Prosecutors say that three suspects previously arrested in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba have been arrested again and officially charged with homicide. Joran van der Sloot was arrested in The Netherlands and Deepak and Satish Kalpoe were arrested in Aruba.
In a news release from Aruban investigators, prosecutors said the arrests were based on new evidence uncovered in the case. The release also said a decision on going to trial will be made "before the end of 2007."
They were arrested on suspicion of involvement in voluntary manslaughter and causing seriously bodily harm that caused the death of Holloway, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
'Not Going to Go Unsolved'
"The public prosecutor's office has ordered their renewed arrest because further investigation into the disappearance has led to new incriminating evidence," the statement said. Today's arrest were conducted simultaneously in The Netherlands and in Aruba.
Adolpho Richardson, one of the lead investigators in the case, told The Birmingham News that he was optimistic about the new evidence. He also said the arrests were not related to a Dec. 31 deadline in the case under Aruban law.
"This case is not going to go unsolved -- not on my watch," he said Wednesday.
Not Arrested, Only Detained Again?
Meanwhile, Joran van der Sloot's mother told The Associated Press that her son was not arrested but detained again for more questioning.
"What they want to do with Joran is to bring him to Aruba for a final reconstruction," Anita van der Sloot said, adding that her family and the Kalpoe brothers' family had also been questioned in recent weeks.
"The questions they asked were so obvious, things like, 'Why did Joran leave his shoes on the beach,'" she said. "I think it's ridiculous after two-and-a-half years to be doing this."
However, in a hearing Thrusday in Arnhem, Netherlands, a Dutch judge ruled that van der Sloot had been arrested properly and authorized the 20-year-old's transfer to Aruba, according to prosecutor Dop Kruimel.
Kruimel said Van der Sloot will be transferred to Aruba "within days."
Previous Arrests, Homes Searched
Van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers were previously detained by Aruban police in the investigation of the May 30, 2005 disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway. The three admitted giving Holloway a ride from a bar in Aruba the night she disappeared but said they left her on the beach near the hotel where she and her senior classmates were staying.
Van der Sloot and the Kalpoes were released from custody and no charges were ever filed against them. Dutch authorities searched their homes in April and May of this year, but still no charges were forthcoming.
Natalee Holloway: Missing in Aruba
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See Also:
New Evidence Leads to Re-Arrests in Holloway Case
Police Arrest Suspects in Holloway Case
Dutch Make Arrests In Natalee Holloway Case
Photo: Family Photo
Comments
i will not believe that the girl is dead, not until authority,s have evidence, that proves it, being on a beach near a lighthouse/ tells me they were waiting for a boat to arrive the light house was a marker that can be seen from afar on the water, my suspicion is that she was set-up and kidnapped, young ,blonde, blue eyed womans are highly prized by, central american country,s, far east, middle east and north african peoples, i doubt that the person that was to meet her did, i suspect that someone else did, want to solve your case, convict all suspects, charge them with kidnapping/disappearance/murder under aruba law,extradite them to the u.s.a. and put them on death row, if you want to be alive and free , start talking, tell us where the girl is ,we want her back, or , in 12 months your toast.
Only the Truth can set us free.
I have always believed that poor innocent girl was sold into sexual slavery. The Human sex slave market makes millions of dollars every year and its my belief thats what happen. If she had been thrown into the water for sharks or whatever, something would have surfaced by now, clothing, hair etc but nothing has. I agree with the other comment, Order those boys to fess up or threaten death row because this family needs to either find their daughter or find closer. My heart goes out to them
natalee is dead, and joran and his dad only knows where she is. she was not taken for a sex slave she was hauled out in the ocean, they need to tell what happened and what they did with her so the family can maybe bury her. closure is the issue, what if it were your sister or daughter you would it over you would want the truth, but they are all liars.
As a mother I feel for Natalees mother and I hope with all my heart that Beth will find the answer sooner rather than later..