Posted on: October 19, 2023, 11:52h.
Last updated on: October 19, 2023, 11:52h.
The 2005 murder case of Natalee Holloway on the island of Aruba has taken a new turn. Former poker player Joran van der Sloot has pleaded guilty to the murder and also admitted attempting to extort $250K from the victim’s mother. This shocking revelation has brought closure to 18 years of speculation and has significant implications for van der Sloot’s legal situation.
In May, Dutch national Joran van der Sloot was extradited to the US from Peru to face federal extortion and wire fraud charges. He is currently serving a 28-year sentence in Peru for the murder of another woman, Stephany Flores. The recent admissions add another layer of legal complexity to his already grave situation.
The confession was part of a plea deal aimed at securing a 20-year prison sentence for van der Sloot’s extortion charges. This would run concurrently with his existing sentence in Peru, rather than sequentially. As a result, it is unlikely that he will serve prison time in the US due to jurisdictional limitations.
Closure
Despite the limitations of legal proceedings, Beth Holloway, the victim’s mother, feels a sense of closure after hearing van der Sloot’s confession. After 18 years of uncertainty, she believes that van der Sloot’s admission definitively identifies him as the killer.
As the investigation surrounding Natalee Holloway’s disappearance was complicated by the lack of a body, Aruban prosecutors were unable to gather sufficient evidence for a successful trial. However, the recent confession from van der Sloot brings an end to the speculation and numerous true crime documentaries, non-fiction books, and podcasts that emerged as a result.
‘You Look Like Hell’
In court, van der Sloot expressed remorse and a desire to apologize to both the Holloway family and his own relatives. His appearance reflected the toll the years have taken on him, with Beth Holloway remarking on his haggard and harrowed appearance.
The presiding judge, Anna M. Manasco, considered the confession in her sentencing, acknowledging van der Sloot’s history of brutally murdering two young women who rejected his advances.