Elder Van der Sloot Questioned

I learned of the Van der Sloot questioning in email right before I left for NYC - in the information I received the words "as a witness" were conveyed. Interetsing - I suppose I have to do some catching up with the news and mail.

The Fox thing went by in all of about 30 seconds, though in the run up I found everyone to be extremely gracious and professional. It was interesting having a long conversation with Gil in the green room - we're going to be touching base on some things and talked at length about the substance of the case. He really was quite serious about talking soon and I'm sure we will. Good guy with a genuine concern for people who've gone missing.

It was a wonderful opportunity but certainly not worth a young girl's life. The frustrating part was sitting in the green room realizing how difficult it is to explore an issue in four minutes, or so. I'd have preferred to talk about something other than the Van der Sloot's website - but then, it wasn't my show. Putting on good TV must have incredible challenges I can't even begin to imagine. But it's good to be back in a forum where things can be addressed with more detail.

As I got up to leave Jamie said something about looking forward to reading the site. My style tends to be a bit tongue in cheek, so when I said, "Oh, you'll want to read it tomorrow, trust me." I think she actually thought I meant I was going to give them a hard time as she said, "Now come on...," in a joking tone. So, I assured her I meant for what I hope will be some interesting content, which I promise I will finish tonight for a read tomorrow.

Barring new developments, I'm going to dig into the mailbag and try to continue the discussion around this troubling case. Many thanks to any who've induged this, or tuned in to the show. Without faulting anyone in large media, I don't think they realize what is actually going on here. And I don't mean because of me, but the information that keeps being discussed and sent in by the readers.

Oh, best part of the whole deal - the limo driver became a reader before we got back home. How you can drive through NYC traffic and scroll a website on your laptop is wayyyyy beyond me. But he did it. We had a blast - "XXX the Jew and arch conservative". I'm not using his name, and trust me he won't mind the appelation, because he obviously can't mix politics with his work. But we had a great discussion all the way in and back.

Nice people all around tonight - now back to work. Thanks for reading. I'll try to get to any questions I can but realize I can't get down to see most comments - not enough hours in the day. I hope you continue to enjoy the lively debate I see going on.

Comments

[Tanya]

Your are back. Good scary things happening on this site.

[Mel]

DAN... You did well tonight and received great reviews from your bloggers..

I must say though, that your site was visited by some trolls in your absence under the "just fyi" section. Hopefully you will be able to block them because their post are not your style...

Have a good evening...and keep up the good work... oohh... here comes the Big story again.. got to go watch

[bama mama]

You did a great job in the TV interview. (Great tie.) You looked good, your voice sounded good, and your comments were well-put and right-minded.

I look forward to reading your next post, am hoping to hear good news.

[Island Hopper]

Great job tonight Dan. Congratulations on your appearance and on your troll. LOL. Don't worry it's just one of the trasher/crashers from misfitting showing Lo's fit of temper at the attention you have gotten in this case. She thought she was all the news that is the news in the Peterson case but she was soon found out to be a person that steals info from others to claim as her own then calls the true source the copier or liar. She really hates to be scooped or insulted so she will undoubtedly claim to know me, my family, and everything there is to know and write some insane fictional story about "island hopper". LOL

Keep up the good work.

[Mary]

Dan, Just want you to know that I am the rest of us that have been following you through this case are very proud of you. You did a good job.
Alot went on however while you were gone and i think you need to do a cleanup job. Noticed another poster called them "trolls". Keep up the excellent work and it seems like a lot of things are going on in Aruba today. Strange happenings I might ad. Enlighten us all on your thoughts about the dad being interviewed, the reported murder of some man in his house and the other missing man and a truck ...Just a few of the strange happenings i have read about today.
Carry on. :O)

[diogenes]

has anyone considered she might have had a cell phone that night? if so, cant they be monitored when they are on, not unlike a gps device?
Thanks for your efforts on this tragic story. I dont trust anything coming out of aruba.

[Getagrip]

You did great Dan! I was very impressed...I wish you had been given more time, and that the focus wasn't VDS's website. You have so much information and insights into the case. But then again, I guess that's the MSM's shortcoming and the reason blogs such as yours are so valuable to us.

Jamie, if you're reading, love the new hair :)

*waves* hello Mr. limo driver :)

[JustMe]

Dan, I do not wish to seem pedantic but I would like to offer some advice.

When you go in front of television cameras wearing a dark suit then ALWAYS wear a white shirt and a "loud" tie. And ALWAYS have your suit coat buttoned.

Thank you and please keep up the good work on this blog.

[JustMe]

I used the wrong word when I said a "loud" tie. I should have said an "offsetting" tie.

Nonetheless, Dan, you did a great job. Please keep it up.

[Confucius]

No mention of the content on your site regarding Van Der Sloot interviews and contact? It's not difficult to change the subject on TV when you get silly questions like how to identify "gangsta" hand signals.
Come on, man! Get Riehl! Seize the moment and make all the work on your blog site pay off. You had a chance tonight to raise the sails but instead you got pushed overboard into the ocean.
We want the goods. We want the information that FOX and MSNBC are afraid to give us;... forget CNN!
Be the man! Give it to us! You can be the Matt Drudge of the new millenium, breaking this Natalee story like he did with Monica.
GO FOR IT!

[pelhamguy]

To anyone have a few questions:
1. Saw an interview the other day of the stepmother in which she stated that one of the chaperones called and changed flights for NH, anyone aware of this?
2. Has the FBI at least questioned all of the chaperones and kids on the trip? If not why?
3. Not to be critical or anything but things just dont add up about any of this and that fact that her parents and all the relatives havent broken down yet confuses me am I the only one?

[wreck]

Natalee's mother was on FOXNEWS tonight after Dan. She was asked about the chaperones and said emphatically that she did not blame them or had ANY ill feelings for them or any of the other students for not keeping an eye on her!

[Sunny]

You were great tonight Dan! Wish they would have given you more time, though, as I enjoyed watching you.

[JustMe]

1) Give us the context of what you heard. Why wouldn't the chaperone call and change flights for Natalee after she "missed the bus" to the airport? All that tells me is that the chaperone expected her to come straggling in late.

2) You can bet your last dollar that the FBI has interviewed everyone down to the family pets.

3) I read somewhere a few days ago that Natalee's grandmother lives in Arkansas. I e-mailed my cuz who lives in the Land of Opportunity and asked her about it. My cuz told me that her grandmother was interviewed on Little Rock television (this was several days ago) and did not seem overly concerned at that time.

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

pelhumguy
"Saw an interview the other day of the stepmother in which she stated that one of the chaperones called and changed flights for NH, anyone aware of this? "

Yes I saw that. When Natalee didn't show up for the flight this person changed the res to a later flight thinking Natalee would show up and be able to go then. It makes sense. I would probably do the same thing.

[S. Bastion]

Good job Riehl. Thanks for being out there and gettin it done. Kudos.

[Confucius]

Gimme a dadgum break! What the hell do you expect the mother to say on TV?
"Yes, one of those damn chaperones should have been at Carlos and Charlie's (there were 40 Alabama students there that night!!) and one of my daughter's damn roommates should have known she was missing before it was time to go to the airport."
I don't why they continue to interview the mother and step family. They are the last folks who will have anything new and interesting to say. How many times do you want to hear "Mrs. Holloway-Twitty, tell us how difficult it must be for you right now..."
OH GAWD! Where's Greta?

[LornaD]

It's been said a number of times by family, friends and students on the trip -- the chaperones were not, not chaperones in the sense you think of for children. They were only there in case of emergency, such as illness, arrest, etc. Their role was not to ride herd, count heads or smack hands and that was understood by all, including parents, before the trip began.

Nor are her friends to blame for not stopping her. Do you want to be held responsible if one of your friends decides to do something silly? You can only do so much, you can't grab them by the ankles and hold them back.

The person to blame is the person who caused her to "disappear".

[Janice]

Dan, I saw you tonite on FoxNews. Very good job and thank you for keeping this information alive. I think it's great they included you in this program and that the host wants to become a reader of your site. You deserve this recognition.....regular reader here. Thanks.

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

Regarding TROLLS and how to deal with them I found this a ScaredMonkeys:

http://www.scaredmonkeys.com/Discussion/viewtopic.php?t=142

[Cerulean]

You did very well and looked fine. You didn't feed into the sensationalizing of Joran Van Der Sloot's life. A lot of lesser souls might have.

[Matt]

Hi Dan,
I thought you were quite good as well as fair in your segment on Big News Story tonite. Keep up the great work here. I am hoping to read some of your insights into the senior Van der Sloot questioning and anything you have learnt about Natalee Holloway being shunted off to Venezuela/Colombia as was mentioned on Fox News. That El Diario reporter sounded quite far fetched but who knows. Also one small request- in the Comments section of your various blog entries there are quite a few trolls etc. Do you clean them up at all? Just curious.
Keep up your good work on this blogand still hoping for Natalee's safe return.
Thanks

[Mary]

MATT...yes he cleaned many of them up. there are a few he missed but i am sure he was tired. he heard all of our pleas and did as many as he could before he was off to bed for some well deserved zzzzzzzzzzzzz`'s. All were on th fyi page.
I too, am interested in that report about the following of the car and all that. That was one weird interview.
Keep posting anything you hear. Afterall this is the 'PLACE' for the latest news!!
GREAT SITE!!

[Kelli]

Good job Dan! I do wish you were given alittle longer though.. :(

Psssst,Dan....What about that car going into Columbia with Natalee?

[just jill]

Diogenes... She did have a cell phone but it was left behind in her room that evening, possibly charging it for what she thought (and should have been) her journey home.

[Maine]

Hello! First post here- Great site! I was reading on monkey that there wasa body of a murdered man found is this a rumor? good god! I think she is alive... the poor family for all of this and my gosh the "good" islanders must just be beside themselves as well

[anita]

To anyone have a few questions:
1. Saw an interview the other day of the stepmother in which she stated that one of the chaperones called and changed flights for NH, anyone aware of this?
2. Has the FBI at least questioned all of the chaperones and kids on the trip? If not why?
3. Not to be critical or anything but things just dont add up about any of this and that fact that her parents and all the relatives havent broken down yet confuses me am I the only one?

Posted by: pelhamguy | June 19, 2005 01:06 AM

AkekoaHoAlethia:
Yes I saw that. When Natalee didn't show up for the flight this person changed the res to a later flight thinking Natalee would show up and be able to go then. It makes sense. I would probably do the same thing.

Posted by: AkekoaHoAlethia | June 19, 2005 01:18 AM

To Dan:

I saw your interview: the focus was more on Joran then anyone else. Why?

[Riley]

Were any U.S. witnesses (FBI) present during the questioning of Sr. Van der Sloot? If not, was this just a smoke screan to allow father to visit son under the guise of an "interrogation"?

[Patti]

I would like to hear more about the reporter following the car with Natalee in it. Do you really think that kind of information would be reported if they were trailing drug lords? I think the police and FBI would be livid that this information would hit the world news. I would think that would definitely jeopardize the investigation.

If they were trailing a person involved in drugs, don't they think that these drug people are smarter than that? I am sure they are not going to just let anyone follow them, and not do anything about it. I have felt from the beginning that she was drugged and taken off the island for white slavery or something sick like that. I think these boys are part of a wider ring involved in this whole thing.

I wonder if this report about the car was a ploy to signal someone - not sure if it was a message to the people who have her or something else. I thought maybe she is already in protective custody, and they are just trying to get all the people involved.

[farko]

I can't wait for the day that we treat 18 year olds like they are adults. Can't imagine having to have a chaperone at 18. Did you know that when I was 12, I was allowed to go to the park on my own!? When I was 16, I was allowed to go to out on my own!! At 18, I'm allowed to go anywhere in the world I wanted to, as long as I can pay my way!!!!! Apparently, many of you would rather have 18 year old "kids" under wraps, unable to experience freedom.

As an 18 year old, I'd rather risk getting killed than give up my freedom to experience life.

[TS]

Dan, great job on Fox News last night! Way to go!

[Foxylady]

There is one thing I don't understand....I may have just not heard anything about it but did NH not have a real close friend that she was really close too?? I have a daughter and I know how girls are with friends! The friend on the news really didn't seem to know NH other than just through school. Girls seem to always have one real close friend they confide in about boys etc. No one has mentioned this or have I just not heard it?? It seems so strange to me that is not mentioned. No offense to the guys but most girls seem to have discerment on some things like guys?? Something seems strange to me.. Also most of the kids in Aruba don't always just party in Aruba.......sometimes Venazula.......Hmmmmmmm???

[Kelli]

farko wrote:
"As an 18 year old, I'd rather risk getting killed than give up my freedom to experience life."

As a mother of a 21 year old daughter,I can tell you that 18 is not grown up and to think so is being just alittle naive I think.At 18,you feel invincable and unafraid of mostly anything which is why so many your age end up in circumstances like this girl.All grown up? I feel sure if Natalee was reading this she'd say,"I thought I knew everything too"...:(

[marcia]

any body think that the d. j., who has a key to Tattoo, also probably has a boat to get out there? van sloot would know this.

[P]

Marcia,

are you saying that the tattoo is not moored to a fixed dock; but rather moored slightly offshore?

Pete

[lurker]

ROFLMAO, 18 year olds are still PUNKS! They just THINK they know everything. ;)

Natalie's own family described her as "naive," so she had ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS going on a disorganized trip like that one. Even with LARGE NUMBERS OF ADULTS head counts are conducted to ensure that EVERYONE IS ACCOUNTED FOR. This is just PLAIN COMMON SENSE, something the Twitty family is obviously sorely lacking in.

[Ali G]

Dan- Thanks for remaining objective during the interview. The host was trying to trick you into playing along with her game, attempting to demonize Joran because of him flashing wannabe ganf signs, like a lot of 18 year olds. The host was also attempting to cast a sisnister cloud over Joran because of the reenactment of the Abu Graib pictures. I've seen so many of those. Those sanctimonius phonies at FOX need to get a life. She probably had a three way at some point in her life.

[farko]

kelli-

due respect to you from me. parenting is a very personal and highly sensitive issue, and one's way of going about it is one's own choice. i'm 25 now. i was speaking of the past in present tense.

I'm forever greatful to my parents for letting the reigns loose and holding back their fears. Of course an 18 year old doesn't know everything. I knew that I didn't. But it will take a lifetime to learn the skills and have the knowledge to be safe out in the real world. practicing in a living room doesn't do it. i traveled the country from LA to Boston as an 18 year old. there were dangerous times. i was stupid at times. but the fact is, if i were sheltered from the danger until i was 22, i would have still been stupid and dangerous at 22, until i learned from experience.

[Kelli]

farko,
Getting experiance alittle closer to home would be the best avenue to take.Someday when and if you have an 18 year old daughter,I believe you'll probably feel differently about how much they need to get out and practice.It only takes having one of your own to realize things like this..My parents also gave me room to expand and sometimes I think I wish they had held on alittle tighter.It probably would have spared me some heart-ache along the way.Reports are that Natalee's father was opposed to the trip.Today is Fathers Day.She was his baby,not a grown up....:(

[tami]

foxylady - I agree with you 100% and was also wondering - how come she was alone, how come no friends know anything, how is it that no friend knows intimate details of her previous outings with JVS the nights before??? Girls tell girlfriends everything, this is their romantic and sexual peak and they LOVE to share every little detail and get their girlfriends advice! from what to wear, to how far to go on the second date etc etc they are constantly confiding in each other. was she a loner? was she hiding something?
I feel for her mother so much. she is the sweetest person, and really the exemplery of grace under pressure.
I just hope she holds up when the bottom line is revealed, and I don't know which is the least of 2 evils - the white slavery/drug kidnapping theory or the being thrown at that shark infested dock one. chances of a truly "happy end" on this one seems at the moment rather grim.

[P]

QUESTION TO CONSIDER:

What is the Van der Sloots relationship to the person who was killed?

Some of the Islanders have a Caribbean-South American lineage.

The person who was just murdered, like the Van der Sloots, had a least partial Dutch lineage.

It would not be surprising if we soon discovered that the Van der Sloots did indeed know the man found murdered in the cemetary.

Even though race is not much of an issue in Aruba, the crime organisations in the area are more often than not divided along racial/cultural lines.....

Pete

[P]

The people who are indigenous to Aruba and Venezuela would obviously be more involved in actual transport of drugs between the mainland and the island.

They would be the conduit for the illegal merchandise, both ways.

The inbound and outbound stuff for the European market falls into the hands of the Dutch Factions.

If Natalie is still alive then it is most likely for the purposes of sexual slavery.

There are two likely paths:

European Countries

or

S. America/Caribbean Countries

I think that European Countries can be ruled out b/c of logistics, and the fact that Natalie DOES look European.

In an illegal market, a blue eyed blonde haired girl would have more value in the Caribbean and South American countries.

It is terrible to consider the value of someones life based on their looks, age, and sex; but it is most likely a pivotal factor in this illegal market.

Conclusion:

Natalie may have been passed off to a different group (mafia, baby cartel, etc.) with ties to S. America or another area of the Caribbean.

Therefore we have a very South American style warning given via the death of a man of Dutch descent, whose relationship with the Van der Sloots hasn't been verified or publicized....

Pete

[farko]

kelli,

maybe i will. good luck to you and your daughter.

[JustMe]

Kelli, where did you hear/read that Natalee's father was opposed to her going on the trip? That is very interesting because based on my layman's knowledge psychology (i.e. utterly none)I sense deep hostility between her natural parents. In the pictures taken at Natalee's high school graduation they each posed with her individually - not together. Last night or the night before Natalee's aunt, her father's sister, was on television and referred to Beth Twitty as "Natalee's mother." These things do not lead me to believe that there are cordial relations between the "two families."

[Lurker]

If Mr. Holloway was opposed to the trip then he is much smarter than his former wife!

NONE of the parents I've talked with would EVER let their kids go on a trip like that one! The ONLY people who say they would and are defending it are the ones I've encountered online, and I suspect many of those are KIDS. The rest are head-in-the-sand, clueless, permissive babyboomers.

[Jason]

I have been following the Natalee Holloway story for many days now. The one question that keeps going through my head is why isnt any of the authorities searching in neighboring countries such as Venezuela and Colombia ? I havent heard any discussion as to any searching in these countries. Just curious as to why!

[hollylouree]

Dan you continue to appall me with your stand up and "wave the banner for the van de sloot kid". I am still trying as a therapist to figure why so much attention to this kid being protrayed as a jock and honor student as opposed to a DEAD girl that he murder with help from the entire arubian government. My theory is that as a white male of privilege with kids of privilege no doubt, you fear that you may be placed in that same position one day. So, you are preparing yourself for the day that you might need this kind of attention. You admitted yourself that you believe that these guys are responsible for Natalee's disappearance and the very next line is saying but "This is a good kid here, everyone is overlooking that fact. He is a jock, my God aren't you people getting this. He is an honor student. He could have been my son or anyone of our sons white men what's wrong with you . Haven't you forgotten our code of honor. Shame on you Dan