Letter From Paul Reynolds

Natalee Holloway's Uncle, Paul Reynolds penned a letter to the Editor and sent it to Amigoe, Aruba AM and Aruba Today. He was on MSNBC's Scarborough Country Tuesday night to discuss the letter and related topics.

Below is the unedited text of the letter.

Letter to the Editor

I have been reading Aruba AM, the English Aruban newspaper sent out over the internet. There appears to be a growing backlash against the Holloway family that I am very concerned about. I am sure the people in Aruba wish this investigation could be resolved as much as our family does.

The people in Aruba have been overwhelming supportive of our entire family since Natalie's disappearance. When I arrived on the Island two days after she was reported missing, I was always greeted with expressions of concern and hope for Natalie's return. There are hundreds if not thousands of stories of people coming together and helping each other during this incident. Bernadett from Economy Car Rental, the people at Holiday Inn, the Aruban Government Workers who left work to search the island are just a few of the examples. This is the good story of Aruba . The compassion and desire to help has meant more than you can imagine to our family.

Unfortunately, there are a very small number of individuals that are holding the people of Aruba , the Holloway family and what seems like the whole world hostage. These individuals are not a reflection of the Aruban people or the system of Justice in Aruba . These individuals know what happened and are refusing to accept responsibility for their actions. It also appears that certain individuals may be attempting to protect those individuals that know what happened. Helping them hide from their responsibility will destroy rather than preserve what is left of their lives, hopes and dreams.

The concerns that we have about the investigation are real. It began with the 10 day delay with taking the three original suspects into custody. My sister, Beth and her husband, Jug, arrived on the island the same day Natalie was reported missing. They were able to identify the three individuals she had last been seen with and report this to the police. The three suspects were briefly questioned and released. Their stories turned out to be false and their allegations led to the detainment of two innocent individuals. In a missing person case, every day is critical. Ten days would allow those individuals responsible time to hide evidence and coordinate their stories. What if the missing person was alive in those first few days? The failure to take those individuals into custody and seek evidence may have damaged this investigation beyond repair. Why was this done? Was it an attempt to cover up whatever happened and or protect those individuals involved?

Because the father of one of the suspects is a member of the Judicial system, there was immediate concern on behalf of the family that the investigation might not be fair and objective. The interest and presence of the FBI along with assurances from the US Government and the Prime Minister of Aruba reduced those concerns.

Actions since then have again increased concerns that the investigation is not being done in an objective manner. Why would you refuse assistance from the FBI in resolving a difficult case? Why would you hinder a private search team, composed of a group of volunteers whose director has experienced a similar loss of his own?

The release of two of the suspects is also a matter of concern. Although the latest (third) story of one of the suspects places him alone with Natalie on the beach, the other two have admitted to lying. Is this not obstruction of justice, interfering with an investigation or conspiracy to cover up a crime? Aren't these illegal activities whether or not you are involved in the actual crime itself? How can these individuals be allowed to go free and possibly leave the country? Why would they lie unless they had knowledge of a crime either before or after the fact? Why would the father of one of the suspects tell all three that without a body, there is no crime?

As you can see, our many questions and concerns are about the investigation, not the Island or the people of Aruba . They are as much a victim of these individuals as we are. Please join us in our request to the Prime Minister of Aruba and the Dutch Authorities to launch an independent investigation of this matter and allow all of us to learn the truth, return Natalie to her home and go forward with our lives.

Respectfully yours,

Paul Reynolds

Natalie Holloway's Uncle

Comments

[harry]

Mr. Reynolds:

The main issue in Natalee's disappearance for the Aruban judicial system is: Do we have a crime? I appreciate that in the eyes of your family, and most Americans, that answer is too obvious. But, it is far from the case. This crime question would be similarly handled in the USA.

Consequently, in order to hold the Kalpoes for obstruction of justice, we must answer: What justice has been obstructed?

Please allow the Arubans to answer the crime question.

[Phantom]

Interesting to see if this letter in its entirety is printed in the Aruban papers.

[nyer]

Does anyone else find it strange that Natalee's uncle does not know how to spell her name?

[JustHelping]

Nyer, my sentiments exactly... how sad that her own uncle doesn't know how to spell her name. It's not like it isn't on posters, in the news, etc. for everyone to see the correct spelling.

[lesmes]

i noticed that too, but he was probably writing in a hurry. However, it is a touching letter.

[nyer]

yes! very touching, but I still find it odd that he spelt her name incorrectly consistently throughout. Almost like it was not her uncle who wrote the letter. This is not a step uncle, this is her mom's brother and I am sure he has written her name thousands of times and should not make consistent typos.

[michele in bham]

When you use the spell checker in Word it changes it to Natalie.

[me2]

I don't find it unusual. My daughter's name is spelled Ashlea and it is commonly written as Ashley by family members, teachers and well .. just about everyone.

[michele in bham]

Look, all your weirdo's can worry about is a typo when the man is outlining a pure case of government corruption and the cover up of a murder????

And you are worried about a typo???

[michele in bham]

Dan can you give up a new discussion forum?

[resorttownmom]

My grandfather was a federal circuit judge and my brother is a lawyer. The VanDerSloot's are a reputable family that unfortunately has a family member under suspicion for a suspected crime. I hope for everyone involved that Natalee is not dead and nobody committed a crime. We just plain do not know anything yet. What if Natalee was in some kind of trouble and trusted Joran to help her? What if Joran tried to help her and couldn't? What if Joran caused her death but it was unintentional? What was Joran premeditating crime on the night before he had to take important final exams at his school? If Joran committed a crime, the Van Der Sloot's will be devastated just the same as the Holloway-Twitty's. If Joran's is responsible everyone will feel responsible. So to point to a reputable family and say they would cover up is ridiculous. Paul Van Der Sloot has a wife and other dependents. He would never cover for Joran at the risk of his entire family. He would tell Joran to confess if he believed something happened. What is wrong with everyone?

[MrsJimiHendrix]

DAN

HOW CAN YOU LET PEOPLE TEAR APART THIS POOR MAN LIKE THIS (SEE ABOVE POSTS BY NYER AND COMPANY) THIS IS SICK.

CAN'T YOU DO SOMETHING TO STOP THESE IDIOTS FROM TRAMPLING ON HER FAMILY ON YOUR BLOG?

IT IS BAD ENOUGH THEY DO IT TO THE POSTERS HERE, BUT WHAT THE HECK DID HER UNCLE DO TO DESERVE THIS TYPE OF CRITISISM.

YOU HAVE ALL THE RIGHT AIMS HERE DAN, JUST GET THE JERKS OUT!!

FOR ALL WE KNOW ***YOU, DAN*** ARE HER FAMILY'S RESOURCE TOO!!!!

[kim]

I completely agree with Paul Reynolds and there is a crime - we have the remarkable comment from Aruba prosecutor Karin Janssen stating judge told son: No body, no case”

PALM BEACH, Aruba (CNN) — An Aruban judge briefly held in the disappearance of an Alabama teenager told his son — who is still in police custody — that without a body police would have no case, the island’s chief prosecutor said Wednesday.
Judge Paul Van Der Sloot, 53, was arrested in connection with the Natalee Holloway case but released days later.
Its time to move forward and do this investigation where no one is above the law.

[michele in bham]

Why are a lot of people being banned from Sacred Monkeys?

Note to everyone about my comments from my friend who's friend's kids go to MBHS.(And to my fans at Free Republic.)

I did not mean to imply that Natalee was "fast" or anything like that.

I was simply stating what she told me.

Her friends daughter doesn't move in those circles. THat's all she said.

I know that those folks (her friends) are very conservative and homeschooled for years. They (along with lots of other MBHS parents wouldn't let their kids go on the trip because of the drinking.

THOSE are the type circles I thought she meant.

Also, someone is posting at Sacred Monkeys claiming to be a classmate. The screen name is "Country Moon."

THat person is not a class mate.

She/ He states "The chaperones that were there did all the head counts, did all of the checking rooms, and monitored everything that they possibly could. The ratio of us to them though was us winning by a mile."

That is totally false. THere were no room checks, no head counts and no monitoring at all.

The kids and the chaperones checked in with each other once a day in the hotel lobby at 12 p.m.

Whoever County Moon is, that person is not a classmate of Natalee's.

[war eag;e]

Amen, Paul Reynolds,

These and many other questions we all have been asking ourselves the last MONTH, while the Dutch-Arubans sit on their fat, corrupt asses and do nothing but stall and waste time for the cover up!

We are behind you and your family in the search for Natalee 110%!

I am one of the 'hold-outs' that thinks she still is alive down there (but not on Aruba). It is tool small and the three did not have enough time to do something that bad and cover it up/dispose, etc. (you get the picture).

I have previously made the point that a 17-year-old would crack under this kind of pressure if he had done something this bad (hunch).

This leaves you with the corrupt Dutch gov't, the drug runners, mafia, cartel (whatever you want to call it). The point is she was probably trafficked for one of the houses in Curacao, Colombia, or Venezuela.

The answer: Use your brother-in-law's connections to FBI, DEA, etc. and mount your own 'search' under cover. Go to Curacao, Caracas, wherever you need to go, and FAST, and get her out alive if you still can.

Godspeed from a fellow native of Alabama....and
...War Eagle!

Lone War Eagle

[andy]

Mr. Reynolds; My sympathy is with your family. I think the case will be over before the end of this week. I sense PvdS, Ben King, Joran and another individual will be prosecuted. PvdS is about to break under the pressure; thus he's running and hiding. Anyone that sweats during a general conversation is under mental strain and high blood pressure because of fear as being recognized as the perpatrator.

The four clowns above most likely are on break at their prison units somewhere here in the US - unfortunate as it may be.

[kim]

Resorttown mom - The conduct and actions of Joran from the beginning and his father Paulus' statement about "no body..." not only took away his credibility but any thought of possible past reflections of being reputable.

[RstJ]

"Because the father of one of the suspects is a member of the Judicial system, there was immediate concern on behalf of the family that the investigation might not be fair and objective."

So the Twittys just automatically assumed the Aruban system was corrupt? Yeah, that's a great way to start off. I noticed the uncle doesn't bother to mention that idiotic 3am visit to the VDS house which, more than anything else, screwed up this case. Nice job tipping off the prime suspect.

The Holloway contingent needs to sit down and shut up. They aren't going to bully their way to justice. It doesn't matter who Jug's "powerful friends" are. Beth's press conference today was embarassing. Telling countries to deny the Kalpoes entrance? Who the fuck does she think she is?

RstJ

[kim]

Good humor andy!

[nyer]

I am not trying to tear anyone apart, I am just pointing out something I find strange. A bunch of strangers can spell her name correctly, but her uncle cannot.

I feel very badly for the family and I hope they find peace in this situation soon (whatever the outcome). Although, I pray that Natalee is alive. I am simply questioning if this letter was truly written by her uncle.

[tracker]

harry >

The problem is, aruba hasn't made ANY progress to determine:

1) Where Natalee is

2) If a crime has been committed.

Where is Natalee Holloway ?

[michele in bham]

To resort Twon Mom, you can stop comparing the Holloway Twitty's to the Van Der Sloots.

The only thing they have in common is that the Vna Der Sloot son has hurt their daughter somehow, perhaps even murdered her.

Please do not compare what the Holloway Twitty's are going through to what the sleazy Van der Sloots are going through.

I am one of the first people that found Joran's websites. He was in no way shape or form a distunguished young man except that he distingushed himself by acting very trashy, allowing people to photograph his actions and then he pasted them all over the internet.

No, the familes are not the same or on the same level at all.

[atticus]

mr. reynolds

our prayers and steely resolve are with you and your family. People around the world sit in disbelief at the corruption and stupidity of aruba and the netherlands. We seek and expect justice, not 'just us'. just us is what aruba is doing to the holloway family. making the family look like trouble makers. By God, Aruba will suffer the boils and locusts of the seventh seal before the van der sloots will enjoy a family dinner ever again. God forgive them, no one else will.

[panopticon]

mr. reynolds

our prayers and steely resolve are with you and your family. People around the world sit in disbelief at the corruption and stupidity of aruba and the netherlands. We seek and expect justice, not 'just us'. just us is what aruba is doing to the holloway family. making the family look like trouble makers. By God, Aruba will suffer the boils and locusts of the seventh seal before the van der sloots will enjoy a family dinner ever again. God forgive them, no one else will.

[islandlife]

Hi Kim,

"without a body police would have no case"

In which context did PVDS use this sentence?

[kim]

RstJ -
The police went with the Holloways to the Vandersloots when they originally arrived on the island. Maybe they were tipping him off with their honking and lights when they first pulled in. Whom did you mean to be idiotic?

[war eagle]

You people need to read maps again and use some basic common sense! (referring to people on this computer and the searchers on the island)

Aruba is only 16miles long, 6 miles wide, (roughly one-half the size of Cozumel, Mexico),
and the people arrested had less that 1-1/2 hours to do anything.

The island casinos are owned by the cartels, mafia, dutch, etc., they ship drugs, launder money, and own LE.

Ask yourself this question: even if NH was left on a beach alone (which I don't buy this theory at all), who would be likely to pick her up? A tourist? NO---the traffickers, spotters, etc.

So, the question almost answers itself and they need to search the other island, etc.

Why don't the searchers to elsewhere? Because they are afraid they might find her and then they would have to 'confront' the real bad people. It is always hard to face the truth, and as the "judge in training" would tell you, stand up to the people who paid him off.

Lone War Eagle

[MiniMe]

Some of you damn people(if that is what you want to call yourselves--more like demons from hell) are cowards and scumbags. You make me sick!
You have no respect for human life and have no idea what Beth and her family and friends have been going through all this time.
You obviously don't care. ! You want to post your lies and garbage here as if it were a game. You are all pathetic ! May you burn in hell! ..And take the scum that did this to Natalee and your sorry Mafia drug controlled government of the Island of Aruba with you!
I feel sorry for the "true honest citizens" of Aruba. May they overthrow their government there and replace it with decent and respectable people and run all the mafia gang into the ocean with the sharks! Then and only then will you have a "Happy ISLAND"
And for you Americans and others that are trashing Natalee and her family you should be deported ! It could be your child. What the hell would you do ?? Back off Beth Twitty and Natalee !

[resorttownmom]

The "no body, no case" may be a media "excite" phrase. If a lawyer counsels a client about what may happen, the lawyer gives the law. If the boys said "oh my god, she is missing, could we go to jail because she was never found," the lawyer would say "calm down boys, we don't even know if there is a crime. If there is no body, how do they know if anybody is dead." "Now calm down, and just tell the truth." Now do you get it?

[kim]

Islandlife -
Paulus VanDerSloot would have to elaborate on that one, but if you are asking me as if this was another chapter in a novel, it would appear he has and may still be assisted/assisting his son and friends in some legal advice.

[lesmes]

the holloways must go to nearby Venezuela. Peninsula de Paraguana that is a free tax trade zone for Venezuelans. La Peninsula is located on Estado Falcon and can be reach by regular flights from Aruba. There is a lot of whore houses in that zone. NH could have been sold to a prostitute trader?????

[michele in bham]

Rstl just had a real hard time with the fact that the Holloway Twitty's have gotten a few things done without the permission of anyone else.

He's spews about them quite a lot. Ignore him.

He's the same one who accused poor Marcia Twitty of controling the MBHS class of 05.

[kim]

resorttownmom - you are right, but Paulus VanDerSloot was and is not legal counsel for Joran, Deepak, nor Satish - they are not his clients. I'd be wondering what prompted Paulus to tell authorities this...

[harry]

MiniMe:

I think the sharks already left Aruba.

[michele in bham]

Lone War Eagle, read this and get back to me. :

I did some work on Amy Bradley. Bradley's disappearance is entirely under a dirrerent set of circumstances. Amy Bradley was seeing a Black Bass Player (Crew Member) who had been involved with other problems prior to her disappearance.

Natalee Holloway made a decision to see a guy she had met in the Casino and began to "hit on her" and she met him at Carlos & Charlies. You can write Natalee off on the White Slave thing...she does not and would not be of interest to those who deal in the trade....trust me, I been there...and I know thier rules.

Natalee is with whomever she thought to be the supreme being. What is really unfortunate, is the family is accepting whatever is flushed out of the Police in Aruba! The Peaceful Island? Yeah, right! There are Drug Dealers every 50-100 feet. "Anything goes" in Aruba.

If you cross the wrong person in Aruba, thew will cut oyur head off and feed you to the Sharks. The Sharks take care of many problems in Aruba. Especially on the winward sidse of the Island.

The Police are blowing smoke to the Holloway-Twitty family! I worked a Drug Supression Team with the Dutch between Amsterdam and the Banhof in Koblenz, Germany.

YOU CAN USE A POLYGRAPH UNDER THE DUTCH SYSTEM. Like America, it can not be used in court. It can only be used and an Investigatove aid. Under the Dutch system, you can be tried for murder without a body...

BUT, you can't be tried without "Testominal, Trace, Physical or Forensics evidence." and it appears that the Families of the Teenagers cleaned all that up. They will wear down the Holloway-Twitty Family and when they go back home, things quiet down, the poor little rich boys will be released.

If justice is to be served as sometimes it is, some millionaire will hire a "Ghost" and the suspects in this case will disappear....in it crudest form, Justice will be served! God Bless you Natalee, no matter where you are!

Ron Watson
Crime Scene Reconstructionist http://comebackalive.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10351&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=105

The people who post there are the real deal.

[islandlife]

Kim,

In my humble opinion this sentence could mean alot or it doesn't mean anything. Logically we would think that he told his son this, and also the rest maybe, while discussing the crime they suposedly committed. The fact is we simply don't know what they were discussing when this was said. And it's been like this with so many things in this case. Too much speculation has polluted this discussion that it has bottled down to a ordinary mudfight. Too bad it is very disrespectfull to the HT family. Oh i'm not saying you are one of the fighters, don't get me wrong.

[philby]

michele
you are wise beyond your years. the dutch govt and the aruban lackies and the van der sloot's lives are over. they have no future and no past. It would be much easier for them to admit the facts the die with the lies. the truth will rise from the grave while the lies of the present will fuel the demise of the perps, liars and govt.

[lesmes]

ron watson....you are right. Finally, someone is being realistic

[harry]

Michelle:

You might want to reconsider being a public relations person for Ghosts. Your post seems more advanced than the alledged shenanigans of the Aruban underworld. Why bother posting at all?

[panopticon]

i am amazed the aruban govt let the lying kalpoe punks go. perhaps that is old man van der sloots way of feeding them to the sharks, sooner than later. But, I agree with above posters that even old man van der sloot will feed sharks in the future. these people, with the dutch and aruban government's cooperation, have spun a web of lies that constrains only them. The world knows now, God has always known.God will send them to the pit of hell at his leisure.

[resorttownmom]

The "no body, no case" may be a media "excite" phrase. If a lawyer counsels a client about what may happen, the lawyer gives the law. If the boys said "oh my god, she is missing, could we go to jail because she was never found," the lawyer would say "calm down boys, we don't even know if there is a crime. If there is no body, how do they know if anybody is dead." "Now calm down, and just tell the truth." Now do you get
it?
-----------------------------------------------
resorttownmom - you are right, but Paulus VanDerSloot was and is not legal counsel for Joran, Deepak, nor Satish - they are not his clients. I'd be wondering what prompted Paulus to tell authorities this...

Posted by: kim | July 5, 2005 10:06 PM
-------------------------------------------------I know judges and I know lawyers. If you ask a lawyer a question, you get the law. Even if you don't want to know, a lawyer will tell you the law. Paulus Van Der Sloot was a lawyer and judge in training. He would tell his mother, son, neighbor, carpenter, mechanic, etc. etc. anybody he knows what the law is. That is his training. I don't know if there was a crime and I don't know who committed it. I feel horrible for both families.

[Alvaro]

The typo is odd, but it can happen.

I am someone who is interested in this story and its developments, simply because I find it fascinating. The fact that someone could just disappear, does keep me coming back to see the latest developments. Of course, as a father of three, I feel for the family, and I would love for NataLEE to show up alive and be able to return home, but I must admit I am not one of those people who say they have cried... I have not; who say they have prayed all night and everyday... I have not; or who consider this an international crisis... I do not.

Lurking and reading, I have come to the following very general conclusions that I must admit are probably only my perception.

1) Without a doubt, the most annoying thing I've encountered, are those extremely sensitive people who want anyone in this story who is from Alabama, canonized. Anyone with a brain KNOWS they are the victims, is it absolutely necessary to use this statement as a qualifier for every sincere question or comment? Aren't we all intelligent enough to know the majority of us are operating on that assumption?

2) Natalee's uncle seemed to be very cognizant of the need to separate criticism of this case with an all out attack on Aruba, its history, and its people. The first is proving necessary, the latter are not. Why can't everyone else grasp this?

3) You can always count on uninvolved "America" haters to put MORE than their 2 cents in... I calculate it at about 62 cents. You can always count on Europeans to make posts that have nothing to do with the disappearance of this girl. It seems Euros not only have a much longer history than Americans, they also have a shorter memory. they forget that many of the practices they criticize Americans for, have European beginnings.

4) Renegades of prevailing opinion here can pretty much be divided in two groups:

a - those who spout off the most venomous, ignorant, anti-human rants, simply because Natalee is/was an American. This is a sickness with no cure... This seems to be widely known because most ignore them.

b- Those who love to focus on the fact that absolutely NOTHING has been proven, therefore, everyone should be let go. Those of you who buy into this, if Natalee weren't American, would you be so flippant in dismissing troubling facts such as JVS & Kalpoes lied, were last people seen with Nat, and furthermore dad VS gave them incriminating legal advice? Embrace your better judgement and human intuition.

5) Lastly, it seems that many Americans from the South, flying in the face of the South's less than stellar judicial history, seem very proud of the old ways & old justice in Dixie. I find that to be laughably ironic and proof that as humans we only see what we want to see.

[Kim]

Islandlife if you want humble rent Charlottes Web. Blogs involve alot of speculation - if anyones disrespectful its not from my end - maybe you've had too much of the island life or maybe you just haven't lived it yet - if you wait a few months there a really good mudfights in Daytona during Biketoberfest.

[Canadian Girl]

The phrase he used was "no corpse...no case".

Who uses the word corpse to describe a missing girl???

Someone who knows she is a corpse and will never be found, that's who.

Resort Mom you need to get a clue.

[michele in bham]

Hey Harry, I just thought it was interesting that PI's working on the actual case are posting there while we have a bunch of posers here.

Make of that what you will.

But the guys at Black Flag know their stuff.

[war eagle]

Michele (in my hometown),

Thanks. You may be right but I am an eternal optimist. It is just my nature, I guess, being I am from Ala. and am very independent-minded as well as well-traveled, unlike alot of people.

You/they/ whomever may be right; BUT, consider this, nobody on this site knows NH like family members close to her. They know what she is like and I do not think they are giving her enough credit--she was very smart from her achievements; not to focus on her too much---but there is too little on her detailed background.

For example, what does anyone know about her ability defend herself? Did she have any martial arts background?

You get the picture--I just don't think everyone has thought through every angle.

I sincerely hope she is not dead; she may be---I do not know. I think I would search out other places or leads. Surely the FBI or DEA have info that could help the family---last time I checked, these were USA-funded by yours and my tax dollars, right??

Lone War Eagle

[jimmyraybob]

if natalee were black, we would have the case solved 3 weeks ago. natalee is white so we play by the rules. we are playing by the rules with a bunch of 6 fingered inbred miscreants owned by the mafia/drug lords of central and south america and yes, europe.
I hope PRESIDENT BUSH authorizes shadows in darkness. the lies are visible even in the darkness. executive action required.
the sad thing is that this saga is beginning to resemble a steven sagal movie. I think its time for steven sagal results. Americans are patient trusting people, Arubans and Dutch are equivocating, lying, moral jello brains who respond to only money or force or fear.
Its time to implement systematic destabilization using fear and force upon the entire island. Is Snerd present and accounted for? Spinoza, report for duty.

[islandlife]

I meant to say that all the bashing and insults i've seen in this blog is disrespectful to the HT family. Not you. Regarding the island life i've been living it almost my whole live with a brief 7 year interuption for some education in europe. Still can't get enough of it though. Guess i'll grab a mudfight next time i'm in the neighbourhood

[harry]

Alvaro:

No crime, no guilt: Whether you are under the Napoleonic Code or English Common Law, those four words pretty much sum up our judgment of our human intuition of justice.

[michele in bham]

If you Natalee Holloway Junkies can't get enough here, go to www.freerepublic.com.

Do a search for Natalee thread 5.