, many victims, not just from the US, but from Europe too.
The thing that bothers me so much is that Aruba PROMOTES the idea that it is a safe haven, and this causes people to let their guard down. It gives the APPEARANCE of safety, with the Visibility Patrol, etc. To Aruba, this is called marketing, and since lies are a part of the culture, they apparently do not care that this leads the tourists away from the truth. No parent in their right mind would allow a daughter to visit an island where tourists are targeted routinely, drugged, raped and where there is no effective law enforcement interested in protecting them. Safety was used as a promotional tool.
Sadly, we now know the TRUTH.
It is truly evil to lie to people to protect the tourist trade at any cost, IMHO.
On 4-19 user identity “momja” of the “Blogs for Natalee” wrote*:
Read this from ABC33/40 in Birmingham
Aruba: More Women Speak Out
"My heart aches for Natalee and her family. I've known from the minute Natalee was announced missing on the TV, exactly what happened to her. I have been in touch with the FBI, and they have my statement. I have been to Aruba 3 times, and the last time was HORRIBLE. In 1996, I went with my husband and 4 friends. We stayed at the same hotel Natalee stayed at. My husband and I were both drugged, taken from the hotel casino.
My husband was locked in a back room of the bar The Rio Grande, I was taken out to the desert, and didnt come out of the black out until the next morning. I had been raped and beaten. I was fortunate enough to talk my way out of the situation, promising I wouldnt go to the Police. When I got back to my hotel, my husband and a friend did go to the Police station..........it is just like you've seen on the TV for the Holloway-Twitty family. They did NOTHING to help us at all. Even with the Police knowing, that the casino-workers and the Commishioner of the casino had a problem with the 'man', and were also willing to help my husband and I.
We switched hotels that day, and stayed in most of the time we were there. The night before we were to leave all 6 of us decided to go to the beach. That 'man' showed up. My husband and cousin got a hold of him, we asked a hotel worker to call the Police (they took almost an hour to get there). We told them what had happened and they simply put him in the back of the Police jeep uncuffed, and drove away with him. I guess we were all in shock, my husband and I just glad to be leaving both alive.
They have never mentioned on the news the brothel out in the desert behind the "Holiday Inn" pass the light house, thats were I was taken to, a Police-woman told me that it was a Whore-House, no big deal??
I have tried to get in touch with Beth Holloway, I think I could maybe help her or at least tell her that Natalee didnt feel any pain, as I said I was drugged and I dont remember anything until the next day. A lot of parents are now coming on TV again with the same situations of missing children from all islands, but none have gotten any justice or even an answer. It seems I am the only one to have survived. I pray for Natalee and her family every morning and every night, and badly wish there was a way to comfort her mom, who has been, and has had to be, a very strong woman. My husband had to only endure a couple hours of not knowing if I was alive or what happened. He said he cant imagine how they feel. So our hearts and prayers are with them daily. I hope this all ends soon for them, no mother should have to be put through this.
I havent been able to talk about what happened to me for 9 years, but I would do ANYTHING to help Natalee and her family.
A.Cormier"
Source: ABC 33/40 Alabama's News Leader
*originally written by A. CORMIER on August 22, 2005 here
On 4-19 CNNHN reported:
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, GUEST HOST: Tonight, the Duke rape investigation and
search for a third lacrosse player prosecutors say took part in the alleged multiple rape of
a 27-year-old student-turned-stripper. Tonight, with both players indicted out on bail,
police searched their dorm rooms. And how soon may the same secret grand jury hand
down indictment number three?
Also tonight, a major break in the Natalee Holloway missing girl case. The 19-year-old
Aruban man arrested in connection with Natalee`s disappearance, tonight named a
suspect. We go live to Aruba right here on NANCY GRACE.
Good evening, everybody. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell. sitting in tonight for Nancy Grace.
Tonight, live to Aruba for breaking news in the Natalee Holloway missing teen mystery.
The 19-year-old man arrested over the weekend in connection with the 18-year-old`s
disappearance nearly a year ago is now named a suspect.
…
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell sitting in tonight for Nancy Grace.
Tonight, new momentum in the Natalee Holloway missing teen investigation. While search
crews are still combing the Aruban coast for any sign of Holloway, tonight, a new suspect,
a 19-year-old Aruban by the name of Geoffrey van Cromvoirt -- I want to say that
carefully, because it`s a long name -- he is behind bars. He is under intense scrutiny.
Let`s go right out to Aruba and NANCY GRACE producer Eric Marrapodi. He has been
there since the start, back and forth.
Bring us up to date, Eric. What are the very latest developments with this young man who
is behind bars?
ERIC MARRAPODI, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Yes, that`s right, Jane. I have a ton of
new developments to get to tonight, both in the search for Natalee Holloway and in the
investigation into her disappearance.
First, late today we got word from the prosecutor`s office that today has been the fourth
day of sea searches for Natalee, with a combination of the Aruban Coast Guard and the
Netherlands-Antilles Coast Guard, using side-scan sonar.
Why is that important? This is the fourth day. Four days ago, it was Saturday. And
Saturday, Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was brought into custody by police. Yesterday, of
course, he had his hearing before the judge. They brought the judge to the jail at the
Noord police station. Prosecutor Karen Janssen was there, and so was his defense
attorney.
Now, also late today we got a statement from Mr. Van Cromvoirt`s attorney. She wanted
to clear up a few things, Jane. There have been a lot of rumors running around about this
kid, and there`s a big reason for that: cops, attorneys, everyone has been tight-lipped.
This is the very first statement we`ve gotten regarding this kid from any official capacity...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And what does it say?
MARRAPODI: Say that again, Jane?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: What does it say? Go to the statement.
MARRAPODI: Well, this statement -- Geoffrey was not employed in May or June of 2005
by the visibility team or by the VCB Security team, and did not have access to their uniforms.
Now, why is that important? VCB Security is a company his father owns. It`s a local security
company here on the island. And a t-shirt with blood on it was found back in June on the
south side of the island during searches for Natalee Holloway.
Now, at one point, Mr. Van Cromvoirt, the junior, Geoffrey, who is in custody now, also
worked for the visibility team there in Aruba. And what he did was he would patrol the
beaches and basically was there, as it sounds, to be a visible presence, a visible
security presence to make the tourists feel safe. And there has been a lot of speculation
that he may be tied to that very t-shirt that was found.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I have a -- immediate question is, this t-shire was found in June.
So why suddenly new evidence, forensic evidence connected to the t-shirt now? I mean,
you could test the t-shirt a million times between June and today. Why didn`t they find
whatever they were looking for before, September, October, November, December?
MARRAPODI: Well, initially, Jane, that t-shirt was ruled out. And here`s why: Remember,
back in June, those two black security guards were still in custody, thought to be in
connection with the case. And when that t-shirt was found, they were still in custody. And
they thought, well, they don`t work for this security company. It must not be related.
Now, as that story unraveled, things also progressed in the case. And the authorities
honed in on those three chief suspects, Joran van der Sloot and Satish and Deepak
Kalpoe.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So let me see if I understand this correctly. Whereas Joran says that
he kissed Natalee but left her on the beach that night, because she wanted to stay out,
and he left -- that`s what he`s claiming -- whereas this young man patrolled the beach,
according to his job description, wherefore possibly he picked up where Joran left off and
ran into this woman, Natalee?
MARRAPODI: Well, that`s what some people had speculated here on the island and
elsewhere, that because of his job, he may have been in the area where Natalee would
have been that night she disappeared.
But in this statement from her attorney, one of the things that his attorney wanted to
debunk was that he was not working for the visibility team during May of 2005, when
Natalee Holloway went missing, nor was he working in any official capacity for his
father`s company, that VCB Security firm.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow. This is so complex. I want to go now to Beth Twitty, Natalee`s
mom.
We thank you for joining us.
BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, MOTHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: Thank you, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: We understand -- and we certainly understand that you must be a
little bit overwhelmed. I mean, just keeping up with the details of all of this is one thing,
but then the emotional rollercoaster. How are you doing, and how are you processing
all of this?
TWITTY: Oh, Jane, I mean, you hit the nail on the head. I mean, it`s so complex. I mean,
I`m just -- it`s really hard to stay focused. It`s really hard to not -- you know, I feel as if
you kind of get derailed off your path, and there`s just so many different things going on,
and so many new elements into play. It is just -- it is just, just too much.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, when you hear that this t-shirt may contain forensic evidence
that they have now tied to the suspect -- and, again, the police aren`t saying much, though
this is all relatively speculative, based on published reports -- do you wonder, as I did, well,
why didn`t they find this forensic evidence back in June when they found this t-shirt?
Yes, they originally thought it was connected to the security guards, who were sort of
falsely implicated by Joran and the Kalpoe brothers, but after those guys were cleared,
shouldn`t they have gone back to that t- shirt immediately and taken another look at it,
in another context?
TWITTY: Well, Jane, you would think that they would have done that. And I just can`t
imagine that the shirt has any connection with Natalee, because it seemed as if it -- if it
did, then that would have come out early this summer. I mean, it just doesn`t make any
sense that it wouldn`t have.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I mean, I guess the theory that seems to be coming out of this
is that, assume for a moment -- and it`s a big assumption -- Joran claims he left Natalee
on the beach and left. This guy patrols the beach. He`s somehow there, and he sees her.
Is that what you`re hearing, that in other words he may have picked up where Joran left
off?
TWITTY: Well, I thought that`s maybe where we were headed with this, but after hearing
from Eric, they`re saying that he was not even employed at the time in that position. So
now I`m thinking that -- you know, that`s possibly not the case and that, you know, maybe
this new suspect just has some information about as to what happened that night.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And does it also disturb you, Beth, that apparently this new suspect
has a lot of connections in town? According to one published report -- which I don`t know
if we`ve been able to independently confirm -- his relative, I believe a sister, is with law
enforcement. His dad runs a security company. He was friends with the party boat guy,
who also got involved in the case earlier, allegedly giving some sort of a cover-up alibi to
Joran van der Sloot. This is all six degrees of separation here.
TWITTY: Jane, it`s just so many different connections that it is just frightening. And, you
know, I don`t even know for certain -- I don`t think we`ve been able to definitively rule
out that there`s not some photos that could quite possibly have Joran and the new
suspect in them. I`m not certain of that at all, but it certainly appears that he may be in
some.
And, you know, also, it`s kind of frightening to us to hear about his connections with the
father having control of the security cameras on the island, because, after all, you know,
the Holiday Inn security cameras were not working that night that the suspects took
Natalee.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow, this is so complicated.
Let`s go back to Eric Marrapodi, who is our producer, who`s done such an excellent job of
tracking all of this.
What about the connections that this young man had? Who is he connected to in law
enforcement, in the security world and in party boat world?
MARRAPODI: Yes, let`s put this altogether in perspective. I spoke with Steve Croes just a
few days ago when this first broke and the connection came through. And Steve said:
Hey, I don`t know the guy. I`ve never met him in my life.
Now, also in this statement from his attorney that came to us in (INAUDIBLE) or, sorry, it
came to us in Dutch, and we just had time to translate it before the broadcast tonight, JVM.
It says, "Geoffrey is not a friend nor has any relation to the three primary suspects in this
case."
Now, who is he connected to? His sister is a police officer at the Noord police station
where we know he was being held yesterday and where that hearing was, where they
brought the judge to the police station.
How do we know she works there? Well, that famous picture of him from the "Diario"
newspaper is at her swearing-in ceremony.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow. OK, well, you are giving us some really good inside
information. And this is just so complex, and there`s also the six degrees of separation.
It`s really interesting. It`s only going to get more interesting, I`m sure. Stay with us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VAN DER SLOOT: She was drunk. I had stuff to drink, too. But now that I don`t expect
that the Aruban authorities tried to pin it that it was a rape case. She wanted to go with
me; I wanted to go with her. It was totally consensual. I had something to drink; she had
something to drink.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think if you can explain to people what really happened
and you were really forthcoming, the more forthcoming you are, the more chance there
is of you to get on with your life.
VAN DER SLOOT: I will. One day I will explain exactly what happened, but right now I
don`t feel ready to do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TWITTY: As if Joran can only place the blame on Natalee for everything that has
transpired, every phase of it has been due to her fault. And it has to be some type of
sociopathic or psychopathic behavior that he just places everything on Natalee.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell, sitting in tonight for Nancy Grace.
We`re talking about stunning new developments in the disappearance of Natalee
Holloway. At the end of next month, it will have been a year since she was last seen on
the island of Aruba as she was wrapping up a graduation trip.
Now, a new arrest, a young man with lots of connections on the island. His dad has a
security firm and his job reportedly involved beach patrol duty. And to make sense of
all of this, let`s go straight out to Jossy Mansur, who is managing director of the
"Diario" newspaper.
We`re trying to figure out what the theory is behind the arrest of this young man. What
part does he play in this puzzle?
JOSSY MANSUR, EDITOR, "DIARIO": Well, the precise details, we don`t know. But
from what we have learned from the prosecution is he has been detained, he has been
arrested on two counts, one, that he is involved in some way with the Natalee Holloway
case and, two, that he is involved in some way with some kind of drugs being sold on the
beach.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, let`s go to defense attorney Tiffany Koenig. If you were this
guy`s defense attorney, would you say, "Hey, this is almost a year old. This t-shirt was
found a long time ago, and now you`re just dragging my client in here"?
TIFFANY KOENIG, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Absolutely. It being almost one year, they
found this t-shirt back in June, they didn`t do anything with it, and now they start to
arrest him? It just doesn`t make any sense.
Certainly, his dad had the security firm. You would think that if he is patrolling the
beaches and his dad firm`s has been patrolling the beaches, that he would have reason
to be there. They would have been interviewing him a long time ago, and it seems
surprising that, at this point in time, that now they have decided to arrest him, at least
for a hold for the preliminary investigation.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I agree with you. It`s like, "This just in: He`s patrolling the beaches."
Why didn`t we know this, like, a week after this terrible tragedy occurred and this young
lady went missing?
I`d like to go to one of our producers in New York, Ellie, who knows everything about
everything. And I want to ask you about the former chief Dompig, Ellie, because he`s no
longer on the case, but this boy has a connection to him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, we`re not sure about that. There`s some word that this
guy who`s been arrested may have maybe a friend of Dompig`s son. But we haven`t
been able to confirm that yet, so we`re waiting to hear about that.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So any speculation that he wasn`t brought in earlier because there
was a man in charge of the investigation whose son was friends with him is premature?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly, it is at this point.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, Jossy, what`s the mood on the island, given the arrest of this
young man? Are people on the island throwing up their hands and saying, "What`s
next?" Or are they relieved that there is progress?
MANSUR: Well, neither one. They`re very excited with the new developments, because
they have high hopes that maybe now we will see a solution to the case and a closure to
it. That`s the mood.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Beth Twitty, what is your heart telling you? Are you filled with hope
at this point or are you just overwhelmed by all of this new information?
TWITTY: Well, I think we`re really encouraged, of course, you know, by the movement
in the investigation. I just hope that this new suspect, as Jossy said, can, you know, give
us the one break that we need, in order for this mystery to unravel, because I feel as if
we`re just missing just a couple of small pieces, and then I just feel as if it will all come
to light.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And patience is the key here, not to give up, and throw up our hands,
and say, "Oh, we`ll never find out." It`s just when you think all hope is lost that something
will come along sometimes.
TWITTY: Well, exactly. So, I think -- well, I mean, we`re very encouraged by it. And I
think it`s a positive sign. At least we are, you know, attempting to move forward and find
out what happened and if he has information about that last night.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And I want to ask you something else as it relates to Joran Van Der
Sloot. I mean, some people might look at this and say, "Wait, this could be a new
suspect. We don`t know whether it`s going to eliminate Joran van der Sloot as a
suspect or not." But some might say, playing devil`s advocate, "Hey, we had our
blinders on."
In fact, his attorney says that. We only looked at Joran, and information that didn`t
point towards him we didn`t look at, because we were so determined to get Joran on
this. Do you see any validity in that argument, which was raised by his attorney?
TWITTY: Well, when I go back and I think of the original perpetrators into Natalee`s
disappearance, we have one fact, well, really two facts, in that we know that three
suspects are the last known individuals to be seen with Natalee alive.
And we know of the numerous or countless stories and lies that they had given the
authorities on the island of Aruba. And, well, thirdly, you know, how could they implicate
two minority security guards? You know, there`s a reason all that happened. What is it,
I don`t know, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And, Jossy, briefly, as we wrap up, does this eliminate Joran as a
suspect, or is Joran still a suspect, even though they`ve arrested this new young man?
MANSUR: I think he remains the main suspect, he and the Kalpoe brothers. This new
person that was arrested does not eliminate the three suspects, no.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So we now have just an expanded suspect pool?
MANSUR: Well, he has been giving answers. He has been giving answers to questions
at the police station that have convinced the police that he knows more than he`s letting
on. That`s why they`re keeping him, to see what else they can extract from him.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Thank you, Jossy, for joining us live from Aruba. Thank
you, Beth Twitty. And, again, we hope that this mystery is solved for everyone`s sake.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY`S FATHER: You have all the lies. You have
a police statement that Deepak buried her in the sand. You know, whether that`s true or
not, you know, we just have to wait and see. And then you also have the fact that they
lied about being out in the field where the gardener caught them in the middle of the night.
You know, just all of the different lies. Why would you lie if you weren`t trying to hide something?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell sitting in tonight for Nancy Grace.
What do make of this mystery in Aruba? And there is yet another wrinkle. Let`s go
straight out to Eric Marrapodi, NANCY GRACE producer par excellence, on the phone
from Aruba.
Apparently, now there is this audio recording, purportedly of Joran talking to the Kalpoe
brothers. Tell us about that. That`s wild.
MARRAPODI: Yes, Jane, you`ve seen that shot many times on this broadcast of Joran
van der Sloot and we think it`s Deepak Kalpoe attached at the wrist by handcuffs being
escorted out of the downtown police station into a car.
We have since learned that the police were tapping those conversations on that long
drive from the downtown police station to the KIA prison on the other side of the island.
Now, we know that these statements were made by the boys. They were being recorded
by the police. They`ve been transcribed into Dutch, and an English translation is floating
around the island. Now, we`re hearing mixed reviews on the translation from our sources
here on the island.
Some sources say, yes, the tone is correct. This is what was being said, that Joran van
der Sloot was angry at the Kalpoe brothers for involving his father. And it`s a very heated
argument, if you read the text.
Other sources close to the investigation who`ve seen the report in Dutch and got a
chance to look at the English translation say, no, it`s not an accurate translation and it`s
not in the spirit of what was said, either. So we`re not going to get into the details on that
tonight, because we can`t confirm it 100 percent.
(CROSSTALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And because we`ve completely run out of time, Eric. We want to
thank you for this analysis of yet another development in this case. Will it ever end? We
do hope so. We do hope we find out what really happened.
4-20-06
On 4-20 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" provided a Police transcript it received in the mail of ARUBAN Police secretly taped conversations 6-24 between Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE , and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE while they were being transported together in an ARUBAN Police vehicle:
Translation of the Natalee Holloway Case Police report
Kalpoe brothers and Joran van der Sloot accuse each other
ORANJESTAD (AAN)
D says to J: How do you feel Joran?
J says to D (in an upset tone): You had them arrest my father, my friend
D says to J (very calmly): That’s what I’m telling you, how do you feel?
J says to D: You know very well my father’s not involved
J says to D: I read your declaration, my friend.
D says to J: That’s bullshit.
J says to D: You lied, shit.
J says to D (very calmly): You know what happened to the girl, if you don’t know, then nothing happened to her.
J says to D: Then fuck you.
J says to D: What did you say that Freddy has to be detained?
D says to J: That Freddy has to say the truth.
J says to D: You know very well that Freddy told the truth.
S says to J: You’ll see, you’ll see.
D says to J: From the beginning, you could have avoided the matter of your dad.
D says to J: You know.
J says to D: What, where, how?
D says to J: That he wouldn’t have been detained.
J says to D: Hoe, hoeooooooo.
J says to D: You declared shit against him.
J says to D: My friend, the only thing my father wanted to do was to help you.
J says to D: My father only wanted to help you. My father even arranged a lawyer for you.
J says to D: And this is how you pay him back.
J says to D: (angry): I have to give you both a klap/wanta [punch in the face?]
D says to J: Try numa [?]
D says to J: You can straighten everything out in one shot, you know
J says to D: Why?
J says to D: You can straighten things out too
J says to D: Straighten things out how?
D says to J: You have to tell the truth.
D says to J: Tomorrow I’m getting my last 8 days and then I’m going home.
J says to D: That’s what you think.
D says to J: I’m going home.
J says to D: Wait until I start saying things about you.
J says to D: Then I want to see if you’re going home.
D says to J: I guarantee you.
J says to D: You don’t think the Police are interested to know that Satish hit a girl with the car?
S says to D (should be to J): He he, you make me laugh, my friend, simply laugh.
D says to J: You know very well, you’re always trying to come between us.
J says to D: Then you’re going to start talking shit about the choller (drug addict).
J says to D: My friend, it was me that helped you with that shit / the matter of the choller.
D says to J: I said that too.
J says to D: I didn’t read that, I also read the declaration.
S says to J: The thing about the choller was from me.
D or S says to J: That’s what I just said.
D or S says to J: I also said that in my first declaration. I did that for myself.
S says to J: I said that in my interest.
J answers back: That’s what Police are telling me now.
J says to S or D: Police told me about you now, if you go against me then that’s when I will go against you.
Brothers laugh: Heheheheheh
S says to J: We didn’t put you in this problem.
S says to J: We simply told the truth.
J says to the brothers: You didn’t do that.
J says to the brothers: Half of what you said isn’t the fucking truth.
J says to the brothers: That’s going to show in time.
J says to the brothers: Same as they control me, they control you too.
S says to J: About us, about us. They can find proof, but not about you.
S says to J: With lies there is no proof.
J says to the brothers: Everything is shit from Karen, you don’t know shit.
J says to the brothers: Fuck you.
D says to J: You think the girl doesn’t have anything on, you’re going to see who, who fuck/coy (the last part could not be heard well).
J says to D: We will see.
J says to D: You know when I’m going to laugh; when I give you a wanta [punch?] in the face.
J says to D: And I’ll laugh if they find the girl alive, fuck you.
J says to the brothers: I know very well that you’re scared.
J says to the brothers: If you did something bad to the girl, then we will see.
S says to J: I’m not scared.
S says to J: What do I have to be scared about?
D says to J: I want them to find the girl.
D says to J: You’re going to say shit about me in regards to the girl, that I buried the girl at the fisherman's hut.
J says to D: Who said anything about a burial, I didn’t say anything about a burial.
D says to J: You declared that.
D says to J: Stop with the bullshit.
J says to D: I didn’t say anything about a burial.
J says to D: The only thing I can think of is that you know people, who are people of Automotive Enterprises.
S says to J: (apparently in a sarcastic tone): Hahahaha, after I’ll get a flat tire he.
S says to J: Hahahaha, after went to get you and after I went back to the beach for the girl.
J says to S: Who said that.
S says to J: That’s what you said.
J says to S: My friend, I didn’t say that.
J says to S: My friend, I never said that you went back (apparently referring to the beach).
J says to the brothers: That’s your problem.
J says to the brothers: If they find the girl, then they will see the shit.
D says to J: 8 more days and I’m going home, I guarantee you this 1000 per cent.
J says to D: We will see.
D says to J: You don’t give a shit about your family members.
J says to D: The only thing I can think about is my family, I am doing what my family told me to do.
J says to the brothers: He, retard.
D says to J: You’re like your father, incredible.
J says to D: What about my father, it’s your fault he was detained. I didn’t declare anything against my father, it was you who spoke against my father.
S says to J: I didn’t declare anything.
J says to the brothers: Of course you did.
S says to J: What did I say / against your father?
J says to the brothers: You said that he (Joran’s father) said that if there’s no corpse there’s no case, or I don’t know what more sorts of shit.
J says to the brothers: That’s not true. The only thing he (Joran’s father) said that if there’s no body they don’t have a case.
D says to J: That’s true.
J says to D: Nothing of that is true.
D says to J: I also said in my declaration that he wasn’t kiermen [?] like that.
J says to D: 20 (what’s is 20? Should be the word ‘esey’) I didn’t read that in your declaration.
J says to the brothers: That’s what they’re using against my father.
D says to J: We have suffered a lot because of you.
J says to the brothers: That’s the price that you’ve let my father pay. That you’re suffering so: fuck you. If you let me suffer, I say OK. I don’t have cunes [?] I can sit calmly 160 days here, for me it doesn’t make a difference. I’m ok here.
Brothers say to J: Me too, me too.
J says to S: And you Satish, they told me that you son of a bitch…see spirits in your cell.
J says to S: They told me that you see the girl in your cell and you get very scared.
S says to J: I saw a spirits? Two other guys saw spirits.
S says to J: You also believe people who are in this prison.
S says to J: What you say has nothing to do with spirits and is cheap shit.
J says to S: They speak well of me, but not of you.
J says to the brothers: And also the two guards (the two security guards who were detained the first time?_ guaranteed me that they will kill you when you get out of prison.
D says to J: Oh, yeah?
J says to the brothers: Who made the declaration about the guards; it was you and not me. Why? Because I didn’t want to bring anyone into the problem who has nothing to do with this case.
D or S yells to J: The lie was for you.
J says to the brothers: It was you who admitted that.
D or S again yells to J: The lie was for you.
J says to the brothers: You paid (with money) him (referring to a male person) however.
Brothers laugh: Hahahahaha.
J says to the brothers: You called by telephone saying that ‘I’ (the ‘I’ here is referring to one of the Kalpoe brothers) hit the jackpot. You said by telephone: “I hit the fucking jackpot.” You forgot that the telephone was tapped.
S or D says to J: Shut your face.
J says to the brothers: You forgot that, retard!
J says to the brothers: And when you got home and said that you fixed everything. You told me “I fixed it’.
J says to D: Good for you. Because of you I’m also in prison.
D says to J: Ayiaaaiaaai.
J says to the brothers: Juffle [?] man, what can you do?
D says to J: What can you do?
J says to the brothers: Make me shut my face, no.
Brothers say to J: Fuck you, we’re not talking to you anymore.
D says to J: Talk until you get tired.
S says to D: You have clothes
D says to J: What are you going to do with that. I’m getting out of here in 5 days.
J says to O (apparently D): That’s what you think.
D says to J: Shut your face.
D says to J again: Shut your face, you bitch.
J says to D: What can you do.
J (should be D) says to J: Fuck your father.
J says to D: If my father doesn’t get out tomorrow, then you’ll see.
J says to D: My friend, shut your face before I hit it shut.
D says to J: Do it if you can. You’re already in prison.
J says to D: It doesn’t make a difference, they can put me in the fucking Cachot [?] I don’t have cunes [?]
D says to J: They’re going to give you 15 years if they find the girl.
J says to D: Why? Why?
D says to J: That scholarship of yours. Gooooooodbye, you can forget about it.
J says to D: Yes, because of who, because of you, retard.
J says to D: You know very well that you did something bad, otherwise you wouldn’t lie.
Brothers say: Aaiaiaiaiaiaiai.
J says to the brothers : I should kill you, retard.
J says to the brothers: Shut your cancer face.
D says to J: Won’t it be nice if tomorrow you’re standing in front of the RC (judge).
D says to J: How not? Too much proof.
J says to D: Then they can hit me too.
J says to D: You think that to me that makes a difference? One strike will be enough.
S says to J: You think, you think.
J says to S: You think that you can go home to get your gun.
S says to J: That I have a gun?
J says to S: Satish, you go get a gun from home, I shoot you dead [?]
S says to J: Look, Police went to my house, they searched the house and they found a gun?
S says to J: What did they find?
D says to J: It’s been hours you’re talking bullshit.
J says to D: How is this shit not true, witnesses saw you.
S says to J: In the end, we’ll see who gets out and who stays.
S says to J: You tell the truth, we will see.
J says to the brothers: I know that I’m getting out.
Brothers say: We will see hahahahaha.
On 4-20 the DUTCH news-sourced "Expatica" reported:
Search called off in Holloway case
AMSTERDAM — Coast Guard vessels have stopped searching the waters around the Caribbean island of Aruba for missing US teenager Natalee Holloway.
The authorities have been searching the coastal waters with sonar equipment since 16 April but US and Aruban media sources said the operation was suspended on Thursday, without any apparent success.
The latest of a series of searches began a day after the arrest of 19-year-old Dutchman Geoffrey van Cromvoirt. He is being held on suspicion of involvement in the Holloway case and for alleged drug dealing.
Holloway, 18, vanished on the night of 30 May 2005 while on holiday in Aruba with classmates to celebrate their graduation from school. Three young men were the last people seen with Holloway on the night she vanished.
The three were arrested and held in custody for weeks before being released for lack of evidence. The three - including Dutch teenager Joran van der Sloot - deny harming Holloway.
Aruban Police arrested van Cromvoirt after the case was featured on crimestoppers programme 'Opsporing Verzocht' in Aruba and in the Netherlands.
Prosecution officials said van Cromvoirt is being held as a suspect not a witness, but van der Sloot remains the main suspect.
On 4-20 ARUBAAN's news-source "Bon Dia" reported:
One has to know to separate facts and stop dragging people in without a basis to do so
Baseless Accusations Against And About Gerold Dompig Could End Up In Court
The commissioner has involved his lawyer to take steps if necessary
ORANJESTAD – The case of the investigation on the disappearance of Natalee Holloway took various turns during the course of last year. Turns that sometimes had nothing to do with the case directly, but rather with the actors [principals?] involved in the investigation. One of the names that is constantly mentioned is that of Gerold Dompig and his tactics or according to some, lack of tactics as to how to deal with the investigation.
All the time the commissioner has distanced himself from this due to how he is a person of high rank in the Police force, it is logical that he has to carry a heavy load and put up with many things. But even this has limits.
ARUBAN Police commissioner GERALD DOMPIG’S VERSION
Bon Dia Aruba got in contact with the commissioner to hear his version about everything that has been talked about these last few days, to get his version of this whole matter. Mr. Dompig was a little hesitant, but indicated that it could be good to set everything straight, to avoid that this situation becomes worse than it already is.
INSINUATIONS
Dompig indicated that one has to stop insinuating things that are not true. If any person has any information that he believes is not right, he has to take the legal steps for an investigation to take place and not bring in people’s names in newspapers as they see fit, because this causes harm to the family unnecessarily. Particularly, Dutch newspapers are putting forth accusations and insinuations that could have easily have been verified with all the means the Dutch newspapers have in their power.
USING THE NAME OF HIS SON
The fact that now they’re using the name of his son, and have linked him to the arrest of the most recent detainee in the case, has also been very difficult for the commissioner. It is true that Dompig’s son worked in the Visibility Team with the detainee, but this does not necessarily mean that they are friends. To use his son’s name and link them together and put the commissioner’s credibility in play, is going too far.
GOING TO COURT
A very important point is that commissioner Dompig is clear about stopping the matter of bringing in his name, and has put this in his lawyer’s hands. As of yesterday, everything published about him that is not true and has no basis, will be observed and noted to possibly fight this in a legal way in court. Everything has a limit, and this is where he has reached his limit.
MESSAGE
His strong message is that if a person has thoughts of using his name, criticize his tactics, then make sure that they have a basis, otherwise another guy will sing. The fact that he went on television and stated certain things, was done with the approval of authorities. Everything that was presented on television, he has a way to defend himself in front of his superiors if he has to justify his presentation. And if there are people who want to criticize, they can but in the right way, approaching the Public Prosecutor and not baseless attacks in the media.
RESPECT FOR HIS WORK
He is aware that many people do not like his way of working, and he respects this. But the fact remains that he is a Police authority, one of the 4 commissioners who have their responsibilities to bear. “You may not like him, but you respect him”, Dompig continued to say. And by criticizing his function and his name, you are criticizing Aruba, given that Aruba gets a bad name abroad when this happens. Let the investigation run its course and when it is closed, you will see what comes out. Police many times use tactics that are not known by civilians. As such, many times it is difficult to understand certain steps and it is easy to criticize without any basis.
On 4-20 the DUTCH news-sourced "Expatica" reported:
Holloway search switches to the sea
AMSTERDAM — Antillean and Aruban Coast Gard vessels are using sonar equipment in the latest bid to find out what happened to US teenager Natalee Holloway.
The Public Prosecutor's Office (OM) confirmed on late on Wednesday that the vessels have been searching the sea around Aruba for four days.
Holloway, 18, disappeared in May 2005 while holidaying with classmates on the autonomous Dutch island in the Caribbean to celebrate graduation.
Three young men were the last people seen with Holloway on the night she vanished. The three were arrested and held in custody for weeks before being released for lack of evidence. The three - including Dutch teenager Joran van der Sloot - deny harming Holloway.
Aruban Police arrested another Dutch person, Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, on Saturday after the case was featured on crimestoppers programme 'Opsporing Verzocht' in Aruba and in the Netherlands.
The OM said van Cromvoirt, 19, is being held as a suspect not a witness, but van der Sloot remains the main suspect.
On 4-20 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
Information on Natalee Holloway case leaked to the international press
Recording of Kalpoe brothers and Joran van der Sloot reveals horrific information
ORANJESTAD (AAN) - DIARIO has obtained a copy of a Police report in which there is a transcript from an audio recording where Joran van der Sloot, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe are discussing and accusing one another formally about what could have happened in the case of Natalee Holloway.
It is not known exactly where the conversation among the three was recorded, but the contents are horrific and any person who is in the least bit educated can make out that the three suspects are mentioning matters which give people the clear impression that all three know what happened with Natalee, and that something bad was done to Natalee Holloway.
From one end to the other, the Kalpoe brothers and Joran van der Sloot accuse each other of being guilty of what happened to Natalee Holloway and there’s even mention of the body of the victim and when the three suspects speak of the body of a victim, there’s no other conclusion than Natalee Holloway being dead.
The question now is: who did something, how, how many people were aware of this, who participated in this, and how far can it be said that there are -ore people who helped cover up evidence that until today the case hasn’t been able to be solved?
The fact is that today during the day someone high placed in the justice apparatus has to explain to the community how the three suspects are still free given the information in the Police report.
This information illustrates the reason why the Aruban Police was frustrated in the investigation given that they had key information, but for one reason or another they did not have more to continue to pursue the three suspects criminally.
Until when can Police work with the determination on such a case if the information points very clearly in a certain direction in regards to the suspects, but the Judge commissioner sets them free and Police with the prosecutors can’t do much until they find more solid evidence such as the victim’s body?
At a certain point, one of the Kalpoe brothers, Deepak, told Joran van der Sloot that Joran will get 15 years of penalty if they find the girl, referring to Natalee Holloway.
If Joran didn’t do anything to Natalee, then why did Deepak said to Joran that Joran will get a penalty of 15 years?
Like this, there are many more matters that are mentioned in the strong discussion that was held between the Kalpoe brothers and Joran and today DIARIO has reproduced the Police report as it was left in our mailbox, and also DIARIO translated the report in Papiamento so that the community can read the fine print.
It has to be noted that the transcript is redacted in bad Dutch grammar and full of typos, but the content speaks for itself and it is easy for everyone to read and understand.
Reading the report, the other faces of the suspects – Kalpoes and van der Sloot – is put forward, contrary to what they have pretended to be from the first day that they got publicity related to the disappearance of Natalee, because the language and the brutality in the manner of speaking to one another and their accusations of each other is not positive for them and leads people to doubt their supposed complete innocence.
This time, no one can say that the Aruban or international press invented sensational stories because this is information extracted from a Police report.
The case of the disappearance of Natalee will get an unexpected twist because names of other people are being mentioned and yesterday, U.S. TV channels, who also have copies of the Police report, aired some excerpts of what the Kalpoe brothers and Joran were accusing each other of.
On 4-20 ABC News reported:
New Arrestee in Holloway Case First Questioned by Police a Year Ago
The 19-year-old man arrested last weekend as a new potential suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway was first questioned by Police in the earliest stages of the investigation almost a year ago, ABC News has learned.
Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was arrested following "chatter" generated after the Dutch equivalent of "America's Most Wanted" aired a reenactment of Holloway's disappearance, sources told ABC News. Van Cromvoirt's sister, who is a Police officer, played an on-camera roll on the program, ABC News has learned.
In the Dutch reenactment, a mysterious white car follows the one Holloway is in with Joran van der Sloot, the Dutch teen long suspected in the case, the night of her disappearance. On Wednesday, a similar car was spotted parked in front of van Cromvoirt's gated home.
Investigators Return to Waters off Aruba
While van Cromvoirt faces hours of more Police interrogation, Dutch and Aruban Coast Guard ships have returned to search the waters off Aruba with sonar devices.
Van Cromvoirt is being held as a possible suspect, not a witness, although van der Sloot remains the chief suspect. van der Sloot has repeatedly denied being involved in Holloway's disappearance. Police won't say whether the two men knew each other, but van der Sloot's lawyer has said his client does not know van Cromvoirt.
Holloway has been missing since she disappeared on May 30, 2005, while on a class trip to Aruba. Van Cromvoirt worked for a private security company that patrols beaches outside Aruba's hotels. Holloway was last seen leaving an Aruba bar with van der Sloot and Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, who were held for 25 days before being released. van der Sloot has said he left Holloway on a beach near her hotel after they had kissed.
Van Cromvoirt's family runs the security company, according to Joseph Tacopina, the attorney for van der Sloot. The company provides security for the Aruban government and private companies, including the "Holiday Inn," where Holloway had been staying, he said. The company installed the security camera and patrols the beach. Van Cromvoirt was part of the team that patrolled the Holiday Inn's beach in the early hours of the morning, according to Tacopina.
On 4-20 AKRON, OHIO NBC TV channel 3 reported:
Natalee Holloway's mother urges students to be careful while traveling
AKRON -- With new developments tonight in the case of missing Alabama teen, Natalee Holloway's mother was in Akron to teach young people about safe travel.
Beth Holloway-Twitty says her goal is keep what happened to her daughter from happening to someone else.
Nearly a year after her daughter disappeared in Aruba, Beth Holloway-Twitty still wears a "Hope for Natalee" bracelet.
She's spent months trying to find out what happened to Natalee. Now much of her energy is spent tryin' to keep other teenagers safe.
"When I look at these high schools, I see Natalee and her friends and I have their best interest at heart," she says. "I taught high school for 20 years and I wish Natalee had heard this message."
A message is about awareness and safety, especially for young people traveling outside the U.S.
Students her heard Holloway-Twitty speak say the message came through loud and clear.
"I think a lot of seniors go on their trips, get drunk, hang out with their friends and I think it's an awakening call for them," said senior Tristanne Staudt.
"I think a lot of people are going to wake up and they're going to be paying attention to their surroundings," added senior Kyle Pierce.
While Holloway-Twitty spoke in Akron, Aruba's Coast Guard used sonar to search for Natalee's body. Officials are also interviewing new witnesses and a 19-year-old is jailed in connection with the case - developments that offer hope to this mother who's waited so long for answers.
Holloway-Twitty has established a non-profit organization called International Safe Travels to teach people, especially young people, tips and guidelines to better protect themselves.
She says it's simple things like knowing what time a bar or nightclub closes before you get there.
On 4-20 the “AP” reported:
Ships use sonar in new search off Aruba in case of missing Alabama
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) - Aruba's coast guard is using sonar to search for Natalee Holloway nearly a year after she disappeared.
The prosecutor's office says the coast guard is also using other equipment to search an area off the island. The search hadn't been revealed before, but officials say it's in its fourth day.
And officials say they're interviewing witnesses and are in contact with authorities in the Netherlands about tips since a T-V show about the Alabama teen's disappearance. But Aruban authorities aren't offering any more details about a 19-year-old jailed in the case. He's also held on suspicion of drug offences.
A judge has authorized prosecutors to keep the man jailed for further investigation. A prosecution official says the judge must hold another hearing by April 25th to keep the man jailed.
On 4-20 FOX News reported:
Holloway Murder Suspects' Alleged Conversation Points to Crime
ORANJESTAD, Aruba — An alleged Aruban Police report detailing a secretly recorded conversation among suspects jailed in the Natalee Holloway case points to knowledge of a crime.
The report, handed out to the media in Aruba by an independent American Investigator, detailed a conversation among Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers — Deepak and Satish — secretly taped while the three were in custody in the back of a Police car.
After seeing the report, one local reporter said Police had mentioned how the suspects may have believed their conversations were being recorded and were speaking about the case in a deliberate attempt to confuse Investigators.
On the tape the three suspects, who were taken into custody and later released in the case of an Alabama honors student who disappeared while on vacation in Aruba on May 30, talk about their fate, mentioning the possibility of a long jail term if they are discovered.
Aruban authorities have yet to confirm the authenticity of the report, but Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office, said it "looks real."
Excerpts of the report, in which the suspects are identified by the initials of their first names, follow:
D says to J: "They're going to give you 15 years if they find the girl."
J says to D: "For what, for what?"
D says to J: "The scholarship of yours, you can forget it."
J says to D: "You well know that you did bad, otherwise you wouldn't lie.
The report includes In a later exchange, the suspects talk of burying Holloway's body.
J says to D: "I will laugh if they find the girl, f*** you. I know very well that you are afraid, that is if you did something bad with the girl and if they find the girl, then we will see."
D says to J: "I want them to find the girl ... you're going to talk s*** about me, that I have buried the girl by the fisherman's hut"
J says to D: "Who said anything about burying, I said nothing about burying."
D says to J: "That's what you testified."
Meanwhile, the family of a 19-year-old arrested Saturday in the case said he had nothing to do with her disappearance.
The family of Geoffrey van Cromvoirt also said in a statement released by his lawyers Wednesday that he is not friends with any of the people previously detained in the Holloway investigation.
"The family van Cromvoirt distances itself completely from all expressions or statements which bring Geoffrey van Cromvoirt in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and any statements in which any role is attributed to him in this case," the statement said.
Aruban prosecutors, identifying Cromvoirt only by his initials, said he is suspected of "criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance" of Holloway but have not provided details about why he was arrested.
Holloway, who was 18 when she disappeared, was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers on May 30 — the final night of her high school graduation trip to the Caribbean island.
The public prosecutor's office said the coast guard was using sonar and other equipment to check an unspecified area off the Dutch-Caribbean island.
Island officials also said they were interviewing witnesses and were in contact with authorities in the Netherlands about tips received after the airing of a television program devoted to unsolved crimes.
A judge had approved a prosecution request to hold the man pending further investigation. He was also detained on suspicion of drug offenses.
Under the law, another hearing for the 19-year-old must be held by at least April 25 if the prosecution wants to continue his detention, the prosecutor's office said.
Searches involving Dutch marines, the F.B.I. and hundreds of volunteers have been conducted throughout the island and off the coast. More recent searches have focused on dunes along the island's north shore.
FOX News' Julie Banderas and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
On 4-20 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
With the Police report leak
Now more than ever Police has to find the authority to re-detain the suspects
ORANJESTAD (AAN) – Information that was extracted from the Police report on the case of the disappearance of Natalee, which was leaked to the press in Aruba and the U.S., shows that the moment has come to give Police in Aruba more authority and possibility to act appropriately in the investigation.
From the beginning of Natalee’s case, Police were complaining that they had their hands tied and the reports about how Police worked under circumstances that the suspects/detainees had to be interrogated in a special room equipped with video cameras and sound equipment, curtailed the effectiveness and efficiency of interrogations.
In the community, this special treatment with video cameras and sound equipment was rather seen as a type of preferential treatment for the son of a judge and a type of treatment which was not available for native sons who in the past have been detained and interrogated.
From good sources in the Police force, DIARIO obtained information from the beginning of the case that the system of having to put special equipment for interrogation of the suspects made the suspects mock Police.
It was said that said that the suspects were telling Police every time that ‘if there’s no body, there’s no case!’
It is more than logical that the suspects, knowing that everything was recorded and listened to afterwards, that they could remain quiet and that Police could not use interrogation tactics for pressure like they are able to do with other detainees who did not have the luxury of preferential treatment.
In the copy of the Police report which was leaked, the three suspects also discussed and accused each other formally, in regards to whether Joran’s father told them that if there is no body, there is no case, and here it is possible to see what Police in Aruba were complaining about.
At the beginning of the case, some errors were made and valuable days were lost for the technical aspect of the investigation and also the investigation of the suspects’ interrogation.
But this would not have been the case if Police could have worked before it was possible with all suspects, of relatively young age, they would not have been able to withstand the pressure of intensive interrogation and that very probably they would have broken after a few hours or days.
There were and still are Police who are convinced that if it weren’t for the video cameras and recording equipment, Police would have been able to solve the case better by finding solid evidence and avoiding that today, Aruba continues to get a bad name around the world due to the fact that the case of Natalee is still not solved.
A Police official said in anonymity that if Police could have put pressure with only some heavy screaming against the suspects, then at least one of them would have broken against the others, either that they are saying the truth or that they are guilty or that in the end, it would have come out that they truly are innocent, but the Police report which was leaked gives every indication that the suspects knew and were covering each other.
Referring to many years of experience with cases where great pressure had to be put on suspects for them to talk, Police made it be known that they could have solved the case from the beginning when they detained the suspects.
With the luxury and preferential treatment of audio and video recording equipment it is more than logical that the suspects could later say that they were mentally mistreated and that their human rights were violated, etc. etc. bla bla bla, and all Police evidence could have been declared null or illegally obtained.
Now, with information of a recording made by authorities, it is known what the Kalpoe brothers were saying or accusing Joran of, and on the other side, what Joran was accusing the Kalpoe brothers of, every person can draw their conclusions that Police had their hands tied and that the could not have done much without solid evidence.
With the leak of the very controversial Police report in the case of Natalee, everyone is under the impression that the three suspects did not say the complete truth or even that they said a bunch of lies in order to cover up what took place.
Because at the moment where one turned against the other in terms of what could have happened to Natalee, and they are speaking of a body being discovered, hitting a girl with the car, certain people who helped one or the other, the role of the father in the whole case, the manner of thinking, speaking and acting of the suspects, and much more, there’s no other alternative than to draw the conclusion that all three suspects have to be brought in again by Aruban Police authorities so that they can interrogate hem again, but this time, without video recordings or any preferential treatment.
The Aruban Police are the ones who have to carry the bad name in Aruba, and certainly outside of Aruba not that it can be seen that certain matters related to the three suspects do not smell very good.
For the judicial system in Aruba and the Dutch Kingdom in its entirety, this case is one that has to be attended to with more Police authority, and there remains nothing other than interrogating all suspects related to Natalee’s case again and putting an end to this disaster which is harming Aruba and the judicial system of the Dutch Kingdom.
On 4-20 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
According to attorney Lotter-Homan
Geoffrey van Cromvoirt is not getting preferential treatment
ORANJESTAD(AAN): As it’s well known, a new suspect has been detained in the case of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.
Saturday, Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was detained as the new suspect in the case of Natalee Holloway and had to appear in front of a judge commissioner Tuesday.
Normally the suspect is brought to court and there he is presented in front of a judge commissioner, for the latter to determine if the detention of the suspect is legal.
However, the press waited in vain for long hours in front of the court on Tuesday, because the suspect did not show up.
Afterwards, it came to light that the judge commissioner, who came from Curacao for this case, went to the Noord Police station, in order to determine if the suspect’s detention was legal.
This led to much speculation and questions on the street, where many people questioned the way the Public Prosecutor procedure.
It has to be said that because van Cromvoirt is Dutch, he is getting preferential treatment.
Van Cromvoirt’s attorney, mr. Lotter-Homan, told DIARIO that it’s not so that her client is getting preferential treatment.
According to the lawyer, the judge commissioner went to the Noord Police station because his flight was delayed from Curacao.
At the time when he was able to meet with van Cromvoirt and his lawyer, the court was closed.
At that time, the Public Prosecutor took the decision for the judge commissioner to go to the Noord Police station where the suspect is being detained, to determine if his detention was legal.
So the attorney emphasized that it is not true that Geoffrey van Cromvoirt is obtaining preferential treatment.
On 4-20 the “Cayman Compass News Online” reported:
Latest arrested in Holloway disappearance
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) – He is a clean–cut teen who worked briefly for the beach patrol, whose father runs a security company and sister graduated from the Aruban Police academy.
Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, a 19–year–old with close–cropped blond hair, is the latest person arrested in connection with last year’s still unsolved disappearance of U.S. teen Natalee Holloway.
Authorities have previously arrested seven people and later released them all for lack of evidence in a case that has generated a number of false leads and been the subject of intense scrutiny on the Caribbean island and back in the United States since she vanished May 30.
Aruban prosecutors have not explained in detail why they detained van Cromvoirt other than to say he is suspected of "criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance" of Holloway, 18, who was last seen on the final night of her high school graduation trip to the island.
Van Cromvoirt’s family, in a statement released by his lawyer, said the 19–year–old has no connection to the case and is not friends with anyone so far detained, including Dutch youth Joran van der Sloot and Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe.
The teen’s family and lawyer declined request for interviews.
Much of what is known about van Cromvoirt comes from two photos published in Aruban newspapers and distributed around the world.
In one, he wears a shirt with the logo of the security company co–owned by his father and poses with Police beside the white sand and aquamarine waters that are the mainstay of Aruba’s tourism–dependent economy.
In another photo, the young man, squinting in the sun with his sunglasses propped on his head, stands behind his sister as she graduated from the Police academy last year.
In the photo on the beach, Van Cromvoirt was working for the "visibility team," a unit made up of private security guards who work with Police to patrol beaches, downtown Oranjestad and other tourist areas.
Van Cromvoirt worked on the beach patrol from August to December, 2005, said Rob Smith, chairman of the Aruba Hospitality and Security Foundation, which runs the program.
Before the visibility team, the teen worked at a water sports company but left when business got slow. He returned to that job and left the visibility team when business picked up again, Smith said.
Van Cromvoirt, who prosecutors said was also detained on suspicion of undisclosed drug offenses, had not previously figured in the Holloway investigation, according to lawyers for van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers.
Joseph Tacopina, who represents van der Sloot, said van Cromvoirt was arrested because Police found a shirt belonging to him with "relevant forensic information." Prosecutors have not confirmed that allegation.
Jossy Mansur, editor of the Aruban newspaper Diario, said the youth is Dutch and that his family is well–known but not prominent on the island. He said there are no obvious ties either to Holloway or others arrested in the case. "Why he was arrested, we don’t know," he said.
Dave Holloway, the missing teen’s father, said relatives of the missing teen, who spent months on the island searching for clues, had never come across van Cromvoirt’s name.
"The first time I ever heard about him was with the arrest Saturday," Holloway, an insurance agent from Meridian, Mississippi, said in a telephone interview Tuesday.
Relatives are following news accounts and Internet postings about the arrest, he said, but they still don’t know from official sources why Arubaans believe the man had something to do with the case.
"Obviously, when they make an arrest instead of just bringing a witness in it’s a positive thing toward the resolution of Natalee’s case," Holloway said. "But we’ll just have to wait and see."
On 4-20 MSNBC reported:
ABRAMS: It‘s kind of hard to believe, almost a year since Alabama teen Natalee Holloway disappeared on a trip to Aruba. For some reason there suddenly seems to be an enormous amount of activity going on in the case. Authorities arrested a possible suspect this weekend, have launched a new search of the water. There are rumors more arrests could be imminent.
NBC News has also obtained a transcript of what is purportedly a secretly recorded conversation between suspects Joran van der Sloot and Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. They talk about the case but don‘t seem to know what happened to Natalee. And it seems the Police had tried to convince each that the others were speculatively selling them out.
NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski is in Aruba with the latest. Also joining me on the phone is Aruban attorney who once represented Natalee‘s family in Aruba, Vinda de Sousa, criminal defense attorney Yale Galanter, and former prosecutor and MSNBC analyst Susan Filan.
All right. So Michelle, what‘s the latest now in the search?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi Dan. The search is supposedly continuing today although we have no evidence of that. (INAUDIBLE) sources yesterday and prosecutors came out and said yesterday that it had been going on for four days. And it seems nobody knew on the island, even some of our best sources here, the local newspaper didn‘t report it. No one knew, so they were able to keep it very quiet. And it hadn‘t been four consecutive days. There is some speculation that it happened right after the arrest of that 19-year-old boy over the weekend, but it turns out it started the prior week.
And interestingly, one of the attorneys involved in this case who does have information related to the investigation told us that he—it‘s his understanding that the tips that sparked the search actually came from some people who had knowledge of the ocean floor in this area, people like fisherman who have their own sonar who reported, according to him, to Investigators certain areas where there might be some irregularities on the bottom of the ocean. We don‘t know exactly how deep they are going here, but prosecutors did confirm that they are using sonar and they have the help of the Aruban Coast Guard and Dutch Coast Guard on the island right now. So we haven‘t seen them, but supposedly that is going to continue—
Dan.
ABRAMS: And Michelle, any other fall-out from these transcripts that you were able to exclusively obtain, these conversations between Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers?
KOSINSKI: Oh people are definitely talking about it and it depends on what attorney involved in this case you talk to. I mean you talk to the attorney for Joran van der Sloot and he‘ll really play up the items that in his view show that these boys did not actually know what happened to Natalee Holloway. And if you talk to the attorney for Beth Holloway-Twitty, Natalee‘s mother, he says well in his opinion it seems like they know something and they are covering it up and they may have even known that they were being recorded because they had knowledge of their own phones being wiretapped.
So just how much they knew and up to what point is the real question here. Because they themselves admitted that they had Natalee in the car. Joran said he left her alone on the beach. Well at what point does their knowledge cut off or not cut off. That‘s what people are wondering and at this point all we can do is wonder.
ABRAMS: Yes. All right. I have read through these transcripts and I got to tell you don‘t understand—if they knew they were being taped they wouldn‘t have said some of the things that they said and what they do say on here doesn‘t seem to me to be particularly incriminating. Susan Filan, you and I have gone through these in depth. Let me read from one of them.
Deepak says if they‘re going to give you 15 years if they find the girl. Joran says for what? For what? The scholarship of yours (INAUDIBLE) you can forget about it. Yes, because of you? Because of you mongol. You well know that you did that otherwise you wouldn‘t lie.
Now, on the one hand that certainly seems to suggest that Joran is saying for what and you could make an argument OK, well yet, it seems to implicate Deepak, but you know, I don‘t—you did bad otherwise you wouldn‘t lie doesn‘t say you did bad. You know what you did.
FILAN: Exactly.
ABRAMS: I mean it just—it doesn‘t seem to be particularly incriminating.
FILAN: No. I‘m not going to go so far as to say this exculpates them. This mean they didn‘t do it, but I don‘t think there is evidence in what we‘re reading in this particular secretly recorded conversation that somebody knows that somebody did something and they are not saying it. What it sounds more like is each one is trying to figure out what the other one said to the authorities and basically saying why did you lie about me?
Why did you lie about me? I don‘t believe for a minute that they knew they were being recorded. Because I got to tell you my theory on that is if they knew they were being recorded they sure wouldn‘t make...
ABRAMS: Right.
FILAN: ... stupid remarks like these.
ABRAMS: Right. Right. Right. And they wouldn‘t refer to her as the girl. They would refer to her as Natalee and they would say nice things, et cetera.
FILAN: Or they would say we didn‘t do it.
ABRAMS: Right.
FILAN: We didn‘t do it.
ABRAMS: Right. Right.
FILAN: Get us out.
ABRAMS: Right. I mean in another part of the transcript Deepak saying I‘m going home. Joran: Just wait until I start saying things about you then I want to see whether you will go home. I guarantee you. Don‘t you think that the Police is interested to know that Satish hit a girl with a car?
(INAUDIBLE) you‘re making me laugh boy. Just laugh. I mean it just -
it seems to go—Vinda, you‘ve seen these transcripts. I mean it seems to go around and around with each one of them sort of trying to figure out what the others have said but none of them seeming to have any knowledge at least presumably about what did happen.
VINDA DE SOUSA, ARUBAN ATTORNEY (via phone): Absolutely. I agree absolutely with what you are saying. They didn‘t have any knowledge it appears from the transcripts of what one was saying about the other. And they were trying to figure out what was being said by each and one of the others in order to protect their own safety or their own liberties...
ABRAMS: Yes.
DE SOUSA: ... so to speak.
ABRAMS: Yes.
DE SOUSA: So, they definitely didn‘t know. Because it‘s Police tactics. We all know...
(CROSSTALK)
DE SOUSA: ... investigative tactics. We all know that Police try to put pressure...
ABRAMS: Right.
DE SOUSA: ... Investigators try to put pressure and saying one squealed, this one squealed and said you did this.
ABRAMS: Right.
(CROSSTALK)
ABRAMS: And I‘m not willing...
(CROSSTALK)
ABRAMS: ... to go as far as to say...
(CROSST LK)
ABRAMS: I‘m not willing to go as far as to say that what‘s in these definitely proves that they didn‘t do it, but I am willing to say that when you read the totality of them, you kno7 I think that if you read them objectively, as I do, with no stake in the outcome here that you know when you look at everything, it does seem to support their account.
Joran: I said nothing about burying. One thing I can think of is that you know people, that‘s the people from automotive enterprises. Yes, yes, yes, after I got that flat tire (INAUDIBLE). Yes, yes, I picked you up and after that I went to the beach again for her.
Joran: Who said that?
Satish: You said that.
Joran: I never said that. I never said that you‘ve been back friend. That‘s your problem. If they all find that girl, then they will see that and then there‘s an expletive.
It just, Yale, seems to kind of go around and around.
GALANTER: It does, Dan. I mean what this shows is number one that the Aruban authorities really were trying to get to the bottom of it by turning the three boys against one another and it also shows that the three boys were not on the same page and that‘s clear as day. They may have lied about some things, but it clearly does not inculpate them in any way, shape, or form. And I agree with you. It really is consistent with what Joran has told the media.
ABRAMS: All right. We shall see. And let‘s—again, there‘s a lot
I‘ve been stunned at how much activity there has been down in Aruba in connection with this investigation 11 months later, so we‘re going to stay on top of that. Michelle Kosinski, thanks. Vinda de Sousa, Yale Galanter, thank you.
On 4-20 MSNBC reported:
COSBY: And tonight, LIVE & DIRECT has the very latest in the Natalee Holloway investigation. Crews from the Aruban coast guard are busy searching the waters off the Caribbean island for any signs of the Alabama teen. NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski is LIVE & DIRECT tonight in Aruba.
Michelle, why the decision to head back into the water to hunt for clues now?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CORRESPONDENT, NBC NEWS: Well, prosecutors aren‘t giving us too much information, typically. You know, they want to keep this close to the vest.
In fact, Rita, they‘ve kept it so secret that really no one on this island seems to know about these searches, even though they‘ve been going on for the past four days, at least. We were told by some people on the island that it even started last week, before the 19-year-old suspect was arrested over the weekend.
Prosecutors surprised us all by putting out a press release yesterday that said they had done four days of searching. They told us they were using sonar, with help of the Aruban coast guard, as well as the coast guard for the Dutch Antilles.
And there‘s been a lot made of this Dutch TV program that aired last week, something similar to “America‘s Most Wanted.” That we know generated dozens of tips.
Well, prosecutors also tell us that, in conjunction with these searches they‘re doing, they‘re working with an expert that‘s going to help them sort out those tips, decide which ones are the most credible, which ones to run after.
So much of the information that we‘ve on this has come, not necessarily from prosecutors, but from other attorney who do have information in the investigation. For example, the attorney for Natalee‘s mother, Beth, told us that it‘s his understanding that these searched was sparked, not by the arrest of the suspect over the weekend, but by information they were able to gather from some local people who have knowledge of the ocean in certain areas, people like fishermen.
He said that he knows they have sonar, that they were able to give prosecutors some tips about possible irregularities on the ocean floor. He says that it‘s his understanding that‘s what they‘re going for, although he thinks, in the four days of searching so far, they haven‘t found anything.
He also told us that those water searches are expected to continue, and we don‘t know the exact area of them. You know, there are certain key places on the island, the fisherman‘s huts, the light house.
We don‘t know if they‘re associated with that area, but we know, at least today, we‘ve been watching those key places, and we didn‘t see any activity today.
And that 19-year-old suspect we mentioned, Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, he‘s still in jail. We were able to get out to his house today, speak briefly with his mother who basically says she didn‘t want to be bothered, although she did say that prosecutors and Police have made a mistake in getting her son involved.
His attorney also was available at the courthouse, on another case, though, not on his case. And she said basically that she said all she has to say and that van Cromvoirt is holding up as best he can. She wanted to get the information out, though. She says he does not know the three suspects originally from this case and that he was not working beach patrol during the time that Natalee disappeared—Rita?
COSBY: Michelle, thank you very much.
Well, as the new underwater search for Natalee goes on there, there are new questions about the latest arrest, as you just heard from Michelle tonight. We‘re getting some mixed messages on Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, the 19-year-old who was recently arrested in Aruba.
Now, one source is saying that he is not and never has been implicated for murdering Natalee. The source tells us that any thought that van Cromvoirt killed Natalee is totally nonsense and simply did not happen.
Meanwhile, Van Cromvoirt‘s mother is also speaking out to us, as well, telling us, quote, “Aruban Police arresting my son was a huge mistake. I mean a big, big mistake. My son is doing all right, given that he is sitting in jail, but all I am going to say is that this is a huge mistake,” again, from his mom.
Joining me now live from Aruba is David Kock. He is the attorney for Deepak and Satish Kalpoe.
David, first of all, what are your clients saying about this arrest of this 19-year-old? Do they believe he may be connected somehow to Natalee‘s disappearance?
DAVID KOCK, SATISH KALPOE ‘S ATTORNEY: Well, look, they did not know this gentleman before this arrest, so that is new to them. Of course, they‘re not pleased, of course, that he has been arrested, but they are pleased that the investigation has gone into a different direction. Because we do not know what statements Mr. Cromvoirt is giving, it‘s hard for us to comment at this moment.
COSBY: You know, we saw this Police transcript. And I want to put this up, because everyone has been talking about this, David. And I want to put up one exchange between the three. This is Joran and the two Kalpoe brothers, who you represent.
Joran says, “I know very well that you‘re afraid, that is, if you did something bad with the girl, and if they find the girl, then we‘ll see.” Satish then says, “I‘m not afraid. Why must I be afraid?”
Deepak responds, “I want them to find the girl. You‘re going to talk about (blank) about me, that I have buried the girl by fisherman‘s hut?” Joran comes back, “Who said about burying? I said nothing about burying.” And finally, Deepak, your client, says, “That‘s what you testified. Stop with the (blank).”
What does this say? A lot of people say that it looks like they‘re sort of all lying. How do you read this?
DAVID KOCK: Well, but just to put it into perspective, I mean, into the time that was said, no, if you remember a certain moment, remember the exact date in the beginning of June, Joran said at a certain moment that he thinks that maybe Deepak buried this girl. So that is where this is coming from.
And as you see from the transcripts, Satish is totally not concerned about anything. And Deepak was just upset at that moment that Joran indicated that maybe he had to do something with the disappearance.
COSBY: You know, David, did they know they were being recorded? There‘s been a lot of questions as to whether they knew that they were being secretly recorded or not.
DAVID KOCK: No, they did not know. But I must tell you that we have these statements from long already. So we were not concerned about them, neither. And as you see, they did not serve to keep detaining the brothers. So that‘s why we say you have to put in perspective. It looks as if that came out now, but that was out many months ago already.
COSBY: You know, Joran van der Sloot‘s attorney was talking out this morning, and he‘s saying—his interpretations of these recordings is actually that he believes, you know, its help his client, in some way. Let me play that clip, and then I‘ll get you to react, David.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE TACOPINA, JORAN VAN DER SLOOT ‘S ATTORNEY: It shows a total unknowing on the part of Joran van der Sloot. It shows him saying, “If they find this girl alive, I‘m going to laugh.” Clearly, if he had killed her, he wouldn‘t have made a comment like that not knowing it‘s being recorded.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSBY: You know, David, do you believe these tapes in some way help your clients?
DAVID KOCK: Well, I don‘t think that they are negative for my clients. I think it also shows that they‘re saying, because if you read further on, that they indicate that Joran is the one who should be responsible and that Joran should know where the girl is.
So I think you can interpret it both ways, if when somebody laughs, if they find the girl, is it because you know that she‘s not going to be found or you suppose that she‘s going to be found? You can go both ways with that.
COSBY: You know, David, you know a lot of people there on the island.
I met you when I was there many, many months ago. It‘s a small island. What is the read you‘re getting from people there on the ground? Do you get any sense that they‘re close to solving this case or is this, you know, this latest arrest and everything else, you know, just another sideshow?
DAVID KOCK: No, look, I think, as you know, the D.A. is under a microscope. And think, from certain statements that she had made to third parties, I don‘t think she would go through all this action at this point of the investigation if she did not feel very comfortable, very sure about what she was doing. In any case, I hope that for her.
COSBY: All right, David Kock, thank you very much for being with us from Aruba. We appreciate it.
DAVID KOCK: You‘re welcome, Rita.
On 4-20 user identity “Rammstein” of the “Blogs for Natalee” wrote,
Police-sources believe that Natalee drugged with XTC, sexually abused and dumped
The DA’s office officially suspects Geoffrey van C. of being an accomplice in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and of trading in drugs. According to Police sources Natalee was drugged with XTC and subsequently sexually abused and dumped.”
Was Natalee last prey?
Mother missing American: this boy is not the perpetrator
Beaches of Aruba hunting-fields of Geoffrey van C.
written by: Oscar van Dam and Bart Olmer
AMSTERDAM - Geoffrey van C., the 19-year-old Aruban beachpatrol guard, who was arrested in the mysterious disappearance of the American schoolgirl Natalee Holloways, is an offspring of a Dutch family that have a long history in the dutch Police-force. His sister is Police-officer on Aruba. His dad was a cop in Breda for about 20 years. On Aruba Geoffrey's dad owns a security company, Geoffrey has worked for this security company.
Did Geoffrey van C. avoid arrest due to his families Police-contacts? That is at least what Arubaans have been whispering about after Geoffrey's arrest on Saturday. The rumours about favoritism are fed by pictures in which Geoffrey is seen at the inauguration of his sister into the Policeforce, all around him are Police-officials and high ranking Aruban officials. And what about the friendship between Geoffrey and investigating cop's son Gerold Dompig, the man who untill recently headed the Holloway investigation?
Sport
Together with Dompig's son, Geoffrey made a sport of it to seduce American girls on the Aruban beaches, at least that is what an aruban newspaper has reported. The boys impersonated Police-officers or detectives when talking to these girls.
According to rumours, Van der C. also had close ties to former main suspect Joran van der Sloot. Not withstanding all the above mentioned facts, Geoffrey was never interrogated untill last weekend. The family of C. moved to Aruba in 1999. Shortly before they departed his father started his own security company called 'Video Camera Beveiligingssystemen' (VCB) (in English that means Video Camera Security systems).
On the Antilles his company VCB handles the security of several government buildings and hotels, among them the "Holiday Inn" Hotel, where 'high school-beauty' Natalee Holloway stayed untill her disappearance on may 30th 2005. The video camera's of his company made the last images known of the American schoolgirl. Natalee disappeared after a visit to the beach where Geoffrey patrolled when he worked for his father's company VCB, he worked for the high-visibility team.
This unit protects the tourists on the powderwhite carribean beaches on Aruba. The detective-squad that has been investigating the disappearance of Natalee, has - according to unverified media-claims - a T-shirt with blood evidence with the VCB logo on it, that supposedly was from guard Geoffrey.
The DA's office officially suspects him of being involved in the disappearance of the American girl and drugstrade offences. According to Police-sources, Natalee was drugged with XTC, sexually abused and dumped. The arrest of Geoffrey van C. comes after months of relative silence, in which the investigation seemed not to be moving forward.
The DA's office is keeping tight-lipped about the evidence they have against this new suspect. His laywer, mr. Eline Lotter Homan refused to comment. Earlier the Police arrested dutchman Joran van der Sloot (18) and the 2 surinam brothers Satish (18) and Deepak (21). With these three boys Natalee was last seen leaving a nightclub in Oranjestad.
Beth Twitty, the mother of the missing girl, is "guardedly optimistic" with the new developements. But she thinks that the newly arrested boy isn't the perpetrator but a witness that withheld important information about the case. The mother still believes that Joran, Deepak and Satish are the keys to cracking this mysterious case wide open.
According to lawyer mr. Joseph Tacopina, his client doesn't know the arrested Geoffrey van der C. The lawyer compliments the newly appointed leader of the investigation with following up leads earlier ignored in this difficult investigation. From his own investigation Tacopina claims that Natalee had contact with the new suspect during the first days of her stay on Aruba but so far there is no confirmation of these claims.
On 4-20 the ARUBAAN's news-source “Caribbean Net News” reported:
Prostitute brutally murdered in Suriname
PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Police in Suriname have confirmed that two young men confessed to killing a prostitute early Sunday morning.
The 37-year old woman was stabbed to death following an argument with the men over payment for services. One of the men was 25 years old and his accomplice was just 15 years old.
Maritha Ritfeld-Asontoe, spokeswoman of the Suriname Police Force, announced that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects approached the victim around 4:30 am in an area of the capital notorious for sex solicitation and the threesome traveled on a motorbike to a secluded part of town after the victim agreed to have sex.
Discontented with the sexual services performed by the woman, the elder suspect demanded additional services. Her refusal to comply resulted in an argument over payment, during which the disgruntled client grabbed a knife from his young companion and stabbed the woman several times. When the severely injured prostitute fell to the ground, the suspects fled the scene on the motorbike.
“In their attempt to get away the suspects crashed into a tree. The younger suspect sustained multiple fractures in his leg while his accomplice sustained injuries and bruises on the body,” said the spokeswoman. She further described how the men attempted to receive emergency care at a local hospital, where Police were called in because they could not explain the cause of their injuries.
During the criminal interrogation at the hospital, the suspects confessed to stabbing the woman. When Police arrived at the scene, the woman was pronounced dead. Both suspects were arrested and remain in Police custody.
This incident raises the 2006 Suriname murder rate to six.
On 4-20 ARUBAAN's news-source "Bon Dia" reported:
Among points that van Cromvoirt’s attorney wants to clear up
Geoffrey was not employed for the Visibility Team (i.e. VCB) in the period of May – June 2005
Attorney Lotter-Homan corrected various erroneous rumours on the street about her client
ORANJESTAD – Yesterday still, the young G. v. Cromvoirt was detained related to the case of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. Given that there has been quite a big amount of speculation from the moment of his detention, his lawyer Eline Lotter-Homan sent the following press release to refute any erroneous information that may be circulating on the street about her client and his family.
PERSISTENT SPECULATION
“Due to persistent speculation in the media, a press release is being sent to address the many incorrect statements. At the same time, it has to be said that it is difficult to address all of the baseless accusations. But at the same time, the facts mentioned in this release should not be perceived as a limitation of the explanation. At the same time, we will not go into details about the preliminary investigation. For this reason, the van Cromvoirt family distances itself categorically from all declarations about Geoffrey van Cromvoirt which could involve him in connection to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway or that give him a participative role (even if not active).
1. Geoffrey was not employed for the Visibility Team or VCB (Video Camera Beveiligingssystemen & Consultancy N.V.) in the period of May – June 2005, nor did he have access to a uniform from the Visibility Team or VCB.
2. At no moment was the van Cromvoirt family previously heard related to the investigation of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.
3. Geoffrey is not friends with, and has no relation to the three persons previously arrested in a previous phase.
4. VCB was not procured for the security of the "Holiday Inn" Hotel in the period of May and June of 2005.
5. VCB, in the period of May and June 2005 until today, did not install security cameras or operate them in the hotel strip, nor at the "Holiday Inn" or any other hotel.
6. VCB, in the period of May and June of 2005 until today, did not have access to the hotel strip, nor the "Holiday Inn" or any other hotel that had security cameras, and did nothing to be guilty of any eventual manipulation thereof.
The fact that this [release] was sent in Dutch, means that any translation discrepancy is not the responsibility of the attorney."
This is the content of the press release of the attorney of the young detainee Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, Eline Lotter-Homan.
On 4-20 ARUBAAN's news-source "Bon Dia" reported:
Paul van der Sloot’s attorney reacts on the report of chief prosecutor Janssen
ORANJESTAD – In the afternoon hours of Tuesday, attorney mr. Swaen handed over to the court clerk his reaction to the report that chief Prosecutor mr. Janssen delivered Monday, April 3. Monday, April 3m mr. Janssen delivered to the court clerk a report on the investigation of the Holloway case but informed that time that the report was not complete. It is not the final report of the criminal investigation, given that the investigation is still ongoing. Also, mr. Janssen informed that she still has not taken a decision on whether she will prosecute the suspects since the investigation is still not closed. According to the interim decision of the judge in Paul van der Sloot and family’s lawsuit against the government, mr. Janssen had to deliver the investigation report and that on the 17 of April, attorney mr. Swaen had to hand in his reaction.
In an interview yesterday with attorney Swaen, he made it be known that he handed over his reaction on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Swaen explained that in his reaction is that he cannot give a straight reaction given that the investigation is still not closed and that chief Prosecutor mr. Janssen has not delivered a final report. Although the report consists of 11 map [?], there is no conclusion and neither is there a decision whether they will prosecute Paul van der Sloot’s son or not.
From mr. Swaen’s explanation, it can be concluded that basically the situation is the same as before the 3 of April. Now it’s the judge who has to take a decision of what will happen. If everything continues as planned, the judge will announce his decision on May 1.
On 4-20 ARUBAAN's news-source "Amigoe.com" reported:
‘The families van Cromvoirt and van der Sloot not friends’
ARUBA – “The van Cromvoirt family dissociate herself expressly from all the statements that associate Geoffrey van Cromvoirt to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway”, stated Eline Lotter Homan, lawyer of family van Cromvoirt in a written press release. “Due to persistent speculations, it is advisable to rectify the many completely untrue propositions put forward”, was her reaction on the many questions she gets from the different media.
Lotter Homan says that it is impossible to react on all possible propositions that are going around. She also didn’t want to react as regards content on the current judicial preliminary investigation. She states furthermore in her press release that “the facts that are being described in this are not meant for a restrictive refutation.”
In May and June of last year, Van Cromvoirt hadn’t worked for the Visibility Team or VCB Video Camera Security Systems & Consultancy. The lawyer confirmed that the family van Cromvoirt had not at all been interrogated in connection with the investigation on the disappearance of the American girl. Rumours about Joran van der Sloot and van Cromvoirt being friends are heavily denied. “Geoffrey is not a friend of any of the earlier arrested persons in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and has also no other relationship with any of them.”
The lawyer indicated that VCB had not provided any security activities to the "Holiday Inn" in May and June of last year and neither up till today. The company had not installed any security cameras, neither did it manage any for the "Holiday Inn" nor any of the other hotels on the hotel-strip. Lotter Homan says that VCB didn’t have access to the security camera systems of the hotels on the strip. “The company had not interfered with any of them.”
On 4-20 the “AP” reported:
Netherlands Antilles coast guard halts search for missing teen
ORANJESTAD, Aruba — Aruba's coast guard has at least temporarily halted a search for the Alabama teen who went missing during a high school graduation trip to this Dutch Caribbean island.
The Aruban coast guard did not search Thursday for Natalee Holloway, who was last seen leaving a bar with three young men on May 30, said Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the Aruban prosecutor's office.
Croes said she could not say whether the search, which began Sunday, would continue on Friday.
Authorities have arrested seven people in connection with Holloway's disappearance and then released them for lack of evidence. On Saturday, they arrested Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, 19, saying he was suspected of "criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance" of Holloway, who was 18 when she vanished. Officials have not provided details about why van Cromvoirt was arrested.
John Q. Kelly, an attorney for the Holloway family, said he was told by an F.B.I. agent that van Cromvoirt's name had come up earlier in the investigation. Kelly said he had no other information about the suspect.
Aruba's chief prosecutor has told Kelly "they have sufficient evidence to hold him ... and they're continuing to interrogate him," Kelly said in a telephone interview from his New York office Thursday.
Van Cromvoirt's family has said he had nothing to do with Holloway's disappearance and is not connected with anyone previously detained in the investigation.
A judge on Tuesday approved a prosecution request to hold van Cromvoirt pending further investigation. He also was detained on suspicion of drug offenses.
Footage aired on a cable news network showed a handcuffed van Cromvoirt, wearing a black hooded sweat shirt and blue jeans, coming out of a Police station on Thursday evening. When he saw the television camera, he pulled his sweat shirt over his face.
A number of searches involving Dutch marines, the F.B.I. and hundreds of volunteers have been conducted throughout the island and off the coast. More recent searches have focused on dunes along the island's north shore.
On 4-20 the BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA “Birmingham News" reported:
Twitty's hope dim for body's recovery
While the Aruban Coast Guard searched the ocean around the island Wednesday for more clues in Natalee Holloway's disappearance, her mother said she was beginning to despair of recovering her daughter's body.
"That has been the hardest part of this ordeal, is having to face the fact that her body may not be recoverable," Beth Twitty said Wednesday.
But at the same time, Twitty said the recent arrest in the case and the promise of more to come from Aruban Police were encouraging. She said she had been given no indication of who the new arrest might be.
"I'm really anxious to see if they're new arrests or re-arrests," she said in Birmingham. "I think we're all anxious to see if any of the original suspects will be re-arrested again."
Holloway, then 18, disappeared May 30 while on a trip to the island with fellow graduates of Mountain Brook high school. Since then, dozens of land and sea searches have turned up few leads. Seven men have been arrested and released, including three main suspects, Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot and Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe.
Van der Sloot's lawyer said his client didn't know the latest detainee, but Twitty said private individuals had e-mailed her pictures showing van der Sloot and Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, 19, together.
Van Cromvoirt apparently is the latest man arrested. Island officials have identified him only by his initials, but his family said Wednesday he had nothing to do with Holloway's disappearance.
"The family van Cromvoirt distances itself completely from all expressions or statements which bring Geoffrey van Cromvoirt in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and any statements in which any role is attributed to him in this case," the family said in a statement released in Dutch by his lawyer, Eline Lotter Homan.
A judge on Tuesday had approved a prosecution request to hold the newest suspect pending further investigation. He was also detained on suspicion of drug offenses, The Associated Press reported.
Under the law, another hearing for the 19-year-old must be held by at least April 25 if the prosecution wants to continue his detention, said Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office.
The Aruban and Netherlands Antilles Coast Guard spent the last four days searching the waters off the island with sonar and other equipment, the Aruban prosecutor's office said Wednesday. No further information was released about where the search was being conducted or why.
The prosecutor's office also said authorities had contacted law enforcement in Holland about a slew of tips generated by a Dutch television show that re-enacted the case.
chief Investigator Adolfo Richardson has said some of those tips might be looked into. But he said the man arrested Saturday on suspicion of being a drug dealer was on Police radar earlier.
On 4-21 FOX News reported:
(Thank You and Hat Tip to “Heli”)
NOT VERBATIM NOT COMPLETE
Greta:
Karin says to this Mrs Friedman of the Justice Department that there is no evidence of a crime...asks if Beth Twitty is related to Hitler.
Joe I have a copy of this letter that was sent October 31 from KJ to Mrs. Judith Friedman, Dept of Justice.
Joe
I looked at it, I've read it.
Greta:
What do you make of it?
"up to now no remains have been found, no technical evidence exists of any crime ...
why do you think the prosecutor is writing such a letter to the Justice Department?
JOe
They need help, this is late fall of 2005 and it's a real window into the state of their investigation. SOme of their theories, the chief pros says there's no evidence of Joran's involvement ... this is a terrific letter, it dispels rumours put out by the media...as recently as 12 hours ago one of the Holloways said Joran sexually assaulted her which is the furthest thing from the truth.
She says nothwithstanding what the media says, based on her investigation, none of the suspects has admitted any sexual assault.
Greta:
I had a converastion with Anita and Beth where they had graphic discussion about sexual activity...it wasn't sexual intercouse, but there was sexual contact, Beth Twitty was suggesting that because of alcohol she could not consent
Joe:
this letter talks about security guards, the group of students, this is not my words , not me...Karin is saying these things...
Greta:
It's bizarre on one of the pages, one of the things is the FBI wanted a certified copy of Natalee's year book and a question posed whether or not it is true that Beth is related to Hitler and whether the family went to Austria
Joe
there is a police report where a MB student said that Natalee had made a statement about it
Greta:
So what, why in the world is she asking the Justice Dept something like that?
Joe
I don't know, it shows the state of their investigation. they're looking at the speculation about the possiblity of an overdose. They're asking in this letter about that, phone calls from Twitty to Natalee
Greta:
She's asking about the trip that Beth Twitty made while Natalee was in aruba, all the phone calls made and received from her phone line and cell phone
Joe
We have phone records that reflect something quite contrary to what she's been saying about calls to/from her daughter.
Greta:
Extraordinarily perplexing...why a certified copy of Natalee's year book?
JOe
they are looking into the prospect she's a runaway, the students had talked about it...it sounds like I'm throwing things out, but these are Karin's words, they ask did Natalee ever run away from home when did it happen, did she make plans to meet a boy in Aruba.
Greta:
AN extraordinary letter written in October. Thank you Joe
On 4-20 CNNHN reported:
Search for Natalee Holloway Continues
JANE-VELEZ-MITCHELL, GUEST HOST: Tonight, imagine your daughter goes on a
high school trip to a vacation paradise and never comes home. It happened almost a
year ago, and 18-year-old Natalee Holloway`s parents are still desperately searching for
signs of their daughter and for answers. Tonight, a new suspect is behind bars in Aruba.
What does he know? And will renewed ocean searches reveal even the smallest clue?
…
But first tonight, live to Aruba. Almost a year ago, a vacation paradise for a group of
Alabama high school seniors turns into a real nightmare for 18-year-old Natalee Holloway.
Tonight, the ongoing search for signs of Natalee and the investigation into her puzzling
disappearance with a new suspect behind bars.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE`S MOTHER: I think we`re really -- we`re really
encouraged by the (INAUDIBLE) investigation.
DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE`S FATHER: I didn`t know anything about it until I heard
(INAUDIBLE) was on some report late Saturday evening.
TWITTY: I just hope that this new suspect can, you know, give us, you know, the one
break that we need in order for this mystery to unravel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you leave girl on the beach?
JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , SUSPECT IN NATALEE HOLLOWAY DISAPPEARANCE:
She wanted to stay there the whole night. I told her, no, I had to go. If I had that moment
back, I would have made sure she got back to her hotel safely.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How can a girl just disappear?
VAN DER SLOOT: I don`t know. I think that`s the million-dollar question.
TWITTY: We`re just missing a couple of small pieces, and I just feel as if it will all come
to light.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: FYI, I want to let you know Nancy Grace will be back here tomorrow night.
Tonight, Nancy is at her college and law school alma mater attending a meeting and also
helping pick up trash to keep America beautiful, something we should all be doing, myself
included.
Now straight out to Jim Moret. Bring us up to date on the very latest in the Aruba case, Jim.
JIM MORET, "INSIDE EDITION": Well, Jane, the authorities there have a person in
custody. This is a person who before Saturday, no one really had ever heard of, Gerald
(SIC) Van Cromvoirt. He`s a 19-year-old. He`s worked as a security guard around the
same beach where Natalee Holloway -- at the hotel Natalee Holloway was staying, but
according to statements issued just the last couple of days, he was not working at the time
of Natalee`s disappearance as a security guard.
However, he`s been taken into custody and being held for an additional eight days over
and above the first days he was held. And the prosecutor`s office in Aruba made a
statement that Mr. Van Cromvoirt, this 19-year-old, is being held as a suspect, not a
witness, but van der Sloot -- that`s Joran van der Sloot, one of the three people originally
taken into custody -- remains the main suspect.
Now, I talked extensively with Beth Holloway Twitty. She was in Los Angeles on Monday
night. We spent a few hours together. She was very encouraged by this latest arrest,
encouraged because it`s on the heels of a Dutch version of "America`s Most Wanted" that
played just in the last week or two, and there were some 50 leads that seemed to come out
of that program. And there was also the change in the guard of the chief of police, who was
relieved of duty on this particular case and a new investigator was put in place. And since
that time, this suspect has been taken into custody. But again, there have been leads before
that have gone nowhere. So all the people in the Holloway and Twitty families are still
cautiously optimistic.
GRACE: And Jim, I have to give kudos to two staffers on Nancy Grace, Eric Marrapodi
and Karen Shipman. They are down in Aruba, and some of video you`ve been looking at
they have obtained exclusively for the Nancy Grace show.
Let`s go to Eric Marrapodi. How did you get this video, first of all?
ERIC MARRAPODI, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Yes, Jane. We...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hey, Eric, can you hear me?
MARRAPODI: ... were there at the Nord (ph) police station -- Jane, I can hear you just
fine. We were down there today at the Nord police station, where Geoffrey Van
Cromvoirt was being questioned. At about 6:00 o`clock, they brought him out of that
police station and started to transport him down to the -- to the Kia (ph) prison on the
other side of the island. And as soon as he saw us jump out with the camera, threw his
hoodie up and put his cuffs in front of his face. It was clearly him, and they took him
away tonight.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. And this, of course, a very encouraging development, the
arrest of a new suspect, but it`s also very, very confusing. Let`s hear what Natalee
Holloway`s mom, Beth Twitty, had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TWITTY: It`s really hard it stay focused. It`s really hard to not, you know -- I feel as if you
kind of get derailed off your path. And just so many different things going on and so many
new elements into play. It`s just -- it is just -- just too much. I just can`t imagine that the
shirt has any connection with Natalee because it seemed as if -- if it -- if it did, then that
would have come out early this summer. I mean, it just doesn`t make any sense that it
wouldn`t have.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It is very overwhelming to even cover this. Take a look at this graphic
we have put together of everybody they have brought in on this case thus far. And Nancy
calls it catch-and-release. It`s a very funny way of describing what`s going on here, but you
have Joran van der Sloot, the Kalpoe brothers. You have Joran`s dad. You have the party
boat guy. You`ve got the two security guards that they originally arrested. And now you have
this other guy, Geoffrey. And then there`s a question mark in the middle.
Jim Moret, "The New York Post" is reporting that they may be on the heels of two other
people. What do know about that?
MORET: Well -- well, before we get there, you heard Beth Twitty talk about a shirt. And
what she was talking about is in June of 2005, there was a shirt with a logo, VCB logo, on
it, and that was found on the south side of the island with blood on it. It was originally not
believed to be involved in this particular case. However, we were told by Mr. Tacopina,
the attorney representing Joran van der Sloot, that Van Cromvoirt was detained because
recovered his T-shirt with forensic evidence pertinent to this case on the south side of the
island. It`s not known whether it`s the same T-shirt, but VCB is the security company that
Geoffrey Van Cromvoirt works for now. And according to the statement released by his
family, he did not have access to those T-shirts at the time of Natalee`s disappearance,
did not own those T-shirts at the time of Natalee`s disappearance.
As far as new suspects -- you know, we keep hearing about potentially new suspects, but
you have to remember, Jane -- you`ve been following this case, as have I, for the better
part of a year. We`ve heard a lot of leads that have gone nowhere. There`s a great deal
of this investigation which may have been tainted by faulty reporting or word coming out
of Aruba that simply wasn`t correct.
So I don`t want to comment on anything until I know it and I see it from a source that I
can believe is accurate.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Jim, one of the perplexing things about this new development,
at least with Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers, even though they changed their
story many times, we had a picture in our heads of some of the possibilities. But this guy
seems to come out of the blue, and we can`t really put it in context. We can`t say who,
what, when, where, why, how, even in theory. So we`re operating sort of rudderless right
now. Would you agree?
MORET: We are, except we still believe that Joran Van Der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers
were the last people -- they`re at least the last people we know of to have seen Natalee
Holloway alive. Therefore, they are still on the radar. And as the prosecutor`s office has
indicated in its statement, Joran van der Sloot is still the main suspect. That doesn`t
mean there couldn`t be other people involved.
Let`s face it, you have the potential crime of a rape, of a murder. And then you have the
problem of what happened to a body. So that could involve more than one, two or three
people. It`s impossible to guess why this latest person was detained, but it`s certainly my
assumption we will find out very soon.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And you know, this is also perplexing. We`re very pleased to have
with us tonight Dave Holloway, Natalee`s father. Perhaps you can give us some context
because Joran van der Sloot is reported as saying he doesn`t know this guy. This guy,
Geoffrey, is reportedly saying that he doesn`t know Joran. And by the same token,
Natalee`s mom, Beth, has said that she had never heard of this guy, that the friends that
were with Natalee have never heard of Geoffrey Van Cromvoirt. And so you yourself had
said that you didn`t hear his name until he was arrested.
What do you make of this development, sir?
HOLLOWAY: Well, you can throw the shirt away. That kid we have pretty good evidence
that`s coming out now that he was at Carlos and Charlie`s that same night Natalee
disappeared. So you know, he wouldn`t be wearing a security shirt out like that. You put...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wait. I think you said something very...
(CROSSTALK)
HOLLOWAY: ... with the fact that he was arrested for drug charges and he`s connected
to the case, and you start putting two and two together and you start coming up with
some pretty good theories.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I want to make sure I heard you correctly because what you said
was very significant, if I heard you right. You`re saying that you believe Geoffrey was at
Carlos and Charlie`s that night?
HOLLOWAY: Yes. There are some witnesses...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow!
HOLLOWAY: ... that are being talked to that indicate that he may have been in Carlos
and Charlie`s that same night.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, that`s big new information, and I want to stress the reason
why it`s such big new information is that we had originally theorized when we heard about
this young man that he may have been patrolling the beach that night, the night Natalee
disappeared, because that was a job he later held.
Now, of course, he has the presumption of innocence. I`d like to read a statement that his
attorney has handed to us, and this is sort a summary of a very long statement, basically
saying Geoffrey was not employed in May or June for the Visibility team or the VCB
security company. And that basically means that he says he wasn`t patrolling the beach
for them. Geoffrey was not a friend and has no relationship to the three suspects previously
detained, Joran and the Kalpoes. VCB did not take care of security in May 2005 for the
Holiday Inn. From May 2005 to the present, VCB did not install security cameras at the
Holiday Inn or any hotels along the string.
Again, bottom line, he`s saying he was patrolling that night. But gosh, Jim Moret, if it
turns out that he was at Carlos and Charlie`s, doesn`t that give it an entirely new spin?
That`s new information.
MORET: It does give it new spin. And let me just restate what the OM, the public
prosecutor`s office, said in a written statement because this is very important. The OM
said that Van Cromvoirt is being held as a suspect, not as a witness. But van der Sloot
remains the main suspect.
So if you listen to what Mr. Holloway`s saying, then it`s certainly possible that this
individual is believed to have had some part in either Natalee Natalee`s disappearance
or whatever happened to her, but that doesn`t let van der Sloot off the hook. So there
clearly more than we know. Otherwise, this case would have been solved weeks, if not
months ago. And it must be horribly frustrating for Natalee`s family and friends to wait
month after month after month. But at least -- and this is a very big but -- they are getting
some good news in the sense that this investigation, on its surface, appears to be moving
forward in a meaningful way.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Prosecutors Stacey Honowitz, why are they putting us through this?
Why don`t they explain a little bit what they think happened that night? If they think that
all these people hooked up at Carlos and Charlie`s, why not say that? Or if they think he
was patrolling on the beach, why not say that? Why do they leave this mystery to allow
for such speculation?~
STACEY HONOWITZ, PROSECUTOR: Well, honestly, Jane, I don`t think they know
what theory is yet, and that`s why we`re all sitting here speculating, trying to figure out our
own theory as to what happened. But I think that Jim is right. I mean, there has to be some
kind of nexus, some kind of connection between this person who`s in custody now with
what`s going on because they didn`t just pick him up off the street and say, Let`s try to get
you involved.
Somehow, somewhere down line, he obviously had some involvement. And the reason
why I think we probably can say that, and at this juncture, only because of what we`ve
heard so far, is because now they`ve extended the two days to another eight days to
question him. So the judge had to find some kind of connection between his involvement
and the case. And just like you said, Jane, I don`t think anybody really knows what the
theory is. There had to be some kind link to get his name to even get him into custody,
and that...
(CROSSTALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, supposedly, the link was the T-shirt, and that was a T-shirt that
Dave Holloway just said, Well, forget about it. It`s not that significant.
But let`s go to Dr. Warner Spitz, medical examiner. Could this T- shirt hold the key to the
whole thing?
DR. WARNER SPITZ, FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST: Well, if you find DNA on it, and at
this stage, whether it`s dry or not, dried blood or not, it`s available for DNA determination.
We take these drops of blood and dry them on a card and keep that card for years and
years and -- just in case it`s needed some day for identification. So why not on the T-shirt?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: We come back from our break, I want to go back to Natalee`s father
and ask him why he said what he did about the shirt because there might be a really good
explanation for that.
To tonight`s "Case Alert." The family of missing 24-year-old Jennifer Kesse is teaming
up with a local attorney to generate new leads the case. The Kesse family is producing
a 30-second public service announcement urging anybody with information in regards to
Jennifer`s disappearance to go to an attorney. That person`s identity and information will
be protected by attorney-client privilege laws. If you have any information on Jennifer
Kesse, please, please call 800-423-TIPS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) on two counts. One, that he is involved in some
way with the Natalee Holloway case. And two, that he is involved in some way with some
kind of drug -- drugs being sold on the beach. Maybe now we will see a solution to the case.
TWITTY: I just hope that this new suspect can give us, you know, the one break that we
need in order for this mystery to unravel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell, sitting in tonight for Nancy Grace. Tonight, we
are looking into the Natalee Holloway mystery and stunning new developments that just
might help solve it. A new suspect is in custody tonight, and Aruban authorities are not
letting up in their search for Natalee, for signs and clues about her fate.
Let`s go back out to Eric Marrapodi, who is live in Aruba. He has been tracking this case
from the start. Eric, what about this T-shirt? Is it that significant? When did they find it?
And what might be on it?
MARRAPODI: Jane, here`s the back story on that T-shirt. That T-shirt was found on
June 5 back in 2005, when this search for Natalee Holloway first began. It was found on
the south side of the island, which is quite a ways away from where Natalee Holloway
was last reported seen.
Now, we have spoken with our sources, and sources close to the case today, Jane, tell us,
Don`t exclude it, meaning the shirt may still have relevance to this case tonight.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, now let`s go to Dave Holloway, Natalee`s father. I thought I
heard you say, Forget about the T-shirt. Did you say that? And if so, what`s the meaning
that?
HOLLOWAY: Well, I understand that he was not employed with the security firm at that
time, and we also have a witness that is pretty sure that he was at Carlos and Charlie`s
that night. I know that there was a lot of mis-sightings (ph) when Natalee went missing,
and this individual may be wrong. But he or she is pretty sure that this individual was at
that location that night.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I guess the bottom line is we`re all trying to figure out how he
plays into this story. We know -- at least, we believe we know that Natalee left with Joran
and the Kalpoe brothers. If this young man was there, is the theory that they all hooked up
later, that they talked to each other on the cell phone? Would there be any evidence of
that?
I mean, listen, this is a good-looking young man. They`re there on their last night out.
They`re having a fun time. It wouldn`t be inconceivable that the two of them were chatting,
if, in fact, both of them were at Carlos and Charlie`s.
HOLLOWAY: Well, I`ve always had the theory that the drug GHB was possibly used.
This kid was arrested on drug charges. Is there any connections? Who knows. So that`s
the -- that`s the position that I`m taking, is that he was arrested on drug charges. Maybe
he -- maybe he sold some drugs. Who knows?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, so you`re suggesting maybe, in fact, even though they say they
don`t know each other, there could be a connection, in your mind, between Joran and this
young man?
HOLLOWAY: Possibly. I know that Joran had a picture taken some time in April, I believe,
at a red sailboat dock or something like that, and that happens to be where this individual
was working at the time.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, it`s a small island, and everything is six degrees of separation
on this island, for sure. So you may have something there.
Let`s go to defense attorney Midwin Charles. I want to ask you about all this rumored
speculation. I mean, they bring this young man in. They say that he`s a suspect now, and
they also say that he has some undisclosed drug issues, but they don`t charge him with
anything. He has the presumption of innocence. Are they essentially just smearing this
man`s name, at this point, without offering any specifics? (INAUDIBLE) drugs is not that
complicated to prove. If he has a drug connection, why don`t they charge him?
MIDWIN CHARLES, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, you`re right, Jane. I mean, you bring
up a very good point. I guess one of the things that they`re trying to do here is just assure
everyone that Aruba is doing as much as it can to find out what happened to Natalee. I
mean, let`s be frank here. Every single person they have arrested in this case has been
let go. So I`m not confident at all that they could keep him locked up for too long.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But you`d think they would just say something to give us an
indication of what it is exactly with drugs he`s allegedly done.
CHARLES: I think you`re -- I mean, you`re right. I think one of the things they may be
doing is holding back on the information from hopes that it won`t jeopardize whatever
information it is that they have out there.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Excellent points.
…
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TWITTY: There were so many times where Joran would just simply place his fingers in
his ears because he was not going to answer any more questions with the interrogators.
You know, he gave those statements early on, but from then -- there on, I mean, he was
just advised either not to talk or, you know, continue to change his story because in Aruba,
it`s in your best interest just to continue lying. I think the only thing that a judge would do is
maybe frown upon the lies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell, sitting in tonight for Nancy Grace. Tonight, the Natalee
Holloway case. We are focusing in on a new suspect, Geoffrey Van Cromvoirt. His father
runs a security company. His sister graduated from the Aruban police academy. Now
19-year-old Geoffrey van Cromvoirt is in custody in connection with the disappearance
of 18-year-old Natalee almost a year ago. What does he know about this mystery that
has captured the entire world`s attention?
I would like to go to defense attorney Sam Cammack and ask him why it is that police
there haven`t charged him with anything, although they mentioned this drug connection?
Are they smearing his name? Are they possibly trying to use that drug issue as leverage?
SAM CAMMACK, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I don`t believe they`re smearing his name.
What they`re doing, they`re trying to chase down every lead that they have. They`re going
to have to create a link between this young man and this shirt. Why has this shirt been in
evidence for 11 months and they`re just now actually accusing someone of being linked to
this shirt? There`s some forensic evidence. Of course, we don`t know what type of forensic
evidence that there is, at this point.
So I believe they`re just trying to chase down every lead they can and make it look like that,
Hey, we`re doing something down here. We`re still investigating this matter. But I also agree
that van der Sloot is probably still the prime suspect, and this guy`s actually going to get
released at some point in time.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And it`s so interesting because, apparently, down in Aruba, you can`t
plea bargain. So the whole notion that they might be using this as leverage really doesn`t
add up because they can`t do the kind of complicated plea bargain deals that we do here in
the United States. So that`s another fascinating wrinkle to all of this. We`re trying to sort it all
out. It`s just more and more complicated with every new development.
We at NANCY GRACE want very much to help, in our own way, solve unsolved
homicides, find missing people. Tonight, take a look at 23-year- old Brandon Browne,
killed on November 26, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado. If you have any information
on Brandon Browne, please call the Carole Sund Carrington Foundation toll-free, 1-888-813-8389.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY`S FATHER: You just got to go back to the
original statements. You know, these kids came up with or concocted a story about the
Holiday Inn; that was untrue. And then you had lie, after lie, after lie, after lie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell sitting in tonight for Nancy Grace as we try to
figure out what really happened in Aruba almost a year ago when Natalee Holloway simply
vanished, one of the most perplexing cases in recent times.
And now this stunning new development, as we learn more about the recent arrest of a new
suspect, a fresh name that has none of Natalee`s friends and family -- they don`t know.
They haven`t heard of his name. They really do not know who this person is.
And with that, I`d like to go to Pat Brown, criminal profiler. What you do is you rely on
deductive reasoning, and you put the pieces together, even when it seems like there`s no
connection. You`ve heard all of the discussion tonight. What do you make of this?
PAT BROWN, CRIMINAL PROFILER: Well, Jane, yes, it`s confounding. It really is. But I
think what we probably have here is possible issue of trying to create reasonable doubt.
Now, remember, we`ve had a lot of attacks on Aruba lately and the police department,
and that`s why they`ve gotten rid out of Dompig. He`s out of the picture. And now
they`ve got to recoup themselves and get a good view of them now.
If they can create some reasonable doubt, here`s somebody new. See, we`re working
hard, and we`ve got a new person. Now we`re all questioning, god, is Joran really
involved in any of these things? Are the Kalpoe brothers really involved? Maybe we`ve
been wrong all along for a year.
Now, we have to step back and we have to say, "OK, we`re confused. Let the police do
their work, because maybe they`ve got something now that we don`t know anything
about." That`s my guess at the moment, because it`s not making a lot of sense why he
suddenly would appear as a suspect, except for some damage control.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: That`s absolutely fascinating, because, Jim Moret, there is a dovetail
between this new development and the switch in the main person in charge of the
investigation. Dompig, Deputy Chief Dompig, was in charge a while back. And a couple of
weeks ago, he was taken off the case, and there`s a new investigator, and suddenly this
new development out of the blue.
What a coincidence. What do you think about this sort of cynical interpretation?
MORET: There was also a TV show, the Dutch version of "America`s Most Wanted," that
also occurred the same time Dompig was taken off of the case, and that show supposedly
generated some 50 leads.
What we do know is that Van Cromvoirt was taken into custody on Saturday. What
happened on Sunday? The Coast Guard renewed efforts to search the area just off the
coast from the hotel where Natalee was staying. There have been four days of searches
along the water. So far, they`ve yielded nothing. But you do see a renewed effort,
renewed search.
Look, it`s possible this is all for show. I`m taking the position at this point that I have to
look at on its surface and say: This is a hopeful sign, but like the Holloways and Twittys,
I`m cautiously optimistic at this point.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, if it is a show, it is quite a show they are putting on, because
they have done some pretty extensive searches.
With that, I`d like to go to our Internet maven and good friend Clark Goldband. He has
been tracking the searches going on for Natalee, and he can put it into context for us, in
terms of other famous searches and what the results were.
Take it away, Clark.
CLARK GOLDBAND, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Thank you, Jane.
Some people say -- and you especially see this on the Web -- why are we still searching
for this girl almost a year into it? Well, they`re wrong, and there is some hope. I`ll show
you why.
Chandra Levy, 13 months we were searching for Chandra Levy. She was found on land, a
human skull and bones. They were able to identify her, and that averaged temp, Jane, in
Washington, D.C., swings between 24 degrees and 89 degrees. So a big change in
temperature there.
Let`s go to a...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, wait a -- go ahead.
GOLDBAND: I was just going to show you, Laci Peterson. We were searching for Laci for
four months, Jane. She was found onshore, and we know they`ve been searching
offshore down there in Aruba to find Natalee Holloway.
They found a decomposed body. There was no head. The average temperature down in
the water there, Jane, 53 degrees. We know the average temp down in Aruba is 79
degrees in that ocean.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow, well, 79 degrees is a lot warmer than 53 degrees! I wonder if it
causes more deterioration?
Let`s ask Dr. Warner Spitz, medical examiner, about that. I mean, does the water
temperature play a key role, in terms of the degradation?
SPITZ: Well, of course, it does, but we`re talking about 11 months. And if we`re talking
about 11 months, then 53 degrees is not -- it`s an average temperature. That`s not the
only temperature.
So it gets warmer, and it gets perhaps a little cooler. And I`m quite certain that, whether
she is in for 11 months or even six months or three months, she will be very badly
changed, very badly decomposed.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But isn`t it true that all they need is a tiny, little piece of remains for
DNA? I mean, I remember the case of Teresa Halbach, who was brutally murdered, and
then her body was set on fire. And, nevertheless, investigators were able to go in there
and find in the fire pit DNA evidence to produce that this girl was murdered, very important
evidence in her case.
SPITZ: Well, no question. If you have a few hair still on the body, and, if not, you have
bone. The bone is there, totally protected and available for DNA analysis.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So it`s not a waste of time, the search that they are doing in Aruba?
SPITZ: Oh, absolutely not. If the body needs to be found, that`s the way to identify it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Psychologist Jeff Gardere, I know you`ve been waiting a long time to
weigh in. You`ve heard all of the evidence, and now let`s talk a little bit about the
psychological pressures on the family.
Given all this information that`s so hard to make sense of, they try to keep hope alive
within themselves with every new turn of events, but it also has to be very destabilizing, I
would think.
JEFF GARDERE, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Oh, it certainly is, Jane. But as long as
things are starting to develop, whether it may be the wrong turn, maybe Aruba`s just
grasping at straws at this point, because we know tourism is their major business there,
and they have to show the world that they`re really doing something here.
It just keeps giving the message that no one is giving up. And Beth Twitty Holloway and
her family, they know that, as long as they keep pushing this investigation and pushing the
Aruban government, that there is still hope that Natalee Holloway, or at least her remains,
will be found.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And I have to ask Sam Cammack, defense attorney, this is kind of a
devil`s advocate question. Obviously, van der Sloot is still a suspect. We are not ruling
him out.
But what if -- and that`s just a big if -- it turns out that this is a suspect that essentially
exonerates van der Sloot? What legal recourses does he have, in terms of what`s
happened to him, in terms of his reputation?
CAMMACK: Well, I guess, with regards to his reputation, if he is completely exonerated
of this alleged crime that he supposedly may have committed, the best thing for him to
do is just walk away and write it off as a bad experience. I don`t believe, at least in Aruba,
he`ll have any legal recourse or try to get any type of civil damages or anything like that
as a result of it.
But I have one other thing to say with regards to this new suspect. Even if he was at Carlos
and Charlie`s that night, I don`t know how they`re going to be able to link him to this crime,
if the shirt itself doesn`t have any forensic evidence that would link him to it as a result of
that.
So just because he was there that night does not make him a prime suspect in the case.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely. And everybody has the presumption of innocence at this
point, certainly.
Stacey Honowitz, what do you make of the whole Joran van der Sloot angle, because
there`s a civil suit against van der Sloot and his father? And how would that be affected
by this new suspect coming in?
HONOWITZ: Well, first of all, I don`t understand why everyone thinks that it`s such a big
deal that they`re going forward and trying to investigate every lead.
Jane, you know that, you know, murder investigations sometimes take years, we don`t
find out who the real person is or we don`t solve the murders. So I think that by Aruba
going forward and flushing out all of these leads is a good thing, and I think everybody
has to realize that.
I wouldn`t take it as, you know, they`re trying to bring up their tourism. That could be one
of the reasons, but the new blood is there, and that happens many times. When new blood
comes in, they want to throw out all the bad stuff and they want to go forward on the new
leads.
As far as the civil suit is concerned, well, certainly, I`m sure Joe Tacopina, who`s
representing him on that civil suit, is loving all of this new attention on this new suspect,
because certainly in the civil suit it`s claiming that he`s responsible for murder, for sexual
battery, all of those things.
And, certainly, if this new suspect flushes out and van der Sloot had nothing to do with
this, well, there goes the civil case. So he`s watching this very carefully, as is the world.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. And very briefly to Dave Holloway, Natalee`s father. I know
you have an involvement with the civil suit. Has it affected it at all, this new development?
DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY`S FATHER: Oh, no, not at all. You know,
back to this GVC, I think one of the reasons he was arrested is, you know, kid`s talk. And
he`s in that age group, you know, where rumors flying and all of this kind of stuff.
And I think he was arrested because he had been talking on the beach a little bit too
much, and some of these tips that came out from this Dutch show -- which coincidentally
aired the same time my book came out -- and you`ll probably see some other people
that`s listed in my book probably get involved in this case, as well, so...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you, sir. I want to thank you for taking the time and, of course,
we really hope that justice is served in this case and that it`s solved.
4-21-06
On 4-21 FOX News reported:
Holloway Murder Suspects' Conversation Points to Crime
ORANJESTAD, Aruba — In a conversation recorded by Aruban authorities last summer, three suspects in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway speak in terms that suggest they do not know whether the Alabama teenager is alive or dead.
A translated transcript of the conversation between Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers — Deepak and Satish — was handed out to the media in Aruba on Wednesday by an independent American Investigator who has done work for Dave Holloway, Natalee's father.
The taping of the conversation was supposed to be secret, but it is not known if the suspects, who were speaking while in custody in the back of a Police car, knew the conversation was being taped. And since the actual audio tape was not made available, the authenticity of the translation could not immediately be verified.
In the transcript, the three suspects, who were jailed and later released in the case of the Alabama honors student who disappeared while on vacation in Aruba on May 30, 2005, talk about their fate. In more than one instance they speak as if they do not know if Natalee was alive or dead.
The suspects are identified by the first initial of their first names. One excerpt reads as follows:
J says to D: "I will laugh if they find the girl, f*** you. I know very well you are afraid that is if you did something bad with the girl and if they find the girl, then we will see."
It also appears from the transcript that there was developing friction between the Kalpoe brothers and van der Sloot.
Another excerpt with a translation that was questionable reads as follows:
D says to J: "They're going to give you 15 years if they find the girl."
J says to D: "For what, for what?"
D says to J: "The scholarship of yours, you can forget it."
J says to D: "You well know that you did bad, otherwise you wouldn't lie."
Meanwhile, the family of a 19-year-old arrested Saturday in the case said he had nothing to do with her disappearance.
The family of Geoffrey van Cromvoirt also said in a statement released by his lawyers Wednesday that he is not friends with any of the people previously detained in the Holloway investigation.
"The family van Cromvoirt distances itself completely from all expressions or statements which bring Geoffrey van Cromvoirt in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and any statements in which any role is attributed to him in this case," the statement said.
Aruban prosecutors, identifying Cromvoirt only by his initials, said he is suspected of "criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance" of Holloway but have not provided details about why he was arrested.
Holloway, who was 18 when she disappeared, was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers on the final night of her high school graduation trip to the Caribbean island.
The public prosecutor's office said a coast guard search using sonar and other equipment in an unspecified area off the Dutch-Caribbean island was continuing for a fifth straight day.
Island officials also said they were interviewing witnesses and were in contact with authorities in the Netherlands about tips received after the airing of a television program devoted to unsolved crimes.
FOX News' Julie Banderas and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
On 4-21 the “National Enquirer” reported:
7 PEOPLE INVOLVED IN NATALEE MURDER
The arrest of a new person in the murder of Natalee Holloway has dramatically widened the hunt for the killer — and now authorities believe as many as seven people may have been involved in Natalee's disappearance.
A 19-year-old Dutch former security worker, Godfried van Cromvoirt, was detained by Aruban Police on April 15, and is being questioned in relation to possible evidence in the case.
Van Cromvoirt's arrest breathed new life into an investigation that has appeared to come to a halt since the release from prison last September of prime suspect Joran van der Sloot, 18, and his pals Deepak and Satish Kalpoe.
Natalee was last seen with the three men being driven away from Carlos 'N Charlie's nightclub on May 30 last year. Police are guarding the evidence that led to van Cromvoirt's arrest — but The ENQUIRER has learned that he's a close pal of the son of island acting Police chief Gerold Dompig. Until recently he worked for his father — owner of VCB Security, the company that's responsible for tourist safety on the beach near the Marriott hotel, where Joran says he left Natalee.
"I heard that he may have lost his job when Police complained that they couldn't work with him," said an island source.
"Now there is speculation that he may have been on beach patrol that night — and his arrest may be linked to missing film from beach security cameras.
"Police are expecting more people to be detained. There may have been as many as seven people involved in Natalee's disappearance."
Just like Joran van der Sloot, Van Cromvoirt was an enthusiastic pursuer of American girl tourists.
"He and his pals used to brag about their successes — and they laughed about getting the girls," said the island source.
Adding to the mystery, a t-shirt with the VCB logo, a pair of lady's sunglasses, a bottle of Lysol and a piece of Styrofoam with teeth marks in it were found months ago during a search for Natalee's body on the south end of the island.
Pick up this week's issue of The ENQUIRER to read the rest of this story!
On 4-21 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
Geoffrey’s family confirms that their son does not know van der Sloot nor the Kalpoes
ORANJESTAD (AAN): It was Thursday that the van Cromvoirt family reacted and stated openly that their son Geoffrey is not friends with any of the people who were previously detained in the Natalee Holloway investigation.
“The van Cromvoirt family distances itself completely from all expressions or declarations which bring Geoffrey van Cromvoirt in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and any statement in which any role is attributed to him in this case”, the family said in a statement issued in Dutch by his lawyer mr. Eline Lotter-Homan.
Further, the family demonstrated that Geoffrey wasn’t working for VCB Security at the end of May 2005 when Natalee disappeared.
But the prosecutor demonstrates clearly that his criminal offenses could have something to do with the disappearance of Natalee. However, there is still no report that has been divulged about the reason why this youngster was detained mid-day Saturday.
Aside from this, only yesterday was it known that the Aruba and Antilles Coast Guard are searching the sea around Aruba with sonar equipment. The search was conducted in secrecy. On Thursday however, the Coast Guard did not continue this search.
The bigger question is: did Geoffrey really meet Natalee that weekend in Aruba?
Previously, there were indications that the Mountain Brook high school kids now recognize his picture. But last Wednesday night on CNN, the mother, Beth Twitty indicated that she does not have any indication that this took place.
BETH TWITTY RELATED TO HITLER?
Thursday night, Fox News Channel revealed a letter that prosecutor Karin Janssen sent on October 31, 2005 to an official of the US Department of Justice, Ms. Friedman, where in an incredible manner she asked if by any chance Beth Twitty is related to Hitler, and if by any chance the family has gone on a trip to Austria recently.
Also in this letter, prosecutor Janssen in a certain sense indicated that they don’t have any proof against the trio of Joran, Deepak and Satish. Fox News Channel interpreted this as a clear message that the investigation in Aruba is ‘stuck’.
Aside from this, Fox News Channel divulged that the prosecutor from Aruba asked for help from the F.B.I. in order to obtain a certified copy of Natalee’s high school yearbook.
Here they want to check if there could be any indication that Natalee had thought of running away from home. Also, they want to know if by any chance Natalee has run away from home in the past, or has come up with a plan to be a ‘runaway’.
Another request was to find the list of telephone calls that Beth Twitty made from her home, and also from her cellular phone.
The letter at certain angles gave the impression that Aruba wants to investigate this case from all corners. However the question in regards to the relation between Beth Twitty and Hitler left everyone at Fox News Channel speechless.
The contents of this letter which was leaked from the US Department of Justice to Fox News Channel, also indicates that there is no indication that the trio of the Dutch and Surinamese youth committed rape on a voluntary basis on Natalee.
On 4-21 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
Editorial: Natalee’s case and the Aruban people
I have said on many occasions that in Aruba, the people many times are not taken duly into account by their authorities and things that affect them directly - their well-being, the solidity of their economy, their good name as a hospitable people - have all been pushed into a corner and buried in such a manner that it’s not able to be discovered. This is not done for their defense, but to abide by rules that are good for nothing because they maintain the ignorance as to what’s going on.
At DIARIO, many years back, we took the decision not to hide anything from the people, not keep them in a box to then throw them in a well of forgetfulness. All we find out, we pass it on directly to the people, so that they are aware of everything that’s going on in their island. Natalee’s case is no exception, but a confirmation that we are not going to keep anything secret and whatever falls into our hands, we pass it on in turn to the people, so that they too have the latest news, so that they can judge what has happened in the case.
Yesterday, we published the transcript of a conversation that Police recorded in a Police car that was bringing the three suspects (Joran, Deepak and Satish) from KIA to the Court Building, in Dutch and in Papiamento. The document is very revealing of three suspects’ character, their way of speaking, their way of formulating sentences and their violence.
From the transcript, we know from Joran’s mouth that his father is the one who arranged for lawyers for the Kalpoes; from Deepak we heard that he warned Joran that if they find the girl’s body or any of her remains, Joran is going to be locked up 15 years; from Joran we heard that he threatened that if the Kalpoe brothers spoke with the Police, he would tell the latter that Satish hit a girl with a car; all in all, accusations and counter-accusations, but all based on a categorical knowledge that all three had of what happened with Natalee. Of this, there is no doubt. This came out clearly in the audio-tape recording transcript.
Joran’s attorney is flapping his gums in the U.S. as if he were a great messiah who knows all; one of his colleagues accused me of leaking the document, despite the fact that it was the day before yesterday that we found it in our mailbox, after all American channels already had it and were even passing it on the air piece by piece; Tacopina paints Joran as an angel with wings of purity; that he’s a good student; that he has a scholarship; finally, all that he’s missing to fly up to heaven are wings of snow. However, evidence compiled by DIARIO paints Joran in a completely different light; a violent youth; abusive with younger kids at his school (and in his home!); an out of control youth who inappropriately involves himself with others’ money; a youth with no manners in his manner of speaking; a criminal instinct that he exhibited in the transcripts when in moments of rage he wanted to break faces and even went as far as threatening to kill the Kalpoe brothers; in the end, a completely different portrait than that Tacopina speaks of.
That I revealed Geoffrey’s name? Yes, because this is nothing rare. At no time did I accuse the kid of committing any infraction against the law; what our reporters did was to look for his identity for us to know who we are talking about. Many people asked me of my opinion of him, if he could be involved in the case. My answer was negative, because I do not believe that he is directly involved in Natalee’s disappearance. What I do believe is that he could have told Police or the prosecutor that he saw such and such a thing, or heard such and such a thing, or has a video taken on the days of Natalee's disappearance which could have revealing images on it. This I could believe could be possible, but not that he is a participant in the disappearance itself. I could be completely mistaken, but this is what I think.
I am not taking my eyes off the three suspects, Joran, Deepak and Satish, because they demonstrated in the recording that they are completely aware of what happened to the girl.
Furthermore, one accused the other (between Joran and the Kalpoe brothers) of a 15 year penalty (Deepak against Joran) if the girl is found, and hitting a girl with a car (Joran against Satish).
Our duty as a media outlet is to stay on top of all the developments surrounding the case and to pass on any information that we find to the people, because in our criteria, they have a right to all information of what happened on their island. That the Police or the prosecutor do not want to give out any information, that is their right, but this does not count to DIARIO!
On 4-21 the CANTON, OHIO “Canton Repository” reported:
Natalee Holloway's mother warns students
GREEN - “I pray your parents never experience my pain,” said the mother of an Alabama teenager who disap0eared in May while vacationing in Aruba. “It’s too late for me. It’s too late for Natalee. ... It’s not too late for you.”
Beth Holloway-Twitty, the mother of Natalee Holloway, whose mysterious disappearance in Aruba last year garnered national attention and continues to be a hot topic on cable TV, spoke Thursday to more than 600 students and parents at Green High School.
Natalee Holloway was in Aruba celebrating her high school graduation with a group of classmates. Hours before her flight home, she disappeared. She was last seen May 30 getting into a car with three men.
“Natalee let her guard down for a moment,” Holloway-Twitty said. “In that moment, she vanished.”
Last weekend, authorities in Aruba detained a 19-year-old man with a possible connection to Natalee Holloway's disappearance. The Associated Press reported Aruba’s coast guard has been using sonar and other equipment to search an unidentified area off the island this week.
“I’ll be honest, when I make a commitment to do something, I do it,” Holloway-Twitty said. “It’s been a difficult week for me. ... It’s very difficult, but I made a commitment, and I will honor it. I think this kind of keeps me still focused.”
Holloway-Twitty stressed travel safety, using examples of the known facts surrounding her daughter’s disappearance on the Dutch island and the problems she encountered when searching for her daughter.
“The best way to honor Natalee is to share this message,” said Holloway-Twitty, who is on a national speaking tour as part of the International Safe Travels Foundation.
The foundation is in the process of setting up a Web site to help educate young travelers and their parents about popular foreign destinations.
Holloway-Twitty advised students traveling abroad to get an international calling service for their cell phone and to learn the good and bad about the country they’re visiting. She reminded them to use a buddy system when going out and to spend as much time mapping out plans to get back to their hotels as they spend choosing what to wear.
“It’s one thing to be lost in the United States and another complete disaster to be lost outside of the United States,” she said.
Holloway-Twitty held the audience captive throughout the hourlong presentation, speaking in a clear, spellbinding voice and using a slide show of her daughter and the search on a screen beside her.
“I was certainly impressed,” said Summit County Sheriff Drew Alexander, who was the catalyst for bringing Holloway-Twitty to the area. “I knew it would be dramatic. ... I just hope we reached them.”
The Summit County Sheriff’s Department, the University of Akron and the university’s Police department sponsored Holloway-Twitty’s appearance.
Holloway-Twitty said she is committed to speaking engagements for the next five weeks and isn’t planning to return to Aruba before then. Still, she keeps her passport with her should there be a break in the investigation, according to her longtime friend, Marcie DeBardeleben, who traveled with her to Ohio.
“We have them in case we have to go,” DeBardeleben said.
Alexander said his deputies even researched what flights could get Holloway-Twitty from Ohio and to Aruba the quickest in light of the recent arrest.
“We would have rescheduled,” Alexander said. “We’ll have her on the first plane out of here if she needs to go, and fly her back. I’d never keep a mother from her child.”
After speaking at Green, Holloway-Twitty was scheduled to do an interview with Geraldo Rivera of Fox News Channel.
She spoke later at the University of Akron and was expected to speak at two other educational facilities in Summit County today.
On 4-21 the “Boston.com” reported:
Aruban Authorities Study Sea Floor Photos
Aruban Authorities Study Photos of Sea Floor in Missing American Teen Case
ORANJESTAD, Aruba Apr 21, 2006 (AP)— Aruban authorities studied photos of the sea floor Friday as part of an investigation into the disappearance of missing American teenager Natalee Holloway, prosecutors said.
The photos were taken during a four-day search led by coast guard ships off the coast of the Caribbean island earlier this week, said Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office.
Croes declined to specify what authorities hoped to find in the photos or to say how the search was related to Holloway's disappearance nearly a year ago.
The coast guard of Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles halted the search Thursday and authorities declined to say whether it would resume amid what appeared to be renewed activity in the case.
Authorities on Saturday arrested Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, 19, saying he was suspected of "criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance" of Holloway, but they have not provided details.
Van Cromvoirt's defense lawyer has said his client has no connection to Holloway's disappearance.
The 18-year-old Holloway, of Mountain Brook, Ala., was last seen driving away from a bar with three young local men on the final night of a high school graduation trip to the island.
On 4-21 CBS News reported:
Search For Natalee Holloway Continues
(CBS/AP) The search for Natalee Holloway the Alabama teen who disappeared during a high school graduation trip to the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba, is continuing, nearly a year after her disappearance.
A team of several boats from Aruba's coast guard was planning to use sonar equipment Friday and focusing on the area off the shore of the hotel where Holloway stayed, at the northern end of the island, reports CBS News correspondent Bianca Solorzano.
Authorities have arrested seven people in connection with Holloway's disappearance and then released them for lack of evidence. On Saturday, they arrested Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, 19, saying he was suspected of "criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance" of Holloway, who was 18 when she vanished. Officials have not provided details about why van Cromvoirt was arrested.
His beach friends still find his arrest hard to believe.
"I thought it was a joke. Geoffrey? I mean ..." Danielle Buffalini told Solorzano.
His defense attorney has released a statement, claiming the teenager was not working as a beach patrol member in May or June of last year.
The defense also stresses that van Cromvoirt is not friends with the three men arrested earlier in the case, Joran van der Sloot, Deepak Kalpoe and his brother Satish.
John Q. Kelly, an attorney for the Holloway family, said he was told by an F.B.I. agent that van Cromvoirt's name had come up earlier in the investigation. Kelly said he had no other information about the suspect.
Aruba's chief prosecutor has told Kelly "they have sufficient evidence to hold him ... and they're continuing to interrogate him," Kelly said in a telephone interview from his New York office Thursday.
CBS News has obtained transcripts of secretly recorded conversations that van der Sloot and the Kalpoes had with one another. Just weeks after Holloway disappeared, the three were taped in the back of a Police car accusing each other of lying and doing something to the Alabama teen.
In the transcripts, van der Sloot says to the Kalpoe brothers, "I know very well that you are afraid, that is, if you did something bad with the girl, and if they find the girl then we will see."
Satish Kalpoe answers "I'm not afraid, why must I be afraid?"
Deepak says "I want them to find the girl."
A judge on Tuesday approved a prosecution request to hold van Cromvoirt pending further investigation. He also was detained on suspicion of drug offenses.
Footage aired on an American television network showed a handcuffed van Cromvoirt, wearing a black hooded sweat shirt and blue jeans, coming out of a Police station on Thursday evening. When he saw the television camera, he pulled his sweat shirt over his face.
A number of searches involving Dutch marines, the F.B.I. and hundreds of volunteers have been conducted throughout the island and off the coast. More recent searches have focused on dunes along the island's north shore.
On 4-21 CNNHN reported:
Conversation Between Murder Suspects in Holloway Investigation Caught on Tape; Murder Rocks Pennsylvania Amish Country
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Tonight, live to Aruba. Search teams again try and fail to find any sign of Natalee Holloway, while a new suspect emerges, now under the microscope and behind bars. And to top it all off, a damning conversation between three suspects caught on tape.
…
But first tonight, live to Aruba, late-breaking developments in the Natalee Holloway mystery. What can newly emerging suspect Geoffrey Van Cromvoirt reveal? Also, what did judge`s son Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers fight about when they thought police weren`t listening? Well, guess what, guys? It`s all caught on tape. And tonight, we are taking your calls.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY`S FATHER: I think he was arrested because he had been talking on the beach a little bit too much.
JOSSY MANSUR, MANAGING EDITOR, "DIARIO": They had him arrested on two counts, one that he is involved in some way with the Natalee Holloway case, and two, that he is involved in some way with some kind of drugs being sold on the beach.
BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE`S MOTHER: I don`t think we`ve been able to definitively rule out that there`s not some photos that could quite possibly have Joran and the new suspect in them.
HOLLOWAY: He was at Carlos and Charlie`s that same night Natalee disappeared. He was arrested for drug charges, and he`s connected to the case.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe he sold some drugs. Who knows?
TWITTY: I just hope that this new suspect can, you know, give us, you know, the one break that we need in order for this mystery to unravel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Let`s go straight out to Pat Lalama, investigative reporter. What`s the newest?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: Well, you know, I`ll tell you, it feels like maybe a little bit of these facts are starting to close in so this`ll finally come together. Let`s first talk about Geoffrey -- still being held. There has been to be a hearing on the 25th in order for them to hold him any longer. All that authorities will say is that perhaps, in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, and for possibly being involved in drugs.
Now, the other issue is the forensic evidence allegedly found on the T-shirt. It is unclear at this moment whether that does exist and whether it`s the same T-shirt that was found last June.
Does Geoffrey now Joran van der Sloot? Well, depends on who you ask. He denies it. They don`t know each other, is all we hear. But Natalee`s mother says that people are e-mailing her pictures that say that the two are together in photographs.
Also, there was a four-day search on the beach. Nothing came up from that. They were using, I understand, sonar and other equipment, speed boats, didn`t find anything and wouldn`t say why they were on this new- found search.
And of course, that audiotape of the suspects at the time, yelling and screaming at each other, which could tell us a lot.
GRACE: Elizabeth, can you please put up the transcript of this conversation? Do you have it for me, Liz?
And I want to go to our producer, Eric Marrapodi. He is there in Aruba. Eric, thanks for being with us, dear. Let`s talk about this transcript. Here we go. Deepak, "How does it feel, Joran?" Joran, "You have got my father arrested, friend." Deepak, "That`s what I say, how does it feel?"
Keep it going.
Joran, "You know very well my father had nothing to do with it. I read your testimony, friend." Deepak, "That is BS." Joran, "You are lying. You know what happened to that girl. If you don`t know, then nothing has happened to her. So F you." Deepak, "You just don`t give a (DELETED) about your own family." Joran, "The only thing I can think about is my family. I do what my family tells me to do."
Let`s keeping going.
Joran van der Sloot, "That`s the price my father paid, that you let him suffer like that. F you. If you let me suffer, that is what I`m saying, too. It doesn`t bother me at all. I can simply sit here 160 days. It does not make a damn bit of difference to me. I`m fine here." Kalpoe, "Me, too. Me, too." Joran, "And you, Satish, they`re telling me that you, jerk, see ghosts in the cell? They have told me that you saw the girl in your cell and you were scared stiff."
Keep it going, Liz.
Joran to Kalpoe brothers, "Half of what you have said is not the F-ing truth. It will come to the fore. Just as they check me, they check you, too."
Keep it going, Liz.
Joran, "Hey, you know when I will laugh? When I have given you a smack in the face. I will laugh if they find the girl alive. F you. I know very well that you`re afraid. That is, if you did something bad with the girl. And if they find the girl, then we will see." Satish, "I`m not afraid. Why must I be afraid?" Deepak, "We want them to find the girl. You`re going to talk (DELETED) about me that I buried the girl by the fisherman`s hut." "Who said anything about burying? I said nothing about burying." Deepak, "Stop with the BS." Joran, "I said nothing about burying."
Keep it going, Liz.
Deepak, "They`re going to give you 15 years if they find the girl." Joran, "For what? For what?" Deepak, "The scholarships of yours, you can forget it." Joran, "Yes, because of who? Because of you mongol. You well know that you did bad. Otherwise, you wouldn`t lie."
OK, Eric, how have we confirmed this transcript is legitimate?
ERIC MARRAPODI, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Nancy, early this morning, the public prosecutor`s office here in Aruba released a statement saying that, in fact, the published reports out about this Dutch police report -- this is, again, a transcript of a taped conversation that appeared in a police report written in Dutch that was then translated into English. CNN can confirm the translation of the English is a correct translation. The public prosecutor said today, Not only is it true, but we didn`t release it, and that they are very interested to know who did release it.
We`ve learned tonight from sources close to the case that, in fact, the prosecutor`s office and police are launching an internal investigation to find out who leaked this very sensitive document.
GRACE: You know, Eric, I don`t really care who leaked it. I just want to make sure it`s legitimate. You`re telling me it is.
MARRAPODI: That`s right, Nancy. The public prosecutor says it is, in fact, a legitimate police report, and the translation is right. It`s what those boys said in the back of that police car on June 29.
GRACE: And we believe that this conversation went down when they were, in fact, cuffed together. Take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: These two are being kept apart in different facilities for a reason, so they can`t continue to concoct a story.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure, but...
GRACE: You don`t put two people together in the back seat of a car for a drive...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don`t...
GRACE: ... if you don`t want them to talk!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don`t unless they don`t know they`re being monitoring -- you`re monitoring them. It`s entirely possible that they put them together for a reason, to see what interaction they`d have, lead them to believe that they were going to be able to have a private discussion that the authorities could then listen to. They`re in jail. They don`t have a right to privacy. They`d be able to listen to what they had to say, maybe they`re hoping to learn something from that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Karl (ph) -- , Karl, you`re telling me that van der Sloot and Kalpoe were handcuffed together?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Handcuffed together...
GRACE: Oh!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... as they were brought out of the police station.
GRACE: Gosh. David Wohl (ph), they`ve kept them in two different facilities, two different cells for a reason! Now they handcuff them together and let them take a ride in a car? Explain why this is a huge problem, David Wohl.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, Gee, Nancy, I don`t know.
GRACE: Oh!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe they can talk to each other and get their stories straight.
GRACE: Good Lord!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) the best story wins.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: And even then, many months ago, we speculated that either it was the dumbest thing the police had done or the smartest thing they had done, if they were being taped.
I want to go to Natalee`s father, joining us by phone from Meridien, Mississippi, Dave Holloway. Dave, thank you for being with us.
HOLLOWAY: Thank you.
GRACE: Dave, I`m sure that you`ve gone over and over this transcript. It originally emerged a couple of weeks ago. We`ve been trying to nail down and confirm it before we went public with it. What do you think is the most damning part of this conversation?
HOLLOWAY: Well, there`s a number of things. In my opinion, obviously, where Deepak says to Joran if they find out, he`s going to get 15 years. And I think what they`re doing here is kind of playing each other on, What have you said, and where are you going with these statements? Because after all, they have changed their statements so many times, and I think this is part of that process of trying to figure out, What are you going to say, and where are we going with this thing?
So you know, they were coached -- early on, they were coached tremendously by their father, and throughout the 10 days before they were arrested, that they were going to be taped, they were going to be monitored. Just watch what you say, watch what you do. And I`m sure that happened throughout this process all the way up until this recording. Whether they knew they were being recorded in the back of this police car, that`s totally unknown.
GRACE: Exactly. Well, I can guarantee you this much. If the police thought enough to tape them, put them together and tape them in this car, you know what that says to me? There are other tapes to follow. This is not the only tape, people. There are other tapes to follow. The cell phone can be bugged. The home phones can be bugged, you name it. E-mails can be retrieved, the whole shebang.
Back to Natalee`s father, Dave Holloway. Another thing that stands out to me -- it seems to me that you are correct that Joran van der Sloot was very well aware he could be being taped until, all of a sudden, when one of the Kalpoe brothers says, You`re the one that said buried her. And he went, Wa -- wa -- wa -- I never said anything about burying! And he goes, Yes, you did. I think that is damning!
HOLLOWAY: Yes, that was said. Joran said that early on in the investigation, in fact, led police to the scene. So -- and I think Deepak was -- Deepak or Satish, whichever one was calling him on that, just figure out just how far he`s gone with it.
GRACE: I want to go back to Dave Holloway, Natalee`s father. Let`s talk about the newly emerging suspect, Geoffrey Van Cromvoirt. How do you think he fits in? You have stood by the fact that these three, Joran van der Sloot, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, are the three correct suspects. But where did this guy fit in?
HOLLOWAY: Well, that`s a good question. The police arrested him Saturday. He was detained for another eight days. You know, the security guard T-shirt -- from what I understand, he did not work for the security guard company at that time. In fact, he worked for Red Sailboat (ph), which is -- was docked right behind the Holiday Inn at the time. So where he fits into this scheme of things, I haven`t figured that out just yet.
GRACE: Well, what about a drug connection? We know that he is looking at -- we`ve heard that he is looking at some drug charges.
HOLLOWAY: Yes. He`s -- they charged him with some drug charges, so what those drugs are or whatever, it`s unclear at this point in time.
GRACE: OK.
HOLLOWAY: So I don`t know the exact type of drugs that he was involved in.
GRACE: Well, you know, it`s very...
HOLLOWAY: I have my suspicions, but...
GRACE: What are your suspicions?
HOLLOWAY: I think it`s probably date rape drugs.
GRACE: I`m thinking...
HOLLOWAY: But we don`t know.
GRACE: ... date rape, GHB, gamma hydroxy buterate (ph), possibly ecstasy. It could even be something as simple as Ambien. It could be Valium. But when you mix that with a lady`s drink...
Let me go to Eric Marrapodi, our producer there in Aruba. Eric, what do we know about any drug charges that are going to be leveled about this newly emerging suspect, Geoffrey Van Cromvoirt?
MARRAPODI: Nancy, when the prosecutor released the statement that they had, in fact, arrested what was then GVC, it said that it was charges related to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and that they were also holding him on drug charges.
Now, we don`t know what those drug charges are, and there`s a lot of speculation on the island. Now, this is a big town in a lot of places, and even today, Karen Shipman (ph) and I, another producer for our program, we were driving around town and someone offered us cocaine. So drugs are (INAUDIBLE) here, a lot of the energies of the police force generally go when they`re not working on cases like this one.
GRACE: You know, what`s interesting, Eric? Eric, everybody, got us this video that you`re looking -- exclusive to our show. This is Geoffrey Van Cromvoirt, the newly emerging suspect, trying to cover his face with a hoodie. Where is he coming from, Eric?
MARRAPODI: The shot you`re looking at, Nancy, that`s the Nord (ph) police station, not too far from the van der Sloot home and not too far from the hotel where Natalee Holloway was staying when she was here on the island in May. That`s the Nord police station, and that`s also where the task force for the Aruban police that`s handling this case is based.
GRACE: Back to Eric Marrapodi. Eric, have you noticed how everybody is saying, I don`t know him. Nobody knows each other, OK? That`s the first thing they all say. Joran van der Sloot doesn`t know anybody. Nobody knows Geoffrey Van Cromvoirt. Steve Croes, the party boat deejay -- he doesn`t know anybody. They`re falling over themselves to give public statements that they don`t know each other.
But tell me, where did these two go to high school? Where did they hang out, Joran van der Sloot and Geoffrey Van Cromvoirt? There`s only about 100,000 people on this island. You`ve got the Surinamese. You have the Dutch. And it`s hard for me to believe that Van Cromvoirt and van der Sloot, two Dutch boys one year apart, don`t know anybody on this tiny -- don`t know each other on this tiny island.
MARRAPODI: Yes, Nancy, it is kind of hard to believe that these two might not have known each other, might not have run in the same circles. But at this point, all we can go on is the statements by Mr. Van Cromvoirt`s attorney, who said he doesn`t know any of the three suspects, and what Joran van der Sloot has said since this new suspect emerged, which is he doesn`t know anyone.
We know that Joran van der Sloot went to school not far from here. He went to high school here, and he was planning on heading to the United States to attend college. At this point, we don`t know where Geoffrey went to school, went to high school. It may have been Holland. It may have been here.
We know Geoffrey was on the island as late as December of 2004, which would have been a few months before Natalee went missing. We know he was working down the beach, on the hotel strip, at a water sports place where you can do para-sailing and other water activities.
But at this point, it hasn`t surfaced as to where Geoffrey e went to high school. And quite frankly, Nancy, it`s hard to find anyone on this island, as we`ve scoured, who will even acknowledge that they know who he is, let alone anything about him.
GRACE: Boy, they are really rolling up the sidewalks. Nobody knows anything. Nobody knows anybody. Nobody`s talking. But I can tell you this much. If this tape exists, there will be others to follow.
Hey, Elizabeth, have you got us set up for the phone calls yet? We`ll be taking your calls when we come back.
Very quickly, to tonight`s "Case Alert." The second dancer at the Duke lacrosse party speaks out. Kim Roberts claims she originally did not believe the accuser`s rape allegations, but now she`s changed her mind. She declares she did not do enough to help the accuser, a 27-year-old college student-turned-stripper, a mother of two. Defense lawyers claim Roberts is changing her story to get better treatment.
Roberts also contacted a New York PR firm. That`s not going to help on cross-exam. The letter reads, "I`ve found myself in the center of one of the biggest stories in country. I`m worried about letting this opportunity" -- hello! There`s an alleged gang rape! -- "this opportunity pass me by without making the best of it, and I was wondering if you had any advice on how to help me spin this to my advantage."
She later asked the press, quote, "Why shouldn`t I profit? I didn`t ask to be in this position. I`d like to feed my daughter." Get ready for cross-examination, Kim!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARRAPODI: Geoffrey Van Cromvoirt was being questioned at about 6:00 o`clock. They brought him out of that police station and started to transport him down to the Kia (ph) prison on the other side of the island. As soon as he saw us jump out with the camera, he threw his hoodie up and put his cuffs in front of his face. It was clearly him, and they took him away tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: The new suspect behind bars and under the microscope. Straight to Pat Brown, criminal profiler. A lot of theories floating around out there. You`re the expect. Where does Van Cromvoirt fit in on the evidence we have right now, to Natalee`s disappearance?
PAT BROWN, CRIMINAL PROFILER: Well, my guess, Nancy, is it fits absolutely nowhere. I think he was probably picked up on a drug connection, and that`s all there is to it. I think he`s a smokescreen.
Let`s take a look at the situation. If we go to the true story of Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers, the true story where he leaves Natalee on the beach, and that`s the only bad thing he ever did, he left her on the beach and he walked away, and there was she was alone, the only person who could have attacked Natalee then was somebody who happened to be on the beach.
It doesn`t matter if they did drugs. It doesn`t matter if they worked for a company. It doesn`t matter if they knew anybody. They would simply have to be at that location at that time.
So why this particular suspect would have been there more than anybody else makes no sense. So unless they had an actual person who sighted him, a witness who sighted him on the beach at the time she was there, which I don`t believe is true, or he said he was there, which I don`t believe is true, I think we simply have the fact that we got to do something about all these problems we`re having with this case. Let`s get a new suspect in, and then we`ll have some reasonable doubt and then we can stop all this pressure we`re getting.
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: Hold on. Here`s another point. Here`s another point. I`m going to go to Dave Holloway about the T-shirt in just a moment. But have you noticed, whenever there`s a dead body, suddenly people begin to be clairvoyant? For instance, Scott Peterson suddenly knew a month ahead of time that this would be his fist Christmas without his wife. He would be a widower. And then, of course, who could forget O.J. Simpson, who began having dreams that he could commit murder. Whoo!
And now, here we have it. You`ve got this transcript of a police bugging of these guys in the car, and the Kalpoe brother -- to Dave Holloway -- says he`s seeing Natalee`s ghost, and it`s scaring him behind bars. Now, what do you think, guilty conscience? Has he become clairvoyant? Or is he responsible?
HOLLOWAY: Well, you know, I was thinking about that. If he saw a ghost, apparently, he knows -- you know, I`ve always said this. They know a lot more than what they told the police or a lot more than what all of us know, and the viewers who are watching.
You know, it all goes back to some of those statements I read, where all three of them had the same statement where she was falling asleep approximately 20 minutes after she got into the car or at some time, and then she fell -- she was totally out of it coming back from the lighthouse. And they said there was approximately a two-minute stretch where, you know, she was asleep.
And then, of course, publicly, Joran comes out and says that he`s walking her on the beach and all this kind of stuff. So you know, which gives? You know, was she out of it, or was she conscious and walking on the beach with Joran and decided to stay there?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOLLOWAY: He was arrested because he had been talking on the beach a little bit too much, and some of these tips that came out from this Dutch show -- which coincidentally aired the same time my book came out. And you`ll probably see some other people that`s listed in my book probably get involved in this case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Welcome back. We are live in Aruba tonight as a new suspect is under the microscope and behind bars.
Liz, let`s go to the lines. Let`s go to Rhonda in Michigan. Hi, Rhonda.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Nancy. I have so much respect for you!
GRACE: Bless you. Tell the defense bar.
(LAUGHTER)
GRACE: What`s your question, sweetie?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do they have any DNA from the T-shirt that shows any connection between Natalee and any of the known suspects?
GRACE: Rhonda, you just stole my next point. I`m going to go to Dave Holloway, Natalee`s father, is with us tonight. Dave, what do you make of this T-shirt? There is an actual shot of the T-shirt. We don`t know what kind of DNA is on it. We don`t know what kind of evidence is on it. But do you believe, Dave, have they led you to believe the significance of this T-shirt?
HOLLOWAY: No, they haven`t. They found the shirt early on, I think within days after Natalee disappeared. But if it`s related to this GVC -- at this time, it doesn`t look like it is, but you know, who knows. I understand that he was working with a boat company at the time and didn`t get involved with his father`s business until a little later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you leave a girl on the beach?
JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , LAST SEEN WITH NATALEE HOLLOWAY: I told her I had to go home; I had school the next day. And I thought maybe she would understand. She told me, no, she wanted me to stay there with her, because the next day she was leaving, and she wanted to stay there the whole night.
I told her, no, I had to go. I even lifted her up to carry her back to the hotel, and she told me put her down. I left her, I sat down next to her, talk to her a while. If I had that moment back, I would have made sure she got back to her hotel safely, but I can`t change that now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Then, Mr. van der Sloot, why were you worried about getting 15 years behind bars, according to this transcript of you yakking with the Kalpoe brothers?
I want to go now to Renee Rockwell, Renee Rockwell, a defense attorney. Where does Van Cromvoirt fit in, this new suspect?
RENEE ROCKWELL, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Nancy, three things come about when I think about him. First of all, we know that, because he`s charged, he had access to drugs. Secondly, he worked on the beach. He had access to boats, thus maybe the removal of the body. Lastly, it might be some type of a maneuver for the police to get him in jail and start leaning on him to perhaps see if he can give some evidence against these prior suspects.
The one thing I cannot believe is, on an island so small, that these three guys, these four guys don`t know each other.
GRACE: And, you know, as Shakespeare said, "Methinks thou doest protest too much," Dr. Lisa Weinstock, psychiatrist. The very first thing that comes out of their mouth and all of their attorneys, "We don`t know him. Nobody knows nobody on the whole island."
LISA WEINSTOCK, PSYCHIATRIST: Absolutely.
GRACE: I don`t buy it.
WEINSTOCK: Absolutely. I mean, if the first thing that`s coming out of their mouth is denying that, before anyone`s even asked them about it, you know, you`ve got to wonder, what are they so worried about?
GRACE: To Rahul Manchanda, our international law expert, Rahul, they now want to hold this guy, Van Cromvoirt, eight more days. It`s completely bass-ackwards to our system where everything is made public, you know why you`re under arrest. Here they go by initials; they keep everything secret.
In fact, sometimes I think you don`t even have to be a suspect. You can just be a witness, and they`ll throw you in the can.
RAHUL MANCHANDA, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, it`s exactly right. In Aruba, it`s under the Dutch legal system. And over there, it`s reasonable suspicion. And they can incarcerate you for up to 146 days without charging you with a crime.
And it`s much different here. I mean, once you`re arrested here, if there`s probable cause to arrest you, you`re in. But here, it`s a much different system.
GRACE: And back to Eric Marrapodi, our producer there in Aruba, Eric, tell me about the dive searches, the search of the water. You think they`re a little too late? We`re coming up on a year now.
MARRAPODI: Yes, that`s right. It was Easter Sunday that the coast guard was back in the water using side-scan sonar. And we`re told by a source at the coast guard they were also using divers in an area off the hotel strip where the Marriott Hotel is, where Joran says he left Natalee Holloway, and the Holiday Inn where she was staying in.
And those searches, we`re told by that source at the coast guard, he said they came up empty-handed.
GRACE: To Vito Colucci, private investigator with Colucci Investigations, I have dived fairly extensively throughout that area, and they do have a lot of strong currents. You can drift-dive a lot, in other words, ride with the current.
But a year later, Vito? The fact that they`re still searching a year later right around the Holiday Inn, the hotel strip where she was staying, does that suggest to you they believe Natalee`s body was weighted down, a la Laci Peterson`s, to think they could still find something a year later?
VITO COLUCCI, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: Well, that`s a good point. And don`t forget what we have here: The former chief, Dompig, he`s history. He`s off the case.
I have to admit, after 11 months, I`m impressed with this new guy. He seems to be pulling out all of the stops. He even gives a little dig to Dompig by saying they had information on this Geoffrey a long time ago.
So I`m impressed. He`s trying everything on this, Nancy, so I`m going to give him the benefit of the doubt, the first time I`m optimistic on this case at all.
GRACE: Let`s go to Sharon in Ontario. Hi, Sharon.
CALLER: Hi, Nancy, how are you?
GRACE: I`m good, dear.
CALLER: OK, the question is: Is there any concrete evidence that Natalee has been killed?
GRACE: No, there is not. There is no body; there is no evidence of a crime.
But to Dave Holloway, Natalee`s father who is with us tonight, Dave, you of all people should have an idea as to whether Natalee is still alive.
HOLLOWAY: Well, as time goes on, that glimmer of hope certainly has started to fade. The FBI told us on June the 10th this was a homicide case. The Arubans finally admitted sometime in September, Octoberish that it was being investigated from a homicide point of view, as well.
GRACE: Dave, I just want to apologize to you. With us is Natalee`s father. We`re all so used to prosecuting and defending murder cases, analyzing evidence. I know it must be hard for you to hear us go through the evidence and try to make sense of it, and I want to thank you again for being with us.
HOLLOWAY: Thank you, and I appreciate everyone`s prayers and support.
GRACE: Yes, sir.
Speaking of Dompig, who was running the investigation, back to Eric Marrapodi there in Aruba, what`s the deal on Dompig`s son?
MARRAPODI: Well, Nancy, shortly after Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was taken into custody, the speculation went wild on this island that Dompig, Gerald Dompig`s son, Michael Dompig, was the next one to be arrested, that he was coming down the pike.
And the speculation went so wild that this week Dompig finally spoke out in the Aruban newspapers. He told "Bon Dia Aruba," that, hey, look, yes, Michael Dompig, my son, knew Geoffrey van Cromvoirt. Yes, they worked together, but that doesn`t mean that they`re friends.
He also said that his son, Michael Dompig, has given a statement to police regarding this case. He said his son is not a suspect, but that he has been questioned by police in regards to this case. He`s also said that if the speculation about his son continues, that he even hinted to "Bon Dia," the newspaper here in Aruba, that civil action may follow.
GRACE: Why was Dompig taken off the investigation, Eric?
MARRAPODI: Well, Nancy, we don`t know exactly why. We can put together some of the pieces.
Shortly before he was taken off the case, he did that very wide- ranging interview with "48 Hours," where he made some very speculative statements that so far -- we haven`t been able to see any proof of that. And it was not long after that that he was taken off the case.
GRACE: I want to go to Sheila in Maryland. Hi, Sheila.
CALLER: Hi, Nancy. I wanted to know: Have any of these boys been given a lie detector test?
GRACE: Interesting. Do we have any knowledge of that, Dave Holloway? Have there been any lie detector tests?
HOLLOWAY: No, they don`t use lie detector tests in Aruba.
GRACE: And, of course, Joe Lawless, even here in America, lie detectors are not admissible into court, unless both sides stipulate upfront that they will be allowed, right?
JOE LAWLESS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: They`re not admissible, unless there`s a stipulation. They`re generally used as an investigative tool. But, Nancy, what you`ll see if there will be a defense polygraph and then there will be a prosecution polygraph, and nine times out of 10 they`ll be diametrically opposed results. So, no, they`re not admissible. And I personally don`t think they`re that reliable.
GRACE: Joe, how do you see Van Cromvoirt fitting in? We know two things: We know that, by the way they were describing Natalee that evening, (((video here , from this point, forward))) she may have had some type of drug slipped into her drink, all right, “may.” It sounds a lot like GHB, the date rape drug, gamma hydroxybutyrate.
LAWLESS: Right.
GRACE: We also know Van Cromvoirt is facing charges of drugs. OK, two and two. Does is that still equal four, Joe Lawless?
LAWLESS: There`s something going on here, Nancy. I don`t know what it is. I`m impressed...
GRACE: You`ve got to do better than that, buddy. "Something`s going on"? Yes, you`re right.
(CROSSTALK)
LAWLESS: I`m impressed with the fact they have tapes that we haven`t heard. I think you`re going to find...
GRACE: OK, that`s just me speculating, OK?
LAWLESS: No, I think you`re right. I can`t imagine their not having these kinds of tapes. The fact that they haven`t found out yet, though, I find troubling, because if there was something incriminating, if they had something they could use, why haven`t we heard it?
I don`t know where this kid fits in, but I think they`re going to sit on him and try to twist his arm.
GRACE: To Renee Rockwell, why do people keep yakking when you know darn well you could be -- have you ever listened to the mob tapes? They go, "Hey, you know we`re being taped," and they proceed to blah, blah, blah about their case.
ROCKWELL: Maybe they, just in their own genius way, think they can talk the police out of looking at them or suspecting them. But looking at these three guys, they were separated. That was all just very well- planned, not to put them together.
And all of a sudden, they put them altogether in the back of the car. That`s the oldest trick in the book, that they were going to be taped. They should have known that.
GRACE: To Lisa Weinstock, why do people who know they could be being taped keep yakking?
WEINSTOCK: Well, oftentimes, they`re in denial. They think that they can outwit the police. They think that they know better. They think that what they`re saying may not put them in any vulnerable position.
So it could be that. It could also be that these kids are naive. They`re not career criminals, and they may not really have been thinking that under the stress of the situation.
GRACE: To our producer, our Internet reporter, Clark Goldband, could Joran van der Sloot have crossed paths with Van Cromvoirt?
CLARK GOLDBAND, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Well, in fact, Nancy, I think there`s a high chance. It`s highly possible. Let`s show you why.
The population there in Aruba is 110,000. So how big is 110,000? It`s like Waco, Texas. Now, fine, 110,000, not so large. I`ll tell you why.
First, they`re Dutch, so that subdivides them even more. Then they`re in a higher social class, subdivides them even more. And, lastly, Nancy, they`re white. So, again, you have this large group of 110,000 you`re starting with, but surely their paths may have crossed sometime down there on the island of Aruba.
There`s over 40 nationalities in Aruba. And, don`t forget, the size of the island is 70 square miles, Nancy. That`s about the land size of Washington, D.C.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOLLOWAY TWITTY: There`s just so many different connections that it`s just frightening. And, you know, I don`t even know for certain -- I don`t think we`ve been able to definitely rule out that there`s not some photos that could quite possibly have Joran and the new suspect in them. I`m not certain of that at all, but it certainly appears that he may be in some.
And, you know, and also it`s kind of frightening to us to hear about his connections with the father having control of the security cameras on the island, because, after all, you know the Holiday Inn security cameras were not working that night that the suspects took Natalee.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
…
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRACE: Man, what a week in America`s courtrooms. Take a look at the stories and, more important, the people who touched all of our lives.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GRACE: Sealed indictments handed down in the Duke lacrosse rape investigation. Who, what, where, why, and when? Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty arrested, booked and charged in the alleged gang rape of a 27-year-old student-turned-stripper.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re very, very concerned that two innocent people may have possibly just had their lives ruined.
GRACE: Oh, good lord!
Natalee Holloway, the Alabama beauty who disappeared on her high school senior trip, a new arrest. His name, Geoffrey van Cromvoirt.
HOLLOWAY: It looks like a positive move. Maybe this is a steppingstone for other things to come.
GRACE: Is there finally justice?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One defendant did waive his right to appeal before the court.
GRACE: If I were charged with a vicious attack on another person like this, you`d better bet I would show my face in court and say, "Not guilty! Bring it on!" I would be in there screaming, "Not guilty!" I don`t care if she`s a stripper; I don`t care if she`s Mother Teresa.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, GUEST HOST: A 19-year-old Aruban man, arrested in connection with Natalee`s disappearance, named a suspect.
HOLLOWAY TWITTY: I just hope that this new suspect can give us, you know, the one break that we need in order for this mystery to unravel.
GRACE: Take a look at these outfits. These guys were decked out like they`re on the front of J. Crew.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When they were put in holding pens, ostensibly they were in prison outfits, I don`t know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A t-shirt with blood on it was found back in June on the south side of the island during searches for Natalee Holloway.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you can throw the shirt away. We have pretty good evidence he was at Carlos and Charlie`s that same night Natalee disappeared. He wouldn`t be wearing a security shirt out like that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t want to arrest the wrong person in any case; I only want to arrest the right person.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was prosecuted as a witch-hunt from the beginning. People presumed their guilt. And, in America, we don`t do that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
4-22-06
On 5-6 “The Wall Street Journal” and “The Wall Street Journal Online” wrote a book review of DAVE HOLLOWAY‘s book:
Aruba: The Tragic Untold Story of Natalee Holloway...
By Dave Holloway, with R. Stephanie Good and Larry Garrison Nelson
Current, 226 pages, $25.99
Lest anyone suspect that Dave Holloway, father of missing teenager Natalee Holloway, is out to profit from his daughter's apparent demise, he explains that the reasons for this book are threefold: to encourage anyone with information to come forward, to "ensure that what happened to Natalee never happens to anyone else's child" and to fund the "Natalee Holloway Foundation."
Natalee, an 18-year-old honors student from Mountain Brook, Ala., disappeared on May 30 last year on the final night of a high-school graduation trip to Aruba, a Dutch Caribbean island. Her family's highly publicized ordeal, which proves cable television's ability to make a star of what is likely a corpse, continues to captivate the news cycle, as with the arrest last week of a new suspect in the case. Mr. Holloway tells a sad story of searching for his daughter and encountering what appears to be "corruption" and "incompetence" on the part of the Aruba authorities. A late chapter focuses on "The 'One Happy Island' Conspiracy," suggesting that in a tourist destination that wears a perpetual smiley face there is not much interest in discovering unhappy facts.
Few heartstrings go untugged: "The hope that I have for finding out what happened to my Natalee is what keeps this desperate father from allowing the torment and agony to overwhelm me to the point of distraction," he writes, ending the book with a soaring farewell: "Fly high, my Freebird!" With perhaps an eye to the future, a jacket blurb reports that this is the "first book from Natalee's family circle." It boasts two co-authors, though Greta van Susteren is not among them.
On 4-22 the AKRON, OHIO “Akron-Beacon Journal” reported:
Mother of missing teen warns students
GREEN, Ohio (KRT) - The sight of her daughter's neatly packed clothes, unusable cell phone and passport on an abandoned hotel bed in Aruba will always be with Beth Holloway-Twitty.
"I was so glad to see that passport," Twitty said. "Seeing it told me she was still on that island. Maybe I could find her."
Last year, Twitty's personal search for her daughter, Mississippi native Natalee Holloway, ended without resolution. Now, as she awaits details about a new arrest in the disappearance, Twitty wants to make sure other teens travel with Natalee in mind.
"It's too late for Natalee. But it's not too late for you," she told about 700 students at Green High School Thursday afternoon. " ... You could be Natalee, and I could be your parent."
Twitty spoke in a darkened auditorium, a spotlight allowing her to read to the hushed juniors and seniors. Freshmen and sophomores watched from their classrooms on television sets.
Most students already knew the story. Natalee was last seen leaving a bar with three young men on May 30, 2005, the final night of her vacation. The men were initially jailed in Natalee's disappearance, but later were released when a judge ruled the evidence insufficient. The girls they befriended, including 18-year-old Natalee, had graduated from high school just days earlier.
"I look at these young adults, and all I see is Natalee and her friends," said Twitty, whose trip was made possible by the Summit County Sheriff's Office.
Later Thursday, she spoke at the University of Akron's Student Union Theatre.
Her visit follows a sonar search off the island and the arrest Monday of Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, 19, in connection with the disappearance.
"Maybe we're getting closer to the answers," she said. "I'm encouraged."
Protect yourself
Standing before projected images of her daughter and last summer's search efforts, Twitty pleaded that teens learn to protect themselves.
Even though Natalee was an honor student who had a full scholarship to attend the University of Alabama, Twitty believes her own naive confidence became her undoing.
For two months, Natalee's mother said, she searched Aruban crack houses and brothels, posted fliers and followed tips.
Twitty has formed the nonprofit International Safe Travels Foundation to distribute information both she and her daughter could have used, including how governments work and areas to avoid in foreign countries.
More than anything, though, she hopes fellow parents will use Natalee's story to discuss travel safety with their kids.
"I can't tell you what it's like walking past her bedroom door every morning," she said.
On 4-22 the NEW YORK CITY “New York Post” reported:
SEA-PIX QUEST FOR NATALEE
April 22, 2006 -- ORANJESTAD, Aruba - Aruban authorities studied photos of the sea floor yesterday as part of an investigation into the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway, prosecutors said.
The photos were taken during a four-day search led by coast guard ships off the coast of the Caribbean island earlier this week, said Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office.
Croes declined to specify what authorities hoped to find in the photos.The coast guard of Aruba halted the search Thursday, and authorities declined to say whether it would resume amid what appeared to be renewed activity in the case.
On 4-22 FOX News wrote (Thank You and Hat Tip to "Heli”):
NOT VERBATIM NOT COMPLETE
Kimberly Guilfoyle:
New suspect has been moved, just hours ago GVC was transferred from Noord to ... we don't know if he's being questioned or readied for release.
We went straight to the scene and dug up everything we could on GVC.
We have exclusive never seen before photos of JvdS
the best investigative reporter in Aruba is on the phone with me, Tito Lacle, nobody knows the story like him. Let's cut right to the chase. Tell me about GVC
Tito:
Depends 7hat you want to hear, he's been moved around today He's still at the same jail he's been held for the last couple of days. He left jail couple of times today, no idea why. I spoke to the lawyer, she said they got back from ...she will see him later tonight, she wouldn't say where he'd been
Kim:
Is his arrest major ...will he be released Tuesday
Tito:
My sources tell me he's no major suspect, just a person detained because he was not co-operating, no major break
Kim:
There are two possible arrests as early as next week, are they connected...is this shirt a possible link
Tito;
The shirt is outdated from last June, it's not being spoken about, I've been hearing about other arrests as early as next week. Just like Geoffrey they are two people who are not co-operating either these other two
Kim:
Are these two people who know GVC?
Tito;
I wouldn't go as far as saying that, but they do know something or heard something about the case, the info is sketchy. They are not co-operating so they may be arrested
Kim:
You've talked to DOmpig, anything knew about him?
Tito:
He wasn't very happy about the interview you had on the show with Michael, he has not spoken to his son and he has told him not to say anything to the press but to co-operate with Police. He was shocked and apologizes to Geoffrey's family
Kim:
Just who exactly is the new suspect, what's his connection to Natalee...to aruba for this investigation and some videotape of an interview I had with _______ (attorney RICARDO YARZAGARAY, my insertion)
Kim:
Tell me what you know about the van Cromvoirts?
Ricardo:
They came to aruba in 1999 and GVC is a kid that seems to have bragged a lot about the case
Kim:
what's his reputation
Ricardo:
I don't know, I don't know him personally, it's like he was bragging about knowing info on the case, he seems to have a drug related charge, he seems to have been fired from the company for behavioural and psychological problems.
Kim:
We're here on the beach by the hotels. Who patrols the beach
Ricardo:
This area is patrolled by the Visiblity Team which is made up of people from the private sector and authorities, it's a joint venture.
Kim:
WHo is involved in the private sector?
Ricardo:
You have this company VCB directed by van Cromvoirt sr.
Kim:
Is this area currently patrolled by Visibility Team
Ricardo:
Yes, but with change in staffing, seems not staffed with security guards but only Police Supposed to be much safer
Kim:
There was speculation that on May 30, this area was patrolled by the Visibility Team, and GVC was working that assignment
Ricardo:
Not clear if he was working in May of June, attorney of the van Cromvoirts is denying that, there are still questions about his whereabouts on the night in question
Kim:
We're in the area past the Marriott, the info we have is they were at the fisherman's hut
Ricardo:
Yes, we see here, this could be the fisherman's hut in question, not too sure, this seems like the first hut after the Marriott
Kim:
Could Natalee's body be disposed of in the water, this seems really shallow, I see small boats
Ricardo:
If you see those windsurfers they are walking in the water, waist high, it's shallow. You need to know your way around, a big boat would have trouble anchoring in this area
*************************************************************
Kim:
Mother of JvdS speaks out. no question goes unanswered
There's a 19-year-old being held GVC, Dutch national, young man tall like Joran, blond, do you know him?
Anita:
No, I don't know him, we don't know him
Kim:
Do you know the family?
Anita:
NO, I don't know them. Joran is not a friend to them at all.
I don't know if the Kalpoes are friends with him we got lot of phone calls from media etc, the island is small but we work 5 days a week, Joran goes to school , he plays tennis and soccer and after school activities, they didn't go to same school. I understood this boy didn't go to school anymore.
Kim:
Did you ask Joran about GVC?
Anita:
I asked him he said no, he doesn't know him, he was very surprised. He said "I hope they didn't arrest somebody who had nothing to do with this"
Kim:
DO you think they're followng other leads?
Anita:
I hope so after 10 months, I hope the investigation will be broader. In the beginning I understood the tunnel vision, Natalee left on her own, she didn't have a buddy, Joran left her there and that was wrong, but so many things could have happened after that. All the gossip, we just don't know, we need facts.
Kim:
How do you feel about another family being in the eye of the media with their son arrested?
Anita:
Terrible, I'm not in a position to call them I don't know them, but I'm a Mom and he has a mother and father, parents are important and it hurts. If he's involved I hope that the truth comes out real fast, if he's not involved I hope he's released fast
Kim:
Do you believe Natalee Holloway is alive?
Anita:
After so many months, I believe for long time Natalee was alive and then somebody said to me this is wishfull thining because she should have been coming forward, if she sees this happening, her family suffering, no normal person could do something like that
Kim:
Or go undetected too for all this time
Anita:
I cannot envision something like that, but we don't know. Let's hope the investigation will come to closure
Kim:
Do you think it will be solved?
Anita:
I hope so
Kim:
Do you have any theories?
Anita:
Sometimes of course I lay awake at night and think about her, Natalee please tell me what happpened, I don't know, I really hope it will be solved and we get an explanation for all this and Joran and the Kalpoe brothers will be cleared and it's all over
I'm not going to do what most people are doing and think about all kinds of scenarios that might not be true.
Kim:
People are speculating too much you think?
Anita:
Too much, way too much, everywhere mistakes have been made but it never happened to Aruba, people were so helpful here, people were fantastic and if I see all these people looking around the wild part of ARuba, looking for Natalee, it's a small community people talk, In the beginning there was rumour she was seen around, even the Police thought she was alive in the beginning.
*************************************************************
Kim:
Tell me about Joran, about girls, drugs ....
Anita:
Joran never did drugs, he has been tested for that in school and in prison, one of the few that tested clean. We always talk to him about such things, he's a sporter ...he drinks now and then a beer or rum and coke, drinking age is 16 I know all the rumours about going to the casino ... he just started to play that advertised poker game that was all over the island, he got an invitation for that. He was always gentle to girlfriends, he had a long relationship with an aruban girl for 9 months; we see her often, she refers to me as Mom and she is still good friends with Joran.
There is a girl from the States coming forward who knows Joran very well, he went to New Jersey and stayed with her family when he went to soccer camp
Kim:
ANything where you thought he might be headed down the wrong road did you talk to him about sex education ...
He said, very specifically he said that there was a point things were going to another level with Natalee, sexually, he said he didn't have a condom ...
Anita:
I have talked to my boys, I have 3 boys, hormones are starting to work, we talk to the kids a lot about that, I said always like if you have sexual activity with a girl, be careful and I want you to wait, we always talk about that. You dont' have like, you can kiss a little bit and Joran knows that and I'm sure that on the beach when you hug a little bit but he didnt have sex with her
Kim:
Did you ask him, explicit sexual details, did you ask him if he had sexual relations with her?
Anita:
Yes I did. He said NO. I asked him right in the beginning, I asked because I wanted to know
Kim:
Do you think he'd be afraid to tell you that... that he'd done that, it would be out of character and him misbehaving.
Anita:
No, he tells me everything
Kim:
If beth came in right now, what would you say to her?
Anita:
Hi
Kim:
Do you have any hard feelings towards her?
Anita:
You know I was raised Roman Catholic, I am not a big person who is very religious but I believe in positive energy I hope she did not lose herself in this, I can see her pain, I know she wants to find out what happened, I would be the same but I would not point to especially one boy for 11 months and call him a rapist and a murderer based on nothing.
Kim:
Joining us from Birmingham is Beth Twitty, You heard Anita, what do you think?
HOLLOWAY-TWITTY:
What I'm hearing about is what a a fine young man Joran is, I can't help but wonder how that fits into only spending the first 10 days washing the car inside and out, cleaning the car with cleaning fluid from the roof to the floor mats, corroborating stories with his father and the other suspects, hiring a team of attorneys, implicating two minority security guards, how does that go with what a good boy she claims he is. I just don't see it Kimberly
Kim:
Anything you hear her say that particularly caught your attention? We asked her about the civil lawsuit, she does say she was disappointed Joran lied in the beginning. Anything you heard that contradicts what you experienced with her?
HOLLOWAY-TWITTY:
No, really not, just that when we are referring to the citizens early on they were helpful in the beginning, the problem was her son and husband that threw the entire investigation, they threw it into the wrong direction ...it cost Natalee her investigation; Joran and Paul threw it in the wrong direction and everybody knows that....if they'd been men in the beginning and come forward we'd know what happened to Natalee
Kim:
How would you describe the relationship between you? Did the relationship between your two families at some point go south?
HOLLOWAY-TWITTY:
I don't feel it was ever headed in a parallel direction with them, we knew the facts, we knew these young men were the last to see Natalee and they repeated lies they told officials, they never were parallel, they were never going to be on the same path as our family
Kim:
Maybe we'll try to get you back to hear the rest of the interview, I asked her about the time you were together with her about the alleged sexual assault and the civil lawsuit ...
I want to talk about the latest developments with this guy GVC
I was outside his house the yellow house, what do you think is going to happen with GVC?
HOLLOWAY-TWITTY:
I hope something comes out of it. I see where the suspect is acquainted with Steve Croes, I don't know the connection with the other suspects. I feel that Karin Janssen has had a resurgence to get to the bottom of the case. I have to hope and believe they have evidence. I just hope that leads us somewhere
Kim:
You have evidence that you've seen, GVC and Steve Croes together. I went to Steve Croes' house and he said he doesn't know this guy, they've heard of him but they're not buddies
HOLLOWAY-TWITTY:
I have the photo and I'll send it to you.
I'm hearing rumours just as you are that there are arrests forthcoming, I don't know if they are re-arrests or new ones
Kim:
Do you think GVC is connected to these other arrests we hear are going to happen next week?
HOLLOWAY-TWITTY:
Just don't know, it was such a surprise, going into Easter Sunday, just couldn't have expected this at all. I just don't know what's ahead
*************************************************************
Kim:
Nadira Ramirez, the mother of Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. How are your sons doing?
Nadira:
They're doing ok. Deepak doesn't have a job.
Satish is going to school still
Last year he failed his class
Kim:
For the reason of this case?
Nadira:
He had to stay back one more year, and now we're waiting to see if he makes it this year.
Kim:
What does he hope to do
Nadira:
He's studying mathematics, sometimes he wants to be a pilot sometimes medicine, he changes. Deepak wants to do business.
I'm still seeing good for them, they are hard working and they are interested in studying and doing exams. Deepak passed his exams and he was trying to go to college in Miami, but he can't go anymore
Kim:
So everything is on hold
Nadira:
Yes, financially and everything
Kim:
Any problems with the boys running around, drinking, problems with girls
Nadira:
They go out sometimes on Friday or Saturday, that's it...in Aruba it's only on the weekend and only for hour or two. I used to work until midnight and when I come home they see me
Kim:
Do you believe your boys will be cleared
Nadira:
Yes, 100%
Kim:
Anita believes your boys are good boys, do you think that Joran is innocent in this case
Nadira:
I don't konw Joran, I think I met him once, but I see him as a good kid also
On 4-22 “Blogs For Natalee” identity “Aruba187” wrote, “Joran's almost done with school and is heading out on holiday with some of his college friends. He ends his trip in the States visiting some friends there.”
4-23-06
On 4-23 FOX News reported:
Ex-Lead Investigator's Son Questioned in Holloway Case
ORANJESTAD, Aruba — The former lead Investigator in the disappearance of U.S. teenager Natalee Holloway said Sunday his 19-year-old son was questioned as a witness in last year's still unsolved case.
Aruban Police commissioner Gerold Dompig told The Associated Press that Police have twice questioned his 19-year-old son, Michael — once since the April 15 arrest of Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, who is also 19.
"Michael was merely one of the many people who were questioned as witnesses in this investigation and was never considered a suspect," Dompig said during a phone interview.
It was not known if the questions concerned van Cromvoirt, who was arrested on suspicion of "criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance" of Holloway, according to authorities who have not provided details.
Dompig made the comments after his son told FOX News on Saturday that the Holloway family and others who have alleged incompetence and conflicts of interest in the investigation have been "trying to bring my father down."
The elder Dompig said earlier that Holloway's mother, Beth Twitty, has hurt the investigation by releasing sensitive information during her frequent appearances on U.S. television shows, but he said Sunday he did not agree with his son's comments and called the interview a "regrettable incident."
Local newspapers say Dompig's son worked for the same private security company as van Cromvoirt. He was questioned during a resurgence of activity in the past week that included new coast guard searches of the sea floor.
Authorities continued to study images of the sea floor taken during a four-day search by the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Coast Guard, said Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office, on Saturday.
"There is nothing we can say immediately about the results," said Croes, who has declined to say what authorities hope to find in the images or to say how the search was related to Holloway's disappearance nearly a year ago.
Croes said that prosecutors must present new evidence to a judge by April 25 to keep van Cromvoirt in custody. They had not yet done so as of Saturday, she said.
Van Cromvoirt's lawyer said he has no connection to Holloway's disappearance in May 2005. Holloway, of Mountain Brook, Alabama, was last seen driving away from a bar with three young local men on the final night of a high school graduation trip to the Dutch Caribbean island.
Aruban authorities have arrested seven people in connection with Holloway's disappearance and later released them for lack of evidence.
On 4-23 FOX News reported:
(Thank You and Hat Tip to “Heli”)
NOT VERBATIM NOT COMPLETE
Kimberly Guilfoyle:
Former aruban lead Investigator, Gerold Dompig speaks out about his son's involvement in the Natalee case.
Aruban journalist Tito Lacle joins us once again tonight. You had the opportunity to speak to the CHief, he's upset about this interview his son gave.
Tito:
Correct, early last week I sat with him to clear up some misunderstandings. He spoke about his son, that he was questioned two or three times, this week he received a phone call form Investigators and then this interview took place which was without Dompig's consent or knowledge. After the interview he was not very happy, he was shocked and surprised. What his son said was irresponsible...he was upset .... he wanted to apologize to GVC's family
Kim:
Sounds like he's a tough dad, I have to tell you when I heard his son I was impressed, he was articulate, sticking up for his father, .... that being said guess what else is being said, perhaps his son could be a suspect, do you believe that?
Tito:
As far as his father is concerned, he's been questioned but he's not a suspect ...he told me once my son appears on the prosecutor's list then he's a possible suspect, right now he's cooperating as a witness,
Kim:
That's the info I have, that he's not a suspect, people are speculating about two new arrests, they throw Michael Dompig's and Steve Croess names 'out there
Tito:
There are two people but not Dompig's son, ... those two are people who are not known to the case, that have information that is contradictory and not they're co-operating they may be picked up for that reason only
Kim:
GVC going to be released?
Tito:
Tomorrow the pros may say I'm done with this guy, or they may want to keep him longer or maybe before Tuesday they'll press charges....
Kim:
Now for a special Lineup investigation. Rumours are raging that Steve Croes may be back for ques4ioning.... he tried last year to give an alibi for J2K's, he later admitted it was a big fat lie. Does he know the new suspect GVC
We took our cameras to his hosue for our own interrogation
Steve, were you surpised GVC was arrested?
Croes:
Yes, because I didn't know him, it's like a new face
I may have seen him downtown, but not that I really know him or know his name
Kim:
Some people have said that the two of you are friends, not in a negative way, but the two of you know each other
Steve:
No
Kim:
He's not your friend?
Steve:
I heard people talking on the street because they heard about this, but it's not true any connection with him.
Kim:
Do you know whether Joran knows this guy GVC
Steve:
I don't know
Kim:
Joining us in Memphis is Linda Allison and on the phone Dave Holloway I said I would get to the bottom of the thing, I tried to put a mike on everybody I could find, I woke up SC out of bed. He told me he doesn't know GVC but we've got a photo, I can't attest to the authenticity of the photo, but you can see right there SC on the right and GVC in the middle.
What do you think, do they know each other?
Linda:
I don't have a monitor to see that, but you wonder if they were in a pc together, it was described to me he was close to GVC what connection do they have if they're posing together for a picture?
Kim:
I got that photo from Beth, after she was on the show last night, she says they know each other
HOLLOWAY:
The photo would show that he knows the guy, you don't happen to wander up in a crowd and be in a picture with him, he probably told you a story
Kim:
The Police haven't come to him I was the first to ask him about that. are you hearing anything
HOLLOWAY:
ASll kinds of rumours, who knows. I know the prosecutor knows the answers, we'll wait and see what she does.
4-24-06
Here is a PDF-format copy of JOE TACOPINA’s filing in response to the lawsuit filed by the HOLLOWAY’s and TWITTY’s against the Murder Suspects SLOOT’s.
In VINDA de SOUSA’s statement included in JOE TACOPINA’s court papers filed for Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT April 24, 2006, SOUSA states that when GABRIEL “Gabe” ALBERTO and CHARLES CROES were led by the young man to the Murder Suspects VAN DER SLOOT residence at 2:00 AM on May 31, 2005, just hours following the TWITTY’S’ arrival on the Island, Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE's “Honda” silver car was parked inside the fence, within the Murder Suspects VAN DER SLOOT home compound at about 2:00 AM.
ALBERTO climbed the compound fence and recorded the license plate number. CROES phones the TWITTY’s, lets them know they have found the KALPOE's car and the SLOOT home, and they all agree to meet at the ARUBAN Police station in nearby NOORD. However, when they all retuned to the Murder Suspects VAN DER SLOOT residence at 3:00 AM with the TWITTY people and the 2 ARUBAN Police officers, Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE's vehicle was gone.
????Was NATALEE moved between 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM????
On 4-24 BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY and ANITA VAN DER SLOOT stated to FOX News (4m59s VIDEO)
On 4-24 the “AP” reported:
Police release 19-year-old man arrested in Aruba in Holloway case
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) - Police in Aruba have released a 19-year-old man who was arrested in the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway.
The Aruba public prosecutor's office says Geoffrey van Cromvoirt is still a suspect, but that "the grounds for his detention are no longer there."
He was arrested nine days ago in Holloway's disappearance.
The prosecutor's office also says a 20-year-old man with the initials E-B* was arrested in the Holloway case on Saturday, but was released after six hours of interrogation.
Authorities have arrested seven people in connection with the teen's disappearance, and released them all for lack of evidence.
Dutch marines, the Aruban Coast Guard, the F.B.I. and hundreds of volunteers have searched the island and coastal areas for Holloway, to no avail.
* After the ARUBA prosecutors office said the initials of the man arrested and questioned for 6 hours were “E. B.,” the ARUBA prosecutor during the same day had to release a correction saying that the initials of the man arrested were actually “A. B.”
On 4-24 “Americs’s Most Wanted” reported:
GHB, G.V.C, and A Secretly Recorded Conversation
Authorities in Aruba have now released 19-year-old Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, named as a suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. AMW sources say van Cromvoirt, whose initials G.V.C. were released publicly, is suspected of selling drugs, possibly GHB. The sources also say that this activity may have been involved in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. Transcripts of a secretly recorded conversation between three former suspects in the case have also surfaced.
(written under a photo of Current Murder Suspect G. CROMVOIRT) Sources say Geoffrey van Cromvoirt is suspected of selling GHB, the "date-rape drug," to people who may have been involved in Natalee's disappearance.
Conversation Between Former Murder Suspects Secretly Recorded
In a press release issued by the Aruban prosecutor's office, authorities have verified that the contents of a transcribed conversation between Joran van der Sloot, Deepak Kalpoe, and Satish Kalpoe, are authentic. The recorded conversation reportedly took place in June 2005 in a Police vehicle while the three suspects were being transported either to or from a court appearance or jail.
The six-page transcript shows the three young men exchanging harsh words, accusing one another of lying, and mentioning Natalee Holloway several times, referring to her as "the girl."
When the Kalpoe brothers and van der Sloot were released from custody in September 2005, then-Police chief Gerold Dompig was still certain they were involved in Natalee's disappearance, telling AMW, "I have a gut feeling that they're guilty...either it's murder, or an accident, or rape...but something happened, and they were surely involved."
Since then, the three young men have remained under public scrutiny. Authorities will not comment further on the recorded conversation or what they make of it.
In the meantime, the Aruban coast guard has been conducting an underwater search for Natalee since Sunday, April 16, stopping on Thursday to study some underwater photos taken during the search. Despite rumors that the search has been called off, the Aruban prosecutor's office maintains it was merely a temporary halt.
Authorities' Latest Arrests
Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, a 19-year-old who was arrested on April 14, was released after 8 days. Sources close to the investigation say he is suspected of selling drugs, possibly GHB, the so-called "date-rape drug," to Joran van der Sloot and/or his associates, and that this activity may have been involved in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The Aruban prosecutor's office said van Cromvoirt "remains a suspect."
On Saturday, April 22, Aruban Police arrested a 20-year-old man identified only by the initials A.B. He was questioned about the Holloway case for 6 hours and then released.
Aruban and Dutch authorities are also looking to talk to anyone who may have seen the unique gray Honda Civic Natalee was riding in the last time she was seen. The car has a lowered suspension and extended spoilers.
Authorities also say they are looking for information about "four sweaty boys with a shovel" walking on the north end of the island on Monday, May 30, 2005 -- the day Natalee was reported missing.
New Tips Spawn New Search
In the last month, Aruban authorities have launched new searches -- both on land and at sea. But they have been tight-lipped about what may have prompted any of those searches.
Aruban Police are also searching for a man they say harassed another young woman on the same beach where Natalee disappeared. With new leads coming in to Aruban Police every day, the Texas EquuSearch team has decided to return to Aruba to do a deep ocean search in general areas of interest.
A Boycott And New Clues
On November 8, 2005, Holloway-Twitty joined Alabama Gov. Bob Riley to propose a boycott of the island in an effort to urge Aruban officials to action. Nearly six months after Alabama teen Natalee Holloway disappeared, her family remains steadfast in their search for clues surrounding her disappearance. Natalee's father, Dave Holloway, and her mother, Beth Holloway-Twitty, have both done their part to keep their daughter's memory alive and her name in the news headlines.
Dave and Beth have also returned to Aruba numerous times, searching for clues and confronting the Aruban government about their investigation of Natalee's case. In late October, Dave, accompanied by EquuSearch - a search and recovery team for missing persons - discovered a makeshift memorial for Natalee. A small wooden cross, surrounded by rocks and coral and draped in rosary beads, stood just yards from where Natalee was reportedly last seen alive. Carved in the corner of the cross were the initials "N.H." An American tourist later reported that she had left the cross in honor of Natalee.
The non-profit, volunteer group EquuSearch has used highly sophisticated sonar equipment, helicopters and manpower to search both land and sea for clues about Natalee's disappearance. Natalee's family is hopeful that with the help of EquuSearch they may finally find some closure.
History Of False Hope
The search for Natalee Holloway has followed a winding path. Each time Beth Holloway-Twitty and Dave Holloway have found a lead to cling to, their hopes have been dashed.
All Murder Suspects Released
On September 3, 2005 Joran van der Sloot, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe were all released from Police custody on the condition they stay available to authorities for questioning.
Although prosecutors wanted to hold all three suspects longer, an Aruban judge ordered their release. Even though the three men are free, authorities say they will continue to investigate the connection between these three men and the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.
No Sign Of Missing Alabama Teen At Aruban Pond
Investigators serached a pond not far from the "Holiday Inn" where Natalee stayed -- but there were no signs. The pond was searched after a witness claimed to have seen the three suspects named in Natalee's disappearance sitting in a parked car near the pond. In addition to the pond, authorities searched a landfill three times.
DNA Not Holloway's
According to the FBI, DNA taken from strands of blond hair stuck to duct tape found on a beach in Aruba did not match the DNA of missing Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. A park ranger found the duct tape while collecting trash on Aruba's northeast coast - the opposite side of the island from where the Alabama woman was last seen in public. The results of two tests on the hair came back negative.
Tracing Natalee's Steps
Natalee Ann Holloway had just graduated from Mountain Brook high school in Birmingham, Ala. She was looking forward to attending the University of Alabama on a full academic scholarship.
On an unofficial annual senior trip Natalee and approximately 130 of her classmates ventured thousands of miles away to enjoy the white sands and blue waters of Aruba.
For five days the recent graduates and seven chaperones relaxed, sun bathed and enjoyed the Aruba nightlife.
Dressed in the same blue and green striped low-cut blouse and jean miniskirt that she wore at the beach earlier in the day, Holloway spent Sunday evening partying at Carlos 'N Charlie's, a popular restaurant and dance spot where tourists and locals meet in the Aruban capital, Oranjestad.
Monday morning, May 31, 2005 when the rest of the group gathered to catch their flight, Natalee was no where to be found.
Carlos N' Charlie's master of ceremonies, Jose Hernandez, saw Natalee leave about 10 minutes before the restaurant's 1 a.m. closing. He reports that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Meanwhile, some of Natalee's friends say they saw her getting into a vehicle outside the nightclub.
On 4-24 ABC News reported:
Cabdriver’s Tip Led to Arrest of Holloway Potential Murder Suspect
April 24, 2006 — Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, 19, has been released into the custody of his parents after spending more than a week in an Aruba jail on suspicion of "criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance" of Natalee Holloway.
ABC News has learned that van Cromvoirt's April 15 arrest occurred after Police identified him as someone who may have had physical relations with the Alabama teen while she was on vacation in Aruba.
Police followed a trail of evidence that began with a cabdriver, who wants to remain anonymous. The cabdriver told Police she drove an intoxicated Holloway and her friends one night and heard Holloway talking about being in love with a "Dutch boy."
Aruban Police interviewed Holloway's friends in Alabama and say they confirmed the cabdriver's description, including more details about the man Holloway allegedly said she loved. The friends provided a physical description and a first initial — G. Van Cromvoirt allegedly matches the description. He was arrested, but did not answer questions during a week of interrogation.
In another development, Aruba Police commissioner Gerold Dompig told ABC News his son had been questioned this weekend by detectives.
The former lead Investigator in the Holloway case said his son worked for a water sports company on the beach and had overheard a group of people telling a story about someone using a boat to get rid of Holloway's body.
Holloway disappeared in May 2005 during a high school graduation trip to the Caribbean island.
On 4-24 MSNBC reported:
Aruba releases suspect tied to Holloway probe
GVC was detained last week in first major development in case in months
ORANJESTAD, Aruba - Aruban authorities on Monday released a 19-year-old Dutch national suspected of involvement of the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway.
Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was seen leaving jail and apparently picked up by his parents in the morning, according to an NBC News producer.
In a statement, authorities said, "The suspect G.v.C. has been released from Police custody. He has been released because the grounds for his detention are no longer there. He remains a suspect."
Last week, prosecutors announced they had taken van Cromvoirt into custody in connection with the case. It was the first major development in months in a case that has featured numerous false leads and the arrest of seven people who were later released.
Meanwhile, the former lead Investigator in the case, Aruban Police commissioner Gerold Dompig, said that Police investigating the Holloway's disappearance twice questioned his 19-year-old son, Michael — once since the April 15 van Cromvoirt’s arrest.
“Michael was merely one of the many people who were questioned as witnesses in this investigation and was never considered a suspect,” Dompig said Sunday.
He did not say whether his son was questioned about van Cromvoirt, who was arrested on suspicion of “criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance” of Holloway.
Same security company
Local newspapers have reported that Dompig’s son worked for the same private security company as van Cromvoirt but the Police commissioner did not confirm that.
Authorities continued to study images of the sea floor taken during a four-day search by the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Coast Guard, Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office, said Saturday.
She declined to say how the search was related to Holloway's disappearance, or what authorities hope to find.
Croes said that prosecutors must present new evidence to a judge by April 25 to keep van Cromvoirt in custody. They had not yet done so as of Saturday, she said.
Van Cromvoirt’s lawyer said he has no connection to Holloway's disappearance in May 2005. Holloway, of Mountain Brook, Ala., was last seen driving from a bar with three local young men on the final night of a high school graduation trip to the Dutch Caribbean island.
Aruban authorities have arrested seven people in connection with Holloway's disappearance, and later released them for lack of evidence.
On 4-24 “People magazine” wrote”
Aruban Police Release Holloway Murder Suspect
Police in Aruba have released Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, the 19-year-old arrested April 15 for questioning about the 2005 disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway.
Van Cromvoirt, whose father handles video surveillance for the "Holiday Inn" where Holloway was staying, worked with a beach patrol unit on the island. He has been identified by Aruban authorities only by his initials, G.v.C.
"Today, the suspect G.v.C. has been released from Police custody," prosecutors said in a statement Monday. "He has been released because the grounds for his detention are no longer there. He remains a suspect."
Prosecutors also revealed that another man had been arrested. "On Saturday, April the 22nd, a 20-year-old man with the initials E.B. was arrested in the Holloway case," they said in the statement. "He was released after the interrogation period of six hours."
In a further development, Aruban Police commissioner Gerold Dompig, the former lead Investigator in the case, has said that his son Michael, a friend of van Cromvoirt, was twice questioned as a witness, once following van Cromvoirt's arrest, the Associated Press reports.
"Michael was merely one of the many people who were questioned as witnesses in this investigation and was never considered a suspect," Dompig told the AP.
Dompig told ABC News that his son, who he said worked for a beachside water sports company, had overheard a group of people talking about someone using a boat to dispose of Holloway's body.
And in another revelation about the case, ABC News reports that van Cromvoirt's arrest came after Police were tipped off by a cabdriver, who said that while driving Holloway and her friends one night she heard Holloway talking about being in love with a "Dutch boy."
Police interviewed Holloway's friends in Alabama, who confirmed the cabdriver's account and offered a physical description of the man Holloway said she loved.
Van Cromvoirt allegedly matches the description, but did not answer questions during the week of interrogation following his arrest, ABC News reports.
Holloway, then 18, was celebrating her high school graduation with classmates and parent chaperones in Aruba, a self-governing Dutch protectorate, when she disappeared nearly a year ago.
She was last seen leaving a nightclub on May 30, 2005, with three male companions. The men – Dutch national Joran van der Sloot, 18, the son of an Aruban judge, and Surinamese brothers Deepak, 21, and Satish Kalpoe, 18 – were arrested the following month, but released after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to hold them.
All three have maintained their innocence.
On 4-24 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
Commissioner Dompig’s son:
If Natalee was killed, this would already be known
Aruba is small and everyone knows each other and everyone looks at each other
ORANJESTAD(AAN)--- The detainee, Geoffrey, was talking of having information and also of having information about Natalee’s disappearance.
The young Domping also stated on FOX that Geoffrey seemed to have a drug problem and that he was removed from the security company due to behavioral problems.
According to the show, the lady who conducted the interview said that Joran’s mom let it be known that there is much speculation surrounding this case.
But in another interview with Michael Dompig, he said to have heard that Geoffrey lied saying that he has not seen Michael for many months and that he that he doesn’t like going out with Michael, which is very false.
According to Michael, he bumps into Geoffrey all the time, he follows him asking him where he’s going and to go out, etc.
“If he lied about small details, he will lie about anything”, he said.
About the case itself, he said that if there was enough evidence which could reveal that they were involved, they would still be in prison. Police in Aruba have done a very good job, and they would have these youngsters detained of there was enough evidence, he said in response to a question in regards to Natalee’s case.
Asked about Aruba’s youth are saying about the disappearance, he explained that many are commenting that Natalee ran away from home so that her parents won’t find her, and also there are some who believe that she died, possibly by overdose of drugs and alcohol.
“If you stay here and go to Carlos n Charlie’s, you would observe that all the young girls of 15 and 16 years of age from the US go there and abuse alcohol. They use any drugs that they find. They become lazy and finding little freedom, finally they abuse of this”, he commented.
Michael also said that Aruba is small and if someone killed Natalee, this would come to light. Everyone knows everyone and everyone sees everyone.
For now, they would know already who did what. It has come to the point that the island has to defend itself because everyone wants to boycott Aruba.
Tomorrow there will be a decision if Geoffrey will regain his freedom and also there is an indication that more people could be detained related to this case.
On 4-24 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
Movement at Noord Police station
ORANJESTAD.(AAN): Satruday, outside the Noord station a quantity of reporters could be observed camped out to obtain pictures if perhaps those in charge of the Natalee investigation could come out or arrive with suspects.
They were filming, taking closeup pictures with a telelens, throwing questions at the inspectors when they arrived or came out of the place.
Anything they could have said is on video tape and so they could continue to mention.
There were also local photographers and a few photos were captured. But in all this, there were no additional reports or any indication that those that inspectors took out or brought into the station could have something to do with Natalee’s case.
The only thing that could be concluded is that there are people that arrived, it could hardly mean that they could be considered suspects.
Either it was a dangerous person or the person had to do with any other case outside that of Natalee’s which has come up again.
In the course of today, surely there will be an official report on the part of the Public Prosecutor about all the movement there was on Saturday afternoon at the Noord station.
On 4-24 MSNBC reported:
ABRAMS: What is going on in the Natalee Holloway case on the island of Aruba? Murder Suspect Geoffrey von Cromvoirt arrested April 15, released in this parents‘ custody today. Another suspect, a 20-year-old with the initials E.V. (ph) arrested Saturday, then released six hours later and reports from the Police commissioner, Gerald Dompig, that his 19-year-old son Michael has twice been questioned by Police, once after von Cromvoirt was arrested.
NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski is in Aruba with the latest. Michelle, lots of activity.
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they have definitely been working. In fact, we saw Investigators called in special this weekend and then working specifically on this case all weekend long. As regards to Geoffrey von Cromvoirt, they took him out of jail twice, brought him downtown, likely questioning him, but things started not to look so good when we talked to prosecutors on Saturday and at that point, so close to the time when he was scheduled to be released, they said they didn‘t make a decision yet as to whether or not they would seek more detention for him, go before a judge. That would have likely happened today.
In fact, today some people were even expecting there to be a hearing. And keep in mind, this arrest is what so many people involved with this case had seen as a potential breakthrough in this case that had been quiet for so long. A culmination of the activity that had been building up over the last couple of weeks and many had said you know this is exactly what prosecutors didn‘t want to see. To arrest somebody only to have them released again. Some of the other attorneys in this case were saying they really can‘t afford to do that.
Keep in mind the other suspects prior, the Kalpoe brothers, they were arrested and then released and then re-arrested and re-released, so obviously prosecutors once again in this case, they tried, they had Investigators work on this 19-year-old, but did not have enough evidence even to bring him back before a judge and ask for another eight days of detention. They are though making it clear to us; they took pains to say, hey, this kid is still considered by us to be a suspect. But what role they think he played exactly is still quite a mystery.
All they would say was that he‘s expected of criminal offenses that may relate to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and criminal offenses that related to dealing illegal drugs on this island. In the past, too, his attorney over the past two or three days has come out to debunk some of the myths and some of the statements that were made by other attorneys in the case. For example, the attorney for suspect Joran van der Sloot was saying that documents that he had seen indicated that Police thought that von Cromvoirt actually spent time with Natalee Holloway while she was here on the island last May.
And von Cromvoirt‘s attorney in a statement that she has been putting out, she debunked the fact that he was working on beach patrol during this time. That he was knowing these three other suspects, but she never really denied that he knew Natalee, so that had been a big question. Was that the link that prosecutors thought they had? But today his attorney did clearly deny that they knew each other.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did your client know Natalee Holloway? Did they ever meet do you know?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, they never met.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSINSKI: So again, not enough evidence to bring him back before a judge and keep him in jail, but still according to prosecutors, a suspect, Dan.
ABRAMS: All right. Michelle Kosinski thanks very much. We should say that the prosecutor‘s office now saying the initials are A.B. And remember, this is the statement from the prosecutor‘s office after this guy was released or after he was arrested. GVC is suspected of criminal offenses that may be related to the disappearance of Ms. Holloway and of offenses related to dealing in illegal narcotics, but of course he has been released now.
Joining my now is Vinda de Sousa, an Aruban attorney who‘s represented the Holloway family in the past. Vinda, thanks for coming back on the program. Appreciate it.
All right. It‘s hard to understand exactly what is going on. I mean, it seems like these arrests are coming and going, people are walking in and out of the Police station there. What are we to make of that?
VINDA DE SOUSA, ARUBAN ATTORNEY: Well, first all it could be a strategy not to seek for a prolongation, an extension of his pretrial detention. People have a tendency not to talk very much when they are under arrest and if that‘s the case here, they might just have let him go to see if he can talk—he will talk some more when he‘s outside of jail. That is one possibility.
Secondly, if they don‘t want to risk—it could be the case that they don‘t want to risk bringing him before a judge, the judge commissioner, to extend his detention and the judge commissioner throwing the ball back at them saying you don‘t have enough on him to justify an extension of his detention so they might be waiting, because he‘s still considered a suspect, so they might be waiting to see what else they can get on him and question other people and maybe bring him back in.
ABRAMS: Vinda, this is going to sound like an odd question, but when people are in jail in Aruba, can they bring their own pillows and stuff? It seems like he‘s carrying out pillows and blankets, et cetera. Are they allowed to bring their own?
DE SOUSA: No, they‘re not.
ABRAMS: OK.
DE SOUSA: They‘re not allowed to bring their own, especially the first 10 days, they are kept in Police—in the Police quarters, the Police station and cells that they have there...
ABRAMS: OK.
DE SOUSA: ... so they‘re absolutely not allowed to have that.
ABRAMS: All right. Yes I—we just keep seeing this video of them carrying out all these pillows, et cetera. All right. The former Police chief, Gerald Dompig, has said about his son, Michael was merely one the many people who were questioned as witnesses in this investigation, was never considered a suspect. It‘s pretty odd, isn‘t it, that even as a potential witness, the former—I guess his position was the deputy chief of Police there, son is being questioned in connection with this case?
DE SOUSA: Well you see when you‘re questioned as a witness, it doesn‘t mean necessarily that you know what happened. In this case then, what happened to Natalee. It could be that he was questioned about maybe his acquaintance with this young man, Cromvoirt, or maybe a possible acquaintance, I‘m speculating here, as knowing maybe Joran van der Sloot or any of the other suspects in this case. It doesn‘t mean necessarily that he knows or knew what happened.
ABRAMS: It‘s kind of weird, right? I mean the fact that the deputy Police chief‘s son is being questioned, even as a witness? No? I don‘t know. It seems odd to me.
DE SOUSA: Well, I don‘t see it as weird.
ABRAMS: It‘s a small island...
DE SOUSA: They would be questioning everybody who might know any of the kids. It‘s a small island, so most of the kids that age know each other.
ABRAMS: Vinda de Sousa, as always we appreciate you taking the time.
Thank you.
DE SOUSA: You‘re welcome.
ABRAMS: We‘ll have more on the Natalee Holloway investigation.
Coming up, we‘re going to talk to Joran van der Sloot‘s attorney. I got to tell you, from what he‘s been saying, it sure sounds like he‘s getting ready to file some lawsuits against people who have been making comments about his client and the one person I can think of who has been talking the most about Joran van der Sloot is Natalee‘s mother. Is that possible? Coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ABRAMS: Coming up, Aruban Police release the Dutch teen they arrested in the Natalee Holloway case. We‘re going to talk to the attorney for one of the other suspects, Joran van der Sloot, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ABRAMS: There are new suspects in the Natalee Holloway case, but both of them released by Police, one after he reportedly said nothing during a week‘s interrogation. The other one only arrested for six hours.
Joining me by phone, Joe Tacopina, attorney for Joran van der Sloot. Joe, thanks for coming back on the program. All right, it seems like the attorneys for the man arrested for eight days or so is trying to debunk things that you‘ve said. He‘s basically coming out saying, you know, this guy Joe Tacopina, he is out there saying all these things about my client being on beach patrol and this and that, sort of suggesting that maybe he was responsible and they‘re saying, Joe doesn‘t know what he‘s talking about.
JOE TACOPINA, JORAN VAN DER SLOOT ‘S ATTORNEY (via phone): Well, it‘s another case I think of people sort of trying to connect dots. I‘ve never said this guy was responsible. As a matter of fact, what I‘ve always said was that you know when I relay the facts that I find in Police reports, I always say that I don‘t want to do what‘s happened to Joran for the last 11 months, which is to speculate someone into guilt.
I‘ve never said this kid was responsible. But clearly, look, I don‘t think I‘m wrong. I mean if anyone is wrong, I guess the prosecutor is wrong because they held him. They held him on charges. They got an extension to hold him and they still deem him a suspect, so I don‘t know what anyone is talking about when they say, you know, it was wrong to suggest that he has any relevance, because clearly they held him and they still deem him a suspect.
And these Police reports, Dan, speaks for themselves. I mean his father‘s company runs the beach patrol. And according to one of the reports, at least one of the reports I‘ve seen, he was an active member of it in May of 2005. You know whether he has anything to do with this, I don‘t know, but I think they should be more worried about Karin Janssen‘s assessment than mine.
ABRAMS: Joe, it sounds to me from other things you‘ve said publicly, like you‘re thinking about suing people over comments made about Joran van der Sloot. True?
TACOPINA: Yes. We‘re past the thinking stage, Dan. We‘re at the—you know, at this point, we‘re just looking at all the transcripts. And it‘s people that have said anything publicly, you know on television or in prints media that have said things about him that are slanderous, that are libelous, that are pure slander, that are things like you know coming to the factual conclusion that he‘s a murderer, a rapist, a predator, things that are not true that they had no business saying.
They had no facts to back it up. And as you know, a complete defense for a slander case is absolute truth, so you know they‘ve said these things and hopefully they were saying them with some knowledge part. If anyone called him a murderer, a predator, or a rapist, Dan, they‘re going to be called to answer for that...
ABRAMS: All right. Well here‘s one...
(CROSSTALK)
ABRAMS: ... here‘s one of the people who was saying it and then I want to hear your response.
TACOPINA: (INAUDIBLE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY‘S MOTHER: We know that Deepak and Satish and Joran took Natalee. We know the sexual assaults they committed against her by both of the suspects‘ admission, by Joran van der Sloot‘s and Deepak Kalpoe. What we don‘t know is what they did with Natalee when they were finished with her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABRAMS: All right, Joe, that‘s the mother of Natalee. Are you going to sue her?
TACOPINA: Well, Dan, I‘ll be honest with you. That decision has not been made yet. And the people that we plan on suing I‘m not going to reveal at this point. But let me just say this. I need to respond to that because clearly she is doing two things.
One, she is so emotionally invested in the notion that Joran is involved in her daughter‘s disappearance and I understand that. She took that position from the early stage of this case and locked into it and can‘t get off it. Despite the fact that the evidence screamed his innocence when it comes to her daughter‘s disappearance. And despite the fact that her own attorneys don‘t even take that position, she still needs to repeat that...
ABRAMS: So, with that in mind, Joe, is it possible you‘re going to sue her?
TACOPINA: Is it possible? Absolutely. And the reason why it‘s possible is because they brought a lawsuit against us. The way that I can envision Beth Holloway—Beth Twitty being called to answer...
ABRAMS: Yes.
TACOPINA: ... those statements is on a counterclaim in the lawsuit. I fully expect this lawsuit to be dismissed, you know, when we go to argue on May 17. But if it is not, counterclaims will come and that will be part of it because despite what she is going through, as horrific as it all is, it doesn‘t give anyone the right to misconstrue facts and to hurt and defame and slander innocent people.
People who have you know done nothing to deserve those sort of statements. And she misstates things. She‘s relying on a tape there, Dan, that was doctored and altered and she knows it. And Joran never admitted to sexually assaulting her daughter. I mean I have a letter from the chief prosecutor that states as much. That despite her repeated statements that she said that, Ms. Twitty, the chief prosecutor has written a letter saying that‘s just not true.
ABRAMS: All right. Joe Tacopina, thanks a lot. Appreciate it.
TACOPINA: OK, Dan.
On 4-24 BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY stated to FOX News about Current Murder Suspect G. CROMVOIRT possibly meeting NATALEE, "Natalee may have brushed up against him or something like that."
On 4-24 identity “deetch25” of “Blogs for Natalee” wrote:
“I just saw Dave Holloway on local Birmingham NBC and he said that they had word that GVC had a confrontation with Natalee….that he either hit her or pushed her. He did not say how he got this information.”
On 4-24 identity “Debbie” of “Blogs for Natalee” wrote:
, “GVC supposedly smacked Natalee on the rear at C & C's, this is what caused the scuffle with an Aruban and a few MB guys.”
On 4-24 the “Aruba Strategic Communications Task Force” reported:
Renewed Media Interests and Rules of Entry
The renewed media interest in the Natalee Holloway case has caused concern about the process of getting cleared through customs with video equipment.
Last year, customs waived established policy to enable media to get swift access to the fast developing stories. However, now the procedures, that were always in place, are required by visiting media.
Any news crew from an accredited organization should follow the following guidelines for contacting a broker and gaining entry quickly to Aruba:
PROCEDURES FOR TEMPORARILY IMPORTING MEDIA EQUIPMENT
• Client needs to contact a Custom broker (attached is list of brokers)
• Client needs to send a list of all equipment and specific information such as weight, value, serial number of each equipment
• The Custom Broker needs to fill in a “Model 0” declaration of import of temporary goods
• Client needs to pay a deposit and this amount depends on the value of the equipment entering the country. This deposit has to be paid to the Aruba Customs Official upon arrival(airport or harbor)
• Upon departure the Aruba Customs official must control all equipment and sign the form in order for the client to claim their deposit.
• All imported equipment must be accounted for upon departure.
• For live transmissions/satellite links etc, you will need to get approval from the Department of Telecommunications ( DTZ) Caya Betico Croes 149, Tel: ( 297) 582 6069; Fax# 582 5307. Email:dirtelza@setarnet.aw
BROKERS:
COMPANY ADDRESS TEL FAX
A.I.F. Services Avenido Milio Croes 48-C (297) 582-1274 (297) 583-5904
Ace Cargo De La Sallestraat 10 (297) 583-4683 (297) 588-4654
Admiral Shipping Agencies Weg Seroe Blanco 17-C (297) 584-0723 (297) 584-1634
A-1 Transport Nobelstraat 1-B (297) 583-6350 (297) 583-6068
Arufreight Int Sabana Berde (297) 582-6000 (297) 582-6263
Bon Bini Cargo Services Wayaca 45-47 (297) 583-7955 (297) 583-8977
Swiss Port Cargo Services/
Aerocargo N.V. Aerocargo (297) 582-2470 (297) 582-1697
Fedex Wayaca 31-A (297) 582-9039 (297) 583-4393
Gomez Enterprises Italiestraat 18 (297) 582-4711 (297) 582-1466
Hart Transport San Barbola Building #4 (297) 582-2142 (297) 582-7009
I.B.C. Express Macapruimstraat 1-G (297) 582-8800 (297) 582-8844
Inter Island Cargo Services Piedra Plat 66 (297) 585-9931 (297) 585-5451
Land Seair Transport Palo di Boonchistraat 14 (297) 582-7215 (297) 582-2229
Mastercargo Inc Wayaca 45 (297) 583-1577 (297) 582-3368
Masun / UPS Rockefellerstraat 3 (297) 528-2300 (297) 583-2450
Morales Enterprises Olijfistraat 33 (297) 583-5235 (297) 583-9071
Nautilus Shipping Caya Betico Croes 196 (297) 583-3700 (297) 583-4280
Ocean Air Express Balashi 62-C (297) 585-9233 (297) 585-9264
Ola Ship supplies N.V. La Salle straat 43-A (297) 583-6599 (297) 583-8662
Omega Trading Savaneta 183-C (297) 584-8000 (297) 584-8000
Phillip Enterprises Caya Frere Alexius 27 (297) 582-2452 (297) 588-0073
Seawings Rockellestraat 3 (297) 528-2300 (297) 583-2450
Topcargo Services Zoutmanstraat 27 (297) 583-0755 (297) 582-7790
Viking Freight Services Anasastraat 4 (297) 582-6610 (297) 583-7247
Wever Marine & Agency N.V. Stuyvesanstraat 13 (297) 584-0700 (297) 584-3607
On 4-24 ARUBAAN's news-source "Amigoe.com" reported:
Murder Suspect in Holloway case released
ARUBA – The Aruban judicial authorities have released the 19-year old Geoffrey van Cromvoirt early this morning. They did this because there are no longer reasons for keeping him imprisoned. The Public Prosecutor (OM) indicated this in a press release. Van Cromvoirt will remain a suspect though.
Van Cromvoirt was arrested on April 15th on suspicion of involvement in the disappearance of the American student Natalee Holloway last year May. According to the TV-station ABC, Van Cromvoirt has not answered any questions for a whole week. The OM indicated further that last Saturday, April 22nd, another man was arrested in connection with the disappearance of Holloway. This person is the 20-year old E.B [ed - s/b A.B. per MSM]. He was released after having been interrogated for 6 hours.
On 4-24 MSNBC reported:
COSBY: And big developments out of Aruba tonight, as the newest suspect in the Natalee Holloway case is set free by Police. Geoffrey van Cromvoirt headed home earlier today, after a little more than a week in Police custody.
Live and direct tonight from Aruba is Michelle Kosinski.
Michelle, why the decision to let him go?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, NBC CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Rita.
Well, basically, plain and simply, a lack of evidence. That‘s how prosecutors spelled it out for us today. Originally, they had enough evidence to arrest him last Saturday, remember. And then they presented more evidence before a judge to keep that stay extended eight more days. So, he was set to be released tomorrow.
But after Investigators spent some time with him both days this weekend, prosecutors decided not to go before a judge again. They might have presented more evidence to try to get that stay extended more. But they spelled it out today. They didn‘t have the evidence to do so. They say that no longer existed.
So, they released him a day early. This morning, he left the jail into the custody of his parents. He‘s now at home with them. The prosecutors also made it clear to us today that they do still consider him to be a suspect.
Now, Van Cromvoirt‘s attorney put out her own statement tonight. And she denied some of the speculations and even statements that some other attorneys may have made in this case. For instance, she says that her client does not know any of the three suspects in the case. She says that his friends and family vouch for him, that he was home that Friday night, the night before Natalee Holloway disappeared. And, furthermore, she says, her client did not know Natalee.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: Did your client know Natalee Holloway? Did they ever meet, do you know?
ELINE LOTTER HOMAN, ATTORNEY FOR GEOFFREY VAN CROMVOIRT: No. They never met.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSINSKI: Also, she says that her client was not involved in dealing illegal drugs on the island.
Remember, the original suspicions were that he committed some criminal offenses that may relate to Natalee Holloway's disappearance, as well as, they said, criminal offenses related to dealing illegal drugs. So, we know that‘s why they held him.
As for his release, they simply said, not enough evidence at this moment. But, remember, they still do consider him to be a suspect. What role exactly they believe he may have played in her disappearance, that‘s what they did not spell out—Rita.
COSBY: All right, Michelle, thank you very much.
Well, the release of Geoffrey van Cromvoirt has left a lot of people questioning, many people scratching their heads, wondering what‘s going on with the Holloway investigation. Why would Police arrest this man, only to release him little more than a week later?
Van Cromvoirt‘s attorney says the Police have finally realized there have been—there is very little evidence against him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOTTER HOMAN: They realized that there‘s not enough reasons to hold him and that there‘s no need for further investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSBY: And live and direct tonight from Aruba is Arlene Ellis-Schipper with the Aruban Strategic Communications Task Force. Also joining us tonight by phone is Natalee‘s—Natalee‘s father, Dave Holloway.
Dave, what do you think of the fact they released this guy?
DAVE HOLLOWAY, FATHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: Well, you know, last week, someone had asked me if I was getting my hopes up high when they made this first arrest.
And I said, well, no, I‘m not, because I have seen this happen before. If he stayed more than eight days and—and was detained more than eight days, I might have had some—something to look forward to. But I never did have my hopes up high. I understand it may be a stepping stone, or they may glean a little bit of information from him. So, I was not surprised with what happened today.
COSBY: Arlene, did they get any information from him?
ARLENE ELLIS-SCHIPPER, ARUBA “STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE” MEMBER: Well, that‘s unclear yet, Rita.
We don‘t know that. The Police are very-tight lipped on whether they got information. Basically, what has happened here is, he was held under suspicion. The Police detention is merely for investigational purposes. And the prosecutor decided to release him.
COSBY: Well, you know what‘s interesting, Arlen? The—the verbiage that we just heard from Michelle, that they released him, but they‘re still saying he‘s a suspect, how do you interpret that?
ELLIS-SCHIPPER: Well, basically, officially, in Aruba, once you get arrested, you remain a suspect, until the case is closed.
It could also mean that, at the moment, they do not have enough serious objections against his release. That‘s why they decided not to go for pretrial detention. However, it can also mean that he has not been cleared completely. But, basically, from what I understand from the prosecution is that they stick to the formal rule, that, until the end of the case, you remain a suspect.
COSBY: You know, Dave, let me play—this is what van Cromvoirt‘s attorney told one of our NBC producers on the ground.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: Did your client know Natalee Holloway? Did they ever meet, do you know?
LOTTER HOMAN: No. They never met.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSBY: You know, Dave, as you hear that, have you heard any connections to Natalee and this guy? There was some word that he might have been at Carlos 'N Charlie's that night. What have you heard?
HOLLOWAY: Well, it was rumored that they had bumped into each other at Carlos 'N Charlie's. You know, whether it was him or someone else, you can‘t be—I can‘t be certain, because I was not there. So—but it was rumored that they had bumped into each other out at the—Carlos 'N Charlie's, not the Sunday night, but maybe a night or two before then.
COSBY: You know, Dave, have you heard any more to substantiate that they met, through any of her friends or anything at this point?
HOLLOWAY: Excuse me?
COSBY: Have you heard anything? They always talked about sort of this blue-eyed blond guy. There was sort of these—this word early on that there might have been somebody that she was telling friends about there on the island.
HOLLOWAY: No.
I mean, there has been all—all kinds of rumors surfacing all—all throughout this case, but nothing definite.
COSBY: Arlene, let me also play—this is a little more from van Cromvoirt‘s attorney here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOTTER HOMAN: The family went through a very difficult time, and that they need their privacy right now. And they have to spend some time together.
QUESTION: Will you be meeting with...
LOTTER HOMAN: And, after this, then, we will see what sort of actions will be taken.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSBY: You know, Arlen, it sounds like she‘s even alluding to maybe them suing. Was there any—what was the tip? We were hearing a cab driver might have been the tip to lead to van Cromvoirt?
ELLIS-SCHIPPER: Well, it could quite possibly—possibly be.
But, as you recall, there was also a program, “Information Wanted,” the Dutch version of “America‘s Most Wanted,” that led to a lot of tips. We don‘t know for sure which tip or which lead led to this arrest. However, it doesn‘t matter. Apparently, there was enough that—for him to be qualified as a suspect, what we call reasonable suspicion.
COSBY: All right.
Both of you, stick with us, please, because, still ahead, new details from Aruba. Chief Dompig tells us why he really left the Holloway investigation.
Plus, it‘s a chapter out of “The Da Vinci Code”—a nun found murdered in a church, a cross carved into her body, and left in a ritualistic pose. Twenty-five years later, Police may have finally cracked this bizarre mystery. You will be surprised to hear who is on trial.
And a lot more from Aruba—stick with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSBY: And just ahead on LIVE & DIRECT, the Police chief leading the Natalee Holloway investigation tells us why he left the case—the exclusive details coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSBY: Back now to the Natalee Holloway case and new revelations from the former lead prosecutor and—lead Investigator rather.
Tonight, Deputy chief Gerald Dompig tells us he quit the investigation after getting no support from Aruban officials, including prosecutor Karin Janssen.
Dompig tells LIVE & DIRECT—quote—“Karin Janssen, the prosecutor, and the authorities have made me the fall guy and scapegoat for any problems that have existed, and were never there to defend me when I needed defending.”
Dompig, the chief of Police, claims that he took the blame for things that were not in his responsibility in the 11 months since Natalee Holloway vanished.
With us again now is Arlene Ellis-Schipper and, also, Dave Holloway, Natalee Holloway's dad.
Dave, what do you buy about Dompig‘s allegations? What do you think?
HOLLOWAY: Well, you know, I commend him.
If—if he feels like that he has been slandered or taking the fall, he needs to speak up and—and—and let everybody know. I—you know, I—there‘s a lot going on in the island. And—and I felt like that, all along, he was trying to tell me something, back when—when I was on the island in September, October. And I encourage him to speak out.
And if that‘s what he needs or feels to do, I encourage him wholeheartedly to let it all out. And let‘s—let‘s get to the bottom of all this, if there is something wrong.
COSBY: Arlene, was he a scapegoat? Is there something more to the story?
ELLIS-SCHIPPER: Well, I doubt it, actually.
I—I know that he feels that way. I know that he has been scrutinized and criticized a lot. And I personally feel that he did a great job. But to say that he was a scapegoat, I don‘t think so.
COSBY: So, why did he leave, Arlene?
ELLIS-SCHIPPER: What he was criticized about...
COSBY: What was the reason that he left?
ELLIS-SCHIPPER: No. Well, no, I—I—I believe that it was his personal decision. That was also stated by the Police chief, that it was his personal decision.
But what he was criticized about was the mere fact that he was discussing theories in the media, instead of the efforts of the Police. That was the only criticism that I have learned on the island. And theories, as you well know, in the media, lead their own life. And the disclaimer somehow gets lost that it‘s a theory, and it becomes a fact. And that has been hurt—hurting us so much in this case.
COOPER: And he also told us that his association with Booty (ph) -- this is his brother-in-law—hurt him, because, remember, we exposed that the brother-in-law was a drug dealer, which, indeed, Dompig confirmed to us. And he said that didn‘t help either.
I want to ask you, Dave, about this other guy, because, over the weekend, a big surprise arrest. They bring in a 20-year-old guy with initials A.B.
What have you heard about this guy and any possible links to this case?
HOLLOWAY: Yes, he‘s another one that I have never heard of. Apparently, his name may have surfaced through some other interviews that they had. So, I—I have no idea.
COSBY: Have you gotten any sense, Dave, if they have anything concrete, or are they just grasping for straws?
HOLLOWAY: You know, I‘m not real sure.
I—I hope that they are continuing to build a case. You know, there are some good Police officers in Aruba. You know, there are. But it only takes one or two to derail an investigation. And, you know, I—I think that, if the right people can do the right things, we can solve this case.
COSBY: Dave, what do you make...
(CROSSTALK)
COSBY: ... of the fact Dompig‘s son also was called in for questioning?
ELLIS-SCHIPPER: Well, you know, stop and think about it a little bit. You know, you—they get into a situation of—of, you know, slanderous remarks against Natalee. And, then—and, then, all of a sudden, you know, it involves your own son, and—and you see the reaction.
So, that‘s natural. That‘s a natural parental reaction, is to defend your—your own son or daughter.
COSBY: And, Arlene, where is this case headed? Tell us what you know about this A.B., initials A.B., and also Dompig‘s own son being questioned.
ELLIS-SCHIPPER: Well, from what I know, this A.B., it just has been confirmed by the prosecution‘s office that he was arrested.
But it has also been confirmed that, after the six hours of interrogation, he has been released. So, there‘s simply not enough to put him in Police detention. So, basically, what you can conclude of that is, for now, he has been cleared. For—what it regards Dompig‘s son, he was just interviewed as a witness, as many, many, many witnesses.
I believe they have over 200-something witness statements. Everybody who went—who set a toe on the sand on the beach that night or before was interviewed. So, it really doesn‘t say much.
COSBY: Although not everybody is the Police chief‘s son, guys.
Thank you both very much.
On 4-24 CNNHN reported:
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Tonight, more breaking news in the Natalee Holloway case, yet another named suspect released by Aruban Police. And, in the last 24 hours, another man arrested, questioned released. We are live in Aruba to take another hard look at the Aruban Police. And remember the BTK serial killer, Bind Torture and Kill. He's now getting special privileges behind bars. That jailhouse in contempt.
Good evening, everybody. I'm Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us tonight. Tonight, bind torture killer. Dennis Rader, brutal BTK serial killer getting all sorts of special privileges behind bars. Dog catcher turned rock star.
But first tonight, breaking news, live to Aruba and more stunning developments in the Natalee Holloway case, two new suspects, already arrested, questioned, and released. That's right, tonight, another arrest and release in the last 24 hours. Aruban cops hot on the trail, or just another round of keystone cops? Tonight, on Aruba and BTK, we are taking your calls.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, MOTHER: I just hope that this new suspect can give us, you know, the one break that we need in order for this mystery to unravel.
GRACE: Does Geoffrey know Joran van der Sloot, well, depends on who you ask. He denies it.
TWITTY: We know that these three suspects are the last known individuals to be seen with Natalee alive and we know of the countless stories and lies that they have given the authorities.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These three boys, know more. I have seen numerous discrepancies.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know that some of the Police want to settle the case.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This investigation is about finding the truth. So, even if people get angry, people don't like us anymore, we just want to do our job. But, it is not an easy project.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRACE: Straight down to Aruba, standing by Jossy Mansur, the managing director and editor of "Diario Magazine." Welcome back Jossy. Jossy, another suspect arrested, questioned and released over the weekend?
JOSSY MANSUR, EDITOR, DIARIO: Yes, Nancy, there was a person on Saturday. They detained him, they kept him for about six hours, they questioned him during the six hours and then they released him.
GRACE: Who was he, Jossy? Jossy, who was he?
Okay. I think -- I think -- hey, Rosey, see if you can connect Jossy back with me. Let's go to Eric Marrapodi, our producer there. Eric, who is this guy?
ERIC MARRAPODI, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Well, Nancy, there are two ways to put this. We just don't know at this point. We're told he was brought in for questioning by Police and later arrested, held for about six hours. They said it was part of that going back and taking a look at everyone involved. He had not been questioned before. First, we heard that he was D.B. by prosecutors, they later sent out another release and corrected his initials to A.B. So right now, no one quite knows who A.B. is other than he was arrested and detained for six hours and questioned in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.
GRACE: Do we know any connection whatsoever to the last arrestee, Van Cromvoirt?
MARRAPODI: You know, Nancy, we don't have that answer tonight and Police Investigators, prosecutors, they aren't putting that link together, either.
GRACE: What can you tell me, Eric, about Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, he has been released, as well?
MARRAPODI: Yeah that's right, Nancy. About 10:04 this morning, Geoffrey van Cromvoirt walked out of the downtown Aranjastad Police station, open arms, and he was released from Police custody. Authorities said they just didn't have enough to continue to hold him.
We were all waiting here in Aruba for a hearing that was scheduled for tomorrow. Remember his eight days of detention were up and he was scheduled to go before a judge tomorrow. Didn't even make it to that hearing, they just didn't have enough evidence to hold him and he walked free. We did learn tonight from a source close to the investigation that he was talking, he did give a statement to Police and authorities close to the case, a source close to the case, tell us tonight that he was cooperative with the authorities.
GRACE: Hmm. Well, what is the latest, Eric Marrapodi on Dompig, he was running the investigation and now is off the investigation? How many times has his son been taken in for questioning on the Holloway case?
MARRAPODI: You know, I talked to Gerold Dompig today and he said, Nancy, I wish everyone would just leave my son alone. We did learn over the weekend he did speak with the "Associated Press" and he told the "Associated Press" that his son had been questioned once prior to Geoffrey van Cromvoirt being arrested and once since Geoffrey van Cromvoirt had been arrested. Remember Nancy, Dompig came out in an article with Bon Dia last week saying, hey, yes, my kid knows Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, he worked with him but that it doesn't mean that they're friends. He also adamantly said my son, Michael Dompig, is not a suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.
GRACE: Take a listen to what Dompig had to say.
MICHAEL DOMPIG, EX POLICE COMMISSIONER: This investigation is about finding the truth. It's not about me. It's not about the prosecutor. So, even if people get angry, people don't like us anymore, we just want to do our job and we understand the family and we sympathize with them. But, it is not an easy project. I am convinced that these three boys know more and I just want to mention, without going into details, that I have numerous -- I have seen numerous discrepancies and that's just not to use the word "lies" but numerous discrepancies in the statements of these boys.
GRACE: It's Natalee's father, Dave Holloway, Dave, thank you for being with us. Now, isn't that just ironic that you have the former head of the investigation saying that these three original suspects, van der Sloot and the two Kalpoe brothers, well basically lied? He's referring to it as inconsistencies. You know, I've got my J.D., not my D.D.S., I don't know how to pull a tooth. But why couldn't he come out with that while he was in charge of the investigation, Dave?
DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE`S FATHER: Well, that's a good question. You know, everything always points back to the three suspects. You know, this Geoffrey guy, I told you last week that, if they detain him an additional eight days, we may have something. If they let him go, then you know that he didn't provide much information to the Police and that apparently is the case.
GRACE: To Clark Goldband. Clark, I want to talk about all of the various people that have been caught and released. Again, the news out of Aruba tonight, not just one but two people, two additional people in 72 hours have been arrested, questioned, and released in the Natalee Holloway investigation. Clark, what can you tell us about all the people that have been caught and released in Aruba?
CLARK GOLDBAND, NANCY GRACE INTERNET REPORTER: I can tell you, Nancy, there is nine of them now, so let's go through one by one. It's going to take a little while, cause as you see this list keeps expanding and expanding. First, of course, John and Jones, the two security guards who were detained right away and of course they were set free one week later.
GRACE: And they were detained, Dave Holloway, strictly on the word of Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers, correct?
HOLLOWAY: That's correct.
GRACE: Because those three, the chief suspects claim these two innocent minority security guards were last seen with Natalee Holloway, they came up with a fantastic story, a very long and in detailed scenario about how they led her away and she tripped and fell and they watched her fall and they kept going with her and that's the last they saw of Natalee. That was quite an involved statement. They had it down to times, locations, and pointed these two out. Remember that, Dave Holloway?
HOLLOWAY: Oh, yes, oh, yes.
GRACE: Okay. So after that arrest and release, what then?
GOLDBAND: Well, we had the three that we usually speak about Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers all taken in at the same time, Nancy, but Joran was held for about three months, the longest, the Kalpoes set free five days after. Then they decided we should take him in again. So they were caught and released twice in the scenario. Next after the Kalpoe brothers we have Steve Croes, he was the party boat D.J., you remember, he appeared on our program. Croes was held for about 10 days. After that, Joran's dad Paulus van der Sloot, the judge, he was taken in Nancy for about nine days he was then released without anything to come of that.
GRACE: I think you should show the picture of his back side, because that's the side we most, of, the judge.
GOLDBAND: Of course.
GRACE: Of course, that could be said of a lot of judges, Clark. Go ahead.
GOLDBAND: I'll abstain from comment on that one Nancy. Geoffrey von Cromvoirt, he of course, caught the 15th of this month, set free on the 24th and, of course, now this new person, we don't have a photo of this person, Nancy, all we have are two initials and now just realized three hours ago, these are the right initials, A.B., six hours is how long this person was held for.
GRACE: Back to Jossy Mansur, the director and editor of "Diario Magazine." Jossy you're there on the scene. What possible connection was there between A.B., the last catch and release and the investigation of Natalee Holloway?
MANSUR: You know, I can't imagine what kind of connection it could have. I know that this person that they've arrested and questioned for six hours has a Web site in which he appears, in which you'll find pictures of Joran and many other girls. Maybe there is some kind of a connection that the Police want to know or the prosecution as to what degree does he know these people and what would he know about the Holloway case itself?
GRACE: To Eric Marrapodi, our producer there in Aruba. Now I believe -- correct me if I'm wrong -- "Good Morning America" reported a cab driver's tip led to Von Cromvoirt's arrest. Could you confirm that, Eric?
MARRAPODI: That's right, ABC did report that this morning on their program "Good Morning America" that a female cab driver who wished to remain anonymous had Natalee Holloway in her cab driving around here on the island when they were here back in May and they were talking about possibly that Natalee was in love with a Dutch boy with blue eyes. Natalee's friends remembered that conversation and told Police when they were later questioned that his name began with a "G." The story goes that ABC reported that this cab driver then phoned in tHat Tip later on and a friend confirmed it and that's why they brought in Geoffrey.
Now sources close to the investigation tell me tonight that story`s bogus, it's just not true, that's not the reason Geoffrey von Cromvoirt was brought in. So getting conflicting reports here on the island, depending on who you talk to, as to why this young man was brought in. Remember, law enforcement sources close to the case told us last week you can't count that t-shirt out just yet, that VCB t-shirt that was found back in June. Remember VCB is a security company that Geoffrey von Cromvoirt's father Wilhelm von Cromvoirt owned and operates here on the island.
GRACE: Hey, you got to work on that Dutch a little bit, Eric, okay. Wilhelm von Cromvoirt, please we've been practicing it all afternoon. To Dave Holloway, there is one story, then there's the next, the cab driver said this, the cab driver retracts that. What are they telling you, Dave?
HOLLOWAY: Well, I hadn't heard anything about the cab driver. You know, that's -- you know, you hear all kinds of stuff. I heard he was saying something out on a beach and someone overheard it that "America's Most Wanted" was, you know, was the tip that got him arrested. You know, who knows? I just hope that when they did arrest him, that he was able to give pertinent and good information to the Police and maybe somebody else will be arrested.
GRACE: Dave, did you get your hopes up when you found out Von Cromvoirt had been taken into custody and then A.B. or E.B., they are changing the initials on us, over the weekend had been taken into custody, only to find out they had both been released?
HOLLOWAY: No. That question was asked and posed of me last week when he was first arrested. Someone asked me, are you getting your hopes up high and I said, no, I've seen this process occur a number of times before. Arrest someone, talk to them, and then release them. And it's a pattern that, I'm hopeful that this is a stepping stone. Maybe he provided some good information, who knows.
GRACE: But Dave, what do you believe led to the additional searches there near the fishermen huts and then out in the water?
HOLLOWAY: I think it has to do with the boat theory. You know, after all, we've searched all the land a number of times by air and, you know, by foot. And it keeps coming up, over and over again, even from the assistant prosecutor early on in the case that a boat was used to, you know, take Natalee out in the ocean. And that continues to come up, over and over again. And, you know, I think it needs to -- someone needs to give it some attention.
GRACE: Well, Dave Holloway, aren't there logs and isn't there surveillance in place in Aruba of all the ships that go out of the tiny island, even at night?
HOLLOWAY: Well, there is but on one of those nights, I think it was June the 7th or June the 8th, the electricity went out on the island for about two hours so you wonder if that would have been the prime opportunity to do it. Small boats, I don't think, can be picked up as well as the big ones.
GRACE: Everyone, joining us is Natalee's father, Dave Holloway and they're on Aruba not only our producers but Jossy Mansur. When we come back we'll bring in the panel on tonight, we are taking your calls both on the BTK killer and this investigation in Aruba on the Natalee Holloway case.
But let's go to tonight's "Case Alert," the Duke rape investigation. The first defense motions filed. They want identification suppressed and information on the alleged victim's background. So, the legal battle is on.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRACE: Can you imagine your child disappearing on their senior trip, high school senior trip, never seen again? We will not let go of this case and other unsolved homicides. Tonight, with us Natalee's father in the event of yet another catch and release, in fact two of them during the last 72 hours. What are they doing down there to our international law expert Rahul Manchanda.
So, in Aruba, you can arrest witnesses, force them to -- but you can't force them to answer you, but you can question them, incarcerate and then just let them go?
RAHUL MANCHANDA, INTERNATIONAL LAW EXPERT: That's exactly right. What we're seeing now is that the arrests in Aruba are not as valid as the rest of America. Essentially what they've got down there is reasonable suspicion. And that means that if you are a suspect or somebody who has personal knowledge of a crime, you can be arrested, which is very, very strange to us.
GRACE: And I also think they've got a spelling problem. Remember when the prime minister wrote Natalee's family and he referred to her as "Nathalee" among many other spelling problems and then this last suspect, what was it, Ellie, was it A.B. then they changed it to E.B.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They told us earlier today that this guy who was arrested over the weekend they said his initials were E.B. and then later they sent out a correction and said, oops, his initials are A.B.
GRACE: So, Dave Holloway it really instills a lot of confidence.
HOLLOWAY: Yeah, especially when the prime minister made that big gap.
GRACE: Somebody needs spell-check. Let's go to the lines, Lisa in Oklahoma, hi Lisa?
LISA: Hello. First off Nancy, I would just like to say with all the work you've done, I think you are truly an American hero. As for my question, what are the people in Aruba feeling about this? I mean, are they upset that there hasn't been a resolution to this problem? Are they happy with their government's so-called investigation tactics?
GRACE: Lisa, number one, thank you for your comment and I'll throw this to Eric Marrapodi, he has been down in Aruba since the get-go. Eric, how are the locals feeling about this? Or do they just want their tourist dollars or do they actually care that they still haven't solved this case?
MARRAPODI: You know, there are a lot of people here on the island who do want resolution, pretty much everyone you talk to. Very early on in the case when I was down here you heard people say, we feel for Natalee's mom so much, we feel for Natalee's dad, we want resolution for them. We want to know what happened to their daughter and so do we. As the case has progressed, you`ve seen sort of the feeling towards the Aruban Police and towards the American media, the international media that's been down here, has soured some with native Arubaans. However everyone here on this case we talked to still wants that resolution, they want this case to be closed, they want an end, they want a final chapter to be written.
GRACE: Let's go to Elaine in Massachusetts. Hi Elaine.
ELAINE: Hi. Nancy, the boat that the two deejays were on at the beginning did they ever search that boat.
GRACE: The boat that who was on?
ELAINE: The two deejays at the beginning.
GRACE: Oh, yes, yes, yes. I'm pretty sure it was but let me double- check that with Eric. From what I understand the deejay off the party boat was arrested, questioned, released. And I believe the boat was searched. Correct, Eric?
MARRAPODI: Yeah, that's right. That boat certainly was searched. And remember why Steve Croes was released. He was released because he gave a false alibi for the those three suspects. When they said that we left her there at the "Holiday Inn," he said, oh, yeah, I remember, I saw them leave her there at the "Holiday Inn." Of course, when that story fell through, his false alibi fell through and he was arrested. And as soon as they realized he had just given a false statement to Police, he was released about 10 days later. He called it an error in being nice, he said he was just trying to help out, thought he was just helping out a friend, but in fact got himself in a world of trouble.
GRACE: We have an all-star panel of lawyers and experts lined up to answer more of your questions. Let's go tonight's trial tracking. The trial of John Evander Couey, remember him, the man accused of kidnapping and killing 9-year-old Jessie Lunsford, the girl in the pink hat? Venue change, state and defense both agree to move venue to another area. To try to secure an impartial jury panel. Trial date, July 10.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JORAN VAN DER SLOOT : It was Natalee who asked me to go out with her. It was her that asked me to come to the club and it was her that was yelling at me to go dance with her and I said I wanted to go drink and go with my friends.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you that irresistible, I mean is that what --
VAN DER SLOOT: No, that's absolutely not what it's about. I don't know, when her parents showed up at my door with her picture, I didn't even know who Natalee Holloway was, I didn't even know her name.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: You know what, that is such a load of B.S., that's a technical legal term we trial lawyers use a lot. That interview by Joey (INAUDIBLE). Let me go to John Burris, John Burris knows his way around a courtroom, veteran trial lawyer. The release of Von Cromvoirt, John, I'm not surprised. In fact when it first happened, I knew -- my gut feeling was, it's just another catch and release. But is it a bad sign, in general, John, for the investigation?
JOHN BURRIS, TRIAL ATTORNEY: I don't know that I would say it's a bad sign generally. I would say, look, these people are trying to get as much information as they can. They are trying to follow up on whatever leads they can possibly find upon. The important difference here that is troubling to me as a defense lawyer is that you have a system that allows you to bring people into custody and hold them merely for purposes of getting information from -- or trying to get information from them, so --
GRACE: You know what's interesting, John, and I don't disagree with you. I completely disagree with arresting witnesses. It's wrong.
BURRIS: Yeah. That's fundamental -- that is so different to our system.
GRACE: Yeah. But isn't it ironic, John, that they get the witnesses to talk but then when you've got the suspects behind bars, they can't get a word out of them. They sit there and play checkers for three months.
BURRIS: Well, that is troubling. Well, suspects is different. A person really doesn't want to testify, there's no duty to do so. It's just the way the process works, it's hard to get a handle on because you really taint a person when you do that and hurt their reputation and you don't have any information --
GRACE: I'm not worried about their reputations, John.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I still believe that this case is a case that we can solve.
TWITTY: It's just so many different connections that it's just frightening. And I feel as if we are just missing just a couple of small pieces, and then I just feel as if it will all come to light.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Distressing news out of Aruba. Two more suspects arrested, questioned and released.
To Eric Marrapodi, our producer there in Aruba, Eric, what became of the searches, the underwater searches? And I'm understanding that there were actually underwater, bottom-of-the-ocean photographs made?
MARRAPODI: That's right, Nancy. We understand now from sources close to the coast guard investigation that side-scan sonar was used in those searches. And the A.P. reported over the weekend that the Investigators were analyzing those side-scan photos that were taken by the coast guard.
We also know, during that coast guard search, that divers were used, and it was right off the coast of where Natalee Holloway was last reported by Joran van der Sloot. He says he left her by the fisherman's huts. And they went up and down what's called the hotel strip here in Aruba.
Now, I was told by a source close to the coast guard that, as soon as those searches were completed, that they had come up empty-handed. So still taking a look at those pictures, taking a look to see if they missed anything with the naked eye. But, right now, the word is empty- handed on those coast guard searches.
GRACE: OK, back to you, Eric. The search, as you say, by the coast guard, is it Aruban coast guard or our Coast Guard?
MARRAPODI: Well, Nancy, those searches were conducted by the Aruban coast guard and the Netherlands-Antilles coast guard. They also are based here at the Dutch Marines base on the island of Aruba, as well, so it was a joint effort between those two coast guards.
GRACE: Let's go to Don Clark, the former head of the F.B.I. Houston bureau. Don, that part of the country, I've dived there quite often. There is a pretty heavy current. You can drift-dive there, in other words, just go along with the current.
Let's analyze what we know, Don. Why would they be searching now a year later for Natalee's remains? Does it suggest to you she was weighted down in some way?
DON CLARK, FORMER HEAD OF F.B.I. HOUSTON BUREAU: Of course it does, Nancy. And, of course, you'd have to think all along that if you're going to try and put a body into a body of water, so to speak, you've got to do something to keep it down, because it will come back up.
So maybe they're thinking along that way. They have to be thinking along that way. The question is that it's now a year later that they're thinking that way, and so now your chances...
GRACE: Ridiculous.
CLARK: ... of getting any kind of evidence is almost ridiculous.
I agree with Dave. With some of the things that's going on here, is that you've got to wonder what's in their mind. And I think the key is that it's such a fragmented investigation.
Nancy, that is no way to conduct an investigation, in a fragmented manner, a piece here and a piece there, without having an organizational structure to assemble all of this, and then analyze it, and figure out where you're going to go.
GRACE: And the other thing, Don, is: This isn't like, for instance in the Laci Peterson case where, yes, the ocean was involved, but it was a bay. The remains of Laci Peterson were, in fact, weighted down, as the Police believed they were, after finding indicia of weights in Peterson's workplace. But here, this goes out to the open sea; this is not really contained the way the San Francisco Bay is.
CLARK: Yes, that's exactly right. And once you get about three miles out -- and I don't claim to be an expert in water areas -- but I do know...
GRACE: Oh, please, you're a former FBI.
CLARK: Yes.
GRACE: You know exactly what's going on down there.
CLARK: Well, exactly. You know, it's three miles out.
GRACE: A whole lot of nothing.
CLARK: And once you start to get that distance out, it's just deep there. It is just deep. And you can put something in and the likelihood of it coming back is going to be remote.
And so, again, we go back to: Why a year from now? Why not take that on then? And I still think it goes back to, is that they were not equipped to handle this investigation, and yet someone did not make the decision, or no one made the decision, to say, "You know what? We ought to bring in somebody else to really figure out what resources and what personnel we need to put this case together."
GRACE: Let's go to Gary Casimir. He is a former prosecutor. He does civil and criminal law, and he is the host of a radio show, "Legally Speaking."
Gary...
GARY CASIMIR, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hi, Nancy.
GRACE: ... underwater photography is not as rudimentary as people may believe. Underwater photography can be very, very detailed. It can get a wonderful picture from that. So, bottom line, when they say you can't tell much, I'm not buying that.
CASIMIR: No, that's not true at all. I think you could tell a lot. You know, I think the theory that's definitely has to be considered is whether or not they have evidence or information that says the body was weighted down somewhere, somehow.
I disagree that they have not looked in these waters before; we know they have. They're obviously advancing their techniques, with regard to looking deeper into the ocean and taking more -- using more vehicles to find more evidence.
But I just want to say this much: A year later, and knowing that the live stuff in this ocean that could have definitely taken this body out further or eaten it, I think it's hard to believe that they would find anything, but the photographic evidence would be incredibly helpful, hopefully.
It's sad that this wasn't used maybe a day after she went missing.
GRACE: To Eric Marrapodi there in Aruba, just exactly what has the government search entailed? I know Texas EquuSearch went down on their own dime. But what water search has the government actually done to find Natalee?
MARRAPODI: Nancy, the government has been very involved with the search here for Natalee Holloway. Remember, there's a close working relationship between Holland and Aruba. And one of the things that was very important in some of the more recent searches have been those surveillance photos from the F-16s that did a fly-over and did a complete photo map of the island.
GRACE: Right, yes, I was referring...
MARRAPODI: And one of the things that Dompig told me about -- go ahead, Nancy.
GRACE: You. Everybody, we're on a satellite camera and phone, so bear with us. You continue, Eric.
MARRAPODI: Yes, Nancy, one of the things that we were told about the satellite images that were taken by those F-16s was that you could peel the layers away like an onion. And when you did that, you could see more and more infrared images that popped up.
And that's what led them to bring in, we believe, those Dutch forensic institute dogs that were brought over from Holland last month, and they came up empty, as well. So the government has been very involved.
And as you said, Texas EquuSearch, also, this summer was out in those waters. CNN was out there with them, at times, as well. So we know that -- it's hard to believe an area of this island hasn't been searched at this point.
GRACE: Let's go to Diane in Florida. Hi, Diane.
CALLER: Hi, Nancy. Nancy, if it's eventually proven that the Deepak brothers or the brothers and Joran van der Sloot -- the Kalpoe brothers, I guess, and Joran van der Sloot is innocent, will they receive a public apology from the Natalee Holloway family?
GRACE: Hmm. David Holloway, Dave Holloway, I'm really concerned that people are so distressed about a formal public apology, as opposed to finding your daughter. But will you give an apology?
HOLLOWAY: Will I give an apology to someone that's continually lied and obstructed an investigation? You know, that's...
GRACE: You know what? Don't even answer it. I hate to even ask you the question. Ridiculous.
These three, whether they are guilty or innocent, have lied, inconsistencies, blatant inconsistencies in all of their statements. So if they are not responsible, the worst thing they've done has been, in my mind, to lead Police down a path which takes them away from the real suspects through their lies.
Dave, agree or disagree?
HOLLOWAY: Well, I agree.
GRACE: Levi in Tennessee, hi, Levi.
CALLER: Hi, Nancy. I want to know: What are these schmucks thinking about? We have Joe Tacopina talking about a possible lawsuit. Do they have a leg to stand on? And how does this help them find Natalee?
GRACE: You know, I want to go to John Burris on that. Now, John, take off that defense hat for just a moment. I know that's hard. You know what? I don't even know if you can do that.
(CROSSTALK)
BURRIS: I can.
GRACE: What do you think about that, the threat of civil lawsuits?
BURRIS: Well, given that I have done a lot of civil rights work, I think that it's appropriate for him to consider it.
GRACE: On what ground would that be, John?
BURRIS: Well, you know, slander, defamation, false statements being made about you, ruining one's life. I mean, after all, if they didn't do it, and there's no evidence to that effect, these young men's lives have, in fact, been totally defamed; their reputations have been defamed.
And so, you know, to the extent that the government has participated in that or other people have, maybe they ought to -- I don't see where a lawsuit is out of the question.
GRACE: Well, then, why don't they go ahead and file it? Would it be possibly then their client would get to be deposed and cross- examined?
BURRIS: Well, absolutely, if you file...
GRACE: You know what? Bring it on. If want to file a lawsuit, file it.
BURRIS: No question. If you file, then, you know, once you start throwing darts at someone else, they throw darts back at you. And when you do that, then, of course, you would subject yourself to that kind of cross-examination. And then you have to assert, perhaps, the Fifth Amendment, if I were representing them, to make sure that they didn't get themselves caught up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOLLOWAY: You just got to go back to the original statements. You know, these kids came up with or concocted the story about the "Holiday Inn." That was untrue. And then you had lie, after lie, after lie, after lie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
On 4-24 DAVID KOCK told FOX News:
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: After a week behind bars, 19-year-old Geoffrey van Cromvoirt who was released today, Police say he is still a suspect. How does this impact the case against fellow suspects Deepak and Satish Kalpoe? Their lawyer, David Kock, joins on the phone from Aruba.
Welcome, David.
DAVID KOCK, SATISH KALPOE 'S ATTORNEY: Hi, Greta. It was nice to speak with you.
VAN SUSTEREN: Nice to talk to you. Do you have any clue who "A.B." is, the one who was arrested on Saturday and released?
DAVID KOCK: No, not yet. But he was just held for interrogation, so he was not formally arrested. You can always be held for interrogation after six hour, and they didn't find necessity to keep detaining him after that. But we don't know yet who he is.
VAN SUSTEREN: But you get with it, which sort of is unusual, you get labeled "suspect." They pick you up; they talk to you. And even when they let you go because you didn't say enough to keep you, you're a suspect.
DAVID KOCK: Yes, well, you can hold somebody up and question them as a witness. But once you put the label on them "suspect," there are certain things that you can do to such a person, and I think that's why very — I don't want to say easily, but very rapidly you would want to qualify somebody a suspect. I mean, it's the interest of the investigating authorities.
VAN SUSTEREN: I take it that your clients have not spoken to you about "A.B."?
DAVID KOCK: About "A.B."? "A.B." is somebody not known. But I think the simple fact that he was just held for six hours of interrogation and immediately let go is an indication, just as with the fact of Mr. Van Cromvoirt, that you see that this investigation is not really going anywhere now.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, do they know him?
DAVID KOCK: No, they do not know him at all.
VAN SUSTEREN: And what do you make of the fact that he was arrested, detained, and then he was supposed to go back to court tomorrow, where the prosecutor is supposed to convince the judge of instruction to hold him further, but apparently she folded today?
DAVID KOCK: Yes, I understood that he wasn't answering any questions, and the simple fact that the D.A., at the beginning, it was presented that this was a very important arrest, and it really died down to letting to go, not even trying to see if the judge could be convinced to keep holding him. So that says a lot, I think, don't you?
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, it's actually curious, David. I mean, it does seem rather bizarre that the prosecutor would arrest him in connection with this case and then suddenly just give up on it.
DAVID KOCK: Yes, like I told you, I think we're coming at a certain phase of the investigation. You know, you tried the last resources, but if that don't work, at a certain moment, you know, you just have to stop. Remember, it's going to be one year just now.
VAN SUSTEREN: Have you spoken to her recently and asked her what's going on with your clients?
DAVID KOCK: No, I think, because of the scope of this case, that's not really the type of the conversation I would like to have with her.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right, David, thank you.
DAVID KOCK: You're very welcome, Greta. Take care.
VAN SUSTEREN: Let's bring in our legal panel. Joining us from Sacramento, former assistant D.A. Jim Hammer. In Washington, criminal defense attorneys Bernie Grimm and Ted Williams.
Bernie, Mr. Geoffrey van Cromvoirt?
BERNIE GRIMM, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes, I guess it would be easier to figure out the young men on the island who haven't been arrested, and I think there's two left. And I think they've arrested everybody else. Ted's got the number down; I think it's eight.
But "GVC" came through. He didn't talk. Now, maybe he knows something, but he kept his mouth shut, and he learned a lesson from van der Sloot. Now this "E.B." or "A.B." gets...
VAN SUSTEREN: "A.B." It actually was "E.B.", but there was correction issued by the prosecutor's office. They got his initials wrong. It's "A.B."
GRIMM: Right. Well, I was actually scared before, when Joe Tacopina said "GVS", and I'm like, "Oh, my gosh, that's one step away from BSG."
So, at any rate, it's going nowhere. I mean, I think they're trying to say they got some bounce of this big movie re-enactment they have, but they're going nowhere.
VAN SUSTEREN: I actually feel sorriest for "A.B." He gets picked up, Jim, for six hours, and released, and he gets to be a suspect now for all eternity, until he wants to go out and hire a lawyer to clear himself.
JIM HAMMER, FORMER SAN FRANCISCO ASSISTANT D.A.: You'd have to be pretty stupid or never watch "On the Record with Greta van Susteren" not to know that, in Aruba, you get arrested, you keep your mouth shut, you go free. That's the unfortunate lesson now. Anybody who has been following this case in Aruba, Greta, knows: Keep your mouth shut; you go free; the prosecutor won't even try to hold you in custody if you keep your mouth shut.
TED WILLIAMS, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, you really don't have to keep your mouth shut. What you need to do is to close your eyes, get a dart board with a dart, and just throw it at the dart board, and whoever it sticks on — now, we've got G, V, or C here.
(CROSSTALK)
WILLIAMS: It could be very well soon be "GVS," for "Greta van Susteren." It can be anybody.
GRIMM: Actually, Greta is wanted. They tried to arrest Greta when she was there last time, Ted.
WILLIAMS: Greta has me as a lawyer. She's all right. But the fact about it is, desperate people do desperate things. And this, when you asked me this, and this was the reason that people really need to watch this show, is because you asked me not too long ago: What did I think about the arrest of "GVC"? And I remember telling you I didn't think much, and I don't think nothing tonight.
VAN SUSTEREN: But there was no — I mean, when he was arrested, we had reason to believe there was a good faith reason to pick him up. I mean, you don't just — prosecutors and Police supposedly don't just go out and sort of round up the nearest...
GRIMM: Greta...
WILLIAMS: This is Aruba you are talking about. This is not America. I'm sorry.
(CROSSTALK)
VAN SUSTEREN: We make jokes from time to time. But this is a Dutch country.
What, Jim?
HAMMER: It's very serious. Timing is everything on these interrogations. And Ted and Bernie will tell you, well, I've been in there with the cops investigating murder suspects. You get one shot, typically, with these people. You either have the goods on them and convince them to talk or you don't. And once they clam up, it's typically over. So to do this willy-nilly without good ammo, Greta, is a really big mistake for the Investigators or the prosecutor in this case.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, I mean, I don't know if it was willy-nilly or just simply picking up somebody that someone dropped the dime on or something, and all of a sudden they decided, "Oh, let's pick up this one up."
GRIMM: Well, for me, the difference is — and Jim knows this — that, in order for Jim to have somebody arrested in the past, back in the old days when he was a prosecutor and a young, good-looking guy, he would have to have an arrest warrant, and he's have to have probable cause, one, that a crime was committed and, two, that someone committed. Down in Aruba, it's mere suspicion, so if you were seen with...
VAN SUSTEREN: What's even worse than that is that the Police and the prosecutor can just decide to go pick somebody up. You get to hold them for six hours or eight days. And then finally you have to face the music, which was tomorrow. And the prosecution, obviously — she opened up her file and went, "Oh, my god. There's nothing there."
GRIMM: Right. Right. And I think what happened is "GVC" was seen at some time with Natalee...
(CROSSTALK)
VAN SUSTEREN: Apparently not. His lawyers issued a statement saying that they've never met.
GRIMM: Last week, the Aruban Police came out and said she was seen with him at some point in time.
VAN SUSTEREN: And I think Dave Holloway said they had bumped into each other at Carlos and Charlie's or something, too.
WILLIAMS: This is very troubling now. And who is going to be tomorrow? We've got "A.B.", and we're waiting for "C.C." and "D.D." And who's next?
VAN SUSTEREN: Jim, you're going to get the last word on this topic.
HAMMER: The last word, thinking about the timing, is these arrests came shortly after Dompig left the case. There's an allegation that this "GVC," I guess it was, someone how related to his son. I wonder whether or not his leaving the case is related to timing now or something else.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, they haven't picked up his son. No one has said his son did anything wrong. His son is just, at this point, a male on the island, and so, you know, at that point...
GRIMM: One of the last two not arrested.
VAN SUSTEREN: ... may be at risk. Ted and Bernie, thank you.
4-25-06
On 4-25 FOX News GRETA VAN SUSTEREN posted an email to her “Gretawire” blog:
Greta and Producer,
I watched the interview with Joran van der Sloot's attorney with interest.
I am an attorney who has specialized in high profile and celebrity defamation lawsuits for the last 12 years. Until my recent move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, I worked with (and was trained by) my father who was the lawyer for Carol Burnett in her landmark case against the National Enquirer. Over the years, the media has consulted with me about many high profile cases. In fact, a couple of years ago, when Gary Condit sued the National Enquirer, I appeared on MSNBC's "The Abrams Report."
Joran's lawyer's threat of a slander suit was interesting. One particular point of interest is that if such a suit is filed in the United States, Joran will have the burden of proving that the allegations he claims are defamatory (rapist, murderer, etc.) are false. If this potential lawsuit is something that you would be interested in exploring further on your show, I would be happy to appear as a guest.
Please feel free to contact me at this e-mail address or by phone.
Thank you,
Mitchell Langberg
On 4-25 the “AP” reported:
Ex-Holloway Investigator: My son lied
Teen's accusations of van Cromvoirt sniping, says father
Aruba's former lead Investigator on Natalee Holloway's disappearance said Monday his son may have falsely incriminated a man who was arrested and released in the case.
Gerold Dompig said his son Michael's accusations against Geoffrey van Cromvoirt were little more than sniping between two teenage acquaintances that escalated out of control. Van Cromvoirt, 19, was released Monday morning after more than a week in detention.
"He's a kid; he got confused and frustrated and he said things he shouldn't have said," Dompig said in a telephone interview, adding that he had apologized to van Cromvoirt's family. "It went too far."
He said his 19-year-old son had been harassed by the American media, with cameras following him at his workplace for a week, accusing him of involvement and the elder Dompig of malfeasance. In his anger, Michael Dompig responded with rumors he had heard about van Cromvoirt, whom he knew from working together on the beach and from the island's small social circle.
"One started talking about the other and the other talked back and it becomes something worse than a soap (opera)," he said.
Dompig had been closely involved in Holloway's case since she disappeared almost a year ago, until he was reassigned earlier this month. He said Monday he asked to be removed because the rumors and gossip were starting to involve his family.
"I have a younger son who's 3 years old and I'm waiting for the day they'll interview him," he said. "I really would like people to leave my family alone. That's the only dignity I still have."
Dompig's revelation comes after a week of speculation about van Cromvoirt's potential involvement and rumors that Michael Dompig might be arrested. Dompig said his son was interviewed twice - once earlier in the case among hundreds of witnesses and then again this month.
The Aruban prosecutor's office previously said van Cromvoirt was suspected of drug activity, but on Monday released a statement saying he had been released "because the grounds for his detention are no longer there." He remains a suspect, according to prosecutor's spokeswoman Mariaine Croes. Efforts to reach van Cromvoirt's lawyer were unsuccessful.
Croes also said in a release that a 20-year-old man identified only as "A.B." was arrested Saturday, questioned for six hours and released. Under Aruban law, suspects can be held for that long before they become official detainees.
Holloway's mother said Monday that she knew little about the new movements in the case but is still convinced that three earlier suspects - Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot and Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe - are "the original perpetrators."
Holloway, then 18, was last seen leaving Carlos'N Charlie's, a local nightclub, with the three men before she disappeared May 30.
"It looks like we just keep going around the circle back to the original three suspects," Beth Twitty said Monday.
Twitty also said her daughter may have encountered van Cromvoirt but, contrary to some news reports, did not have a relationship with him.
"Her friends gave me no indication that Natalee had any kind of relationship when she was there," Twitty said. "But who knows whether Geoffrey and Natalee crossed paths on the beach or whether they brushed up together at Carlos'N Charlie's?"
On 4-25 the “AP” reported:
Lawyer: Dutch teen freed in Holloway case has no information
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) - His lawyer says a 19-year-old man released in the Natalee Holloway case has "no relevant information" about her disappearance.
Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was released yesterday, nine days after Police arrested him in the disappearance of the Alabama teenager. The Aruba public prosecutor's office says he remains a suspect.
The lawyer released a statement last night that says the teenager was arrested based on witness statements, but that family and friends say he does not fit the descriptions and was home the night Holloway vanished.
The prosecutor's office also says a 20-year-old man with the initials A-B was arrested in the Holloway case on Saturday and was released after six hours of interrogation. It's giving no other details.
On 4-25 the ST. MAARTEN “Daily Herald” reported:
Specialised courses for Police officers
PHILIPSBURG--Members of the Netherlands Antilles Police Force soon will have the opportunity to follow specialised courses in investigation and Police intelligence. This is made possible through close cooperation between the Central Police Educational Institute LPO and the Dutch Police Academy.
Recently Dutch Police Academy director Lex Mellink, visited Curacao and met with LPO director Alpha Falbru and other high-ranking officers of the Netherlands Antilles Police Force. Topics discussed were the specialised courses necessary for members of the Police Force and the possibilities to provide these courses in collaboration with the Dutch Police Academy within the next three years.
LPO will be in charge of the supervision of this project and will make a formal request to the Safety Plan Dutch Antilles PVNA to finance the project. The courses will take place either in the Netherlands or in Curacao, depending on the number of candidates interested.
*Have ARUBAN Police been offered, or, has ARUBAN Police requested that ARUBAN Policemen attend the same specialized courses?
On 4-25 the “AP” reported:
Van der Sloot lawyer replies in favor of moving trial from N.Y.
NEW YORK (AP) — The lawyer for a Dutch youth who was sued in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, the Alabama teen who vanished during a graduation trip to Aruba, said Tuesday that Holloway's family was using "smoke and mirrors" to keep the case in New York.
Attorney Joseph Tacopina says in papers filed in Manhattan's state Supreme Court that no one in the case lives in New York and that events that prompted the civil lawsuit against Joran van der Sloot, 18, and his father, Paulus, took place in Aruba, a Dutch Caribbean island.
"None of the hundreds of necessary witnesses whose testimony will have probative value are residents of New York," Tacopina says in his reply papers. "Consequently, there is no nexus whatsoever between this case and New York, and New York is not a more convenient forum for this litigation.”
Holloway, of Mountain Brook, Ala., was 18 when she went missing in May 2005 during a trip with classmates. In February, her parents sued both van der Sloot's in New York, where Joran gave interviews about the case, for unspecified damages related to her disappearance.
Holloway's parents, Elizabeth Twitty, of Alabama, and Dave Holloway, of Mississippi, said in court papers that Joran van der Sloot imprisoned and sexually assaulted their daughter and was responsible for her disappearance. The lawsuit said his father had enabled his delinquent behavior, including underage drinking.
Joran van der Sloot was jailed soon after Holloway vanished but was freed after a few days. The suit against the van der Sloot's is pending.
Another young Aruban man was arrested this month in connection with Holloway's disappearance and then was released.
In March, Holloway's parents filed papers asking the court to deny a defense motion to dismiss the New York lawsuit against the van der Sloot's on the ground that it has no reason to be in the city.
Tacopina's court papers say the parents' attempts to convince the court the case belongs in New York are "smoke and mirrors" that include:
• The "imaginary notion" that Aruban law would not apply to this lawsuit.
• A "pretense" that Aruban law does not allow pretrial discovery of evidence.
• A "manufactured fear" of Aruba by the plaintiffs and their witnesses.
• A "misrepresentation" that the Aruban government wants the case in New York.
Tacopina also said having the trial in New York would impose a tremendous burden on the state court because Aruban law would have to be applied in some instances and some documents written in Dutch would have to be translated.
Scott Balber, a lawyer for Holloway's parents, said he had not read Tacopina's reply papers.
On 4-25 “Riehl World View” reported:
Natalee Holloway - Tacopina Filing
Attorney for Joran van der Sloot, Joe Tacopina, shot back with both barrels today in a legal filing pursuant to a civil lawsuit filed against van der Sloot in New York by the Twitty family.
In one incredible response section, apparently the original action alleged that a Jane Doe was prepared to testify in New York, though not in Aruba, that Joran van der Sloot drugged her and sexually assaulted her as she faded in and out of consciousness. She was also said to be able to identify two other girls who could claim the same thing.
Those allegations were offered in an affidavit from a previous Twitty attorney, C. Helen Lejuez. The Tacopina response claims to have identified the Jane Doe as one, Karen Martina, who filed an affidavit under her own name claiming she never told Lejuez such things, nor did she prefer to travel to New York to testify on Joran's behalf.
Apparently the Twitty suit also alleged that Aruba was an unsafe environment for any trial, citing in one example, other locations, including Egypt, which have had on going terrorist activity, the implication being that the van der Sloot's, complicit with high ranking Aruban officials, were embarked on some murderous campaign to prevent the truth from coming out. Tacopina's response argues that there is no evidence to support such a claim and the cited law does not apply despite Beth Twitty claiming several incidents of intimidation and anonymous murder threats unsupported by documentation.
Additionally, apparently the law suit made some mention of Joran v!n der Sloot having traveled to NYC for a television interview, suggesting his motives were less than honorable in broadcasting himself in such a manner. Tacopina countered by citing the numerous appearances of Ms. Twitty on television stations where she is said to have repeatedly cast unfounded allegations against the defendant.
Update: I also wanted to mention that apparently the original suit cited five witnesses from Mountain Brook who did not want to travel to Aruba to testify, presumably out of fear for their lives. Tacapino's response offered serveral excerpts from investigative documents claiming that said key witnesses were already on record as to have seen nothing relating to the charges in the initial suit.
Update2: pdf available here
On 4-25 the ARUBAAN's news-source “Caribbean Net News” reported:
Guyana seeking US, Canadian help in minister's killing
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AFP): Guyana is seeking help from Canada and the United States to track down the killers of the country's agriculture minister, his brother and sister at the weekend, a spokesman said Monday.
President Bharrat Jagdeo's spokesman Robert Persaud said talks have started with the American and Canadian governments on what type of help could be provided.
Persaud said Canada is being approached because murdered Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh, 50, his brother Rajpatri Sawh, 62, and his sister Phulmattie Persaud, 54, were Guyana-born naturalized citizens of Canada.
"That is an element that we want to explore because one would think that the Canadian government would be much more forthcoming in this regard," Persaud told AFP.
…
On 5-25 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
Geoffrey set free Monday
Another youngster interrogated 6 hours
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Monday, the prosecutor decided to set the suspect Geoffrey van Cromvoirt free, and the American press was swarming the Beach Police station like ants.
Surprisingly, the youngster with deken [blanket?] and pillow. Something that perhaps made many people think: has this youngster really found preferential treatment? Any detainee at the Police station knows that they have to sleep on a cement bed. They do not have any deken [blanket?] and no pillow.
DIARIO took note that the American journalists themselves started to question this. A few lawyers explained to DIARIO, that normally, one cannot bring any sort of pillow for a detainee.
Until a detainee is transferred to the KIA prison, then they can obtain a pillow and deken [blanket?] to sleep with.
In the following press release, the Public Prosecutor gave an update in the case of the disappearance of N. Holloway.
According to the Public Prosecutor, the prosecutor in charge of the case set Geoffrey free Monday morning. The reason for this is that based on the inverzekeringstelling, the phase of the detention that G.v.C. was in, is no longer there. He remains a suspect.
Last Saturday, the 22nd of April 2006, Police detained a male by the initials of A.B. of 20 years of age, related to the disappearance of N. Holloway. After 6 hours of interrogation, the young A.B. was set free.
When the prosecutor and the team have more information they can give, they will do so.
In the meantime, attorney Joe Tacopina revealed to the American press that the van der Sloot family is thinking of bringing a civil case against those who are speaking negatively and saying ugly things about Joran. On MSNBC, attorney Tacopina admitted that they are thinking of suing Beth Twitty, the mother of the missing student.
On 4-25 MSNBC reported:
ABRAMS: Nineteen-year-old Geoffrey von Cromvoirt spent more than a week under arrest, hours getting interrogated by Police. Now we learn that he may have been falsely accused of somehow being involved in Natalee‘s disappearance by the 19-year-old son of Gerald Dompig, the Aruban Police commissioner, who was the lead Investigator in the Holloway case until earlier this month.
Dompig told this program earlier today his son had—quote—“been tricked into this interview because the press had bad-talked his father.” Told him Geoffrey von Cromvoirt had also bad-talked him, all that, a new under-sea search for clues into Natalee‘s disappearance.
NBC‘s Michelle Kosinski has the latest from Aruba. What a mess, Michelle.
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well as always, Dan. There‘s a lot of talk on the island. People know each other. All of these kids the same age, you know they tend to know who each other is and you know one will come in for questioning, might mention some other names and of course Police have been acting on that information. But things are noticeably quieter today since 19-year-old Geoffrey von Cromvoirt was released yesterday.
Even though this information has come out from the father of another teenage boy, keep in mind that other sources of information in this case including the attorney for suspect Joran van der Sloot told us a couple of weeks ago that he had seen reams of investigative documents that were recently released to him that he had gone to court to ask for. He told us that many, many times in those documents he had seen the name of Geoffrey von Cromvoirt and he says the Police believe that he may have known Natalee and even spent time with her on the island.
So the name didn‘t just come up apparently if you believe what this attorney says within the last few days and in the questioning of all these other kids on the island. He says that name has been in there for quite some time. But late last night von Cromvoirt‘s attorney came out and denied several things. She said that not only did he not spend time with Natalee Holloway while she was here, his attorney says that he never even met her, that he doesn‘t know the other three suspects, van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers, that he‘s not involved in dealing illegal drugs on the island as prosecutors said he was under suspicion of, and she went a step further too and said that he also has an alibi.
His attorney says that von Cromvoirt‘s parents, his friends and family will vouch for him that he was at home the night Natalee Holloway disappeared. So that said, now he‘s out of jail, we know that. We know that prosecutors didn‘t have the evidence to go back and say let‘s keep him longer, but they are still calling him a suspect, in some respect, we don‘t know exactly how, in Natalee Holloway's disappearance—Dan.
ABRAMS: Well everyone is a suspect down there. I don‘t know. It seems like everyone they arrest them, they let them go, and they say oh, he‘s a suspect. He‘s a suspect.
KOSINSKI: Well that‘s part of the law, too though, that—experts are telling us that once you are considered a suspect and you‘re questioned, even though they might not have the same suspicion against you after you‘re questioned, you‘re still technically...
ABRAMS: Right. Right. Right.
KOSINSKI: ... a suspect for the remainder of the case, so they might go back and arrest you later. It‘s just a technicality basically.
ABRAMS: Michelle, real quick, the search, what is the status of the search there?
KOSINSKI: Well prosecutors told us today that there are no plans and no word has been said of any further searches on this island within the next couple of weeks. Of course that could change. We know that at least four times, possibly five, because we saw one of the ships out with our own eyes, they use sonar, they use the Aruban Coast Guard, some of the Dutch Antilles Coast Guard, so they had a big crew going out somewhere off the coast of Aruba and they were taking photos of the ocean floor.
We know they were reviewing those photos over the weekend. But of course, you know, they are not giving us any details. And if they found something interesting, they wouldn‘t necessarily tell us about that, but from what they are saying, no plans to continue those.
ABRAMS: Michelle Kosinski, thanks a lot. Coming up, more on the Natalee Holloway case. Just when you thought Investigators couldn‘t bungle it any more, you know, again, this thing about the lead Investigator‘s son, talking something about getting some guy arrested.
And ABC News under fire for video of a father beating his daughter. One district attorney says ABC should have told Police about it instead of saving it for a TV program. We talk to the D.A.
And our continuing series, “Manhunt: Sex Offenders on the Loose”, our effort to find missing offenders before they strike. Our search today is in Oklahoma.
Police need your help finding Peter Cramer. He‘s 45, five-nine, 187, was convicted of lewd or indecent acts with a child, has not registered his address with the state. If you‘ve got any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, 405-425-2500. Be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ABRAMS: Coming up, the latest arrest in the Natalee Holloway case. Was it good Police work or just fallout from a verbal squabble between two teenage boys?
(NEWS BREAK)
ABRAMS: Another arrest in the Natalee Holloway case and what seems to be another dead end to the investigation, a day after 19-year-old Geoffrey von Cromvoirt was released from jail after being labeled a suspect in the case. We learn that he may have been falsely incriminated by Michael Dompig, son of an Aruban Police commissioner.
We contacted Gerald Dompig and he wrote us back, -- quote—“I have no comments other than that my son was tricked into this interview. He was frustrated and emotionally vulnerable because the press bad-talked his father and told him that the other boy had also bad-talked him. In this state of mind he also said things, which he regrets and for which I have also publicly apologized to the other family.”
Is this as crazy as I think it is? Vinda de Sousa is an Aruban attorney, who has represented the Holloway family. Julie Renfro is the editor of “Aruba Today”. Clint van Zandt, MSNBC analyst and a former profiler.
All right. Julia, is this really as crazy as it sounds? That the son of the Police commissioner may have falsely implicated another kid because he was mad at him?
JULIA RENFRO, “ARUBA TODAY” EDITOR: I wouldn‘t exactly say it that way. I think that there were statements made by Michael Dompig that implicated this young man and there was a lot of speculation that this boy had spent some time with Natalee. So it was normal for the Police to pick him up based on that information, ask him questions...
ABRAMS: Right.
RENFRO: ... and as it turns out he wasn‘t as cooperative as the Police expected, which landed this kid in jail...
ABRAMS: Wait. Wait. Wait. Sounds to me, Vinda, like Dompig is admitting that his son made false statements. He said he‘s a kid, he got confused and frustrated and he said things he shouldn‘t have said, it went too far. One started talking about the other and the other talked back and it became something worse than a soap opera.
VINDA DE SOUSA, ARUBAN ATTORNEY: Yes, but I don‘t think that we can say that Dompig is saying that the implication that his son or whatever his son said about this young man, von Cromvoirt, that were false accusations. He doesn‘t say what it is that his son exaggerated.
ABRAMS: But everything he is saying is that he‘s sorry about it; he‘s taking it back. His son was tricked. He was frustrated. He was emotionally vulnerable. He‘s certainly not standing by the statements his son made.
DE SOUSA: You see we must keep one thing in mind, when this young man, von Cromvoirt was arrested, he was not arrested only on accusations or statements given by Dompig‘s son. There was more to implicate Cromvoirt and based on that that‘s why he was arrested.
ABRAMS: Do you know that to be the case, Julia?
RENFRO: Yes, I do. And I also know that there was also a taxicab driver who also gave a witness statement that also implicated this young man. This wasn‘t specifically about Michael Dompig pointing the finger at him. There was substantial reason for the Police to pick up this boy.
ABRAMS: I mean, you know look, I have been critical, Clint, of some people who I think overstate the blame that the Aruban officials deserve in the context of this investigation. I‘ve often said that I‘ve seen many Police departments around this country make the same mistakes...
experienced F.B.I. criminal profiler CLINT VAN ZANDT, FORMER F.B.I. PROFILER: Sure.
ABRAMS: ... that they made in Aruba. But with that said, you know I‘m listening to Julia and Vinda sort of suggest that you know look this happened. It‘s not that big a deal. I mean if this happened in the United States where the son of the Police commissioner leading an investigation made comments that weren‘t even—let‘s just say that they weren‘t entirely accurate—about this investigation...
VAN ZANDT: Yes.
ABRAMS: ... we‘d be going nuts.
VAN ZANDT: Yes we would. You know, a number of things, Dan. Number one, we‘ve got at least three different stories that implicate this man. Number one, there‘s this female cab driver who says that Natalee and her friends talked about this blond-haired, blue-eyed Dutch kid who Natalee really liked, was really hitting on.
Beth refutes that; Natalee‘s mother refutes the statements. The students in the United States refute the statements. Then you‘ve got another story that says the Dutch America‘s most wanted came up with this young man‘s name. And now we seem to have the reality that you‘re talking about right now, that the number two man in the Police department, the person who headed up this investigation for months, that there wasn‘t enough relationship between he and his 19-year-old son to say wait a minute son, if you get upset don‘t start name dropping.
You know, come to your dad. Let me tell you, you know take a drink of calm and relax a little bit. You know this whole case, and I know the Arubaans are trying and for your other guests I‘m not going to slam-dunk them, but somewhere, Dan, this case lies between either ineptitude, inexperience, or corruption. And you know where does it lie? Why are we...
(CROSSTALK)
VAN ZANDT: ... 11 months into this, nine people have been arrested and no one is charged.
ABRAMS: Let me give...
VAN ZANDT: ... and nobody...
ABRAMS: Let me give Vinda the response on that, then I got to—we will wrap this up. Go ahead, Vinda.
DE SOUSA: Well you see I still keep on repeating that our legal system down here works this way. When there is enough—are enough indications to implicate somebody in some crime, the person will be arrested and the investigation will continue.
ABRAMS: Yes.
DE SOUSA: When a person is arrested, it does not wrap up the investigation. It—actually, it‘s only starting then.
ABRAMS: Yes. Yes. All right. Well, I don‘t know. It seems like a mess to me, but we‘ll continue to follow it. Vinda de Sousa, always appreciate you putting everything into context for us and Julia Renfro, always appreciate your time as well. Clint, good to see you.
On 4-25 MSNBC reported:
RITA COSBY, HOST: And, tonight, a bizarre twist to tell you about in the Natalee Holloway investigation.
While suspect Geoffrey van Cromvoirt is now out of jail, it looks like the son of Deputy Police chief Gerald Dompig may have helped put him there.
Meantime, the prime suspect in the Holloway case simply refuses to back down from a civil lawsuit filed against him. Just hours ago, lawyers for Joran van der Sloot went on the offensive, demanding the case be thrown out of New York.
Live and direct is Joran van der Sloot‘s U.S. defense attorney, Joe Tacopina.
Joe, you‘re coming out swinging. Why?
JOE TACOPINA, DEFENSE ATTORNEY FOR JORAN VAN DER SLOOT : Well, I have a—an innocent client.
Factually, we‘re in the right. And, legally, we‘re in the right. This case does not belong in New York, period. And—and the law is on our side almost 100 percent. And the facts are on our side almost 100 percent.
So, we‘re coming out swinging. And this is—you know, the days of Joran sitting back and taking this are—are long behind us. And—and, you know, this is just our—our first salvo, I think, Rita.
COSBY: Well, you‘re quite fiery in it, Joe, as usual. And I want to show a clip, because you even name this show. You talk about a guest who was on this show, Joe Mammana, and some of the things that he said about your client.
Let‘s—let‘s take a listen, and I will get you to respond.
TACOPINA: Mmm-hmm.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE MAMMANA, PHILANTHROPIST: These three little pieces of trash over there, OK, that gang-raped her daughter, they need to experience a gang rape.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSBY: And Joe Mammana further says—let me show this to you—what he further says, Joe, he says: “They‘re punks. And they‘re cowards. And I still feel that way today.” That‘s a quote that he gave us today.
What do you make of those comments, Joe?
TACOPINA: We will deal with Joe Mammana and his—his—his—his style of being a philan—being a philanthropist by threatening people with gang rape at a later date, Rita.
COSBY: What are you talking about, Joe? Are you talking suing?
TACOPINA: But—but let me—let...
COSBY: Or what are you talking...
TACOPINA: Let me tell you why it‘s relevant to this proceeding and these papers.
COSBY: Well, can you answer? Can you answer me first? Why? Why?
What are you talking about doing?
TACOPINA: Yes. I think anyone who threatens someone with gang rape and calls someone a rapist is going to have to be held accountable for those words.
Now, when—when—the reason it‘s in these motion papers, your transcript is in these motion papers, is because one of the factors the plaintiff seeks to have this case tried outside of Aruba and—and kept in the New York courts, Rita, is because they—they claim there‘s this fear of Aruba, you know, that hostile island.
And—and—and our position is that this is a manufactured fear, and—and it‘s manufactured because, you know, the—the claim threats, including Miss Twitty‘s claimed threats that she received, which she say occurred in September of ‘05, she returned to that island in November of ‘05.
So, clearly, the threats didn‘t keep her from going back there then and—and shouldn‘t for this—purpose of this proceeding. Moreover, she has been—been—told a hotel manager at the place she was staying, at the Wyndham Hotel, Rob Smith, that she had just been threatened.
And—and Rob Smith—and immediately responded by saying, well, don‘t worry, Ms. Twitty. We have 450 video cameras. Let‘s go see the surveillance tapes of who threatened you.
And, immediately, she recanted and said, well, no, not this hotel.
COSBY: Now, Joe, I have a question.
(CROSSTALK)
TACOPINA: Now, the reason why Joe Mammana‘s quote is in there and your transcript...
COSBY: Yes, go ahead, real quick.
TACOPINA: ... is in there, real quick, is because, unlike unsubstantiated, manufactured fears, here‘s a guy who—who is part of the Holloway-Twitty camp, who has donated money to them, who has gone to Aruba with them, has been on your show with Ms. Twitty, is—is now threatening to gang rape my client if he comes to the United States, another reason this case belongs to Aruba.
COSBY: Now, Joe, what are you—Beth Holloway-Twitty herself—this is Natalee‘s mother—has also said that your client raped her daughter. That‘s obviously not a popular thing to do, is go after Beth Holloway-Twitty.
TACOPINA: Well, you know, I‘m not trying to win a popularity contest.
What I‘m trying to do, Rita, is, you know, pursue justice for Joran van der Sloot and his family.
COSBY: Are you considering suing...
TACOPINA: And I will tell you this.
Just—just turn—turn the tables for a second and imagine being the parents of an 18-year-old boy who did not do anything to deserve what he has got, who didn‘t—who had nothing to do with her disappearance, or her death, if that is what happened, and—and—and to be called a predator, a murderer, and a rapist. Be—put yourself in those shoes for a second.
And, as horrific as what happened to the Holloway family is, this is
just as horrific for the van der Sloot family, in the sense that they have
their lives have been ruined. And...
COSBY: But, Joe...
TACOPINA: And I don‘t mean to minimize...
COSBY: Joe, real quick, though...
TACOPINA: ... what has happened to the Holloways.
COSBY: ... are you planning on—on suing them, too? Is that an option for you, real quick?
TACOPINA: No, no. We are not—look, we have a lawsuit.
If this lawsuit is not dismissed, we will file counterclaims. We are not looking to—to prolong this tragedy for them or—or for my client any longer than—than we have to. I hope the lawsuit is dismissed. And, if that‘s the case, I‘m—I‘m sure the Holloway-Twitty family and the van der Sloot family will have no litigation in the future.
COSBY: And, of course, most importantly, we hope we get some answers to what happened to Natalee Holloway.
TACOPINA: Absolutely.
COSBY: Joe, thank you very much.
On 4-25 ABC News reported:
Does Justice Take a Holiday in Caribbean?
Americans Complain About Police Response to Crimes in St. Maarten
MIAMI, April 25, 2006 — - Ah, the Caribbean. Blazing sun. Blue sea. A carefree escape.
Until something goes wrong.
Brandie Black thought she'd found paradise when she moved from Fort Worth, Texas, to the Dutch island of St. Maarten to study medicine at the American University of the Caribbean. But in late February, Black got a harrowing look at the dark side of island life.
Black was asleep in her student apartment on the university campus. It was about 4 a.m. She said she remembers hearing a noise, and in an instant a man was on top of her tearing at her clothes. He was trying to rape her. She remembers screaming and fighting.
The assailant fled, but not before grabbing her wallet with $1,000 in cash, some jewelry and her digital camera. He left her with a black eye and, she would later discover, two broken ribs.
But that was only the beginning of her traumas.
In an instant, several students who were sleeping in neighboring apartments came to her aid. One dialed 911. The dispatcher told him that the Police had no one to send. Ten minutes later the neighbor called 911 again. Again he was told there were no officers available. When he asked for an ambulance he was told it would take an hour.
Several students bundled Black into a car to drive her across the island to the hospital. On the way they met the ambulance. But the attendants refused to take Black, telling her that because it was a sexual assault, they had to wait for Police.
"We told them that Police weren't coming," Black said. "Finally, they said they would take me."
She said it got worse when she arrived at the hospital. Because she'd been sexually assaulted, the medical staff would not touch her until the detectives arrived to gather evidence. Black said she believes it was around 6:30 a.m. that two Police officers finally arrived, but she said they showed little interest in her case. Eventually, the Police accompanied her back to her apartment where they took some pictures and made some notes.
Black said she has never heard anything more from the Police.
Several days later her credit card company called to ask about some questionable charges. She called St. Maarten Police to tell them the card had been stolen. They told her they had no record of her incident. Black said that with help from the school she filed a complaint about the way Police handled the case. She has heard nothing.
"I don't think Police responded properly to the incident," she said. "If I had been in Fort Worth and this happened there, there would have been three Police, two ambulances and a fire truck there in 20 minutes."
St. Maarten is part of the Netherlands Antilles, an island chain in the Caribbean that is both an independent country and a Dutch territory. Much like Aruba.
A Familiar Story
It was almost a year ago that the conduct of Police in Aruba became central to the mysterious disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. She was on the island with classmates celebrating their high school graduation. There has been no sign of her since the night of May 29, 2005. Ever since, Holloway's family has been on a crusade to find out what happened to her. Much of the family's anger has focused on what they believed was the incompetence and indifference of Aruban Police in the early days of the investigation.
It sounds all too familiar to Dick Jefferson. He is one of two American TV producers who were assaulted with a tire iron outside a bar in St. Maarten in early April. Jefferson said the attack was a hate crime: The men were attacked because they were gay. Jefferson and 25-year-old Ryan Smith were evacuated to Miami in an air ambulance. Jefferson had a steel plate implanted in his skull and more than 40 stitches. Smith is now recovering from brain injuries in the trauma unit at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital, where therapists are trying to help him recover his ability to speak.
Jefferson says St. Maarten Police showed no interest in investigating the crime.
"The Police response has been no response," he told ABC News just days after the incident. "The best way I can put it is that when the detective finally came after three phone calls to get my report, he asked me 'Why should I even bother talking to you? Are you guys even going to file charges? You are just going back to America.' Police were totally indifferent to the situation, the crime, or to the seriousness of it."
Taco Stein, the chief prosecutor in St. Maarten, said the response time in the assault case was not acceptable.
"I have asked the chief of Police to report to me why this happened," he said. "We need to find out what needs to be done to make it better."
Little Crime Means Little Experience
Stein notes that the assault happened very late at night. "The problem is that like everywhere in the world we have less Police officers on duty at 3 a.m. than in daylight, so that affects response time," he said.
That is a very real challenge for an island with 41,000 inhabitants and just 70 Police officers. There are only 15 detectives. Stein said most of the officers are trained in Holland, but he conceded that the very virtue of island's small size and the limited amount of serious crime is also a liability: Officers do not get the same practical experience that officers would get in Holland or the United States.
"If you only have one murder in your career, you have less experience than if you have investigated 20 or 30 murders," he said.
But Stein cannot explain the reluctance of Police to investigate the assault on Jefferson and Smith. St. Maarten Police spokesman Johan Leonard and the island's chief of Police did not return calls from ABC News.
Several days after the April 6 assaults, inspector Leonard told The Associated Press: "We do not take the ill-treatment of any person, whether resident or visitor, lightly, and we are pursuing this matter to find the suspects."
A report in the St. Maarten Daily Herald on April 24 said Police there have arrested two suspects in the beating case, but added that neither the Police or the prosecutor would confirm the arrests. The newspaper also reported that a third suspect -- thought to be the main suspect -- is still at large.
Americans 'Didn't Have Any Rights'
American Castel Santana has his own disturbing account of Police conduct in St. Maarten. He, too, is a medical student at the American University. He said he was attracted to the island because of its low crime rate, but he quickly discovered that is a myth. He -- and other students -- say crime is constant, whether it is the theft of motor scooters or drivers robbed at gunpoint.
On Feb. 18 he was in a car with a group of students heading back to the university after a day on a cruise. He says they were cut off by an angry driver, who began hitting two of the students. This time Police did arrive quickly, but Santana said instead of going after the assailants they handcuffed the students.
"The officer told me to shut up and that we deserved anything coming to us," Santana said. "While we were being thrown into the car I was repeatedly hit by the officer and called 'A piece of sh-t.'"
Santana said the Police put the students in a holding cell and refused to let them make a phone call.
"We were told we weren't in America anymore and that we didn't have any rights," he said.
The men spent the night in jail. Santana said they were threatened with deportation. The next morning they were told they would be released if they paid for the repair of their attacker's car. Santana said it became clear that the attacker was a friend of the Police officers.
A Tourism Investigation
Dick Jefferson said that two days after his assault, when he still had not heard from the Police, he got a call from a St. Maarten tourism official.
"She told me they [the Department of Tourism] were taking over the investigation," he said. "I couldn't help but laugh at her. It is ludicrous that the tourism department is trying to prosecute and become a Police department. They are not the experts -- they are the experts at getting tourists to the island. It's like saying you got hurt in Miami and the Miami Chamber of Commerce is investigating your beating."
Stein, St. Maarten's chief prosecutor, said he was not aware of that call. And he insisted the assault is being fully investigated.
"There is a lot of misunderstanding about our legal system," he said. "We have our proceedings more in the courtroom than in the public domain."
But that is little comfort for foreigners who turn to the Police for help. The wife of a medical student -- who did not want her name used -- summarized her experience on St. Maarten this way: "There is real harassment for the people who aren't local," she said, "the Police force here is horrible. They don't respond in a timely manner and when they do they treat us horribly."
4-26-06
On 4-26 the NEW YORK CITY “New York Post” reported:
SUSPECT CALLS NATALEE'S MOM A LIAR
April 26, 2006 -- A key suspect in Natalee Holloway's disappearance is trying to block a lawsuit filed in New York by her parents - by calling her mom a liar and refuting claims that he raped a female friend.
Joran van der Sloot's lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, says in court papers that it's absurd to try the civil case in New York when the defendant is from Aruba and Holloway's parents, Elizabeth Twitty and Dave Holloway, are from Alabama and Mississippi.
The papers include an affidavit from one of van der Sloot's female friends, saying she believes that she is the "Jane Doe" whom Holloway's parents claim was drugged and raped by the 18-year-old man.
"Joran never did anything to me that I felt was inappropriate, never touched me without my permission and never gave me alcohol or drugs," said the woman, Karen Martina.
The papers also try to debunk claims by Twitty that she is facing death threats if she goes to Aruba to sue van der Sloot, who has not been charged.
Tacopina claims Twitty lied when she said that a strange man followed her near a hotel during one of her trips to Aruba.
On 4-26 ARUBAAN's news-source "Amigoe.com" reported:
Free Zone Curacao spill for the counterfeit business’
CURACAO – From several interim investigations it turned out that the Free Zone in Curacao is a spill in the region for the business in counterfeit. The counterfeit products are forwarded to countries and islands in the region. The business in counterfeit brand name products has amongst others a negative influence on the tourism. Often, unsuspecting tourists come home with a pig in a poke or are fined when caught by customs in their own country.
“Unfortunately, our name-brand national ordinance does not consider the transit of counterfeit as an infringement on the exclusive name-brand rights of name-brand proprietor”, says Laurien Dumas, the Promes vanDoorne lawyer that represents SPI Spirits on Cyprus, the maker of Stolichnaya Vodka from Russia. Spirits International NV with the Russian Stanislaw Brasiler as director, who lives in Curacao is the local representative of SPI. The partnership is exclusively proprietor of the logo and text.
Custom officials in St. Maarten confiscated last week a big batch of counterfeit Stolichnaya bottles. They also confiscated dozens of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Coach and TOD’s imprinted counterfeit bags. Public Prosecutor Johan de Vrieze in St. Maarten is investigating the matter. The lawyers’ firm went by several shoppes in the Front Street in Philipsburg. “Many of them indicated that the majority of counterfeit products come from the Free Zone in Curacao.”
The Antillean Name-brand National Ordinance does not consider counterfeit transit as an infringement on the exclusive name-brand rights of a name-brand proprietor. Besides, transporting counterfeit products from Curacao to St. Maarten is not a transit, but import in the Neth.Antilles, which is according to Dumas indeed a name-brand infringement based on the Name-brand National Ordinance.
Business in counterfeit products cause damages to the name-brand proprietor and can in addition be a risk for the healthcare. It is also to the disadvantage of many honest local dealers, for whom it is almost not worth to continue to compete honestly. The income tax on counterfeit products is lower than on the real name-brand articles; also the government is being damaged by this business in counterfeit.
According to Dumas, it is obvious that store owners are aware of the counterfeit products that they are selling. Here and there in the Front Street you can see signs with ‘look-a-like bags’ or ‘look-a-like watches’ near the counterfeit products. Such products are often sold for a fraction of the real name brand product. “Evidently the store owners think: “The authorities do not take actions, thus we do not have to be afraid. However, such statement does not take away the wrongful character of the sale. Counterfeit simply brings in a lot of money. Criminal organizations are still dealing in counterfeit. It is very good that the customs department goes about this kind of business. We notice that more and more name brand proprietors, together with their local distributors, want to put money in tackling the business in counterfeit.” In order to bring a civil suit against the business in counterfeit in the Free Zone of Curacao, the Name-brand National Ordinance has to be amended and this is the responsibility of the government and the Parliament.
European Union: ‘Tackle the counterfeit’
The European Committee wants to harden the go about of counterfeit articles and name brand piracy. All the member countries have to merciless tackle the infringement on intellectual properties, reported today’s Financial Daily in the Netherlands. Euro-commissioner Franco Frattini of Justice presented his approach plan today. Counterfeit and piracy form a serious threat for the national economies and governments, he says. Currently, the counterfeiters get away with it because countries deal with name brand piracy in different ways. Besides the economic consequences, counterfeit can also bring health risks with it, for example by counterfeiting medications. The go about of this phenomenon is of vital importance for the EU. Frattini wants that duped parties can actively assist investigation services in their investigations. Companies that are involved in counterfeit should temporarily be closed down.
On 4-26 ARUBAAN's news-source "Diario" reported:
Natalee’s case is truly becoming like taffey
Also worse than a soap opera!
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Different reactions have come in with the claim of how the young Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was able to sleep with his pillow and blanket at the Police station, while other Arubaans...when they are locked up...have to sleep on a cement bed.
Meanwhile, the American press now continues to camp out in the direct area of Geoffrey’s home. Every one is trying to obtain an image of the family. However, from the US, producers of big programs such as the Today Show, as well as Good Morning America are looking for them in every corner to try to obtain an exclusive interview.
Tuesday, the American press focused on commissioner Dompig’s reaction, who issued a release to try to soften up the statements made by his son. The American press had a field day with this!
KALPOE ATTORNEY SEES THAT THINGS ARE STRETCHED OUT
In an interview with DIARIO, attorney mr. David Kock, who represents the Kalpoe brothers, described all the new events around the investigation of Natalee’s disappearance like taffy--stretched out.
He explained that it’s going to be 11 months that the case is ongoing, and there is no end in sight. He feels that the Public Prosecution has started to enjoy to detain people left and right, who ‘perhaps’ know something.
In the opinion of attorney Kock, what the Aruban investigative team is doing seems to be more like acts of desperation than anything else. Today it is exactly two weeks since the Public Prosecution let the program Opsporing Verzocht be transmitted to find tips, and nothing [has come of it].
Even the fact that they ran to get help from Opsporing Verzocht of AVRO-TV has gotten the attention of attorney Kock. Because, the Justice [Department] only makes use of this TV program when the Justice [Department] itself cannot solve a case and needs help to perhaps find something to solve the case. For the first time in the history of the Aruba criminal system, a TV program has been used…and only ‘this’ they have found?
Attorney Kock explained that the Kalpoe brothers have taken a different stance compared to other people involved in this case (DIARIO Ed – ‘Joran’). You don’t see the Kalpoe brothers everywhere saying something or giving interviews. They are not much in the spotlight, because everyone can see who the ‘real players’ are in this case.
The Kalpoe’s representatives indicated that they are not seeking contact with the American family, as they don’t find this is necessary.
The moment will come one day when the Public Prosecution has to arrive at the end of the investigation. If by any chance this is excessively delayed, perhaps the Kalpoe’s attorney could also go and request for a judge to put and end to this matter. They cannot stay one long year with the same thing [hanging] over their heads!
In the lawyer’s opinion, now in April of 2006…the Aruban Investigators are at the same place where they were at the end of June 2005. Nothing new has come, no declarations that have changed, really since the end of June…so they are still in the same position. ‘Nothing plus nothing, and still nothing’, mr. Kock indicated to DIARIO.
COMMISSIONER DOMPIG SAID HIS SON LIED
The former leader of the investigative team issued a release to say that his son unjustly accused Geoffrey. According to Gerold Dompig, the accusations of his son Michael against Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, were part of a dispute amongst acquaintances that escalated out of control.
‘He is a kid and he got confused and became frustrated and he said things that he shouldn’t have said’, Dompig stated to the Birmingham News . 'Things went too far’.
Dompig said that his son, who got angry due to accusations in the press, responded with certain conversations that he ‘heard of van Cromvoirt’.
One started to talk about the other, and the other talked back and it turned worse than a soap opera, according to what Dompig said. Dompig indicated to the newspaper that he apologized to the van Cromvoirt family, and asked to be transferred at the beginning of this case, because the case has seriously affected his family.
On 4-26 ARUBAN news source "Diario’s" JOSSY MANSUR reported:
Editorial:
Tacopina and his ‘model’ client
Yesterday, I heard Tacopina again on Court TV, and it seems to me that instead of telling his client to speak the truth, it seems like his client educated him on how to tell lies. It’s not my intention to maintain a personal debate with that lawyer, but to correct what he incorrectly says. I have nothing personal in this matter, this is a case that has to be solved on the basis of the truth of what happened with Natalee.
Tacopina accused me of ‘leaking’ the documents, as if he turned into a gypsy who in his crystal ball can look into the past, present and future. No, Tacopina, at DIARIO we were the last to receive the ton of documents we are now analyzing. He also accused me of ‘fabricating’ witnesses (the dump witness, the gardener), while it was an American former secret service agent who discovered them and brought them to Police, not me! His three lies (only yesterday!) were that I have something personal against Paulus, because of his involvement (?) in the case of some family member of mine. Nothing could be further from the truth, because when the case broke, I was not aware of Paulus’s activities; not me, nor the majority of the Aruban people.
I understand why Tacopina has to try to divert attention from his client and focus only on what’s good about him (of course he has good things and bad things). That Joran is a good student? Without a dount. That he’s a good athlete? Completely correct. That he would not go as far as to do anything bad? False! That he is a good kid, a rolemodel? False!
Tacopina must be used to American scare-tactics against people who stand in his way to impose the ‘sanctity’ of his client, but he is completely mistaken about me! He does not intimidate me and he’s not going to muzzle my mouth either. What I know to be the truth about the case, I will continue to put forward, whether he likes it or not.
What I don’t like about the interviews I have done on some channels is that they ALWAYS give Tacopina the last word. Why? How come I never get this opportunity and it is in this column that I have to rebut? I respect Tacopina’s duty to defend his client; I have consideration for his intent to whitewash, but not at my expense. And, like I said at the beginning, I’m not going to sustain a debate with him, because it doesn’t interest me and it won’t bring anything to solve the case either. We have to keep to concrete facts and not try to divert away from them trying (as he is doing) to defame the ones who can bring the truth forward.
Tacopina has a problem with the witnesses his compatriot brought forward? Let him deal with him, not with me. Further, the gardener’s testimony stands as valid and concrete to this day. He confirmed this in front of a judge. He passed a lie detector test successfully! Nothing of what he has said has been contradicted with solid proof to this day. We discarded the dump witness ourselves because he didn’t pass the lie detector test.
Now Tacopina wants to use his other tactic, that of ‘intimidation’, threatening that he will sue all those who ‘speak badly’ of his client! Well, let him prepare as many cases as he wants, they will not force us to ‘speak well’ of his client in the least. When Joran himself gives a categorical demonstration that he wants to start speaking the truth, we will change our opinion of him. To this day, there’s a concrete fact that neither Tacopina nor all the tactics he may use can change: it was in Joran’s company that Natalee disappeared! No one knows to this day how Joran got home in those early morning hours! He said that Deepak or Satish came to pick him up at the beach, but both of them categorically deny doing this. This is also on the tape! It could be that Tacopina comes forward with a rational explanation about his return home from the beach, Or was he not at the beach with Natalee?
When Deepak said to Joran that if they find the girl he will be locked up for 15 years, he wasn’t referring to a minor infraction punishment! In Aruba, the only crime for which you would normally get such a high and severe sentence is murder! As far as I know, there is no other legal infraction that would earn such a high prison sentence.
The day when Joran tells us exactly what happened to Natalee, I will change my opinion of him; in the meantime, it continues to be as negative as usual, without any concern for Tacopina’s threats. I don’t frequent the market where you can buy cheap phrases such as ‘he left her alone on the beach’ or ‘the girl wasn’t feeling well and wanted to be alone’. One wouldn’t even leave a dog on its own under these conditions; remember that it was a human being! And I am not willing to buy the story that Joran ‘left Natalee at the Holiday Inn’ either or that they ‘went with her to ‘see sharks’ behind the lighthouse’ (who goes to see sharks at this time of night, and in a place where these creatures don’t even usually go?); at least lie to us that it was Boca Mahos, a place where sharks go, not behind the lighthouse!
And what happened to the VCB t-shirt (uniform) from more than 10 months ago? I heard Tacopina say that the found important forensic information on it! The truth is that there was no forensic evidence found on the t-shirt, not even old traces of blood. Why they came up with this story, I don’t know, but it does not fit with the truth of what we know about the case.
I hope with all my heart that Joran is innocent, for his own well-being and that of his family, but please, prove it to me with rationality, not with intimidation attempts or threats. With this, Tacopina will not 'o to heaven and his client even less. All that he can provoke from DIARIO is a revelation of many compromising things (among them photos) which we have hesitated to publish, to prove that his client is not exactly ‘model’, fit to imitate. If it’s a campaign of DIARIO against Paulus and Joran that the lawyer is looking for, he’s knocking on the wrong door!
Lastly, his threat he will deal with Mansur later, leaves me completely with no concern. He can deal with me whenever he wants, but I won’t receive him with crossed arms. I also have his clients (Paulus and Joran) to deal with, now or later, for me it doesn’t make a difference. We know much more about Paulus and Joran than what Tacopina believes, or that we have let be known until now!
Finally, we have a saying in Papiamento that in many cases proves to be true: if you continue to scratch, you’re going to find many things that stink!
On 4-26 MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA NBC TV channel 12 reported:
Natalee Holloway's Mother Has Faith Her Daughter's Disappearance Will be Solved
Her mother says she has faith her daughter's disappearance will be solved.
Beth Holloway-Twitty was in Kentucky where she spoke at the 15th annual Kentucky Crime Victims Rights Day Rally. Twitty's daughter, Natalee, disappeared last May. Four men have been arrested in her disappearance, but all have since been released. [actually, nine men have been arrested and released; my insertion]
"I keep thinking it will end on day. And I really have enough faith that we will get to the bottom of it. But when it will end, I just don't know," said Twitty.
Twitty is on a speaking tour across the country. She's trying to warn teenagers and their parents about the dangers of traveling abroad. Twitty said not being in control is a foreign place is especially dangerous.
Twitty also said she doesn't hold out much hope that her daughter is still alive.
For 22 years Twitty was a school speech pathologist. In an instant her life was, as she puts it, "turned upside down."
Twitty says, "We are just so grateful, genuinely grateful for support people keep still giving us today."
It's that support that sustains Twitty.
Her daughter's case has created immense media attention, attention she neither shys away from nor apologizes for. "I don't look at it as if Natalee has taken attention away, I look at it as if Natalee has brought it to the forefront," Twitty says.
Beth Holloway-Twitty is being paid two thousand dollars and traveling expenses for her appearance. She says the money will go into the Natalee Holloway trust fund to help off set the expenses of hiring investigators and attorneys.
Twitty has made several trips to Aruba looking for her daughter. Governor Riley has even asked Alabamians to boycott traveling to Aruba.
May 30 will mark the one-year anniversary of Natalee Holloway's disappearance in Aruba.
4-27-06
On 4-27 FOX News GRETA VAN SUSTEREN posted an email sent to her “Gretawire” blog:
I believe Joe's [TACOPINA on 4-26, MY INSERTION] objection states that he talked to a woman who thinks she is Jane Doe. Karin Martina may not be the individual Helen Lejuez spoke of, and there were three women mentioned in John Q. Kelly's Complaint. I'm concerned about what Joe's objection says about Beth's claims she was threatened, although Harold Copus says he was threatened while in Aruba to stop investigating the case.
I agree with your statement the other day — it's time we get the facts on this and move on — for all concerned. Hard to watch Beth and Dave going through this.
Great coverage!
Lynn Luchtenburg
Chicago, IL
On 4-27 the GWINNETT COUNTY, GEORGIA “Gwinnett Daily Post” reported:
Group to help solve missing children cases
LAWRENCEVILLE - Headline after headline about children missing, abducted or murdered finally became too much to bear for former law enforcement officers Chris Bullock and Chris Walker.
Bullock, a former Investigator with the Union City Police Department in south Fulton County, and Walker, a former Fulton County Sheriff's deputy, said they had toyed with the idea of forming a volunteer organization a few years ago.
Then five months ago, they read about Sheila Howell and learned of her six-year struggle to find justice for a murdered daughter and 2-year-old granddaughter in a Gwinnett County death penalty case.
The two men decided they could no longer sit back.
Using their combined experience as Investigators, Walker and Bullock succeeded last month in incorporating a new Loganville-based nonprofit agency of trained volunteers. The group, called RECON, for Rescuing Endangered Children via an Organized Network, will team up with Police to help solve missing children cases, Bullock said.
So far, there are 12 volunteers who can respond almost immediately to any Levi's Call or Amber Alert issued in Georgia or a neighboring state. "The Chrises," as some have called Walker and Bullock, hope to grow their organization to at least 50 trained citizens in coming months.
"Our numbers will help the Police, and we aren't like typical volunteers in that we wouldn't cause an issue for them," Bullock said.
"It becomes a challenge trying to manage a numerous amount of volunteers. We train every quarter on how to respond to a missing child. It basically involves saturating an area, meeting away from the crime scene so we don't contaminate the crime scene, and starting research on registered sex offenders in the state of Georgia.”
RECON was formed in honor Howell's daughter, Jordan Land and her 2-year-old granddaughter Whitney, who were brutally murdered in 1999 in Duluth. Wesley Harris was convicted in November of kidnapping the pair from a Jonesboro park, shooting them, placing their bodies in the trunk of a car and setting it ablaze.
Howell was bitterly disappointed when two jurors held out against the death penalty and Harris instead received a sentence of life in prison without parole.
Shortly after the verdict, Howell joined RECON as the commander over the victims' rights unit. Howell plans to be an advocate for crime victims, and next year she will lobby the state Legislature to pass a bill that would change the law in Georgia to require a supermajority vote by a jury to secure the death penalty. The law requires a unanimous verdict.
"We want to change laws for crimes against children and also help prevent crimes against children," Howell said. "I want to fight to make changes so other people do not have to go through this."
Even though it is still a fledgling organization, RECON has already received support from authorities in Hall, Cobb, Forsyth, Paulding and Gwinnett. There has also been interest from residents of Louisiana and New York about forming RECON chapters there, Bullock said.
RECON is also partnering with T.J. Ward's company, Investigative Consultants International, and its nonprofit spinoff STARS (Search Team and Recovery Specialists). Ward became famous as the private Investigator in the Natalee Holloway disappearance in Bermuda and the Leslie Adams missing person case in Gwinnett.
Ward worked in the Union City Police Department with Bullock in the 1980s and early 1990s. Reached by phone Wednesday, Ward said he was happy to lend his company's expertise and resources. He will also make cadaver-sniffing dogs available to RECON if needed.
Anyone can join RECON, but volunteers must pay for and pass a $25 background check and purchase their own uniform. For more information and to download applications, visit http://www.reconsearchandrescue.org
4-28-06
****You can “bet the house” that some money-grubbing ARUBAN & DUTCH authorities have the Communist Chinese 1+ billion population and its money on its collective mind****
On 4-28 ARUBAAN's news-source "Aruba Tradewinds Times" reported:
China Wants to Make Aruba Its Gateway to South America
Kang Mei Group Impressed With Aruba, Prime Minister Invited To Visit China.
ORANJESTAD-The Prime Minister of Aruba, Nelson Oduber has received a formal invitation to visit the firm Kang Mei International Company based in the city of Chiu Chih-Huang, China. Kang Mei Group is busy in positioning itself strategically towards the Latin American market and is interested in Aruba as the Chinese gateway to South America.
Kang Mei Group visited Aruba in March 2006 and held talks with Greg Peterson (Director, Aruba Freezone) and the Prime Minister. The group is very impressed with the island infrastructure and economic performance.
The intention of Kang Mei Group is to organize a trade exhibition in Aruba in October 2006. The goal of the exhibition is to attract a hundred Chinese companies to Aruba to showcase their products at the convention center. The group hopes to attract hundreds of South American businessmen to the island for the trade-show in so to build business networks and close sale contracts.
Kang Mei Group will open two "Aruba Promotion Offices" in China, one in the megalopolis of Beijing and the other in Guangzhou (Kanton). The costs of the promotion offices in China are completely covered by the Chinese. The offices are part of the strategy to convert Aruba into the Chinese gateway to South America. The purpose of the offices is to convince Chinese businessmen to participate at the first trade exhibition in Aruba organized by the group.
Oduber is invited to officially open the promotion offices in China next month. The representatives of Kang Mei-Group have arranged a large number of meetings for the Prime Minister with top Chinese officials and business representatives.
The Chinese economy is growing at a very fast pace and the eyes of China are set on doing business with South America. Oduber will make use of the invitation as a great opportunity to build on solid economic ties between China and Aruba. One of the goals of Oduber is to diversify Aruba's tourism sector that is at present very dependent on the U.S.
Prime Minister Nelson Oduber will visit China in May with a delegation consisting out of 3 additional persons that include Augustine Vrolijk (Director Foreign Affairs), Frendsel Giel (Assistant Managing Director, Aruba Investment Bank) and Greg Peterson (Director, Freezone Aruba).
On 4-28 ARUBAAN's news-source "Amigoe.com" reported:
Own court of justice with mutual collaboration
ARUBA – For the optimum circulation possibilities for judges, Aruba wants closer collaboration with the Netherlands compared to currently. The National Government (Land) said that the organization of the judicial power is primarily the responsibility of the Land.
Aruba has described her vision in a note; the way she sees the judicial organization in the new political relation. First, each country is self responsible for the judicial power. The initiative for the government should therefore remain with the countries. In the new relationship, Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten have a court of their own. The current nomination procedure of the members of the judicial power is not under discussion, nor the interference of the kingdom due to the Statute. The courts assume each other’s task of appeal judge; a virtual court as appeal instance. This has many advantages. The distance in appeal cases between the citizen and the judicial power becomes bigger; a better guarantee for the image of the independent power. This construction will also create clarity in the legal position of the judges. They are then working for the country where they administer justice in first instance. Problems around the establishment of uniform national ordinances to arrange the legal position, will this way be prevented; also the problems around an equal treatment in connection with the several taxation regimen, premium payments, and for the social insurances, including medical insurance.
On 4-28 ARUBAAN's news-source "Amigoe.com" reported:
Number of passengers Aruba dropped vigorously
ARUBA – The airport of Aruba saw a drop of 12.8 percent in the number of handled passengers in the first quarter of this year. The number of flight movements dropped with 2.8 percent, announced the Aruba Airport Authority.
With 250,585 American passengers, the percentage is lower than last year in the first quarter, namely 15 percent. The number of passengers to and from Venezuela was 34,856, and Europe 26,636. The number of Colombian passengers went up with 9 percent to 13,424.
4-29-06
On 4-29 DALE NETHERTON wrote:
An Appearance of Innocence
Dale Netherton
April 29, 2006
There is a phenomena that takes place every day and appears to cast innocence on the practitioners. It is called ,” Show that you are doing everything you can so if something doesn’t get done the criticism will be minimal”. This is what is happening in the Natalee Holloway investigation.
If you review the “efforts” of the investigating authorities you see arrests that never materialize into convictions or even leads. You see investigators telling the press they are in the last critical phase of the investigation and then they step down. You see theories coming out of the blue with nothing to substantiate them and you see a known corruptive government playing the role of “doing all that it can” while coming up empty, offering inane explanations and continuing to snow a gullible American media that they are only doing the best they can.
This method is not new and it isn’t easily identified when people are willing to give the benefit of the doubt to those good at playing the game. In the business world you see the phenomena everyday. An issue will be apparent and a person who might be questioned about it scrambles to know if everything is being done so that an explanation can be provided in case a question arises about “what went wrong?” To make this clear let’s suppose a manager hears that a manufacturing plant within his division is having trouble with producing a certain widget. Since his plant also makes the widget, he immediately doesn’t want that issue to be one he will have to answer for so he goes to his underlings and alerts them to be sure they are doing all that they can to keep maintenance up, supplies plentiful and approved and everyone is following procedures. A more sensible approach would be to find out exactly what the problem is and concentrate on that issue but it isn’t problem solving that is the focus, it is CYA. And this is what we are observing in the Natalee Holloway case.
The natives of Aruba and those loyal to the island dismiss that the Aruban government could be corrupt as it would impact their livelihood and/or recreation and perhaps even put them in a position of suspicion by Aruba authorities. Corrupt governments operate via intimidation. But the only thing that is keeping the Aruba government from outright confrontation of their role in the disappearance of Natalee is the the blatant refusal of our media to consider the Aruba government had anything deliberate to do with Natalee’s disappearance. And this attitude is what is making the disappearance look like it is unsolvable. This is what the perpetrators want and they are succeeding because as long as they only look like fools trying to bumble along, no one questions their involvement. Much like the ploy of the King’s jester who could get away more than the normal citizen by feigning incompetence so too the persons involved in the Natalee disappearance are either directly deceiving investigators or telling them to keep the issue on the island but don’t implicate the authorities. Looking where she isn’t will never solve the case.
There will be those who read this and reject that a government could be so corrupt as to be in bed with say, a human trafficking ring. But this is a highly dangerous crime and since there are instances of other women “disappearing” and nothing is ever found to link the authorities to collusion (payoff), why are the girls never found? Perhaps all is not as it seems. Perhaps the buffoons are really corrupt and trying to cover their tracks by bumbling. all evidence so far leads to this conclusion. But the American media will only respond to direct evidence and evidently cannot hypothesize if it might affect their access. A true investigator would consider all possibilities and narrow the possibilities down to the most plausible explanation which would best explain all of the facts. None of the possibilities that exclude the Aruba government from collusion answer satisfactorily the lack of progress in this case.
There is only one way to get this case off the dime. That is to ask the Aruba authorities for an internal investigation. If they refuse that will only cast more doubt on their innocence. If they find nothing this will require them to expose their investigative findings and techniques for scrutiny. If they are not willing to do that, the world must ask, “ What do you have to hide?” It appears they are only stalling for time for the case to fade into hopelessness and unless they are confronted as possible collaborators.this possibility will not be explored. And this possibility at this point is the most probable explanation.
They will undoubtedly continue to arrest and speculate as long as they are under the gun but watch how that fades over time as nothing new comes up. You don’t get a rat to squeal unless you corner him and you don’t corner him unless you pursue him. If you assume he is innocent, he’s home free. Never give the benefit of the doubt to a rat.
On 4-29 “Riehl World View” wrote:
Unclear of the source for this below. However, as I posted before, there was an altercation at C and C the night Natalee disappeared. But I was told by someone there that the Kalpoes were involved and it was over a spilled drink, nothing to do with Natalee Holloway. I was also told of an altercation the previous night [May 28, 2005] when a tall Dutch kid, not Joran, approached Natalee and groped her while she was dancing. That would fit with part of this report below.
My info did come from individuals present at C and C both nights.
GVC [Murder Suspect Gottfried van Cromvoirt] was bothering Natalee on Friday night at Carlos N Charlies. She was dancing with another classmate and this guy (GVC) came up behind her and started humping and grinding on her back and groping her body. She turned around and yelled at him to leave her alone so he left.
[my insertions]
On 4-29 TITO LACLE stated to FOX News:
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE: Reporter Tito Lacle has been all over this story from the very beginning. We are lucky enough to have him live in the studio right here with us in New York. He is so close I can reach out and touch him
Alright Tito, who is “A.B.”?
TITO LACLE, REPORTER: “A.B.” is a person that was picked up, or asked to come over and give a statement. He was one of sixty tips that was given after the airing of the Dutch TV show.
GUILFOYLE: Really? So the DA got the call from someone who said, “Hey this jogs my memory about someone who might know something“ Wow!
TITO LACLE: If you remember from the show there was a drawing--a composite drawing of a person-- and that's the person. That's the person who resembles this person in the composite drawing and he was brought in. They questioned him and they said, “You know what? After six hours you can go, but you are a suspect now.”
GUILFOYLE: Do you know whether or not he was cooperative, because other people have been held a lot longer?
TITO LACLE: Yes, he was cooperative. That's the reason they let him go. Cooperative. He was talking after he gave information. They let him go because they did not have any legal means to keep him any longer, but they still think he is a suspect and he will be a suspect until the case is over.
GUILFOYLE: Well, people are doing the math at home. We are looking at possibly 8 or 9 potential people who have been called in for questioning and/or suspects. He remains a suspect but do others not?
TITO LACLE: Everybody that has been arrested in this case, with the exception of Paul van der Sloot because he fought his case in court, which is an option. Other people will remain a suspect, including the first two people, the security guards, if you remember.
GUILFOYLE: That's right. The two who were falsely accused.
TITO LACLE: Exactly.
GUILFOYLE: Will they still remain suspects?
TITO LACLE: Yes, because once you are arrested in Aruba you are officially a suspect--labeled until a judge declares you otherwise. You can remove that by either one of three ways; You can go to court earlier, like Paul van der Sloot did, to remove that, or, you can wait for the trial to show up or if the prosecutor decides to dismiss the case, or, they start over with another suspect.
GUILFOYLE: Alright, there are a lot of people's names they have thrown around in the investigation. I wonder from you, what if any importance they have to this case or relevance? Steve Croes--we have heard that he is friends with “G.V.C.” We have seen a photograph--we don't know if it is authentic or not--where those two have been together. Does he have any importance to the case?
TITO LACLE: He spoke his mind and got arrested because of that. It wasn't a smart move, but he is not really a clue in the case thus far. The only three people who will be clues to the case are Joran van der Sloot, and Deepak and Satish Kalpoe.
GUILFOYLE: Do they still remain the primary suspects in this case of her disappearance?
TITO LACLE: Those three remain the prime suspects--and the primal one, if that is the word--is Joran.
GUILFOYLE: OK, and what about what we have heard that there are possibly going to be 2 additional arrests, not “A.B.,” but 2 other people, who could be arrested and brought in for questioning in this case? And we also heard there might be connection with respect to DNA evidence or a t-shirt. Where do we stand with that right now?
TITO LACLE: The t-shirt is wiped out. That's the thing they brought up because the guy worked for the same company.
GUILFOYLE: “G.V.C.”?
TITO LACLE: “G.V.C.”--that is blown away. That is from last year. For some reason the press brought it up, but it is not related. As far as 2 new arrests; same story goes on--nothing happens yet, but, again, these 2 people--my sources tell me these that these people are not cooperating--will not be cooperating--and that is the reason that they are probably going to be picked up. But as far as their importance to the case; zero. They are not going to be the kind of people that you would arrest that would make the case--break the case--or solve the case.
GUILFOYLE: So these aren't the guys. We don't know if they are guys. Are they guys?
TITO LACLE: I cannot reveal that yet, but I am pretty close to that. We know--we almost know--who these people are, but they were involved somehow with information that they were not completely giving, and for that reason only they may bring them back too.
GUILFOYLE: As we sit here tonight, do you think we are any closer to solving this mystery, because we are coming up on a year?
TITO LACLE: The Police say they may have a case. The prosecution definitely thinks that they are going to solve it. It’s a matter of time--matter of weeks--the case should be over in about a month or two, and out there it is anybody's guess.
GUILFOYLE: And the defense says, “Our guys are going to be cleared,” I mean that is what they tell us.
TITO LACLE: Everybody says, there is no case. In fact, they don't ever think there is going to be a case.
GUILFOYLE: But it is out there, right? Well, we will see. Tito, keep us posted. Let us know if developments occur with the 2 new arrests in the case. It sounds like they will be peripheral players.
TITO LACLE: Correct.
GUILFOYLE: Alright. Tito Lacle live here with us in New York. Thanks.
Coming up; more of our exclusive interview with Joran van der Sloot's mother, Anita. Find out what she thinks about her husband's alleged involvement in Natalee's disappearance. You might be surprised at what she says.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GUILFOYLE: “The Lineup” is on the scene in Aruba. That’s right. Tonight, more of our exclusive interview with the mother of Aruba’s best known suspect, Joran van der Sloot. We asked Anita about her husband’s involvement in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.
(START VIDEO)
GUILFOYLE: What about the allegations about your husband, saying that he could have been involved in this...he could have helped the boys, perhaps that he said to them: "no body...no case," advised them about what to say, or sticking to a story?
ANITA VAN DER SLOOT , WIFE OF FORMER SUSPECT PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT and MOTHER OF PRIME SUSPECT JORAN VAN DER SLOOT : Paul, I know (or love...not sure which) dearly is the person, if Joran would have done anything wrong, he would have TAKEN JORAN by his shoulders and went with him to the Police station immediately.
GUILFOYLE: No matter what the repercussions?
VAN DER SLOOT: No matter what.
GUILFOYLE: Even if it involves putting his own son in jail?
VAN DER SLOOT: Exactly.
GUILFOYLE: Or charged with murder?
VAN DER SLOOT: Exactly. Yes. Paul always goes for the truth. He is a very sincere human being.
GUILFOYLE: That is a tough thing for people who might be thinking, “Wait a second. You are going to turn your own son in even if it means life behind bars?”
VAN DER SLOOT: Yes he would. He would. That is how my husband is.
GUILFOYLE: Do you think it is 100% untrue that he had anything to do with this?
VAN DER SLOOT: It was ridiculous. It was ridiculous. The arrest of Paul had to do with putting pressure on Joran, and they admitted that. It was very wrong to do. Paul never mentioned, "no body--no case." This was mentioned by the prosecutor--by Karin Janssen. Paul himself never said that.
(END VIDEO)
