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Infobox Person

name = Natalee Holloway
image = Natalee Holloway yearbook photo.jpg
image_size = 200px
caption = Senior portrait of Natalee Holloway
birth_name = Natalee Ann Holloway
birth_date = October 21, 1986
birth_place = Clinton, Mississippi,
United States
nationality = American
residence = Mountain Brook, Alabama
education = Mountain Brook High School
height =

cite web

url=http://www.courttv.com/graphics/onair/shows/haunting_evidence/holloway_poster.jpg
archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080216102902/http://www.courttv.com/graphics/onair/shows/haunting_evidence/holloway_poster.jpg
archivedate=2008-02-16
title=Kidnapped poster
accessdate=2007-10-04
year=2005
month=May
publisher=CourtTV

weight =
parents = Dave Holloway and Elizabeth Ann Holloway (a.k.a. Beth Twitty)
Natalee Ann Holloway (born October 21, 1986) disappeared on May 30, 2005, during a high school graduation trip to Aruba, a Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. An American student from Mountain Brook, Alabama, Holloway graduated from Mountain Brook High School on May 24, 2005, shortly before the trip. Holloway was scheduled to fly home later on May 30, but failed to appear for her flight. She was last seen by her classmates outside Carlos'n Charlie's, a Caribbean chain restaurant and nightclub in Oranjestad, in a car with locals Joran van der Sloot and brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. When questioned, the three men said they dropped her off at her hotel and denied knowing what became of Holloway. Upon further investigation by authorities, Van der Sloot was arrested twice on suspicion of involvement in her disappearance and the Kalpoes were each arrested three times. Due to lack of evidence the three men were released without charge after each arrest. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, Aruban investigators conducted an extensive search for Holloway. Special Agents from the FBI, Van der Sloot later denied that what he said was true, and subsequently gave Greta Van Susteren an interview (the contents of which he later retracted) in which he stated that he sold Holloway into sexual slavery. Holloway's family has criticized Aruban investigators throughout the search for a perceived lack of progress in finding her. The family also called for a boycott of Aruba, which gained Alabama Governor Bob Riley's support but failed to gain widespread backing.

Background

just before the trip to Aruba. Natalee Ann Holloway was the first of two children born to David Edward and Elizabeth Ann ("Beth") Holloway in Clinton, Mississippi.

Disappearance

On Thursday, May 26, 2005, Holloway and 124 fellow graduates of Mountain Brook High School, located in a wealthy suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, arrived in Aruba for a five-day, unofficial graduation trip. Police Commissioner Gerold Dompig, who would head the investigation from mid-2005 until 2006, described the behavior of the Mountain Brook students, stating there was "wild partying, a lot of drinking, lots of room switching every night. We know the Holiday Inn told them they weren't welcome next year. Natalee, we know, she drank all day every day. We have statements she started every morning with cocktails—so much drinking that Natalee didn't show up for breakfast two mornings". Two of Holloway's classmates, Liz Cain and Claire Fierman, "agreed that the drinking was kind of excessive". Holloway was last seen by her classmates leaving the Aruban bar and night club Carlos'n Charlie's and her packed luggage and passport were found in her Holiday Inn room. Aruban authorities initiated searches for Holloway throughout the island and surrounding waters but did not find her.

Investigation

The investigation into Holloway's disappearance began shortly after she missed her flight home. The island of Aruba and the surrounding waters were extensively searched, especially in the month following Holloway's disappearance, though searches have continued. Ten individuals have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in Holloway's disappearance; however, no charges have been filed against anyone, and there are no suspects in custody.

Early investigation

On May 30, 2005, immediately following Holloway's missed flight, Jug and Beth Twitty traveled to Aruba with friends by private jet. According to Van der Sloot, Holloway fell down as she exited the car but refused Van der Sloot's help. He stated that she was then approached by a dark man in a black shirt similar to those worn by security guards as the young men drove away. , where Holloway was last seen, in Oranjestad, Aruba Searches for Holloway began soon afterwards. Hundreds of volunteers from Aruba and the United States joined the search. During the first days of the search, the Aruban government gave thousands of civil servants the day off to participate in the search. and then at the nearby Wyndham Hotel, where she stayed in the presidential suite. Reports indicate Holloway did not appear on any security camera footage from her hotel's lobby during the course of the night; In any event, according to Police Commissioner Jan van der Straten, initial head of the investigation until his 2005 retirement, Holloway did not have to go through the lobby to return to her room. The search for physical evidence was extensive and, on occasion, subject to false leads; for example, a possible blood sample taken from Deepak Kalpoe's car was tested but determined not to be blood. There was heavy involvement by American law enforcement from the early days of the investigation. United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated to reporters that the United States was in constant contact with Aruban authorities. Another State Department official indicated, "Substantial resources are being applied to this as they [Aruba officials] continue to ask for more".

2005 arrests

On June 5, Aruban police detained Nick John and Abraham Jones, former security guards On June 9, 2005, Van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and murdering Holloway. According to Dompig, the focus was on these three suspects from the "get-go". Dompig stated that surveillance of the three began three days after Holloway was reported missing, and included surveillance, telephone wire taps, and even monitoring of their e-mail. Dompig indicated pressure from Holloway's family caused them to stop their surveillance prematurely and to detain the three suspects. As the investigation continued, on June 11, David Cruz, spokesman for the Aruban Minister of Justice, indicated that Natalee Holloway was dead and authorities knew the location of her body. Cruz later retracted the statement, saying he was a victim of a "misinformation campaign". That evening, Dompig alleged to the Associated Press that one of the detained young men admitted "something bad happened" to Holloway after the suspects took her to the beach, and that the suspect was leading police to the scene. The next morning prosecution spokeswoman Vivian van der Biezen refused to confirm or deny the allegation, simply stating that the investigation was at a "very crucial, very important moment". On Friday, June 17, a fourth person, later identified as disc jockey Steve Gregory Croes, was also arrested. Van der Straten told the media that "Croes was detained based on information from one of the other three detainees". On June 22 Aruban police detained Paulus van der Sloot, Joran van der Sloot's father, for questioning; Paulus van der Sloot was arrested that same day. Both Paulus van der Sloot and Croes were ordered to be released on June 26. During this period the remaining detained suspects' stories changed. According to Satish Kalpoe's attorney, David Kock, Van der Sloot called Deepak Kalpoe to tell the latter that he was walking home, and sent him a text message forty minutes later. At some time during the interrogation Van der Sloot detailed a third account, that he was dropped off at home and Holloway was driven off by the Kalpoe brothers. Dompig discounted the story, stating:

This latest story [came] when [Van der Sloot] saw the other guys, the Kalpoes, were kind of finger-pointing in his direction, and he wanted to screw them also, by saying he was dropped off. But that story doesn't check out at all. He just wanted to screw Deepak. They had great arguments about this in front of the judge. Because their stories didn't match. This girl, she was from Alabama, she's not going to stay in the car with two black kids. We believe the second story, that they were dropped off by the Marriott.

On Monday, July 4, following hearings before a judge, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe were released, but Joran van der Sloot was detained for an additional sixty days.

Continued search, suspects rearrested and released again

search for Holloway near the California Lighthouse. On July 4, the Royal Netherlands Air Force deployed three F-16 aircraft equipped with infrared sensors to aid in the search, without initial result. A small pond near the Aruba Racquet Club close to the Marriott Hotel beach was partly drained between July 27 and July 30, 2005, after an individual ("the gardener" The searches were fruitless. On July 25, 2005, the reward for Holloway's safe return was increased from $200,000 to $1,000,000, with a $100,000 reward for information leading to the location of her remains. The FBI announced that Aruban authorities had provided it with documents, suspect interviews, and other evidence. A group from the Aruban police and prosecutor's office traveled to the FBI central laboratory at Quantico, Virginia, to consult with American investigators. The Kalpoe brothers were rearrested on August 26 along with another new suspect. While no public explanation was then made for the Kalpoe rearrests, Dompig later said that it was an unsuccessful attempt to pressure the Kalpoe brothers into confessing. On September 3, 2005, all four of the detained suspects were released by a judge despite the attempts of the prosecution to keep them in custody, on the condition that they remain available to police. In the months following his release, Joran van der Sloot gave several interviews, expanding upon his version of events, most notably a lengthy interview for ''On the Record'' which aired over three nights in March 2006. During the interview, Van der Sloot indicated that Holloway wanted to have sex with him, but he did not because he did not have a condom. Van der Sloot stated he was somewhat ashamed to have left a young woman alone on the beach, albeit by her own request, and related that he was not truthful at first because he was convinced Holloway would soon turn up. The FBI and Aruban authorities interviewed (or in some cases, re-interviewed) several of Holloway's fellow graduates in the United States in January 2006. Shortly before leaving the case, Dompig gave an interview to CBS correspondent Troy Roberts, which was broadcast on March 25, 2006. In that interview, Dompig stated that he now believes Holloway probably died from self-consumed alcohol and/or drug poisoning, was not murdered, and that someone later hid her body. Dompig also stated that Aruba had spent about $3 million on the investigation, about 40% of the police operational budget. On April 11, 2006, Dave Holloway published his book, co-authored with two writers, ''Aruba: The Tragic Untold Story of Natalee Holloway and Corruption in Paradise''.

2006 arrest of new suspects, the Dutch take over the investigation

On April 15, 2006, Geoffrey von Cromvoirt was arrested by Aruban authorities on suspicion of criminal offenses related to dealing in illegal narcotics that, according to the prosecutor, might have been related to the disappearance of Holloway. In addition, another individual with initials "A.B." was arrested on April 22, 2006, but was released the same day. On May 17, 2006 another suspect, Guido Wever, the son of a former Aruban politician, was detained in the Netherlands on suspicion of assisting in the abducting, battering, and killing of Holloway. At Aruba's request the Netherlands took over the investigation. A team of the Dutch National Police started work on the case in September 2006 following receipt of extensive case documentation in Rotterdam. On April 16, 2007, a combined Aruban–Dutch team began pursuing the investigation in Aruba.

Book, search, and inspection

A book by Joran van der Sloot and reporter Zvezdana Vukojevic, ''De Zaak Natalee Holloway'' (''The Case of Natalee Holloway'') was published, in Dutch, in April 2007. On April 27, 2007, a new search involving some twenty investigators was launched at the Van der Sloot family residence in Aruba. Dutch authorities searched the yard and surrounding area, using shovels and thin metal rods to penetrate the dirt. Prosecution spokeswoman Van der Biezen stated, "The investigation has never stopped and the Dutch authorities are completely reviewing the case for new indications". A statement from the prosecutor's office related, "The team has indications that justify a more thorough search". Investigators did not comment on what prompted the new search, except that it was not related to Van der Sloot's book. According to Paulus van der Sloot, "nothing suspicious" was found, and all that was seized were diary entries of him and his wife, and his personal computer—which was subsequently returned.

cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/01/world/main2746518.shtml |title=

New Natalee Holloway Search Pleases Family |accessdate=2007-05-02 |date=2007-05-01 |publisher=CBS News
According to Jossy Mansur, managing editor of Aruba's ''Diario'' newspaper, investigators were following up on statements made during early suspect interrogations regarding calls made and emails sent between the Kalpoe brothers and Joran van der Sloot. He also said investigators could be seen examining a laptop at the house. On May 12, 2007, the Kalpoe family home was subject to an "inspection".

2007 rearrests and re-releases

With Aruban investigators citing what was described as newly discovered evidence, Joran van der Sloot and Satish and Deepak Kalpoe were rearrested November 21, 2007, on suspicion of involvement in "manslaughter and causing serious bodily harm that resulted in the death of Holloway". Van der Sloot was detained by Dutch authorities in the Netherlands, while the Kalpoe brothers were both detained in Aruba. Van der Sloot subsequently returned to Aruba and was incarcerated. In November 2007, Dave Holloway announced a new search for his daughter, probing the sea beyond the original depths in which earlier searches had taken place. On November 30, 2007, a judge ordered the release of Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, despite attempts by the prosecution to extend their detention. On December 18, 2007, prosecutor Hans Mos officially declared the case closed, and that no charges would be filed due to lack of evidence.

Secret cameras, statements, and stories

On January 31, 2008, Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries claimed that he had solved the Holloway case. De Vries stated that he would tell all on a special television program on Dutch TV on February 3. Beth Twitty's attorney, John Q. Kelly, told ABC News that he had little faith that the supposed evidence would prove pivotal to the case and suggested that it would be quickly debunked. On February 1, the Dutch media reported that Joran van der Sloot made a confession regarding the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. That same day, the Aruba prosecutor's office announced the reopening of the case. The broadcast aired February 3, 2008. The broadcast included excerpts from footage recorded from hidden cameras and microphones in the vehicle of Patrick van der Eem, a Dutch businessman and ex-con, The Aruban prosecutor's office attempted to obtain an arrest warrant for Van der Sloot based on the tapes; however, a judge denied the request. On February 8, 2008, Van der Sloot met with Aruban investigators in the Netherlands. Van der Sloot denied that what he said on the tape was true, stating that he was under the influence of marijuana at the time. Van der Sloot indicated that he still maintains that he left Holloway behind on the beach. In March 2008, news reports indicated that the tables had been turned on Van der Eem, who himself was secretly taped after giving an interview for Aruban TV. Van der Eem, under the impression that cameras had been turned off, kept talking. Van der Eem disclosed that he had been a friend of Van der Sloot for years (contradicting his statement on the De Vries show that he had met Van der Sloot in 2007), that he expects to become a millionaire off his involvement in the Holloway case, and that he knew the person who supposedly disposed of Holloway's body—and that Van der Sloot had asked him for two thousand euros to buy the man's silence. According to Dutch news service ANP, Van der Eem, who had already signed a book deal, "was furious" after learning of the taping, and "threatened" the interviewer, who sought legal advice. Van der Eem was arrested on December 13, 2008 in the Netherlands for allegedly hitting his girlfriend with a crowbar and engaging in risky driving behavior while subsequently fleeing police.

cite web|url=

http://www.ad.nl/binnenland/2855533/Van_der_Eem_in_cel_voor_mishandeling_vriendin.html|title=Van der Eem in cel voor mishandeling vriendin |publisher=AD.nl |language=Dutch
The De Vries broadcast was discussed in a seminar by Dutch legal psychologist Willem Albert Wagenaar, who indicated that the statements did not constitute a confession. Wagenaar criticized De Vries for broadcasting the material, stating that the broadcast made it harder to obtain a conviction, and had De Vries turned over the material to the authorities without broadcasting it, they would have held "all the trumps" in questioning Van der Sloot. Wagenaar opined that not only is the case not solved, it is not even clear that a crime was committed. Professor Crisje Brants, in the same seminar, also criticized De Vries's methods. On November 24, 2008, ''On the Record'' aired an interview with Van der Sloot in which he alleged that he sold Holloway into sexual slavery, receiving money both when Holloway was taken, and later on to keep quiet. Van der Sloot also alleged he paid the Kalpoe brothers for their assistance, and that his father paid off two police officers who had learned that Holloway was taken to Venezuela. Van der Sloot later retracted the statements made in the interview. On March 20, 2009, Dave Holloway flew a search dog to Aruba to search a small reservoir in northern Aruba, previously identified by a supposed witness as a possible location of Natalee's remains. Aruban authorities indicated that they had no new information in the case, but that Holloway had been given permission to conduct the search. On February 23, 2010, it was reported that Joran van der Sloot had stated in an interview (first offered to RTL Group in 2009) that he had disposed of Holloway's body in a marsh on Aruba. New chief prosecutor Peter Blanken indicated that authorities had investigated the latest story, and had dismissed it. Blanken stated that "The locations, names, and times he gave just did not make sense". Underwater searches were conducted by Aruban authorities in March 2010 after an American couple reported

2010 charges against Van der Sloot

Around March 29, 2010, Van der Sloot allegedly contacted John Q. Kelly, legal representative of Beth Twitty, with an offer to reveal the location of Holloway's body and the circumstances surrounding her death for an advance of US$25,000 against a total of $250,000. On June 4, at the request of the U.S. Justice Department, authorities raided and confiscated items from two homes in the Netherlands, one of them belonging to reporter Jaap Amesz who had previously interviewed Van der Sloot and claimed knowledge of criminal activities by Van der Sloot. Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramírez, a 21-year-old business student, was reported missing in Lima, Peru on May 30, 2010 and was found dead three days later in a hotel room registered in Van der Sloot's name.

Beth Twitty's involvement

Beth Twitty alleged in televised interviews that Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers know more than they have told, and that at least one of them sexually assaulted or raped her daughter. On June 12, 2005, three days after the arrest of Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers, and in response to a nationally televised address by Aruba Prime Minister Nelson Oduber reaffirming Aruba's commitment to solving the case, Twitty stated, "I'm not getting any answers". She added, "I don't feel any further along than the day I got here". Twitty subsequently stated that her complaints were not addressed specifically at the Aruban government, but arose from frustration at not knowing what happened to her daughter. On July 5, 2005, following the initial release of the Kalpoes, Twitty alleged, "Two suspects were released yesterday who were involved in a violent crime against my daughter", On July 8, 2005, and after Satish Kalpoe's attorney threatened legal action over Twitty's allegations, which he described as "prejudicial, inflammatory, libelous, and totally outrageous", Twitty read a statement that said her remarks were fueled by "despair and frustration" and that she "apologize to the Aruban people and to the Aruban authorities if I or my family offended you in any way". Twitty was criticized for her focus on Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers, to the exclusion of any other theory as to what happened to Holloway. According to the lawsuit filed by the Kalpoe brothers, she has (on various television programs) repeatedly accused them, and Joran van der Sloot, of "sexual assault" and "gang rape" of her daughter. Twitty was also criticized for making what have been deemed to be inconsistent and contradictory statements (for example, as to whether there were operating security cameras at the Holiday Inn). According to Julia Renfro, U.S.-born editor of the Aruban tourist-oriented newspaper, ''Aruba Today'', who befriended Twitty in the early days of the investigation, Twitty pandered to tabloid television and her "behavior was odd from the get-go". Following the airing of the De Vries program, Beth Twitty, adhering to the position that the tapes represent the way events transpired, told the ''New York Post'' that she believes her daughter might still be alive if Van der Sloot had called for help. She contends that Van der Sloot dumped Holloway's body, possibly alive, into the Caribbean. Twitty's book ''Loving Natalee: A Mother's Testament of Hope and Faith'',

quote|What we want is, we want justice. And you know—and we have to recognize the fact that, you know, this crime has been committed on the island of Aruba, and we know the perpetrators. We know it`s these suspects, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe and Joran [v]an [d]er Sloot. And you know, we just have to, though, keep going, Nancy, because the only way we will get justice for Natalee is if we do keep going. I mean, if we give up, absolutely nothing will happen. Nothing.

Beth Twitty
In response to Holloway's disappearance, Twitty founded the International Safe Travels Foundation, Though Twitty made television appearances as new developments arose in the case, she is presently under an FBI directive not to discuss her daughter's case or that of Stephany Flores Ramírez.

Criticism of the investigation

The Twittys and their supporters criticized a perceived lack of progress by Aruban police. The Twittys' own actions in Aruba were also criticized, and the Twittys were accused of actively stifling any evidence that might impugn Holloway's character by asking her fellow students to remain silent about the case and using their access to the media to push their own version of events. The Twittys denied this. While initially the Twittys discouraged a travel boycott of Aruba, this changed by September 2005. Beth Twitty urged that persons not travel to Aruba and other Dutch territories because of what she stated were tourist safety issues. Alabama Governor Bob Riley, joined by the Twittys, urged Alabamians and others to boycott Aruba on November 8, 2005, in a news conference. The boycott was supported by some of Alabama's Congressional delegation, including both senators and Congressman Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), who represents Mountain Brook. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) voiced his support for the boycott in a letter to the American Society of Travel Agents. Members of the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association, the Aruba Tourism Authority, the Aruba Hospitality and Security Foundation, the Aruban Chamber of Commerce and government figures, including Public Relations Representative Ruben Trapenberg, formed an "Aruba Strategic Communications Task Force" to respond collectively to what they perceived to be unfounded and/or negative portrayals of the island. The group issued press releases and sent representatives to appear in news media. They joined the Aruban government in opposing the calls for a boycott of the island.

Skeeters tape and Dr. Phil; lawsuits

On September 15, 2005, the ''Dr. Phil'' television show showed parts of a hidden-camera interview with Deepak Kalpoe in which Kalpoe seems to answer "She did. You'd be surprised how easy it was" to a suggestion that Holloway had sex with all of them. The taping had been instigated by Jamie Skeeters, a private investigator. When the tape was broadcast, news reports indicated an expectation of a rearrest, which Dompig termed a "strong possibility" if the tapes were legitimate. Despite an unsuccessful attempt by the ''Dr. Phil'' show to condition release of the tapes on Aruban authorities appearing on their show, In December 2006, the Kalpoes filed a slander and libel suit against Dr. Phil and Skeeters (who died in January 2007) On November 10, 2005, Paulus van der Sloot won an unjust detention action against the Aruban government, clearing him as a suspect and allowing him to retain his government contract.

''Amigoe'' article

On July 3, 2007, the Netherlands Antilles newspaper ''Amigoe'' reported on a documentary video being produced by Renée Gielen, previously best known for exposé documentaries about Curaçao's Bon Futuro prison. The video was based in part on interviews with Dompig and with Renfro. According to interviews done in preparation for the film, Aruban authorities had been systematically obstructed in their investigation by the FBI and other American authorities. They also indicate that within a day of Holloway being declared missing, a medjet, unauthorized by Aruban authorities, had arrived on Aruba and had remained for several days. They further indicate that, while the purpose of the medjet was not even known to its crew and medical personnel, it was in fact to spirit Holloway off the island if she were freed from a drug house in Oranjestad. Holloway's departure was to be covert and without notice to local authorities. The article mentions that Renfro and Beth Twitty received a phone call from an unknown woman on June 2, 2005. That woman was offering information about Holloway's location and the information that Holloway was still alive but was unwilling to return to her mother. Further information was offered for $4,000. Twitty was unwilling to pay more than $1,000 for the information, and in fact did not pay anything. Believing there was a good chance of finding Holloway, Renfro and another American went to the drug house where Holloway supposedly was, bringing money. However, they found that Jug Twitty had already been to the area, spreading "a lot of uproar and panic in the direct vicinity", and nothing could be accomplished. They blamed Jug Twitty for the failure. The same story, in less detail, appears in the ''Vanity Fair'' article. Furthermore, according to ''Amigoe'''s report on the interviews, Aruban authorities were obstructed at the highest level in their attempts to investigate Holloway's relatives, and they received very limited cooperation in their attempts to question Holloway's fellow graduates.

Lifetime movie

In October 2008, the Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) announced plans to create a television movie, ''The Natalee Holloway Story'', based on Beth Twitty's book ''Loving Natalee: A Mother's Testament of Hope and Faith''.

Media coverage

s covering the Holloway disappearance, June 10, 2005 U.S. television networks devoted much air time to the search for Holloway, the investigation of her disappearance, and rumors surrounding the case. Greta Van Susteren, host of Fox News' ''On The Record'', and Nancy Grace on CNN's ''Headline News'' were among the most prominent television personalities to devote time to the incident. Van Susteren's almost continuous coverage of the story caused ''On The Record'' to get its best ratings to date, Aruban government spokesman Ruben Trapenberg stated, "The case is under a microscope, and the world is watching". Locally, the Aruban press published extensive news on the story in Dutch, English, and Papiamento. The saturation of coverage triggered a backlash among some critics who argued that such extensive media attention validates the "missing white woman syndrome" theory, which argues that missing-person cases involving white women and girls receive disproportionate attention in the media compared with cases involving white males or people of color. CNN ran a segment criticizing the amount of coverage their competitors gave to the story despite what they characterized as a lack of new items to report, with CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper calling the coverage "downright ridiculous". Early in the case, political commentator and columnist Arianna Huffington wrote, "If you were to get your news only from television, you'd think the top issue facing our country right now is an 18-year-old girl named Natalee who went missing in Aruba. Every time one of these stories comes up, like, say, Michael Jackson, when it's finally over I think, what a relief, now we can get back to real news. But we never do". In March 2008, ''El Diario'' commented, "But if doubts persist about cases involving missing Latinas, there are reasons why. These cases rarely receive the attention and resources we see given to other missing persons. The English-language media, for example, appear to be focused on the stories of missing white women, such as with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba. Cases of missing Latina and African American women often remain faceless, when they are even covered". CBS senior journalist Danna Walker stated, "There is criticism that it is only a story because she is a pretty blonde—and white—and it is criticism that journalists are taking to heart and looking elsewhere for other stories. But it is a big story because it is an American girl who went off on an adventure, and didn't come back. It is a huge mystery, it is something people can identify with". ''Good Morning America'' anchor Chris Cuomo was unapologetic of his program's extensive coverage of the Holloway case. "I don't believe it's my role to judge what people want to watch ... If they say, 'I want to know what happened to this girl' ... I want to help them find out". Holloway's family, however, instead criticized the lessening of coverage of the young woman's disappearance. The saturation coverage of Holloway's disappearance by the American media was largely eclipsed in late August 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. Beth Twitty and Dave Holloway alleged that Aruba took advantage of the extensive coverage of the hurricane to release the suspects. Lamented Dave Holloway in his book,

Hurricane Katrina had left the door open for the boys to be sent on their way with little publicity and few restrictions because it took the world's focus off of Natalee, but only for a brief time. The huge amount of publicity had waned and, during that time of quiet for us, Joran and the Kalpoe brothers were sent home. . . . All of the news shows that had followed our every move only a day before had now become fixated on the next big ratings grabber: the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

However, the deadline for judicial review of Joran van der Sloot's detention was set long before the hurricane.

References

External links

FBI 302 Forms (FBI interviews with Holloway's tripmates)
Scrux.com "Facts in Evidence" (summary)
Summary of Aruban judicial system at Aruba.com
Wanted: Van der Sloot, Joran Andreas Petrus - arrest warrant at Interpol ;Video
Skeeters interview with Deepak Kalpoe

Persondata

NAME=Holloway, Natalee
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=missing teenager
DATE OF BIRTH=October 21, 1986
PLACE OF BIRTH=Mountain Brook, Alabama, United States of America