Aruba Breaking

4:00 PM Update: It is being supposed that the elder v d Sloot has nothing to hide, hence the earlier waiver. Potentially, if investigators believe he has given them whatever truth he knows, he could be released tonight, barring enough evidence to hold him as a suspect in the case. That does not mean that he will necessarily incriminate Joran in some way by stating what he knows.

3:45 Update: Geraldo's amazing report: Steve Croes voluntarily went to the police and said he saw the boys drop Natalee off at the Holiday Inn - a story from which the boys later backed away. Subsequently, Croes was detained because he apparently showed himself to be willing to lie in support of his friends in this matter. Interesting look at the Dutch justice system: no sign of a recent haircut for Geraldo.

3:37 PM Update: The judge will render his decision as to whether or not Paulus v d Sloot will remain in custory at 8PM tonight. Interesting timing of events, in my opinion. It is at least possible that the elder v d Sloot could offer some information in the next few hours under waiver cited in 3:33 PM update that would secure his release. Otherwise, it is unclear as to why the judge wouldn't simply issue the Paulus v d Sloot ruling now, as he has done in all other suspect hearings today. Geraldo is said to be coming up with some "amazing" discovery ... maybe he finally located a good barber on the island. He's been looking a little ragged. : ) Developing, as they say.

3:33 PM Update: Fox is reporting that Paulus v d Sloot has waived his right to not testify against his son. The ramifications and reasoning for this are not yet known. Developing.

2:30 PM Update: Fox interview with lawyer for one of Kalpoe brothers, attorney seems to be pointing finger at Joran, suggests his changing story that first Deepak and then Satish picked him up at beach is troubing, at best. Kalpoe brothers said to be aware of Joran's changing story line. Lawyer also states he sees no advancement in the procecution's theory or story line and evidence relating to the case since last hearing. Also, only remaining suspect with no known word of hearing result is Paulus v d Sloot - Croes to be freed at 1 PM tomorrow, all others appear to be being held over until next hearing.

2:12 PM Update: From reader / comment -- Court hearings are not normally held on weekends and justice department does not work on weekends. If a hearing should take place on saturday or sunday (when the 24 hours or 8 days terms expires) they move this to the next working day. However because of the importance of the case, they did the courthearing on a weekend, but no official paperwork can be done till the next working day, in this case monday.

1:26 PM Update: As of now, of four cases heard, only Croes to be released. Earlier report stated Joran and Deepak remain in custody. All that was known of Croes connection was an email from Deepak night of disappearance. Croes was not a friend of Joran v d Sloot.

The hurdle for the prosecutor to hold a suspect gets higher over time, the requirements for keeping Croes in custody were higher as a result of his time of incarceration. It's unclear if prosecutors have enough to keep Paulus v d Sloot if he had the same requirements. The shorter term of his detention makes it easier to hold him. The Fox report did not clearly claim the older v d Sloot is being held, but it appears likely.

1:14 PM Update: Fox reporting that Steven Croes, party boat DJ to be released tomorrow, according to his lawyer.

12:50 Update: Fox reporting Joran and Deepak detention extended. Geraldo claimed to have fragmentary reports some of those detained may be released - then he seemed confused suggesting his report meant 'released" from the court house to be returned to jail. As posted yesterday, I've heard unconfirmed rumblings from sources on the island that one, or possibly two of those detained will be released today.

Fox News is reporting that the hearing in Aruba is now over. Hopefully a statement as to the outcome will be coming soon. I'll update this post as appropriate.

12:05 PM-Update: Clarification - only the hearing for Joran v d Sloot is over, additional hearings for the others being held are still to come.

Comments

[sara]

fokje:

that's the media for you... it was bound to happen like that with one or another.

if only this could be solved NOW and they could have the answers they so desperatly need...

[patricia]

Fox is reporting PVDS will be released:
The judge ordered the father of Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot (search) and party boat deejay Steve Gregory Croes to be released Monday at 1 p.m. in the absence of sufficient evidence to continue holding them. The other three suspects will remain in custody for another eight days, according to a court clerk.

[brian]

well patricia, if thats true you can discount the theory of a murder coverup and her being disposed of in the ocean.

[Daisy]

PvdS is being released from custody tonight.

[DeeDee]

And you are left with human trafficing. A kidnapper is hard enough to trace on land, much less on a boat. I think the lack of evidence and lack of body would leave that as the only solution. Also, if the Columbian Necktie Crew have the kind of clout we hear of so rarely on our news media, then the police on Aruba would even be afraid to implicate them. I think Mrs VDS was hinting in that direction when she said that she wished they would have kept the boys on their first arrest. All involved know that the Americans will leave sooner or later and if they speak out on this they will be dead meat. Protective custody by our government could be the only cheese on the trap to offer since the $15mil that is being offered is not budging anyone.

[dori]

But now, couldn't Mrs. VDS be in danger? I mean that would be quite a warning...

[brian]

im not to educated on the columbian necktie thing, but with the news of the releases i dont really see what other possibility their is other than a kidnapping. these 3 kids arent smart enough to accomplish a perfect crime and go through a few weeks of interrogation without cracking. the whole idea of croes and PVDS implication in this crime was that there were the ones who helped these kids with such a clean coverup and that theory is out the window now. joran couldnt of disposed of her by himself, very little pointing in the direction of the kalpoes have anything to do with the disposing of the body. maybe will people start to realize this investigation is not just a od/rape/murder scenario.

[Denise]

Brian

If someone told you if you don't say anything you won't go to jail (PVDS) would you talk? There never going to find a body because its in the water. They will end up getting off if they keep there mouths shut.

[ralf]

If kidnapping is considered then I can't see Joran as a willing participant. He showed himself too much at CnC's.

A kidnapping would have to be planned and premeditated, maybe they met up with someone on the beach?

Taking that scenario, and the columbian thing, then once this group has ascertained the importance of NH, and the fact that the US could get involved - the local police may not scare them, however the wrath of the US just might.

This would then of course mean that keeping all these people in jail is for their protection as opposed to question of guilt.

[sassy]

I read on this blog yesterday that the murder everyone keeps referring to was already solved. The mans girlfriend supposedly killed him, I think for cheating on her or something. I also wanted to mention something about the possibility of natalee having returned to the room the night she disappeared. If what everyone is saying is true, that her friends packed all of her stuff for her, they may have unwittingly eliminated some evidence. Maybe some hints about the possibility of her having returned to the room that night. Secondly, the possibility of her having been drugged to explain why she left with the boys is not likely, because it would have taken at least 45 minutes to set in, and the change in her behavior would have been noticable. Plus, when people take these kind of drugs, they don't loose all common sense. In some ways you would expect someone under the influence of those drugs to stick with their friends, where they felt comfortable. I think natalee felt comfortable with JDVS, perhaps because she was older than he. That may sound trivial but at that age, being older than a boy can make you feel as though you are in a more powerful position and that you still have control of the situation.

[brian]

denise,

valid point but what does that make PVDS who waived his rights not to be interrogated about his son? if he told them not to talk, why is he? the whole reason PVDS was arrested in the first place was because of the suspicion of complicity (coverup). if he stuck his hand in this case such as coaching the boys, they wouldnt be letting him go.

[Stumped]

FOX and CNN have just announced the release of PVDS

[brian]

ralf,

i dont think anyone has suggested that anyone currently in custody would be willing participants in a kidnapping or that thier major players in sex/drug trades, however, ive suggested time and time again that they could have been in trouble with much badder people on the island our surround countries, blackmailed, gambling debts, drug money, maybe a political issue with PVDS judgship. you dont know. no one knows.

clearly the lifestyle those in custody lead could easily get them caught up with people they shouldnt be. its not that far out of the realm of possibilities.

[patricia]

sassy, good point. I've wondered about her having returned to the room as well. Both her handbag and her cell phone were in the room - how reasonable is it that an 18 year old girl would go out partying without either, especially in a foreign country? Also, the fact that a sliding door from her room opened directly onto the sand . . .

[aware]

This now seems to be much much more than a murder...more like a huge conspiracy of high level officials involved in much more than their jobs...high end big money crimes -involving murder, slave trade, gambling,prostituion,etc... All are covering butts,from one island to the next ...including the Netherlands... a huge mafia type organization.. I'd say 90% of all ,so called government officials, are involved.
Natalee is an innocent victim of BIG TIME CORRUPTION AND CRIME!

[TexasGirl]

The judge ordered the father of Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot and party boat disc jockey Steve Gregory Croes to be released in the absence of sufficient evidence to continue holding them. The other three suspects will remain in custody for another eight days, according to a court clerk.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160699,00.html

[Moscow Girl]

Sara
re: "i'm not trying to sound mean to you, but I think we shouldn't judge NH's parents emotion, lack there of, or over reactions to any of this. only God knows what they are felling, and how they react shouldn't have any baring on the situation. they need their daughter back, and that is what counts.

please don't take that the wrong way."

You're not mean. And I am certain that both parents are in utmost pain, and its hell for them. And maybe this is a wrong time to pass on judgement.

The only reason I mentioned "their conduct" is to make an assumption how "such conduct" could have initially influence the boys' reaction.

I got a sence that Nataliee's step-father might have been very agressive from the very beginning. He appears to be "after blood, and find someone guilty". Her mother is acting very "detached" and "too polite and hostess-like" for this tragedy.

What if boys did give Natalee drugs, had something sexual with her, but did not hurt her, and could not have imagined that people are after them for "Natalee's murder"? And here we have parents, one acting agressive, one acting like she is here to "spread the word of God", comming at the boys, and all they can think of is "shit, they are here to get us for partying too much with the girl"...... What if Joran thought that he is going to "get it" for sleeping with her or giving her drugs, and not kidnapping/rape/murder....

If me, or my friends from all over the world, all over Russia, all over Italy, all over Spain, all over Europe, etc..... went missing, our mothers would be CRYING 24 HOURS TV OR NOT TV, yelling, screaming, pleading.... and crying more. They would not be acting "agressive and distant".... giving out prayer cards to "suspects" as if someone really believes there is a guy with a gray beard up in the sky who's going to "make everything better" while all the NASA spaceships flying in the orbit and have not yet seen a guy with gray beard.....

Whatever happened to normal approach in the beginning. You come to the house of a boy your child was last seen with..... and say, look we don't know where she is, help us, we know you two became friends, we don't care if you guys partied too much, just help us out to figure out where she might be....... and then cry like all mothers would in such a case... Maybe you'll get a bit more cooperation and sympathy.... And don't scare the boys in to lying.

But when one attacks you, and the other comes "waving god in your face"..... of course a young person "who did little wrong" will start lying in fear of being accused of "big wrong".

[DumbBlonde]

Which of the girls were roommates with Natalee on the trip? Maybe she was dropped off at the HI with Joran and didnt go in the front door (since her room was on the first floor and on the beach) they walked out to the beach (this is why she wasnt on hotel video) and she came back to the room. What time did her 2 roommates get back from partying? Maybe Natalee came back to the room after a walk on the beach through the glass door and her roommates were not back yet. Maybe someone was hiding in the room and kidnapped her from there, out through the door that led onto the beach..A stalker of some sort that had been watching one or all of them...who knows at this point... Just thoughts....

[DennisAOK]

Moscow Girl,

Of course, that's it! If only those rednecks from Alabama had treated the European sophisticates with more respect, the boys wouldn't have been forced to lie about the whole thing, blaming a black security guard.

And Josef Stalin was a kind, warm human being.

[DumbBlonde]

Moscow girl--
I tend to agree with you about something not being quite right with the actions/reactions of Natalee's parents. Everyone handles things differently, and I am not going to judge, however..i think its rather odd that she went to VDS home with Greta Van S. yelling over the fence "hello, is anyone home", "I am Natalees mom", yadda yadda yadda In such a NORMAL tone of voice. I would tend to think that she would be ordered by police to STAY AWAY from the family of the suspect, and if not, I would be screaming come out you SOB I wanna talk to your sorry ass. Not so nicety nice....Was this all an act for the camera? Whats up with that?

[harry]

I don't think these drug/sex rings are scared of any US threats.

They won't cough up Natalee for $150k. They might do it for $5-10 Million.

Aruba is just a pawn in this game of drug/sex trafficing.

I am pretty sure the drug transport happens because of what I was told when visiting Bonaire. The guy that lived there said they had found "bales" of drugs floating in the weeds on the windward side. "dropoffs" that drifted away or were ditched.

As for the sex trade, I have just read accounts of it happening on the web.

[Annie]

Moscow Girl:
I believe there may be a cultural misunderstanding regarding the behavior of BHT.
She is not just an American, but a Southern lady. We are not even understood by Americans from other regions of the USA. Have you read or seen "Steel Magnolias"? Beth is a steel magnolia, and is bolstering up her strength in order to get her child back. There are plenty of photos showing her in a distraught state, but she does not want to project that image. An hysterical woman is one who can be ignored. Beth is trying to rise above emotion that does no good at this point. She will break down later when she can afford to. We southern women don't scream and cry in public, but there's plenty of emotion behind closed doors.

I also think that Beth feels the strength of the many prayers being said for her and Natalee and that she derives her strength from a higher power.

Just my thoughts. I have been lurking, but had to speak to this. I am a mother about Beth's age and I really relate to her behaviour.

Thanks for listening.

[Steves]

Do you all think it is over, a lost cause, no evidence, ect.

[tideroller]

I have lived in the South for many years and can vouch that Annie is right on the ball with her description of a Southern Lady, aka Steel Magnolia.

[Gale]

Someone mentioned this case not being solved. As of tonight, I'm in agreement. There is no evidence and no body. As strongly as I believe that the VDS boy knows exactly what happened to Natalee, I think he may have pulled off the so called perfect murder, especially if he dropped her body in the ocean...there will be nothing left.

[Alee]

I too am a southern mother with a daughter close to Natalee's age. Beth has shown courage and grace under unimaginable circumstances. I hope she can stay strong and I believe she will as long as she has hope.

[john]

sorry to sound abrupt, but why is it that people are suggesting a kidnapping? I am sure it happens, but while natalee is a pretty girl, I don't see her as "sex slave" material. Blonde, yes, but for starters she is not voluptuous, well built (she appears to be flat chested), or leggy. Why would someone kidnap HER for sex?! I have been to Aruba and have seen tons of women who are much more beautiful and voluptuous than Natalee

[john]

and let's think about it; it is not everyday that a woman is kidnapped from Aruba.

[liza]

Maybe NH Friends did something to her. Just a thought. Stranger things have happended.