Natalee Holloway Update

The lack of information available as regards the Natalee Holloway disappearance continues to trouble many Americans. Numerous rumors and viewpoints abound and often conflict in the vacuum imposed by a less than transparent judicial system some suggest is more in line with an old world monarchist-based philosophy.

An increasingly more Democratic world, most particularly the United States, unaccustomed and uncomfortable with almost any cloak of of secrecy in public affairs watches and hopes that some secretive form of justice might emerge from behind the curtain of a still on going investigation. Yet, as each day passes, both casual and legal observers continue to grow more doubtful.

Some of the first Internet-based reports of the disappearance emerged here on an Aruban-based message board through postings attributed but unconfirmed as originating from Mountain Brook, Alabama.

My best friend is at a prayer service for her right now. She hasn't heard anything yet. Thanks for everyone's concern. We have all made stupid decisions, maybe not so drastic, but she is supposedly a great girl who doesn't drink much. She just had too much to drink, and that, mixed with her age is not a good combination.

The investigation has focused on Joran Van der Sloot, son of a failed judge to be as a result of reports that the boy was the last one seen with Natalee Holloway. But even that report can be called into question - perhaps first by the unconfirmed Internet-based report below.

My husband and I were in Aruba last week and spent time with the girls on The DePalm tours snorkel/booze cruise. We saw Natalie later that night at Carlos and Charlies and we commented that she was up to partyubg(sic) that night because of the exhaustive day we had on the boat. When we saw her leave she left by herself. No one was with her but we did notice some local guys talking to her while she was in there. I do not know if this will help but my heart goes out to the family and I can not believe this has happened.I live 4000 miles away outside of Detroit, Michigan and I feel like it happened to somone(sic) I know having spent tome(sic) with them on the boat. I even have pictures of them.I will pray for her and her family. Sincerly(sic) John and Michele Gumm

I've since spoken with multiple reliable sources with direct knowledge of events of the night Natalee Holloway disappeared. One Internet-based, un-related and as yet unconfirmed report did begin to paint a troubling picture of events at Carlos and Charlies that night as far back as June 8. It's a picture many Americans and American parents may find troubling.

"Thursday we rented Harley's from Larry at Big twin HD. We did a 5 hour tour of the island went to Charlies and what a cool place that is. The gang of high school seniors from Alabama arrive YIKES the quiet has ceased!!! I dont want to go into the going ons with these kids because we all know what has happened and I really dont think its appropriate to ruin my trip report with details but there are A LOT of details to be told".

Internet-based reports like the above are being provided for context, but are not being relied upon in any manner to confirm this report. The information I am posting has resulted from actual conversations with real people with confirmed identities from Aruba to Alabama who are directly aware of events of that evening. However, even that will likely leave an air of mystery.

I've learned that one of the FBI's concerns early on in this investigation went to how many of the graduates in attendance on the trip remembered things clearly as a result of the heavy partying that went on during portions of the trip, particularly it's concluding and now seemingly tragic final night.

As one Mountain Brook Mother told me, "I feel that it is time for the parents, students, and members of the Mountain Brook community to step back and look at this scenario realistically. We need to stop playing the blame game - we are pointing fingers at everyone; the Arubans, the Dutch, the media, etc. We are a community in denial ... The bottom line is that our kids got caught up in the culture at Carlos and Charlies and were behaving wildly that night - dancing provocatively, doing body shots - I shudder to think what we might have seen had we been flies on the wall that night ... The dangerous part of the whole deal was that they were out of their element - they are young and inexperienced and were with people from all over the world ... the world is full of kooks and our kids were not behaving like ladies or gentlemen."

None of the individuals I spoke with for this report expressed anything but sincere compassion and understanding for the family of Natalee Holloway. As reported here, the trip was seen almost as a Rite of passage for the group of teens from Mountain Brook. Also, graduating seniors from across America regularly undertake such trips without tragic result.

Additionally, also as reported here, no parent I spoke with suggested any wrong doing on the part of chaperone's, some pointing out that along with a common knowledge of what the trip might entail, waivers were signed and chaperone's appear to have honored their obligations under that understanding.

One witness did have knowledge that, along with many of the graduates from Mountain Brook, Natalee Holloway, from all accounts a decent and self-respecting young woman was an active participant in the partying, as per the above.

No one should interpret the above as a statement of opinion by me that Natalee Holloway or Beth Twitty are in anyway to blame in what is likely a terrible tragedy. In my opinion they represent only two of many individual Americans who could have fallen victim to events of a celebratory night in a foreign and now possibly fatal foreign land.

This report is the first in a three and possibly four part series, depending on weekend developments covering events in and around the disappearance of Natalee Holloway to be completed this weekend. That's not a ploy to make this web log attract viewers. Given my wrok schedule, were I to complete the entire report tonight, it would not get the treatment it deserves.

I'll get them up as quickly as I can - perhaps even completed by tomorrow.

Comments

[calista]

this whole thing is just sickening....and for goodness sake why is beth holloway NOT talking??????? we have heard over and over that she has "evidence" and "shocking info" but she will NEVER say what it is and at this point I don't get that anymore....at first I htought ok she doesn't want to hurt the investigation but by now???? the investigation is as botched as can be and the aruba police are just waiting this out to hope beth goes away.........what can they do to her for talking? if it was me I would tell everything I knew and show what the truth is about the aruba authorities...........it does not matter how much help she gets from search teams and experts...aruba will impede them in every way they can just like they did by not letting equisearch go on the vandersloot property...beth just needs tot alk and talk LOUD and maybe that will pressure these idiots to stop covering up and get to work

[annie]

Sorry Joanne, I didn't mean to ignore you. Welcome to the blog. Glad you enjoy the posts and jump in and join us.

[calista]

no didn't see the kalpoe interview what was it?

[Sgt.Sally]

furthermore, Natalie was an adult. technically she didn't need parents' permission to go on the trip. they probably funded her, but regardless, she could have done as she pleased.

no

The age of emancipation in Alabama is 19 y\o. As long as she was unmarried and living at home, she was NOT her own boss or considered an adult. They could have and should have forbidden it.

Dan's article reveals the lurid picture of out of control students that the Mountain Brook community has been so anxious to conceal. It impeaches the truth all the "drinking responsibly" story in total. People who want to trivialize this conduct do nothing but ensure we will have more tragedies

[annie]

calista, it may be that the DEA and FBI have both advised her not to. Remember, the thugs that are involved in all of this have a lot of nasty, professional connections. Perhaps they fear her life would be in danger as well and it may be that this is all part of a much bigger thing than we know. Maybe they are on the brink of breaking something big? Tim Miller made some comments tonight on Fox which sounded to me like he might have read Shango's theory or Brian's but then he tried to backtrack and recover from his comment. It was almost like he had been told to keep quiet or something. Therefore, I am inclined to think they are being coached by our DEA and FBI folks to keep a low profile about details to do with the case, unless it is from their own search. Any investigation they are doing I think they are trying to do independent of the Aruban LE because the LE has botched it so much. You notice that they are hedging any questions about private investigators. I am certain they have already hired them, but don't want the LE to know. They also may believe Natalee is still alive and her life could be compromised if they say too much.

[calista]

it is unfair to blame parents......they thought there were chaprones going who would be looking out and most parents do not believe their kids drink and do those things anyway..if you want to blame parents and get intot hat thing how about joran's aprents who don't know where their kid is at 3 am while he is in a casino on a school night or kalpoes mom who claims she keeps her kids on a "tight leash" but didn't even know they were out at 2 am with natalee in their car or know they were ven questioned by police.......no parent is ta fault here they let their kids go ona trip for fun before they went off to college nobody thought they were sending their child to be kidnapped or murdered......geeez what do you say if a parent let their kid go out to a movie and she was raped? they shouldn't have let her go?

[Blue Dog]

Regarding the recently found bone. Any jackass from Aruba can likely ID a jackass bone on the spot. It is just American rednecks who no longer can ID a jackass bone by sight sight. They need to have an MD check it out.

[annie]

Bluedog - if the Aruban's had let the Americans see it, they probably could have ID'd it as well as to whether human or animal, but it is in the Aruban LE hands and they are the ones that claim they don't know.

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

Dan,

This particular tragedy was inevitable anyway. It has happened before in different ways around the world. Young women have disappeared or been killed. Kidnappers, rapists, and murders are every where. They are not all named Joran. This does not in any way minimize or remove his part, his guilt. They are an ugly statistical part of human society. It is not really new. It is not just Aruban or American. It's HUMAN (rather inhuman). Just read some of man's early history. You could start in Genesis!

"The heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked." Its desires must be controlled.

What IS new are all the factors that make this one so foremost, not the least of which is worldwide, instant, 24/7 news coverage AND 24/7 WEBLOGS that give millions of people on the spot, at the scene, total saturation of a "hits right at home" story.

The fact that these kinds of "rite of passage" parties and celebrations occur is precisely why every one has been so keen on watching every step of revelation - because so many of us have already "been there - done that!" I saw it in Berkeley in the 60's, in Chico in the 70's. You could name your own place. Many have named some on this WEBLOG.

Jossy Mansur stated in one of the FOX on camera interviews that, "CnC is a dangerous place down there. It's not a family place. People go there to have a WILD time, not just a good time."

I had some wild times. I shunned wise advice and ignored the warnings of age and experience. I'm lucky to be here. When you go to have a wild time, wild things will happen. We reap what we sow. Sometimes, unfortunately you may reap what I have sown - or the reverse. We all have wanted this story to have at least a good ENDING, but none of us has seen it. Like Beth and Dave we keep hoping and praying. WE made it through those times. WHY CAN'T NATALEE...

If it had not been Natalee it would later be Marie, or Jane, or ....

There are BIG lessons for all of us here, and there... I just pray we will learn them.

My heart has been broken for Natalee, her families, and all those suffering similar losses. The agony is just so much worse when day after day and night after night we want an end to the unjust grief. And we never get it on this side of Heaven. God Knows.

Dan, we must keep this BLOG alive until we learn all the TRUTH we can.
Those who seek Truth will find it.

Thanks for your tireless efforts to help achieve that goal.

[calista]

it troubles me every time I see a pic of joran he is just smiling as he walks into court like he knows he will get off.....it is just creepy

[Blue Dog]

I know annie, but a jackass knows what a jackass bone looks like and they maybe get a kick out of it when a redneck does not recognize a jackass.

[RstJ]

Wow, they were drinking and acting wild that night. What a freaking revelation.

Dan, cut the fucking crap and get to the heart of the matter: that "scuffle." Who was involved, why, when, and what happened afterwards.

RstJ

[annie]

calista - Mrs. Kalpoe was interviewed about her "sweet boys" tonight. But she quickly would not answer questions from Greta about the rumor that Deepak claims he is no longer a friend of Joran's. She clammed up quickly on that. Other than that, she didn't say too much beyond talking about her boys as such good kids and she wasn't surprised by their release, yadda yadda. She did say that she was really having a sleepless night the night before the ruling though. But when asked if she was nervous before the ruling, she claimed she wasn't. Basically inconsistent in that regard, but very consistent in explaining how they are an extremely close family and well respected and how her sons have everyone's respect and are so sweet, blah, blah, blah. She was a sweet woman though. She was very gracious to Greta and Greta wasn't too tough on her, but did try and dig for information.

One thing that really impressed me tonight was Beth's brother was interviewed tonight and he actually said they have compassion for the VDS and Kalpoe families and know this is hard on them as it is on their family. It was so gracious and I really respected them for it.

[calista]

I still wonder how they asked beth holloway to apologize for calling kalpoes criminals but we have not heard one I am sorry from them for lying and getting two guys arrested for nothing

[annie]

blue dog - you are missing the point. The "redneck" as you call it, and I assume you mean the American in this case, was a mother and her teen kid that took the bones to the Aurban LE. The American investigator (FBI)/search team (Tim's Equusearch team) never got to see the bone. If they are getting a kick out of it, then the joke is on them because they look pretty inept having evidence sit around claiming they don't have an expert that can look at it and at least determine that much, yet won't let anyone from America look at it to make that initial determination at least.

calista - I think Beth did it because she wanted to. I don't think anyone pressured her to. If you listened carefully, she never apologized for calling the boys criminals. She apologized to the Aruban people and the LE for making them look bad, but didn't really say anything specific about the Kalpoe's themselves. However, I believe she also wanted to do it because she started thinking about the fact these boys have mothers as well and she still empathesizes with them as a mother. While she may have been victimized (or her daughter is the real victim here) by all of this, she still can sympathize with what they are going through. She also really loves the Aruban people and admires their willingess to help her.

[Blue Dog]

IMO it is Deepak and his brother that most likely know what was finally done with the body of Holloway. My take is that they were all three there when the "bad thing" happpend and they buried the body in the sand, but then (unknown to Joran) the brothers went back and got rid of the body for good. When and if they ever reveal the tracking of Deepaks cell phone that early morning, I think that it will support that conclusion.

[calista]

annie...she was pressured....they threatened her with a lawsuit and aruba le threatened to stop investigating....not that they really are anywyay

[annie]

blue dog - interesting theory and definitely plausible. Only problem is, wasn't he seen earlier than that washing his car? If he was going to go back to a sandy area and dig it up and such, wouldn't he have to again wash his car?

[annie]

calista - well i think the pressure was there, but Beth strikes me as the type to not keel under pressure. She has held up so strongly in all of this that you have to wonder if that would have drove her to do it. I somehow doubt it. Definitely not because of the threat of the lawsuit. Personally, I think we all know that wouldn't have gone over with the Aruban people or anyone else because these boys have wasted a lot of LE resource and time and energy, not to mention two other men who were tossed in jail for no reason other than their lies. No, I doubt that that lawsuit would have ever happened because she could have counter sued that it was because of their lies that they obstructed justice and compromised a MUCH BIGGER case than their names being muddied. However, the threat from the Aruban LE, that is a different story. I agree that they are a mystery, but I do think she thought long and hard about that and felt they deserved an apology because they have done some things to help her situation, even if they did mess up in the beginning. So again, I think she honestly chose to because she knew it was the right thing to do.

[Blue Dog]

annie: Like many things in this case, what is revealed is only part of the truth. I think that the time someone saw the brothers washing the car just may be much later than the rumor of somtime after 2 am. After all, it has lately been reported that the tracked Deepack's cell phone going back to the highrise hotel area after he is said to have dropped Joran off there.

[annie]

I wonder how the LE are paid in Aruba. Who pays their salaries since the government has no say over them? Their entire Justice system is so foreign to ours that it still escapes me how it is all structured and how people are selected to the appointments they have. I find it very troublesome. What really bothers me is that no one seems to question it or seems to care. Boy, if I lived somewhere else , I would at least want to know my rights as a citizen. I would want to know how the different organizations interact and who are authorities I can trust and how I can escalate things. SEems to me they don't even care to know that or care how it works. They just accept status quo.

[annie]

blue dog - good point. And so much of the information we have is so confusing and contradictory that anything is possible in this case. LOL!

[Susanne]

Blue Dog
Are the cell towers for all of the cell phones located on Hooiberg? I know one of Digicell's is and met someone up there last January who was working on one of the cell phone transmitters.

[Susanne]

Also wondered if there are more cell towers on Jamanota. The island is small, but the terrain might need more towers than it looks like it would, to me. But, I know nothing at all about cell phone transmissions.

Jamal Mahawat Khan was up on Hooiberg with two of his techs when we were up there, too, but they were working on WIFI equipment for his company.

I assume they are not the same thing, but might share the same tower structure. There are a lot of different things attached to those towers up there.

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

Annie,

I agree with your observations about Beth above.
I have seen her reveal a lot of integrity. It comes from inner character. You can't beat that!

She is heart broken and my heart breaks watching her heart break slowly before our eyes. She should not have to do what she is forced to do. To me it just shows the tremendous love she has for her daughter, and the kindness in her heart for others.

[annie]

Oh the other interesting comment from tonights interview with Mrs. Kalpoe is that she is still convinced Natalee is alive. She seemed pretty strong in her feeling about that, but could not say why she feels that way. Greta tried to dig, but didn't get to far with her on that. Makes you wonder and go hmmmm.

[BlueDog]

Cell phone grids general cover a 3 mile square.
There will be more than one tower in that 3 mile square if the population warrents it. One tower can generally handle on 190 calls at one time.
I would think there would be a tower serving the highrise hotel area alone at that north end of the island, and at at least one more tower for the rest of the north end of the island. Of course there would be several towers for the south end of the island, and at least one or more in the center of the population area.

[Susanne]

Thanks, Blue Dog,

Would you have to locate the towers near the site they serve or can you just put them all on one tower?

And, who else besides Digicel and Setar serves Aruba? I know that Setar is locally owned, but where is Digicel from and would they have to give their cell phone info to the Dutch investigators for analysis in Holland or to American FBI labs?

Just curious. Nothing like being ignorant of for the questions to keep percolating in one's mind.

[Susanne]

Interesting write up received in my email via the Google news alert for Aruba. Was about one of the search dog handlers and her experiences with her water search trained dog. Tells some of the trials of the dedicated people from the search teams.

Google Alert for: Aruba

Local resident, rescue dog continue search in Aruba
Carlsbad Current Argus - Carlsbad,NM,USA
CARLSBAD -- Carlsbad resident Diane Whetsel and her 8-year-old male border collie, Rip, have spent the last three weeks in Aruba assisting in the search for ...

[Blue Dog]

If you are more than 3 miles from a tower, your cell phone will not connect with a tower. Cell phone signal is very weak. So both distance of users from the tower and number of users need to be factored in when locating cell phone towers.
Digicel and Setar are the only ones I know of on Aruba, but there might be one more. I belive the Croes guy Greta interviewed is Digicel. Maybe we should talk to him!!

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

Blue Dog

What did you think of the TV report that said they could locate where a cell phone was by its battery or the frequency of its battery?

What do you know about triangulation location techniques for cell phone calls?

Can that be done from records on those calls in Aruba?

[websleuth2]

HEre's the link to the story about the kidnapping of the two sisters in Aruba, mentioned above. Has this been reported anywhere else in the MSM?

http://www.blackanthem.com/TheAllies/2005052116.html

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

websleuth2

Thanks,

How'd you know I was just going to ask someone about that??

"while the brother of the women faces kidnapping and murder charges"

WOW

That puts a new meaning to the expression: "There is no crime in ARUBA" and "They are just not accustomed to dealing with this kind of a case!"

[Blue Dog]

All digital cell phones,if they are not turned off or have a dead battery are tracked by the central processing equipment of the carrier. This allows the central processing equipment to know which tower nearest your then current location to direct the call to when you receive a call. The central processing equipment of your carrier constantly stays in touch with your cell phone if it is not turned off or you have a dead battery in your phone.
The triangulation task is something that is done in real time. Cannot be done after the fact from history.

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

Blue Dog

Thanks

So there is not a record of each call that shows signal strength to each tower in the area?

There is just one record for the cell tower that is the closest (signalwise - that is)?

[Blue Dog]

The lesson to be learned is: If you do not want the cops to find out were you were, leave the damn cell phone home or at least turn the damn thing off.

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

Or if in ARUBA -- leave it on and carry an extra battery?

[Blue Dog]

Well, they can tell which towers a call make or received hit, but that is not worth that much because all you really want to know is the origin and the destination towers.

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

Blue Dog

Actually,

I have an engineering background, radio, tv, computers, failure analysis, programming. I even worked for the phone co (before cells!

So I was really wondering if you knew about how the records could have been used in something like the Scott Peterson case where they talked about knowing his location at a time before anyone knew Laci was missing. They spoke of "cell phone records" showing his location near his house. Is that b/c Phones in LODI have a GPS coordinate location. If you know?

[annie]

A GPS definitely can help pinpoint locations. Most cell phones that are international capability have GPS

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

Mine is international but no gps. Is that b/c it's 3 yrs old or b/c its CINGULAR?

[Blue Dog]

The Peterson thing is the same that is going on with the Aruba thing. There is a history of all digital cell phone calls IDed by the carrier and the user in the certral processing equipment of the carriers. Each digital cell phone has a unique ID based on the carrier and the user of the digital cellphone. That unique ID is transitted with each call made or received (like a header) and is recorded by the call precessing equipment of the carriers involved in the transaction.

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

BD

OK - but do you know if there is a record retained ONLY for the tower that "takes" the call or is there also a simultaneous record for two other close - but not close enough - towers?

[Blue Dog]

I think triangulation is real time only. But if the destination user is located between two towers and the call automatically switches from one tower to another for a better signal, that is all I would know could help pinpoint a call better based on call history records.

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

If there were a record of signal strength with each tower and you had 3 towers, could you say tower 1 is at strength 8
tower 2 is at strength 6

tower 3 is at strength 3

Then draw some circles with proportionate radii on a map and get a small area of probability?
Do you think that's possible?

[DT]

Some of the posts here are just plain hilarious. People keep claiming that there was some sort of "cover-up" on the part of the MB teens as to what went on during the trip. I've been following this since day one and have never seen any MB teen try to pass this off as a "choir trip" or any such thing. The reason none of them have been talking about this in the media is because, in all honesty, it isn't the least bit relevant to finding Natalee and also because any info they do have that is has been relayed to the FBI. The media will just exaggerate any information about partying and it will be used to attack the victim and the family in much the same way that posters are doing here tonight.

[Blue Dog]

Sounds good to me. Maybe the way that it is done if such records do exist.

[annie]

DT - coverup by the MB kids? No, I don't think anyone has said that. Their stories are sort of hard to follow and confusing, but I don't think because they are trying to "cover-up" anything. They are kids and they were out partying. They honestly probably don't have it clear in their own minds let alone can express it well. And yes, we agree that they have probably relayed to the FBI all they can. So I don't understand your post. Most of what has been discussed here has been nothing to do with them or their testimonies.

[DT]

It's the impression I get from some of the comments posted here. As well as from some things Dan has posted.

[AkekoaHoAlethia]

Thanks for the answers..
I must be out now .. zzzzzzzzzz zzzz zzz