Riehl World View

Croes Arrested In Holloway Disappearance

Steven (Seferino) G.Croes, 26 has now been identified as the fourth suspect arrested in this case. Image courtesy of Scared Monkeys.

A reader, Mike, sends along (link removed, not the same individual) to an Amazon.com book review by Steve Croes. It is not confirmed that this is the same individual as was arrested today.

Fourth Man

At this point all I know is the same name some folks are kicking around but can't confirm, sorry.

One Last Thing

As for the interview here, I hope this isn't the last word in the matter - and I don't mean from me. It would be my hope that she do a televised interview under conditions she, and whatever media outlet could agree to that would present a much clearer picture for anyone wishing to see it.

That isn't for me to decide.

A week or more ago many were ready to hang two black security guards - depending upon who you talk to, today we should hang either two brown brothers, or one white man. I'm all for hanging whomever did this - but I damned sure want to see the right guy swing. And NOONE reading this blog knows who the hell that is as it stands today. And hurting for someone doesn't make you a (deleted) judge and jury the last time I looked in a law book.

Update: Expletive deleted as per above.

Posted Without Comment

Dan, being that we do not know you, we are a little disconcerted to have a stranger enjoy blogging about our misery and acting as if this is an episode of CSI. I am sure your motives are sincere but we need more prayers rather than pointless speculation. I hope you can understand this. You are crossing the line by stretching out to interview sources close to Joran Van Der Sloot. What will you gain by doing that? Have you no guilt that this young man could have harmed Natalee? We will review your site if there is anything we feel is incorrect, We will email you to keep you from posting incorrect info as youve done before. Several friends and family have come across your site in there own search for updates and were concerned about the content being gossip. Again I am sure your intentions are sincere. Your site is nicely done. At this time we just feel you are creating drama and speculation in order to bring more hits to your site. Please give the family time to comprehend and digest this ordeal. Im sending this anonymously. Goodbye

Interview With Van der Sloot Friend

Since my earlier post I have conducted another level of verification which could not possibly be manufactured to fool someone and pass off an imposter in this regard. I am certain what follows is an honest representation of an interview I conducted earlier tonight with a friend of Joran Van der Sloot and her family.

As I have maintained all along, I don't report here just to entertain with some preconceived notion of guilt or truth. I don't know everything about this young woman ... what I do know from speaking with her is that this is her truth.

She's obviously bright, articulate, attractive and concerned for a friend and a family. She remembers the family from days at the beach and the boy from there, too - as well as the nights they went "partying." Apparently many of the young people she knew went to Carlos and Charlies, because they thought "it was one of the most stable, or safest" clubs to attend in Aruba.

Me: How long did you know him?

Her: I don't know, 7, maybe 10 years. I knew the family. His Mother taught me in Art Class. I feel so bad for her, she is such a sweet lady.

Me: So, you knew her from school?

Her: And the beach, most I knew her and Joran, we would go to the beach together on Saturdays. They were a good family. People think they are rich. They are not rich. They work for everything they have.

Me: So, you knew his Father, too? What was he like?

Her: I knew him some. He was a very loving man. He loved his kids, always hugging and kissing them. That really bothers me about this because I know how much they love their children. She must be crazy over this, she's a nice woman and he really is a special man. He was one of the most giving men I've met when it comes to his family. But he usually didn't go to the beach with us. He was working.

Me: What did he do for a living, I've heard he's a judge.

Her: Yes, he judges, sometimes. But not always. I'm not sure what he did before. He traveled a lot, on business, I think.

Me: Well, this is hard to ask, but, your relationship with Joran, was it romantic? At all? Were you intimate?

Her: No. (laugh) No, it wasn't like that. We were friends. I was a few years older than him. And we were only friends, good friends.

Me: You went partying? I laughed. I wasn't an angel when I was a kid, I know how it is. I don't judge it. But what did you mean by "partying."

Her: Going out .. to clubs. Just ... partying.

Me: I understand. What kind of drugs did you guys do?

Her: No drugs. I didn't use drugs.

Me: I saw Joran's web site. There were a lot of pictures ... a lot of drinking. (laughing) What about Joran, what kind of drugs did he like?

Her: I never saw Joran use drugs. Ony drinking. If he did, I never saw it. I never saw him drunk.

Me: You never saw him drunk? I have a picture of him passed out, it looks like maybe from drinking.

Her: That could be, but I never saw that. He was very tall, a big boy. I saw him drink, maybe tipsy. Alcohol didn't seem to affect him too much.

Me: Well, there has been talk, reports. Supposedly he threw someone through a plate glass window.

Her: I never heard that. Not Joran, it couldn't be.

Me: But, it's said he has a temper ... that he needed anger management, or something.

Her: Anger management? (She nearly laughed.) He played tennis, he was a top player on the island and traveled off the island to play. Now, tennis ... (she is also a top tennis player) I'll tell you, competitve tennis, what can happen on the court, you lose, a bad call. I saw Joran play and he never lost his composure, always he was in control.

Me: What was he like when he lost?

Her: Down, mostly. He'd go off alone, off to the side, sit and pull his hat down over his head. He always blamed himself. "Why did I do that" "I could have done better" That was what he was like when he lost, he never got angry that I saw.

Me: Did he have a girlfriend?

Her: I know he had a girl friend in Ninth grade, now, I don't know. He liked girls, yes, I know. He liked to make out. He was good with the girls.

Me: Did you know the other boys, the brothers?

Her: No, not really. I might have seen them, out, sometimes with Joran, at the clubs. But I was never with them when they were together. I didn't really know them, no.

Me: So, tell me about his girlfriend.

Her: She was blond, blue eyes. The girl every one wanted in high school. But Joran got her. I remember that.

Me: Did it last long? The one in ninth grade?

Her: A while, Not too long, they broke up.

Me: They broke up? What happen?

Her: I don't know. I think she may have dropped him, for another boy.

Me: That must have hurt.

Her: Yes, he was very sad. I think he tried to get her back. But he accepted it, was sad for awhile and then moved on.

Me: He didn't get upset? Really?

Her: No. Not that I can recall. It was like the tennis. He seemed to blame himself. He kept to himself for a while, but he came out of it, then he was fine.

Me: You mean he didn't pursue her, the girl everyone wanted?

Her: Not really, I don't thnk so. Like I said, he tried to get her back, but he couldn't. So he moved on.

Me: So, what happened? Do you think Joran did this?

Her: Impossible. I mean, I wasn't there. To say impossible, I mean, could someone have a hidden side? I suppose. But, no, Joran couldn't do this. Joran couldn't hurt anything. He wasn't like that. These are good people, always polite and nice, very very nice people. People you like to be with.#

Coming away from speaking with her tonight I was left with the distinct impression that I had spoken with a person who seemed genuine and honest, as well as candid. She's well-educated, accomplished and I was able to verify those facts independant of any means she could control. I doubt she was even aware I would conduct certain research to validate her identity (h/t to a friend). While the only eyes of hers I have looked into are in a picture, one I found, not one she provided, I cannot think of a single reason why such a nice young woman would lie.

Lastly, when I read her the two late night emails I received just hours before Joran Van der Sloot's arrest, she said, "That's Joran."

This post is also available at Blogger News Network.

Riehl World View Interview Coming

I meant to be on line right after work, but it's been an interesting night here, folks. Working through previously used and well trusted sources, I was able to negotiate what I have been told is an exclusive interview with a good friend of Jordan Van der Sloot and the entire Van der Sloot family. I say entire, because, as suspected, the family actually numbers five, though the two younger members certainly have no reason to be dragged into this.

Specuation arose about the number of children in the Van der Sloot family while talking with someone this afternoon. I thought I might be able to verify this by re-visiting a previous source. When I contacted said source, they extended the offer of the interview with a friend of Joran Van der Sloot. Also, while the subject desires anonymity in publication, her identity is known to me and has been verified through multiple layers of checking.

We had an extended discussion and I have multiple pages of notes to decipher, my hand writing sux, and work into a posting for later tonight.

I had picked up some general information earlier I intended to weave into tonight's update. As they are not now my priority, I'll throw out what little info I have. One last thing, if she holds to our agreement, she will not make herself available for another interview for a period of twenty four hours, if at all - hence the word exclusive.

Tid bits - Keep in mind I haven't seen a TV or website all day, so you'll have to pardon any redundancy. It was news to me when I got it.

It's was reported to me that more than one additional individual has been detained today for questioning in this case. They were not arrested. And there may be others. The above is loose information from a prior reliable source I was going to work on it tonight - I didn't get to that, given events.

For some reason I can't see, the line that this investigation is moving forward to an anticipated conclusion not too far off in the future is genuine and has at least something to do with the querstioning of additional individuals.

The general feeling is that the island has been completely searched as regards the most likely locations used to dispose of any possible body and it is "clean." That includes gold mine shafts to which I have seen some refer. There will be additional searching, but not in locations thought to be the "most likely" ones.

There is always the chance something was somehow missed, so this shouldn't be viewed as you might an "official" statement. Some are finding their thinking turning more and more toward the water - but that is unconfirmed and might best be confirmed by future activities, or comings and goings of additional personnel. Watch the airports, though I was informed (again, not confirmed) that the helicopter was using a naval vessel as a platform which could also have brought in additional divers.

That last bit, for me, is pure speculation and conflicts with a source that was right on yesterday when they reported the choppers at the air port. It is possible, however, that the chopper went from boat to airport, but I saw no point in checking it out.

Be informed - I did the interview straight and am not sensationalizing anything. One can always do that. It does not paint some terrible picture of Joran, nor does it contain ANY information pertinent to the resolution to the case. It is background, pure and simple.

I'll be back.

Update from reader Begga:

UPDATE: The joint court of law of the Dutch Antilles and

Aruba

has granted Paul van der Sloot permission to visit his son Joran. That the decisions came Thursday afternoon after Paulus van der Sloot had filed a motion for allowing him to see his son on Wednesday. Initially the Aruban authorities had allegedly denied him visitation because of his status.

Also FYI

For just about every topic you can think of there is a blog -  from medicine to war, terror to peace - and everything in between. Some of these topics can be controversial - and I've stirred the waters more than once, myself. Contoversial bloggers are sometimes threatened. So, just in case anyone gets any ideas about me, I keep two incredibly ferocious guard dogs. So, watch it! Summer and Tucker don't take no prisoners. Trust me on that one.

On Another Topic

I meant to introduce some of my new readers to Dr. Rusty Shackleford the other day. Rusty specializes in covering the war on terror and takes aim today at someone with whom he strongly disagrees - another blogger. He has a graphic photo warning up, as the post deals with the definition of terror - particularly as regards Saddam Hussein. You can find Rusty's post here if the topic is of interest to you.

There will be an update from Aruba tonight.

Two Unconfirmed Reports

A message board poster on AOL from Aruba is claiming that three additional men are being questioned. And, that this has been going on the last two days or so. Says American news sources are reporting inaccurate information and seems to be solidly defending Van der Sloot in his posts/responses.

Two quotes on AOL message board site:

1) Thank you for being so positive and not blaming this all on the Arubian law enforcement. They are also now talking to three other men.

2) Faces are blocked in the pictures. Can't tell who they are. It was reported first about 3 days ago in awe mainta. No one else has talked about it then saw it again today in awe mainta. Unfortunately all they say is that they are two arubians and one colombian. I can speculate but that is it

That non-English publication should be at the link. I'd think some reader here can likely disprove it. The second unconfirmed report is below.

On Natalee's Yahoo forum there there is a report that a helicopter is searching Santa Lucia area because according to the cell phone records of one of the three suspects there was a call in the Santa Lucia area at 6:30 am the morning Natalee was to have met up with the group to leave for airport.

Santa Lucia is in Santa Cruz....pass the Ayo Rock Formations.... Right where they have the Donkey sanctuary on map on 2nd page of map Body maybe somewhere around area of Ayo Rock Formations.

The only way the one above would be at all credible is if you knew the records mentioned above were difficult to obtain. I can't imagine any scenario wherein the searching of that area, were the record story true, would be taking place this late in the game. Any earlier report that stated the records were obtained and looked at would seriously call into question the above report.

These are two unconfirmed reports. I'm certain a reader here can address one. The other needs to be taken at face value and cannot be confirmed. When something is unconfirmed, its real value is in helping you to draw a conclusion, or confirm something down the road.

For example, someone tells you that someone is searching for something by helicopter on the East end of an Island. You don't know the source, so the information is unconfirmed.

The next report is a radio broadcast telling you at day break a large contingent of police set off from the station and appear to be heading for the East end of the Island. This elevates the level of believability in report one and makes two all the more significant.

Most journalism comes with a relative factor of believability. The MSM does its job when it presents you information with a very high standard in the above regard.

Unencumbered as he is by certain restrictions, a blogger can present you with information of very different levels of trust, so long as he identifies them as such. This allows you to participate in a manner that the MSM, rightfully, cannot afford you. There are many advantages in this, maybe we'll explore them sometime.

The MSM shows you the finished piece. Eventually a blogger in an ideal situation, and this blog is not that at present, not only allows you to view the finished piece, he also shows you his work. The notion that unconfirmed information has no value is a myth. What's at issue here is, who gets to see it.

In case you didn't hear, the helicopters were being used at night as the infra-red requires temperature differences to see, consequently the cooler night air helps. Also, apparently the calculated rate of cooling for a human body and the air around Aruba last night worked out to there being enough difference for the technology to function.

What is unclear is if there were other nights this would have been so and the birds simply weren't ordered up, or deliverable. Or if a series of hot nights meant there was little point in making an attempt. Perhaps someone will ask that question of the authorities, or already has.

Other new content below.

Mr. (Not) Kyle Donovan Responds

Mr. (Not) Kyle Donovan has written me regarding recent happenings and requested that I post his letter. It appears as an update at end of post here. My newsest entry is directly below this announcement.