On October 18th, 2023, the media outlet Daily Mail U.K. reported that the mother of Natalee Holloway stated that the case surrounding her daughters murder was solved. A man named Joran van der Sloot admitted to committing the murder. Holloway was murdered in 2005. Allegedly, Van Der Sloot murdered Holloway when she was 18 years old on the island of Aruba in the Caribbean. Van Der Sleet, now aged 36, was charged with extortion and wire fraud in a plea deal with law enforcement and judicial officials after he agreed to take responsibility for and confess to the details of the crime. Van Der Sloot had harassed the parents of Holloway. He had previously corresponded with the couple via e-mail and attempted to extort them by claiming he would divulge the location of Natalee’s body if they would pay him $250,000.
Van Der Sloot is a Dutch national but was charged in the United States The tragic missing person’s case has received widespread public and media attention for the eighteen years that have passed since Holloway first went missing in 2005. Van der Sloot alleged that he met Natalee at a bar on the island of Aruba. After a brief interaction, the two headed to the beach, where they began kissing. After Van der Sloot attempted to move the affair to a more intimate level, Holloway refused. When he persisted, Natalee kicked him in his crotch. Quickly reacting, Van Der Sloot stood up and kicked her in the face, which caused Holloway to become unconscious. Joran then found a cinder block and crushed her skull. He then tossed her remains into the ocean, effectively allowing the tide to carry them away.
It is unlikely that Van Der Sloot will face a murder charge in Aruba. Authorities have requested documents from the U.S. Department of Justice in relation to the case, including his confession. He will serve 20 years in prison.
