Riehl World View

Update On T J Ward

The Atlanta Journal Constitution is said to be profiling the increasingly famous private investigator, T J Ward in tomorrow's edition - the man with the million dollar income charging the family of Natalee Holloway $125 an hour to help find their missing girl.

This link is to a pdf file which previously did a profile on the prolific detective. Some excerpts from page 13 of the pdf:

Ward has been a private investigator since 1982, after retiring from a 25-year career as a police officer. His final police job was as a pilot with the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Department, earning $22,000 per year.

Tired of trying to live off his salary, Ward decided to start his own business. "I was too close to poverty level, [which is] $15,000," he said, "Most police officers have to work two to three jobs to make ends meet," said Ward, adding that his 2003 revenue totaled $1 Million.

His firm, staffed with six investigators, bills clients up to $100 per hour, plus expenses. "I was fortunate to be in the right place and meet the right people at the right time," he said. "I know how to market my business and get out there."

One of Ward's earliest clients was former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr. Barr hired Investigative Consultants for his private practice in Atlanta, and while he served in Congress from 1995 - 2003. Barr and Ward are now working together to educate corporations on the Patriot Act. Financial success aside, Ward says he loves his job because every day is different.

RWV has been fortunate enough to see an advance copy of tomorrow's profile on Ward. It is said to include:

Investigator, T.J. Ward, 51, has been working the case for less than two weeks and claims to have already found witnesses and evidence that for two months have eluded island investigators. "This case should have been solved in three days," said Ward last week, as he prepared to return to Aruba Sunday.

One of Ward's fresh leads appears to have just added to investigator's frustrations, however.

Over the past three weeks he said he has appeared almost nightly on a cable news programs talking it. "Nancy Grace told me I'm the most famous private investigator in America," he said

He flew down to Aruba at his own expense and made his pitch to the family: What this case needs isn't more analysis, what this case needs is more shoe leather. They hired him, paying his expenses, and $125 an hour.

Now, with his work, and the FBI reportedly getting more actively involved in the investigation than it was before, the mystery may soon have an ending, said Ward - which opens another mystery.

Who will write the book about the Natalee Holloway case?

"Me," said Ward.

Update: A voice from San Diego chimes in on Nancy Grace and does a take down of the Holloway / Twitty family in the process. Must be one of those compassionate Libruls I've heard so much about! ; )

Miller Must Be A Fool

Sorry for the ES fans, but this is pathetic. If you genuinely want to search the property of anyone involved in a murder investigation, you do not show up unexpectedly at the front gate with Fox News filming in the background.

Miller greeted TV audiences with a smirk tonight when the Fox reporter led him into what was likely a pre-planned discussion of an alleged confrontation with Paul(us) Van der Sloot at his home yesterday. Apparently, Miller is also taking some enjoyment from his plans to "keep up the heat" on Van der Sloot to facilitate a search of his private property.

While I would expect and support any and all efforts by the Aruban authorities, now working in conjunction with the FBI to secure the proper warrants necessary to carry out a search of the property ... carrying on a sideshow that gets you face time on Fox News is no way to solve what is possibly a murder investigation.

It must be Carnival time in Aruba, because the circus is clearly in town.

Natalee Holloway Left Carlos And Charlies With Deepak

In what was a controversial story at the time, I reported that Natalee Holloway left Carlos and Charlies with Deepak Kalpoe and not Joran Va der Sloot. In addition to sources used for that first report, I have now confirmed through another independent witness that the report was in fact accurate.

In attempts to re-construct the time-line for the night of Natalee Holloway's disappearance, it now seems that she did leave first with Joran Van der Sloot - but the two did not walk off together immediately.

At some point after most of Natalee's friends drifted away, Joran v d Sloot and Satish Kalpoe are thought to have left the front of the club, perhaps to return to Deepak's car.

Natalee then went back inside the club very briefly before emerging with the elder Kalpoe brother, who, as previously reported, was said to have been holding her by the arm. That has been described as non-romantic in nature and more consistent with an effort to assist one as they walk. At some point during that time period an unidentified Mountain Brook student is reported to have asked her if she was "Okay." It's believed she responded that she was.

The two are said to have been observed walking up the street from C and C some 80 to 100 yards, passing by the other nightclubs on the street until at or through a nearby intersection. At some point time after they disappeared from view, the three boys and Natalee Holloway are reported to have come back through the area, all seated in the car of Deepak Kalpoe. The car containing Natalee Holloway is said to have been observed by another Mountain Brook student who was located upon the porch of another nightclub.

Beth Twitty: Bittersweet Home Alabama

Beth Twitty's return to Alabama was not unplanned and has been anticipated for a few days. While she will return for any developments in the search for her missing daughter, Natalee Holloway, for now she'll get to spend some time with her son. I know some folks in Alabama who will be glad to see her home for a spell. Speculation suggests she may return this week, or earlier if anything significant develops.

According to a relative, it was "very difficult" for Beth Holloway Twitty to leave without knowing her daughter's fate, and she plans to return soon to keep the investigation alive.

A North Carolina couple spoke highly of her here, having been able to meet her while they were on the island.

"I told Eileen, 'Let's go down to meet her after the interview,'" said Ricky. "We saw her that evening and told her we were from North Carolina and that we come every year.

'We're here on vacation, but if there's anything we can do to help, feel free to call on us,' we told her. "'You're so sweet,' she (Twitty) said to us.

As it turned out we saw her three different evenings we were there (in Aruba)," said Eileen. "Beth Twitty is such an amazing person-so composed and relentless. She's one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet." Later Ricky would be involved in one effort to follow up on a tip about the teen's possible whereabouts.

As it turned out, the search turned up nothing. "She didn't ask us for any help, but on the last night we saw her, she told us that she'd been having difficulty getting her mail," said Ricky. "I told her that I had been friends with the manager of the Marriot since the first time Eileen and I visited the island.

Additional news reports, like this one, suggest a sense of what might be the inevitable is beginning to sink in.

Marilyn Whitlock of Columbiana, who flew in from Aruba to sell the "Hope for Natalee" bracelets, said she has been close with the Twitty family for a number of years, ever since her husband and Jug Twitty met in college....

However, officials in the investigation stated last Wednesday that the award would now pay for any information leading to her recovery, a definite reflection of the family's changing attitude toward the investigation, she said.

"The last time I talked with Beth, I was real hopeful. She said, 'One day, I am burying her. The next day, I am wanting her home alive.' It's just like the waves in that ocean," she said tearfully. "It is a ride."

She said the Aruban justice system has confused and frustrated the Twitty family since their arrival, especially since many of suspects in the case have been released.

When an Aruban appeals court ruled last Thursday to keep Joran van der Sloot, a Dutch teenager who appears to be the primary suspect, for 60 more days, Whitlock said everyone was relieved.

"Beth was panicked. She thought they would release him," she said. She said family and close friends of Natalee believe that the three men, Deepak Kalpoe, 21, Satish Kalpoe, 18, and Joran van der Sloot, 17, were involved in her disappearance, but she said everyone has different theories about exactly what happened to her.

Natalee Holloway Update: Missing Shoe

I've been informed that at a press conference today investigators have asked anyone that may have information as regards a sneaker - K-SWISS (White and Blue) size 14 possibly seen or found near the Marriott or the Fisherman's Hut area to please contact the Police.

Earlier reports have suggested that a search at the home of Joran Va der Sloot turned up a shoe which may have been covered with mud, or muck. The shoe had no match. The last bit of information hasn't been independently confirmed.

Sunday Special

It's Sunday and there's a Carnival in town.

Also, a note on Internet security. Multiple sources have come forward to inform me that recent problems with the Scared Monkeys chat site are the result of a deliberate hack. That's presently unconfirmed according to their site. One should always take into account the honesty, trustworthiness and security measures used by any web site you are using - particularly if it involves personal or financial information.

RWV was threatened with an attack several weeks ago. As result of the security measures employed by SixApart, an established professional service with millions of users, I'm unaware if an attempt ever took place. If so, it was apparently turned back.

Several readers here who also read there have written to complain as regards moderation practices at SM. I have no personal knowledge of same having been banned prior to entering for some unknown reason. Frankly, I've barely enough time to participate in my own comments area from time to time, let alone someone elses.

Many Internet readers and commenters are extremely computer savvy. I am not and can't begin to understand hacking. I can hardly program my cell phone. If the site mentioned above was hacked, it was most likely someone they alienated through chat area administrative practices, which have been known to draw substantial criticism, as mentioned above.

Now, don't forget the Carnival. I'm grateful that this experience has allowed me to share information with and direct some readership to several worthy web logs.

Aruba Update

One of the issues that is so frustrating about this case is all of the misinformation. I saw one web site recently claim the land fill witness went to the police and was ignored. Unfortunately, if you simply take the spin from Aruba and run with it, it causes more confusion, than anything else.

I do know that the FBI had searched the land fill on at least one occasion. There is certainly nothing wrong with additional, and hopefully more thorough searching - but it needs to be based upon information - and not hyperbole.

In addition to the pond, Trump said authorities are searching a landfill for the third time since a witness came forward shortly after Holloway disappeared.

The witness claimed he saw more than one person dump into the landfill something he believes could have been a covered body, CNN has learned from sources briefed on the investigation. The witness also gave police a license tag number that reportedly belonged to a white pickup truck.

Police tell CNN that a tag check found that the vehicle was not at the landfill at or around the time the witness claimed. About 11 members of Equusearch, a Dickinson, Texas-based volunteer group that specializes in searches, also combed through the landfill Saturday.

Spokesman Kevin O'Brien said the search was going "slow, very slow, with lots and lots of digging in pretty unpleasant conditions." O'Brien said three cadaver dogs hit on specific areas within the landfill early Saturday, but a physical search located three containers of medical waste instead.

UPDATE: Reader AK was kind enough to transcribe  the following from Jossy Mansur's recent appearance on On The Record - he is discussing witnesses as regards the landfill.

On The Record, Fri, 7-29

Jossy Mansur interviewed by Martha McCallum on Greta's On TheRecord Fri, 7-29:

(Martha McCallum substituting - asking questions): ... Martha: What did the witness say?

Jossy: I'll tell you exactly what he said. He told us that he saw a pickup with three men enter the dump. He saw 2 of the men get off, pick up a black garbage, plastic bag. Two of the men carried it. Some kind of blond hair fell from the bag, in other words, stuck out from the back. They placed this bag over where there was a lot of rubble, bags. And then they picked up a small baby pool, you know those plastic pools that babies bath in. And then they put it over that bag that they put over there. Now this afternoon it so happens that they did find that item of interest, which is that pool. And tomorrow they're going to dig very deep in there to find out if this guy is telling the truth. If he is telling the truth then they must find that bag that he said that he saw those people place there.

Martha : Why didn't this person come forward sooner with story?

Jossy: Because everybody here is scared of this story. This story has gone totally out of proportion. It has become high profile, especially in the US. And people don't normally want to be involved in anything that smells of anything like a crime, or a murder, or whatever; because there's a lot of personal implications for them -- to be interrogated by the police, held there for hours, to be taken to court and act as witness. So it is very hard for people who don't have any kind of experience with this sort of thing to just come forward and say what they saw. But this story has been going around for some time... tomorrow we will find out more.

Martha : Tell us more about this pool... It seems like if they covered it up with that they would have gotten to a body fairly quickly after they uncovered that pool. Jossy: Not necessarily -- because as the weeks passed much other rubble has been thrown on top of it and the tractors have been pushing everything together. So that wouldn't be necessarily true.... And they have to be looking in the coming 2-3 days all around this pool that they found today.... It's a time consuming, a physical job. They have to look at everything. It is a Titanic job.

Martha : How much impact does this reward money have on these witnesses coming forward now? ... A million dollar reward?

Jossy: As far as I'm concerned, none. Because these witnesses, they don't come forward when these rewards were posted. They've been around quite some time before that.

Martha : Do these witnesses know each other at all.

Jossy: Absolutely not. Then you have the other witness that says that by the Holiday Inn he saw practically the same thing. He saw a white PU with 3 male occupants and that they were dragging some kind of a body, of a lady, and put it in the back of that white PU. And then drive away.... But these people don't know each other. They are very far apart. And they both seem to see the same PU with the same three characters in there.

Martha: But doesn't it seem curious to you that they would come forward in a similar span of time to say that they saw these similar things?

Jossy: I don't know about the span of time or how they are related to each other time wise. What I do know is at least the one witness at the landfill is a pretty serious witness. I think that the police have some kind of trust in his reliability as they wouldn't be spending all of this time, effort and money going so totally over every single heap of garbage that they can find there.

Martha : How specifically do they identify the people they saw.

Jossy: ...They don't identify the three. I didn't hear anything about that. They identified another man that was standing outside of the cyclone fence. But I would hesitate to even mention his name because unless we have some kind of proof - that we will get in the next two days -- it wouldn't be fair to anyone to mention names. [My observation as I watched the video at this instant -- a slight smile emerges from the corner of his Jossy's mouth!] END OF INTERVIEW

Missing NYC Boy Found Safe

Here's some good news for a SUnday. Read it here.

NEW YORK (AP) - A 13-year-old boy who disappeared from a men's room in Yankee Stadium had run away and was found in Queens early Sunday, police said.

Police said the boy was found in front of a building in Queens early Sunday in good health. He was returned to his parents, Sweeney said.

Curious Activity At Van der Sloot Home

The image at right is an overhead view of the home of Joran Van der Sloot, currently being held as a suspect in the Natalee Holloway disappearance. Ironically, as this picture was snapped the Van der Sloot parents, Paul(us) and Anita both happened to be outside.

A link to a larger image below shows Paul(us) v d Sloot talking to an indivdual who appears to have arrived in a furniture truck. Anita can be clearly seen making her way from the house towards Paul(us) and the other individual. What appear to be items of furniture can be seen, as well.

It has not been confirmed as to whether or not the Van der Sloots are planning a move. Some sources suggest they may be selling off furniture to pay for legal expenses accrued through a drawn out investiigation involving their eldest son. ALso, the family may have simply decided it was time for some new furniture.

As there is a much larger image available, Ian at The Political Teen has agreed to host it. Click to visit Ian.

Natalee Holloway: A Bird's Eye View Of Investigation Locations

The image at right is a reduced facsimile of an image Ian at The Political Teen has been gracious enough to host for me. It is an aerial view of certain locations involved in the on going investigation of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

The explanation for the map follows:

Top center is the Racquet Club, near which one witness claimed to have seen a vehicle resembling the car of Deepak Kalpoe with Joran Van der Sloot at the wheel. On the left, red circle is the home of that witness - brought forward by J.T. Ward, private investigator.

To the right of the racquet club, circled, is the home of the gardner who is said to have placed the boys near the pond. The red line depicts the "long-cut" the gardner claims to have taken to work that night.

Following that red line, or road, brings you to the pond and, circled, is the alleged location of the Kalpoe vehicle that evening. The pond is also identified.

The blue line represents what is likely to be the quickest route to work for the gardner. As you can see at end of blue route, the residence for the gardner's employer is further done that road.

Moving to the right, bottom of image, circled, is the beach and hut area where it has been alleged that Deepak Kalpoe dropped off Natalee Holloway and Joran Van der Sloot.

Along the beach and then up the right side of the image is the indicator for the Marriott Resort - further right, out of frame.

The image is here - view full screen, or expand picture to see the full view. It is a large and very clear image.