Detailed Timeline.... July 6 - 10, 2005.... the start of the long road of the assassination of Aruba - Dutch "justice"

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

7-6-05
On July 15, 2005 TIM MILLER reported to FOX News that on July 6, 2005 he was informed that a “bone with meat still on it” was found by FORNARO while diving in the ocean. TIM MILLER stated the bone was taken to the authorities and the finders were told that the ARUBAN Police would “send it downtown”, but the person who could examine the bone and identify it as being human or not “was on vacation until next week.”
While snorkeling on July 6, 2005 about a “half-mile from the Marriott off Arashi beach,“ FORNARO discovered one bone in the ocean that she found “between 2 large rocks.” FORNARO describes the bone as being 3.5” to 5.0” long, larger at one end that was rounded “like a bone joint,” gray in color, and still had a “whitish tissue that was still meaty and flesh-like that was still attached to the bone.” When asked if she thought it was a human bone, FORNARO said, yes, she thought it was a human’s bone because the bone had not been cooked nor barbecued like an animal bone might have been if eaten as food. FORNARO wrapped the bone in paper, but even wrapped in paper she described its smell as so pungently bad and so strong that she had to put the wrapped bone in the trunk of her car while she and her mother transported the bone to the ARUBAN Police station in NOORD (the very same Police station very close to the Murder Suspects VAN DER SLOOT‘s home, and, the same Police station where the Murder Suspects VAN DER SLOOT‘s were arrested and held within). When she gave the bone to someone behind the “reception desk” at the ARUBAN Police NOORD station, the person who accepted the bone told her that the Police specialist who will examine the bone was on vacation, and that the Police detectives will be contacting her. On 7-13 while lunching somewhere, FORNARO noticed a “Texas EquuSearch” team member also lunching in the same place. FORNARO told the “Texas EquuSearch” team member about her finding the bone near the “Marriott Hotel,” she described the bone, and FORNARO said she had taken the bone to the ARUBAN Police station in NOORD and turned it over to the Police. The “Texas EquuSearch” team member asked FORNARO to show him exactly where she found the bone, and FORNARO did so. While at the discovery location they also found a pair of thong underwear and a yellow-colored hair “scrunchie.“ The same day the “Texas EquuSearch” team member asked FORNARO if the Police had contacted her. When FORNARO said the Police have not contacted her, the “Texas EquuSearch” team member asked if she would mind going to the ARUBAN Police station at NOORD and checking on the bone. FORNARO agreed. When she went into the Police station and asked to speak with a detective about the bone she turned in, the woman Police officer asked FORNARO (paraphrasing), “Oh, you mean the two bones?” As of 7-17 FORNARO has still not been contacted by the ARUBAN Police "detectives". (On 7-15 there was a CNN report that 2 bones were found at 2 different times by 2 different persons and that 1 of the bones has, supposedly, been determined to be from a donkey…. But that begs the question…. If the ARUBAN Police forensics bone specialist was on vacation, how could s/he have determined one bone was from a donkey, and why has not the other bone, presumably the bone FORNARO discovered, been publicly announced what type of bone it has been determined to be????) TIM MILLER stated the Police have never notified “Texas EquuSearch” about the bone. As of 7-15 TIM MILLER has not heard anything about the bone--if it has been tested?, testing results?, if it is human remains? etc. On 7-15 BADEN stated that “any physician could easily determine if the bone was human or animal.” BADEN called it “outrageous” that Police are dragging their feet about the bone. BADEN stated , “ARUBAN Police are not really on top of this case” also sighting the apparent lack of speedy interest in the bone and the fact that the Police should have been removing the cement barrel from the “Marriott Hotel“ water, not “Texas EquuSearch.” (FOX News GRETA VAN SUSTEREN also pointed out that the no one has said the bone is from an animal) TIM MILLER stated that an ARUBAN tipster mentioned they had noticed the barrel in the water around 7-1. BADEN indicated that unless a body in the ocean was in some kind of container, it would be mostly gone by now.
BADEN also reminded us that when Current Murder Suspect JOHNS and Current Murder Suspect JONES were arrested that it was reported almost immediately after their arrest that each of their body’s were forensically inspected for bruises, scratches, cuts, hair fibers, etc but it seems that when Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT was taken in for questioning, and even though several witnesses now have mentioned a bruise readily visible on Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT ’s face, nothing has similarly been stated that his body was ever forensically inspected for his or another persons bruises, scratches, cuts, hair fibers, blood, other DNA, etc., etc.
On 7-6 CNN reported:

KELLY WALLACE, CNN AMCHOR: And a desperate plea from Beth Holloway Twitty as the search goes on for her missing daughter Natalee.But first, these stories "Now in the News."
…
Coming up here on DAYBREAK, Natalee Holloway's family and friends try to do their best to keep their hopes alive in Aruba. We'll update you on the search and the suspect.
…
Turning now to the search for missing Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. The news is bleak for her parents. There is still no sign for the Alabama teen who went missing May 30 in Aruba.Her dad talked to our Meridian, Mississippi, affiliate, WTOK.(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE'S FATHER: Well, the FBI told us about two weeks ago that things didn't look good. In fact, they felt like foul play was involved and don't expect a miracle, that type of stuff. Of course we still hold one thread of hope that -- realistically, they told us that, you know, she's probably not alive.(END VIDEO CLIP)WALLACE: Meantime, the past few days in Aruba have been eventful and emotional for Natalee Holloway's family. CNN's Chris Lawrence bringing us up to date.(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Deepak and Satish Kalpoe arrived home after 26 days in jail, two mothers had almost opposite reactions. NADIRA RAMIREZ, MOTHER OF KALPOE BROTHERS: I can't even explain how I'm happy to see them, to hug them. LAWRENCE: Nadira Ramirez called her sons innocent. Natalee Holloway's mother called him criminal. BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, MOTHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: Help me by not allowing these two to get away with this crime to travel. LAWRENCE: Beth Twitty asked Aruban officials to notify the U.S. State Department if the brothers leave the island. TWITTY: I'm asking this in the name of my beautiful, intelligent and outstanding daughter who I haven't seen for 36 days and for whom I will continue to search until I find her. LAWRENCE: The judge ruled there's not enough evidence to keep the Kalpoes. They can leave the country, but their mother says they won't. She's even canceled a family trip to Suriname. Natalee's family is getting some help from a virtual eye in the sky. Holland has sent three F-16s to Aruba rigged with infrared sensors and sonar equipment. After a test flight Tuesday, they'll start searching the entire island tomorrow. Natalee's friends say they last saw her five weeks ago leaving a bar with the three young men. On the Sunday afternoon before their latest court hearing, police said all three reconstruct what happened the night Natalee disappeared. Step by step, investigators took them to several spots on the island, including the beach where Joran van der Sloot says he left Natalee alive and well sometime after 2:00 a.m. JOSSY MANSUR, "EL DIARIO" NEWSPAPER: They wanted to know for sure that Joran would take them exactly to the places that he said he took Natalee to that night. LAWRENCE: Prosecutors won't say why the judge detained van der Sloot and let the Kalpoes go. They say all three changed their stories, and other evidence does not support those stories. An attorney for one of the brothers says the longer you keep someone in jail, the stronger your evidence should be. RUDY OOMEN, DEEPAK KALPOE 'S ATTORNEY: My client's case was the other way around. The longer they stayed in detention, the more proof came out that they didn't have to do anything with the disappearance itself. LAWRENCE: That leaves Joran van der Sloot as the last suspect still in custody and the question of what happened to Natalee Holloway unanswered. (END VIDEOTAPE)WALLACE: And again, that was CNN's Chris Lawrence reporting.



On 7-6 CNN reported:

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: … Developments in the Natalee Holloway investigation. Can eyewitnesses link a car owned by the van der Sloot family to the beach where Natalee disappeared? Reaction ahead from Natalee's mother and stepfather.
(CNN did not report anymore on NATALEE during that segment)



On 7-6 CBS reported:

CBS Early Show
Natalee Stepdad: Mom's Plea Worked
Says Just-Released Murder Suspects Would Have Fled Aruba Without It
(CBS) An emotional plea from the mother of Natalee Holloway, the Alabama teen missing in Aruba for more than five weeks, seems to be a factor in keeping two newly-released suspects on the island, according to Natalee's stepfather. Natalee's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, asked countries Tuesday not to provide asylum to Surinamese brothers Deepak Kalpoe, 21, and Satish Kalpoe, 18, if they flee Aruba. The brothers were freed Monday by a judge who said there wasn't enough evidence to hold them anymore in Natalee's disappearance. Still in custody is 17-year-old Joran van der Sloot, son of a top justice official on the island, who authorities say admitted to being with Natalee alone the night she disappeared. The judge ordered that van der Sloot be held another 60 days. Beth's husband, George "Jug" Twitty, told The Early Show co-anchor Rene Syler Wednesday, "I truly believe, after seeing their lawyer on TV last night here, that (the Kalpoe brothers) did plan to go out of the country. And until Beth made her plea (Tuesday), that they've decided to change their plans and stick around." Holloway Twitty said, "There's definitely been a crime committed against Natalee. We all know that. When I say (the Kalpoes were 'involved'), I don't know to what degree. That is not up to me to have that Investigatory power to decide. But I do have information, and I know this. Those individuals have information. And you know, I don't think until we find Natalee, we won't know the full extent of their involvement in that crime." She said she can't disclose the nature of that "information" but adds, "I do know that they have involvement." Asked about protests by some 200 Arubaans who were upset over some of her comments in her news conference Tuesday, Holloway Twitty said, "Well, I hope it is limited to a small group and I hope that this dissipates quickly. Jug and I have tried to remain so respectful and, you know, the citizens here have been nothing but respectful and courteous to Jug and I since we've been on the island. And I hope that that is not something that is growing. And we never meant for this to happen."



On 7-6 TIM MILLER stated to MSNBC about a container they may have found in the ocean, “Well, it is possible there is something that is manmade, possibly like a container or something, that we are interested in. We want to find it. We—I certainly talked with the commissioner on this and let him know the interest that we had.”
On 7-6 NADIRA RAMIREZ told CNN that the family had canceled a planned vacation to Suriname so as not to give the impression that they were trying to flee.
On 7-6 SHELBY stated that the Dutch Ambassador to the U.S. has suggested that SHELBY get the U.S. Navy deep diving team involved in the search. SHELBY said he has written the U.S. Secretary of the Navy for that help.
On 7-6 PAUL REYNOLD’s stated to FOX News, “I am hoping that the people of Aruba understand that, you know, our focus is not on them. They are great people. They have been very compassionate. It is not even on the judicial system. It is those very few individuals that are responsible for Natalee's disappearance and the investigation. We have many concerns and questions about the investigation and how it is proceeding. It's—again, it is those few individuals. And we have to look at the investigation. People there think the F.B.I. was helping. The F.B.I. was refused in their offers of assistance. They think that the investigative team is accepting EquuSearch. And they are not. They are hindering them. There's many problems with the investigation. And that is my primary concern, that I have asked the prime minister and Dutch authorities to bring in—launch an independent investigation due to the potential conflicts of interests that we have there.” I mean, now, the F.B.I. agents are saying they are not being allowed to do anything down there. Everybody I talk to in Washington, D.C., is saying the same thing. There is frustration up and down the chain of command, because there seems to be—I'm not going to say it is a cover-up yet. It certainly seems like it's a cover-up to me. But something is not right down in Aruba.”
The prosecutor's office said Wednesday, 7-6, that no date has been set for a hearing appealing the decision to release the Kalpoe brother. The office declined to comment further.
On 7-6 MARIAINE CROES stated, “The case against them (the Current Murder Suspects KALPOE's) will continue as long as there is still a criminal investigation going. After the investigation is closed, the district attorney will determine what is going to happen then. They can for example be summoned, or their case can be dismissed.”
On 7-6 Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE's lawyers threatened to sue BETH about her 7-5 statements about Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE.
On 7-6 FOX News GRETA VAN SUSTEREN reported that she spoke with Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE in his home bed room and he claimed to her that he and Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT are no longer friends because Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT has made 14 different written and signed statements implicating Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE. FOX News GRETA VAN SUSTEREN reported that she saw no computer in his bedroom, and he told her that the ARUBAN Police still have it. FOX News GRETA VAN SUSTEREN reported that Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE claimed to her that while he was in jail he was shown Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT written and signed 14 statements by interrogators and he told FOX News GRETA VAN SUSTEREN that “he‘s trying to put me into it“. FOX News GRETA VAN SUSTEREN did not interview Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE.
On 7-6 the “East Texas Canine Search and Rescue” went to ARUBA. The team used ATVs to look for clues in the teenager's disappearance. They also covered much of the island on foot. After seven days, the crew came back to Lufkin, TX, still not knowing what happened to NATALEE. The ARUBA trip was the first time the East Texas Canine Search and Rescue team left the country to join a search. To find out how you can volunteer, call (936) 674-6926.
On 7-6 MSNBC reported:

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)TUCKER CARLSON, HOST (voice-over): A reporter goes to jail. Should the court be mightier than the pen? Plus, Aruba's angry reply to a mother's desperate plea. BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, MOTHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: I ask the world to help me. CARLSON: All right. Next situation, trouble in paradise. Still no trace of Natalee Holloway, five weeks after she vanished on vacation in Aruba. The finger-pointing is well under way. Protesters there are fighting mad at the missing teen's mom. They specifically object to Beth Holloway Twitty's statement that Aruba is letting criminals go free.GASPARINO: Well, it's so horrible that she said that.CARLSON: No, it is...(CROSSTALK)CARLSON: It's by turns amusing, however this whole thing—my favorite sign today was the sign outside in protest against Mrs. Twitty that said, “Respect our Dutch laws or go home.” (LAUGHTER)CARLSON: I'm not sure what there is—they seemed to have detained virtually everyone on the island of Aruba. I can see why the mother would have some concerns about the Aruban justice system.MADDOW: There are military F-16s flying grid patterns over the island. What else do you want these people to do?GASPARINO: Well, no, and they started really late, though. I mean, I think there's been legitimate criticism about the criminal justice system, that they waited too long, and that they, you know, may have let the killers go, or people that knew about this go. I mean, I think she's making—I think the woman made a legitimate point. I mean, these protestors are insane. I mean, you have to admit that.MADDOW: These protesters are offended that she's impugning the Aruban justice system. (LAUGHTER)GASPARINO: Can you imagine? She's impugning the Aruba justice system. That can't... (CROSSTALK)MADDOW: But listen, if you live in Aruba, you'd be mad, too.GASPARINO: Oh, really? No, I wouldn't. I think I'd be drinking a margarita right now.(CROSSTALK)CARLSON: Let her make a—Rachel, I want to hear you defend the Aruban justice system.MADDOW: No, but listen, the fact is...(CROSSTALK)GASPARINO: We all know it's one of the hallmarks of criminal justice across the...MADDOW: You can make fun of them all you want. But let me tell you one point. The fact that the mystery is not yet solved does not mean that the people trying to solve it suck. GASPARINO: Oh, yeah? Oh, yeah?MADDOW: It just means that the mystery has not been solved.GASPARINO: It means they do suck, I've got news for you.(LAUGHTER) MADDOW: No, are there any unsolved murders in the United States? GASPARINO: Oh, come on.MADDOW: How many unsolved murders in the U.S., how many F-16s are flying grid patterns over the crime scene? GASPARINO: That just shows that they suck. They're using an F-16 to find a murder suspect?CARLSON: OK...MADDOW: They may very well, but we don't know.GASPARINO: Fly a helicopter.CARLSON: More on the Aruban justice system tomorrow night, but now...


On 7-6 MSNBC reported:

JOE SCARBOROUGH, HOST: Tonight's top headline: outrage in Aruba, as protesters target Natalee Holloway's mother.
Welcome to SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY. No passport required and only common sense allowed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it is time for us to express some frustration and—and—and our huge concerns as to what is happening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCARBOROUGH: Rising anger in Aruba, as islanders protest comments made by Natalee's mom. But the family refuses to stop their search for their daughter and for the truth. We are live in Aruba with all the details.
Then, more on the amazing story of how little Shasta Groene survived a hellacious ordeal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE GROENE, FATHER OF SHASTA AND DYLAN: People like this should not be allowed out in public.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCARBOROUGH: Still, the question we are all asking is, why was this dangerous sex predator still walking the streets?
…
SCARBOROUGH: Hey, welcome to the show.
You know, there is a lot of activity going on in Aruba, a lot of it disturbing, as Natalee Holloway's family continues their desperate search for their missing daughter. But nerves are getting frayed. Some Arubans have taken to the streets after Natalee's mother called two brothers just released from prison criminals, this as a lawyer for one of those suspects is threatening to sue her over the comments. Clearly, tempers are getting very short in Aruba.
For more on the rising tensions on the island and the latest in this desperate search for an Alabama teenager, let's go to NBC's Ron Blome.
Ron...
RON BLOME, NBC CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Joe.
SCARBOROUGH: It sounds like things are really heating up in Aruba.
Give us the very latest.
BLOME: Well, they like to call this their slogan, one happy island.
But this fabric of politeness is what being frayed here.
There was a rally scheduled for last night for justice. But after Beth Holloway came on the air yesterday and was very direct in calling the Kalpoe brothers criminals who had been left to walk the island, well, this protest last night turned into something else. It was a protest against the media, and also against the very sharp language that Beth Twitty had used yesterday.
Today, she told me that she was not trying to offend the island, but she is not backing off her effort to try to bring back her daughter at all.
Now, of course, the Kalpoe brothers, who were released, the prosecutor has an option here. They can vote to choose to appeal that. And that is exactly what they did. They filed an appeal motion today. It has to be heard probably within about a week. Also, the attorney for Joran van der Sloot, whose client was held in for another 60 days, he said, I want my appeal, too. He should not be in jail. He should be like the Kalpoes and should be released.
All of these appeals coming together at the appeals court in Curacao next week. Now, the search goes on as well. The F-16s flew two more sorties today. They are carrying some very high-tech cameras in the pods. They said these were effective in the Balkans at trying to find the graves that resulted from the war there. And they're hoping that, if there is a grave on this island or in the waters around, it will help turn it up.
And that, Joe, is the latest tonight from Aruba.
SCARBOROUGH: Ron, it has got to seem surreal to this family. They are down. They're trying to find their daughter. They believe there may be a Caribbean cover-up going on. And they are the ones who are being attacked by the natives. Have you got any response from the family tonight? How are they handling it?
BLOME: They don't think they are under attack at all.
They think it is a small protest organized by a couple of talk radio stations that are trying to capitalize on the frustrations. But for five-and-a-half weeks, they have been out pushing hard for a solution to this case. And that has to grate on some people. And that is what we're hearing on the local radio. So, in the big picture, I don't think it is a big fissure yet.
SCARBOROUGH: All right, thanks so much, Ron Blome. Greatly appreciate that update.
You know, friends, Ron talks about the family. I have got to tell you, Natalee Holloway's mother has been doing a remarkable job down there. She is doing what we would hope our mothers would do. She is fighting for her daughter. She is fighting for the truth. She is fighting against what she believes is a Caribbean cover-up. She is fighting for justice.
But she is also being very tactful. Now, you know, the Arubans may be angry. Some of them may be protesting in the streets. But throughout this entire process, it has been very hard to get her to say anything negative about the Aruban government. It has been very hard to get anybody in Natalee's family to attack the Aruban government. And, again, for these 200 people to go out and protest, for others to be angry at what she is doing, well, I don't understand it.
One man who does understand it, though, is our next guest. He is John Merryweather. He's a former Aruban minister and was a participant in yesterday's protest.
Mr. Merryweather, thank you so much for being with us tonight. Tell us, why were you involved in that protest? What do you think that Natalee's mother did wrong?
JOHN MERRYWEATHER, FORMER ARUBA DIPLOMAT: Well, first—no, no, first of all, I'd like to answer why I was at the—not protest. It was a gathering in support of our justice system. It was not a protest. It never started out as a protest either. I would like that to be very, very clear.
When I was there, I hadn't heard what the comments of Natalee's mother either of the day. I was asked that after I was there. I went there. I was not part of the organization, but I went there in support of our justice system.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: What did she say that was wrong? What did Natalee's mother say that was...
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: No, what did Natalee's mother say that offended so many people in Aruba?
MERRYWEATHER: Well, you know, it—it—it offended me, also. You cannot—these two boys, I don't know them. I don't know the parents. I don't know anyone involved in this personally.
But our justice system, as yours in the states, you are innocent until proven guilty. This system of ours, whether you agree with it or not, whether you understand it or not, allows these people to be free at this moment, but they are not free of charges. They have not been exonerated from this case.
They have not been found innocent. They are witnesses. And they can be called upon at any time.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: OK, Mr. Merryweather, that is fair enough. I mean, that is a fair enough point. You're innocent until proven guilty.
Can you understand, though...
MERRYWEATHER: Yes.
SCARBOROUGH: ... why Natalee's mother and why a lot of Americans are upset by the fact that the three key suspects, the last people seen alive with Natalee, they were released for 11 days, allowed to get the stories straight, allowed to clean up the car, allowed to clean up their homes, and then these two Kalpoe boys that were released why, they lied to the police. They changed tear stories two or three times.
MERRYWEATHER: Yes.
SCARBOROUGH: And now they are walking the island. Can you not understand why some Americans are scratching their heads, saying what in the heck is going on in Aruba?
MERRYWEATHER: You know, first of all, this is not the United States. This—we are governed here also by Dutch law, Aruban law that is years and years older than the United States. And the Dutch law has proven itself over the years.
It is just the law of the land that we all have to abide by. I sympathize very, very much with Natalee's parents and family. We here in Aruba, I personally, my family, if we could go out and we could find the solution to this tonight, we would do it, because it is not only having an effect on them. It's having an effect on the whole community.
This is a small island and everybody is involved here and everybody is just as frustrated in another way maybe. But we want also—we want to have closure. And we would rather have closure that Natalee be found alive safe and well and go back to the states, but, in any event, closure, because this is disrupting the island totally.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: I'm sure it is, Mr. Merryweather.
One final question. Maybe you can educate it, because you say Dutch law is older than American law.
MERRYWEATHER: That's right.
SCARBOROUGH: So, maybe you can educate us and help us understand why you would have the three key suspects, the three guys last seen with Natalee Holloway the night she disappeared, walk the island free for 11 days.
Explain how the maturity of Dutch law allows that to happen in a way that we Americans with our—gee, it's only 220 years old—and the American legal system doesn't understand it?
MERRYWEATHER: Well, I didn't mean that as an insult either or a gibe.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: No, no, no. I am just trying to figure out, though, why do you let them walk for 11 days?
(CROSSTALK)
MERRYWEATHER: That—only the people involved in the investigation and, in accordance with the , can tell you, they have to present evidence to the courts to be held to begin with.
And each time, they have an extension. And at a certain moment, if there is no more evidence, no more new evidence to hold them, they have to be let free until such time—when I say let free, they are not free of the case. They are not free of the case.
SCARBOROUGH: Right.
MERRYWEATHER: They are still part of the case.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: They are still possible suspects, what you are saying, but they still may—they may be suspects, even though they are walking.
(CROSSTALK)
MERRYWEATHER: Yes.
Look, even if—there is an appeal. The—the—the—the Justice Department appeals them walking free. This now comes in front of three judges. And I understand it may be as soon as Friday.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: All right, thank you so much, Mr. Merryweather. We greatly appreciate it.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: If the three judges find there's justification, they walk or they may go back in.
MERRYWEATHER: If the three judges find justification, they will go right straight back to jail.
SCARBOROUGH: All right, thank you so much, Mr. Merryweather. We know you live on a great island. Everybody has called Aruba the happy island. I have got friends that have visited there, say it is very safe. It's a wonderful place. That is why I'm so hurt and why a lot of Americans are hurt that we don't think we are getting the answers that we deserve.
Now, we have got a lot more to come from Aruba, including whether the United States Navy may get involved in the search for Natalee. Also, EquuSearch goes underwater. They have got new details and they may have found something today that will lead to a break in this case. And we will tell you about it right after the break.
And then to the incredible survival story of Shasta Groene. We're going to have all new details that could get the predator who kidnapped her the death penalty.
Don't go away. SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY is just getting started.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCARBOROUGH: Florida is bracing again. My hometown is bracing again, as hurricane season comes early. Dennis is targeting Florida and my hometown again—a live report on the storm, a look ahead at what may be the worst hurricane season ever.
Stay with us. That's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWS BREAK)
SCARBOROUGH: Linda Allison is with us here now. She's of course Natalee's aunt.
Linda, thank you so much for being with us tonight. We greatly appreciate it.
LINDA ALLISON, AUNT OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: Thank you again, Joe.
SCARBOROUGH: I just—I just had a bit of a fight with an Aruban official, who basically justified the Aruban island going after, going after Natalee's mom.
You weren't a part of that. You don't know what is going on as far as that goes. You continue to search. Tell me, what are the spirits of the searchers? What is left to search on the island?
ALLISON: We still have very many areas to cover on this island. When people say it is only 19 or 20 inches—I'm sorry -- 19 or 20 miles wide by five to six miles, it's still a lot of geography to cover. The terrain is very difficult to get through, a lot of undergrowth, I just a lot of cacti, thorns, that sort of thing. It's difficult to search.
SCARBOROUGH: Linda, obviously, a lot of reports today about protesters today going after Beth, criticizing her for being aggressive for attacking the two boys released.
Tell me, what are you sensing as you move about the island? Are you sensing a backlash? Are you getting a lot of help from Arubans in this search for Natalee?
ALLISON: Well, I think the people that are protesting is a very small number, because the people that I encounter across this island are very friendly. They're very supportive. Their heart goes out to us.
They are telling us they are praying for us, that they want us to find Natalee. So, I think this group that may be protesting is just a very, very small portion of the general population. And I don't think that is the general consensus of this total population.
SCARBOROUGH: Final question. I see a ribbon on your shirt. Tell me about it.
ALLISON: I'm sorry?
SCARBOROUGH: I see a ribbon on your shirt.
ALLISON: Oh, the ribbon, the pink ribbon.
SCARBOROUGH: Yes. Tell me about it.
ALLISON: EquuSearch put some ribbons together today—or at least they have had them together. And today, when I was helping with the search with EquuSearch, I obtained this pin from one of the ladies that's involved with EquuSearch.
SCARBOROUGH: All right.
ALLISON: Just as a remembrance of Natalee and that we're trying to find her.
SCARBOROUGH: All right. Thank you so much, Linda. We really appreciate you coming out again tonight, telling your story and also obviously the story of Natalee.
ALLISON: Thank you so much.
SCARBOROUGH: All right.
Now let's bring in Natalee's uncle, Paul Reynolds.
Paul, last night, we had you on. You revealed to us first, before anybody else, that you were sending a letter to the editor of several newspapers down in Aruba. Can you tell me, what kind of reaction has that letter that you sent gotten so far?
PAUL REYNOLDS, UNCLE OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: I haven't heard any reaction. But, certainly, I am hoping that the people of Aruba understand that, you know, our focus is not on them. They are great people.
They have been very compassionate. It is not even on the judicial system. It is those very few individuals that are responsible for Natalee's disappearance and the investigation. We have many concerns and questions about the investigation and how it is proceeding.
SCARBOROUGH: You know, Paul, you talk about a small group of people.
Are you talking about the three boys and Mr. van der Sloot?
REYNOLDS: Well, certainly, the three boys are the original suspects, the ones that were identified the day of Natalee's disappearance. They are, of course, the focus.
The two that were released, they did commit a crime, whether you call it obstruction of justice or interfering with an investigation. And when you are looking at a potential kidnapping or homicide, those are serious charges.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: And, of course, there are charges they lied about—they lied. They changed their story. They are the last ones seen with Natalee. I can't believe these guys are walking around out there.
But I want to ask you this question. Can you believe tonight, after all the hell that you have gone through, your sister has gone through, your family has gone through, that there are actually people on the island of Aruba, including a former diplomat who with us early in this show, that are actually targeting your sister for criticism?
REYNOLDS: They simply don't understand, you know, the focus of our concerns.
It's—again, it is those few individuals. And we have to look at the investigation. People there think the FBI was helping. The FBI was refused in their offers of assistance. They think that the investigative team is accepting EquuSearch. And they are not. They are hindering them.
There's many problems with the investigation. And that is my primary concern, that I have asked the prime minister and Dutch authorities to bring in—launch an independent investigation due to the potential conflicts of interests that we have there.
SCARBOROUGH: And they are not doing it, obviously.
I mean, now, the FBI agents are saying they are not being allowed to do anything down there. Everybody I talk to in Washington, D.C., is saying the same thing. There is frustration up and down the chain of command, because there seems to be—I'm not going to say it is a cover-up yet. It certainly seems like it's a cover-up to me. But something is not right down in Aruba.
Final question. How is your sister handing the criticism? Here, she has lost her daughter. She don't know if she is dead or alive. She don't know where she is. She is going through this personal hell and now she is being attacked by some people on the island. How is she holding up tonight?
REYNOLDS: Well, again, she has to go back to her faith and her hope and her love of her daughter. But, like Linda said, so many people down there greet her like they greeted me, with respect and compassion and genuine concern for Natalee's return.
SCARBOROUGH: Has Beth always been this tough?
REYNOLDS: I didn't—I didn't—I guess I didn't always know it, but she is a great person. She is a great sister.
SCARBOROUGH: She is, and she is tough.
Hey, thanks a lot. Greatly appreciate you being with us again, Paul. And we will stay—we will stay on top of the Aruban officials and get their response to your letter.
REYNOLDS: All right. Thank you.
SCARBOROUGH: Now let's turn to Tim Miller. He of course, is a leader of the volunteer team teaching for Natalee.
Tim, we understand you could have made what may be an important discovery in the waters off of Aruba. Tell us about it.
TIM MILLER, FOUNDER, TEXAS EQUUSEARCH: Well, I mean, we certainly don't want to get anybody excited. We found some things out there with a sidescan sonar in very, very rough waters, very dangerous diving conditions. Our divers have been in. They can't be in there very long. It's very dangerous.
SCARBOROUGH: What did you find?
MILLER: We are going to go back out tomorrow morning.
Well, it is possible there is something that is manmade, possibly like a container or something, that we are interested in. We want to find it. We—I certainly talked with the commissioner on this and let him know the interest that we had.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: Where is the container? Do you -- do you have something that looks like a manmade container that is actually at the bottom of the ocean?
MILLER: Well, it is at the bottom of the ocean. It appears to be something like that. And, again, we are not getting people excited. We may have some other equipment coming in from the states to, you know, research this a little bit more and get a better look at it.
But our divers are going in tomorrow. Hopefully, we can—we can get it and we can—we can bring it up. And, you know, it's—this whole thing is a process of elimination and we are just now trying to eliminate things. I mean, there was an area on land that we were excited about that truly looked like it could possibly be a fresh grave site. They took dogs up there. They showed some type of an interest and dug into it. And it was nothing. So, you know, there's a lot of highs and lows.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: You the—yes, you just never know, Tim.
What about Senator Richard Shelby, the senator from Alabama now talking about the U.S. Navy coming down and helping in the search. How big of a help would that be?
MILLER: Well, they have certainly got some equipment that we have asked for to put out in the waters. And that would make our life a lot of easier.
The sidescan sonar in the rough waters didn't work as well as we wished it would have worked. But it did pick some things up that we are interested in. And we are going to dive it. So, additional equipment we are bringing in. And, you know, we have got a lot of work to do yet. And there is a lot of frustrations on the searchers' part.
At the end of the day, they feel like they didn't accomplish anything. And we have just got to let them know what a wonderful a job they have done, because we know we're not—Natalee is not at. And, as long as we know where she is not at, there is still that very, very slim chance she is alive out there.
SCARBOROUGH: Yes.
MILLER: So, we have not given hope up on that. It is hard to hold on to, of course.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: Yes.
MILLER: But...
SCARBOROUGH: But you just can't do it. You can't give up hope, Tim, because, as you know better than anybody else, it's a process of elimination.
Tim Miller, thanks so much for being with us tonight. Greatly appreciate all of your work down there. And we are going to stay on top of this story...
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: ... and go back to you tomorrow. Let's hope we get some news that we can pass along to the American people that will finally bring some closure to this case.
MILLER: Thank you so much.



7-7-05
On 7-7 it was reported that the Hixon, Tennessee-based, “Tennessee Search and Rescue Dog Association” team of 3 divers, a search dog and her handler were requested by Aruban officials to help in the search for 18-year-old NATALEE Holloway said Jimmie Canfield, a member of the “TSRDA.” "Their (’Texas EquuSearch‘) resources are running out. Some of the searchers have to go back to their jobs," Canfield said. "They need a new wave of resources." The Chattanooga-based search team is expected to assist in the Holloway investigation for six days. Divers Dale Hicks and John Scruggs are experts in collecting evidence during dives. Lisa Canfield said authorities in Aruba contacted them because they believe the team's nationally certified canine could help. Lisa said that two divers were originally scheduled to go, but they did not because of severe hurricane remnants weather there.
On 7-7 Forensic Dr, BADEN stated that if a body has been in the ocean for a month that there might not be much left of it due to marine life activities and oceanic turbulence, etc. If a body has been buried for a month it stands a much better chance of yielding clues to Investigators as a body decomposes about 5 to 10 times slower if it is buried, versus if it is exposed to the ocean or just on top of the ground. BADEN also said that sometimes when a hurricane storm passes through an area that is suspected to contain a body that the storm can actually help reveal the body. (there is another storm, Hurricane Emily, forming north of Aruba that is predicted to be somewhat close to Aruba)

7-8-05
TOM GLEBUS, a search and rescue person helping search for NATALEE in ARUBA wrote:

On July 8-12, 2005, VideoRay was invited by the Florida State University Underwater Crime Scene Investigation team to assist them in the search for Natalee Holloway in Aruba in underwater areas that have been otherwise inaccessible to search teams that were already there. These locations included a shoreline cave, a lagoon and a quarry. Texas EquuSearch is the organization that is leading the search effort. PURPOSE & DISCLAIMER This posting is intended to discuss the strategies, tactics and techniques involved in the search for Natalee and to benefit those who find themselves in search and rescue and recovery operations. This posting is not intended to provide any speculation or news about the disappearance of Natalee Holloway or any of the suspects involved. Please keep postings on-topic. DEDICATION This posting is dedicated to Natalee Holloway and her family. They have my deepest concern and sympathy. Please pray for them. BACKGROUND Aruba is about 20 miles long by 6 miles wide, and is located off the North coast of Venezuela. The island runs NW-SE and the Eastern shore is rocky coral with very rough surf. The Western shore is sandy, flat and with very little surf. The climate is hot and arid – it is South of hurricane alley and gets little rainfall. There is usually a steady breeze of 10-20 knots blowing from the East. The terrain is flat with the exception of a prominent, centrally located 600' (180m) peak. Vegetation is low and scrubby. Natalee Holloway was last seen on May 30th leaving Carlos' N Charlie's in the company of three men (see http://www.texasequusearch.org/missing_persons/NataleeHolloway.htm). Carlos' N Charlie's is in Oranjestad, which is located a little North of center on the Western shore. Statements have been made that she visited the California Lighthouse on the Northwest tip of the island after leaving Carlos' N Charlie's. Texas EquuSearch has been searching many ground locations for more than three weeks using trained crews with dogs and other methods. More than 70 persons from many locations have participated on site at some point in time. They had identified several underwater locations including a shoreline cave on the North coast, a lagoon, and a quarry that was filled with heavily silted water. DAY 1 - July 8 I arrived in the evening carrying a VideoRay Pro III with manipulator, Tritech sonar, Desert Star Pilot positioning system, TDS with 250' neutral tether, 250' negative tether and 100' performance tether, an integrated control box with 15" display, a GVD 1000 mini-DV recorder, 800 Watt inverter, digital camera, laptop PC, a pair of 2 way radios, binoculars, toolkit and other miscellaneous supplies. Personal gear included a rain poncho, outback hat, sunscreen, insect repellent and extra clothing, such as shoes. The first problem encountered was transporting all this gear while traveling solo. I either had to locate a cart, or shuttle a few bags at a time and go back for the rest. If anyone has any suggestions for transporting gear efficiently, please reply. I met some of the crew and received a briefing about the next day’s operations.



On 7-8 BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY gave an apology to the ARUBAAN's via the media for her criticizing the way ARUBAN authorities are handling the investigation, saying she spoke out of fear and frustration following the release of two brothers who have been connected to the case. Later that day she also told MSNBC that she still believes Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , Current Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE , and Current Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE all know what has happened to NATALEE, and BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY stated "We can only hope that we will have justice.”
On 7-8 it was announced that 3 judges will hold appeal hearings on 7-12 to either free or retain Prime Murder Suspect JORAN VAN DER SLOOT , and to take back into custody Murder Suspect DEEPAK KALPOE and Murder Suspect SATISH KALPOE or let them remain free. (still undetermined is will the previous hearings judge be one of the 3)
On 7-8 (the day of the 4 terrorists bombings in London that murdered 50 Londoners) JUG TWITTY stated to MSNBC, “But our hearts, our thoughts and prayers are to the people in London, first of all, because they told us today, you know—or yesterday, when it happened, we saw it. And we don't we don't care about having cameras here. We don't care about the press here. Everybody knows about Natalee. Everybody's trying to help us. The people in the United States are really helping us, the senators, everybody. But our thoughts and prayers are for London. But, you know, Senator Shelby, Senator Sessions, Senator Trent Lott, I mean, there's tons and tons of people in the United States that are helping us down here. And thank God for them and thank God for the community of Mountain Brook, which is the best community in the United States to live in. If we didn't have them, we wouldn't be where we are. We wouldn't have the support and the strength that we have to do what we're doing.”
On 7-8 “Holiday Inn” security guard SOLVERT RENESKA gave the following statements to his ARUBAN Police Interrogators:
(Thank You and Hat Tip to the “Scared Monkeys blog" and “Debbie”)

PROCES – VERBAALWe, Dennis Dominico JACOBS and Zoraida Megaly de CUBA, head agents at the Korps Police Force Aruba, former classified at the Atraco team and last mentioned at the research classified (RST), explain the following:On July 08, 2005, around 12:15, we interrogated and took a witness statement from the man called:Solvert RENESKA,born at Gonave in Haiti on October 04, 1959, of profession guard (pro Security) and living at Dominicaweg xxxxxxxx on Aruba.The declaration was taken in Spanish and translated to Dutch by me, JACOBS, it was put on record and sounds as follows:On your question if I on May 29, 2005 and/or on May 30, 2005, worked as a guard at the Holiday Inn Hotel, I will answer you the following:I worked on Sunday, May 29, 2005, from 16.00, till 24.00, at the Holiday Inn Hotel. Thereafter, I worked on Monday, May 30, 2005, from 00.00 up to and including 08.00, also at the Holiday Inn Hotel. On Sunday, May 29, 2005, I worked from 16.00 up to and including 24.00, as a guard at the "Iguana bar" of aforementioned hotel. After my evening shift had expired I remained also and continued working the night duty shift at the “Iguana Bar”. Therefore I worked from Sunday May 29, 2005 from 16:00 up to Monday May 30, 2005 at 08:00, at the "Holiday Inn Hotel".On your question if I had problems on Sunday May 29, 2005 and on Monday, May 30, 2005, during my shift with the group of American students who were staying in the hotel, I will answer you the following:On Monday, May 30, 2005, around 00.00, I saw a group of these American students swimming naked in the sea off the Holiday Inn Hotel. I didn’t see from direction they came or what they wore to the sea. I saw that this group students at around 02.30, left the sea and I saw that a couple of these students walked to the “Jacuzzi”. I also was a couple others walk to the “Curacao Tower” and that the others to the “Bonaire Tower” walked. I cannot say how many persons were swimming naked because I didn’t count them.On your question if I saw the man named “M” on Monday, May 30, 2005, in the night time hours, on the sand of the Holiday Inn Hotel, I can answer you yes. On that day around 01.00, I saw that "M." with the slim white man who wore a hat on his head, walking in a northern direction on the sand in the direction of the “Moomba Beach”. Because I had learned from third parties that “M” was a dangerous robber, I contacted with my portofoon (walkie talkie?) the guard who was monitoring at the Curacao Tower and told him to look out because “M” was in the vicinity. A couple minutes later saw I that "M" and the slim white man returned products in beside the "Iguana bar" stood. I walked up to them and I greeted "M". "M" looked straight at me and asked my why I followed him. I told “M” to tell him to have a good evening."M" answered that I was a klootzak (?). I said to "M" that all I did was greet him and he insulted me."M" asked me then if I was inhabitant of Haiti and I answered that him, no I was not an inhabitant of Haiti. “M” went then to the water cooler to drink water and then walked away with the slim white man in an Eastern direction towards “Playa Linda”. I must note that this was the first time that I have ever seen the slim white man with “M” (With "M" the man "M. CELAIRE" are meant; observation JACOBS.)On your question if I walked later in the night time hours with the guard "CANCHANO" to the swimming pool, because CANCHANO saw two unknown men under a hut, I will tell you that I no longer remember this. I also no longer remember at this moment that CANCHANO at that moment had told me to look out for “M”. (With CANCHANO the witness "J. CANCHANO" are meant; observation JACOBS)On the same day around 02.30, I saw that "M" walking with the slim white man from the northern direction to the direction of the “Marriott Hotel” met and with the slim white man stood under a hut. I must note that at this same moment a group of the American students came naked out of the water on the sand and were putting their clothes on.It is remarkable that from that day on Monday, May 30, in the night time hours, "M" and the slim white man have not been seen again on the sand of the Holiday Inn Hotel.I remember also that this was the day that the American girl “Natalee HOLLOWAY” also at the “Holiday Inn Hotel” went missing.On your question if I know the name of the slim white man, I answer you no.On your question if I know the man nicknamed “G” or “J”, who is regularly at the Holiday Inn hotel, answer I you no. On your question if I was approached on Monday, May 30, 2005, in the night time hours, by a couple who were also staying in the Holiday Inn Hotel, with a story about two men and a drunk girl were on the sand north of the hotel stumbling or falling, answer I you no. Nobody approached me with this story.The couple must specifically say who they had reported this to. You must ask this also of the other guards. I did not hear it from the other guards either. The guards names are "Ramon", "Campo", “Arroyo", “Perez Ramirez”, "Stewart" and "Canchano“ had night shift at the Holiday Inn Hotel.This is my true statement. If you have more questions, I will be prepared to answer them.S. RENESKAAfter I, JACOBS, read the declaration to the witness S. RENESKA in Spanish, I translated it and he agreed to sign it.Of what our, statement, on oath of office made up this warrant, and has been signed at Oranjestad on July 08, 2005 and has been closed,Signed,DD JACOBS Z.M. THE CUBA



On 7-8 a “Christian Science Monitor” article stated, “When asked, dozens of residents across the island reported more resentment over the heightened media focus on their otherwise peaceful island of 100,000 inhabitants rather than unease over the possibility of a murderer on the loose”
On 7-8 JUG TWITTY stated to MSNBC, “The one thing that I've pressed for that I think, you know, would really give us an answer is the so-called judge, Joran van der SLOOT, the two boys, Deepak and Satish, I can't understand why—if they want us to bring this to close and they want us to leave the island and they want to get an answer and everybody go home, they should take these people, at least the judge to start with, and give him the voice overlay, the—similar to a polygraph test. But, if he has nothing to hide, why won't he take it? Why won't they give it to him? I know it's not admissible in court, but this would give us an answer.”
On 7-8 it was reported the “Texas EquuSearch” team may leave 7-13 unless something significant is discovered, and TIM MILLER is rumored to have said he does not believe NATALEE is on ARUBA.
On 7-8 FOX News reported that 2 UNITED STATES Navy Divers (from the aforementioned team?) were being joined by 3 “forensic divers” to help in the search.
On 7-8 the “National Enquirer” reported:

DESPERATE LAST CRY FOR HELP THAT COULD TRAP ARUBA KILLERSBy REBECCA MOWLING A desperate last phone call from missing Natalee Holloway could provide police with a vital link to the killers in the Aruba murder case. The National Enquirer has discovered what may have been a last cry for help by the 18-year-old honors student.Shortly after she was last seen alive, she left a message on a close friend's cell phone. Chillingly, a sinister male voice is heard in the background asking Natalee: "Are you calling home?"An insider in the investigation said: "Her friend believes it could have been the last call from Natalee, who was in trouble and desperate for help."In a stunning development on July 4, two of the three suspects in the case — brothers Deepak Kalpoe, 21, and Katish Kalpoe, 18 — were released from custody. The prime suspect, Joran van der Sloot, 17, was ordered to be detained for 60 more days for continued interrogation.Natalee, from Birmingham, Ala., went missing after enjoying the final evening of a five-day graduation trip to the Caribbean island. Her classmates last saw her at 1 am on May 30 when she left Carlos 'n' Charlie's bar, a popular nightspot in the town of Oranjestad, with a tall, dark-haired teenager later identified as van der Sloot.Sources close to the investigation say Natalee appeared to be traveling inside a car when she phoned her pal at a time police will give only as "between 2 am and 5 am".The friend, who had been in Aruba with Natalee, had her cell phone turned off as she flew home to Alabama and didn't listen to her messages until later that day. It is believed her final chilling words are on that voicemail.Authorities are combing through phone records to locate where the call came from. They appear to have been stung into action by the efforts of Natalee's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, 44, who flew to Aruba that day and immediately began her own investigation.Charles Croes, who owns a rental phone business in Aruba, revealed that he had been contacted on May 30 by Natalee's family trying to trace a phone call."A close friend of mine called me up who was working with Natalee's family to help find her," he said. "My friend explained there was a call made by Natalee and he was hoping that the phone call was made from one of our phones." After becoming involved in the case, the businessman helped Natalee's mother identify and track down van der Sloot, the son of a justice official in Aruba. When Croes confronted Joran, the 6 ft 5 ins schoolboy tennis star claimed Natalee had been doing drugs and drinking before he took her home. "He (Joran) told me that she was coming onto him, and dancing provocatively, and then she said she wanted him to have him take her home. He then agreed to that," Croes said.As we reported exclusively two weeks ago, Aruban police believe that somebody slipped Natalee the drug Ecstasy while she was inside the bar.They suspect she died of a drug overdose after going off with van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers. The three gave conflicting accounts of how they left Natalee to find her way home. Joran later changed his story to claim that he and Natalee were dropped off at a beach near the Marriott Hotel, where he left her alone at 1:50 am.But investigators became convinced he and Natalee were never even on the beach. "It's hard to believe any man would leave a girl alone on a beach in the early hours of the morning," said the source."Joran has told so many lies there's no reason to believe his latest story is true. There are no independent witnesses who saw them on the beach and no trace was found of Natalee during a search of the area."Perhaps Joran has been deliberately trying to throw the investigation off by lying about where they were."Whatever the truth of how Natalee died, our investigation reveals that her body may not have been disposed of that night. It is extremely difficult to hide a body, especially with only a couple of hours before daylight," said another source."Natalee weighed about 110lbs. If she was dumped at sea it would take 165lbs — one and a half times her body weight — to prevent the body from resurfacing."And a boat could not have been used to transport the body in the middle of the night without raising suspicion."Authorities believe it is unlikely that one person was able to move the body and they have continued to question Joran's friends as possible suspects involved in Natalee's disappearance.Dutch-born Joran's father, Paulus van der Sloot, a former acting head of the government legal department, was arrested and held for three days in connection with the investigation."We have information that Joran's father Paulus called several of Joran's friends in the following days and asked them to back up his son's alibi," revealed the insider. Officials believe Paulus met with the three suspects a couple of days after Natalee vanished and told them: "Without a body, the police don't have a case against you." Published on: 07/08/2005


7-9-05
TOM GLEBUS, a search and rescue person helping search for NATALEE in ARUBA wrote:

On July 8-12, 2005, VideoRay was invited by the Florida State University Underwater Crime Scene Investigation team to assist them in the search for Natalee Holloway in Aruba in underwater areas that have been otherwise inaccessible to search teams that were already there. These locations included a shoreline cave, a lagoon and a quarry. Texas EquuSearch is the organization that is leading the search effort.
…
DAY 2 - July 9 Up at 5:30 AM to prepare for searching the first site - the cave on the Northern shore. I arrived on-site with the FSU team, and we both agreed the water surge in and out of the cave was too rough to deploy an ROV. Frequently, ROVs are used to help keep divers out of hazardous conditions, but in this case, divers were deemed the most viable option. The entrance to the cave was crescent shaped, with a drop of 10-15 feet (3-5 m) to the water. The FSU team deployed a drop camera to recon the cave area in preparation for diving.
(PHOTO here with the caption “Deploying the Drop Camera at the Cave Entrance”)
A ladder (which was difficult to procure) was secured from the top edge to the bottom, about 50 feet (15 m) from the cave entrance, while divers suited up. The dive was conducted with surface supplied air and each diver wore about 50 lb (23 kg) of weight to help them resist the surge. As a precaution, an ambulance crew was on standby at the site before the dive commenced. All participants who worked close to the edge were required to be harnessed.
(PHOTO here with the caption “Topside Dive Station”)
(PHOTO here with the caption “Divers Entering the Water”)
Once the divers deployed inside the cave, a second, smaller drop camera was delivered over the edge to them. I connected the output from that camera to the GVD-1000 and ICB in order to record the video and provide a second larger screen for viewing. I used a 12 V battery with my inverter for power. The cave was actually two distinct cavern areas each about 60 feet deep. The dive lasted about two hours and the only item recovered was a male beach sandal, which did not match the description of what Natalee was wearing the night she disappeared. Difficulties included procuring supplies locally, such as the ladder, and the sun and heat. Much water was consumed and planning for such accommodation should not be overlooked on any mission. Volunteers delivered lunch on-site, and we then proceeded to the second location, a lagoon that emptied in to the ocean and was crossed by two roads. At the lagoon, it was decided that two divers would snorkel along the mangroves on each shoreline, and the VideoRay would search near and under the bridge. The bridge was about 200 feet (60 m) long and supported by vertical concrete slab pilings spaced about 12 feet (4 m) apart. Many of the openings were partially or completely blocked. The bridge was about 6 feet (2 m) above the water, and there was a catwalk along the bridge that allowed for foot travel off of the roadway. The first problem I encountered was not having enough weight to properly ballast the VideoRay - it seems someone used my weights on a previous mission and didn't replace them. Not enough can be said about using checklists faithfully, and for everything, even if you think you have it covered. I overcame the embarrassment and problem by installing the sonar and positioning system transponder (to add weight, even though I didn't plan to use these items on this dive) and by creatively weighting the sub to the desired buoyancy. Power was provided by a 7 KW generator, which was difficult to transport, but the only option available. Water visibility was about 10-12 feet (3-4 m), and the bridge area was cleared from one side in about an hour. It was too late to relocate the controller to the other side so we retired for the day.
(PHOTO here with the caption “Bridge over the Lagoon”)
(PHOTO here with the caption “Snorklers with the Bridge to be Searched in the Background”)
One thing that I was not used to, was working in front of TV and print news crews. Cameras, audio engineers and reporters went everywhere we went. I have to commend the crews. While they wanted to get in close for views of the video screen and asked me several times to pause or do something again, they were both helpful and very quick to get out of the way as soon as I moved in their direction.


On 7-9 BETH and JUG TWITTY filed via their attorney SOUSA with the Aruban judicial system to be a civil party to a legal procedure: meaning the TWITTY’s have to be informed more of “official” investigation results, the TWITTY’s have more say about the course and direction of the investigation, and depending on the outcome of the hearings/trial(s) they have more recourses based on the hearings/trial(s) results (why were not the TWITTY’s informed of these available procedures by the Aruban judicial authorities and/or the Aruban Police authorities and/or the Aruban government authorities about them being able to do this many, many weeks ago?!! Do the TWITTY’s have certain rights to financially sue someone(s) in a civil court for something like “wrongful death” if someone(s) is ultimately convicted in a trial(s)?)
On 7-9 ARUBAAN's news-source “A. M. Digital” reported:

Eric Zaandam, SPA President, to Minister of Justice Investigation of the Police Force is not necessaryThe Natalee Holloway case certainly has Aruba upside down. There is a lot of pressure on the Government and on the investigating team. According to Eric Zaandam, president of the Police union SPA, it is unfortunate that the case has not yet been solved, but more unfortunate are the negative expressions towards the police force by amongst others the Minister of Justice, Rudy Croes, and by Prime Minister Nelson Oduber.
“This is to regretted because, instead of receiving support our own Government dignitaries express themselves negatively about the police” said Zaandam. “Minister Rudy Croes even mentioned that he will bring in a police team from Curacao to investigate their colleagues in Aruba” Eric Zaandam wishes for the Minister of Justice to understand once and for all that the investigating team is responsible and has to report to the Public Prosecutor, and this happens all the time. The investigating team has no obligation to report to anybody else, including the Minister of Justice. The Minister may well bring any team from abroad but the Aruba Police Force will not report to any team.
Those that wish to have information will have to knock on the door at the Public Prosecutor’s office and not interrogate any member of the investigating team, according to the union leader. Minister Croes should not try to play the police forces of other islands against the Aruba police force.
SPA learned of the intentions of the Aruba Minister of Justice when they were in Surinam to commemorate 100 years of existence of the Surinam police force. Here they advised their colleague from the Netherlands Antilles not to fall in the trap of the Aruba Minister. SPA also contacted the Netherlands Antillean Police Union on the matter.
If the Aruba Minister of Justice wants information, he will have to approach the Public Prosecutor, and not accuse any member of the investigating team of leaking information.
The investigating team did not commit any crime and an investigation is not necessary.“The Aruba Police have already cooperated with all the teams that wished to help with the investigation of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, except Scotland Yard” said Zaandam. In police circles it is already agreed that they will not collaborate with any team that comes in to investigate the investigating team of the Natalee Holloway case.



On 7-9 ZAANDAM, president of the Police union SPA, said it is unfortunate that the case has not yet been solved, but more unfortunate are the negative expressions towards the Police force by amongst others the Minister of Justice, Rudy Croes, and by Prime Minister Nelson Oduber. “This is to regretted because, instead of receiving support our own Government dignitaries express themselves negatively about the Police” said ZAANDAM. “Minister Rudy Croes even mentioned that he will bring in a Police team from Curacao to investigate their colleagues in Aruba.” ZAANDAM wishes for the Minister of Justice to understand once and for all that the investigating team is responsible and has to report to the Public Prosecutor, and this happens all the time. The investigating team has no obligation to report to anybody else, including the Minister of Justice. The Minister may well bring any team from abroad but the Aruba Police Force will not report to any team.
On 7-9 the forensic divers from “Florida State University's underwater crime scene investigation department” probed an Aruba underwater cavern on the northern tip of Aruba for any sign of NATALEE. Dale Nute, a forensic scientist with the university, said the cavern was one of several sites identified by local authorities that the team will search.
On 7-9 PAT HURLEY wrote:

The Heart Of The Natalee Holloway Case: Joran's Timeline And LiesAt the heart of this mystery lies two facts that are intriguing.... First, Joran van der Sloot has continually changed his story since leaving the Carlos and Charlie's with Natalee Holloway. Secondly, it is documented that the Kalpoe brothers dropped he and Natalee off at 1:30 a.m. He text messaged them at 2:15 a.m. asking for a ride home. Forty minutes later he texts them again and tells them he is home. Since he has lied constantly about his story, there is reason to believe he is lying to them when he sends the message that he is "home." If he indeed IS home, then he either handed Natalee off to someone else or she met her fate after he left making him the unluckiest schmuck on the planet. There was no time for a teenage boy to kill a human being by himself and get rid of her body on a beach near the Marriott in...forty minutes. If he was not at home, then, he sent the text message to cover his timeline. This would have given him and whoever picked him up TIME to dispose of Natalee's body. In that case, the mystery shifts to...who would Joran call if he was in big trouble? The answer is either, his friends or his dad. But, the timeline and his lies are the key to solving the mystery here. This is the heart of the case. Since it is conceivable now that the body of Natalee Holloway will never be found, any hope for a conviction is to pound on the constant lies of this boy or to follow the timeline and see if anyone else pops up along the text messaging path. Circumstantial evidence does not always have to be physical. It can be a story that does not match up along with a timeline that leaves only one possible perpetrator. Of course, having a body would help here immensely. He may never be convicted but someday, someone is going to talk...either to brag or out of guilt....and when that happens, we will finally have our answer. Human nature, being what it is, cannot keep a secret forever. History has proven that. For the Holloway family's sake, I hope that history repeats itself here. ------------About the author: Pat Hurley has spoken to over six million high school and middle school students in 47 states. He has had six books published for young people and their leaders and has produced 45 educational videos in schools on topics such as self-respect for teenagers, making good choices, peer pressure, academic excellence and realizing potential. Email: coolhumor@sbcglobal.net



7-10-05
TOM GLEBUS, a search and rescue person helping search for NATALEE in ARUBA wrote:

On July 8-12, 2005, VideoRay was invited by the Florida State University Underwater Crime Scene Investigation team to assist them in the search for Natalee Holloway in Aruba in underwater areas that have been otherwise inaccessible to search teams that were already there. These locations included a shoreline cave, a lagoon and a quarry. Texas EquuSearch is the organization that is leading the search effort. …
DAY 3 - July 10 Up at 5:30 again. Our first mission was to search a quarry where cadaver dogs (trained to sniff human remains) found an area of interest. The challenge was to get to the location, which was backed by steep cliffs. It was determined that we could access this portion of the quarry from the far side, and then use a boat to get across to the site of interest. The difficulty was in launching the boat because at the water's edge the sandy/clay would not support the boat trailer. Manual labor in knee deep sandy clay was required to transport the boat and gear the last few feet. The water was very silty, with visibility of only an inch or two (2-4 cm), so the plan was to use sonar to try to identify any possible targets. Unfortunately, the sonar connector had an intermittent break in it and I couldn't get it working consistently. I visually navigated on the surface to the area of interest, and then tried several attempts to search in the area, but with the extremely limited visibility, it proved to be too inefficient. I left the area to go back to the lagoon while FSU deployed divers to do a hand over hand search in the area.
(PHOTO here with the caption “At the Quarry”)
The logistics of getting the boat in and out of the quarry did not leave much time, but at the lagoon, we were able to clear the other side of the bridge in the same manner we accomplished the first side on the day before. Earlier in the day, the divers had been deployed to the lagoon to use side scan sonar in the open channel area, but the boat that was obtained broke down and they were unable to get in the water at all. I felt a little better about my sonar not working knowing that even the low-tech stuff fails. I still felt bad for the search effort due to both systems failures.