Natalee Holloway

[Oogie Boogie]

Here in Maryland, there is a tradition called "Senior Week" where the recently graduated high school seniors go with their friends to Ocean City for a week unsupervised. There is no way in heck my daughters are doing that when they graduate. I'll probably get a lot of flack for it, but no way in heck.

[michihunt]

I admire Beth for never throwing up her hands and giving up. She wants to know what happened to her daughter. Whatever she does to get answers is fine by me, however unorthodox her actions might be. By hosting her own show she is keeping Natalie in people's minds. I know that I can't look at John Walsh without thinking about poor Adam.

[Oogie Boogie]

I admire Beth for never throwing up her hands and giving up. She wants to know what happened to her daughter. Whatever she does to get answers is fine by me, however unorthodox her actions might be. By hosting her own show she is keeping Natalie in people's minds. I know that I can't look at John Walsh without thinking about poor Adam.

I agree with you 100%. If something like that ever happened to someone I love (isn't it weird; I'm nervous even typing that because I don't want to bring bad luck on myself!) I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I didn't keep plugging along. She is an admirable woman as far as I'm concerned.

[MorbidChrissy]

She's been declared dead by a probate court judge in Alabama. It's breaking news, so I don't have a link yet. How sad is that? I don't know how people go through that. Imagine you can't bury a loved one because you don't know where they are? And you probably will never know? Devastating.

[Deadmanwalking48]

i'd love for somebody to beat the ever loving hell out of van der slott every single day he's in jail!

[DonnaMc]

Vandersloot was sentenced in Peru today to 28 years in prison, a large fine to Stephanie's family and he must leave Peru when he gets out. His sentence ends June 10, 2038. I guess we get him next.

[Mammy]

I wonder how much of that sentence he will actually serve? He will probably do more time in the United States for extortion than he will in Peru for murder and other charges.

[PurrPurr]

I wonder how much of that sentence he will actually serve? He will probably do more time in the United States for extortion than he will in Peru for murder and other charges.

With "good time," around nine or ten years. Nevertheless, once he leaves Peru, it's likely the US may be waiting to extradite him on the extortion charges.

[Mammy]

I really hate the "good time" credit that takes years off of an already small sentence. IMO, the time to be "good" was before he murdered two women among many other crimes. Kentucky also has "good time" and it irritates me to see someone serve way less years than they were sentenced to.

[NOVSTORM]

I feel for her parents but the only one facing reality is Dad. That poor kid is dead and this creep knows where her body is and so did his father and mother. Sooner or later you need to get on with your life. Keep hoping but you cannot keep dwelling on the pain. There is another child in the family and the dad is trying to concentrate on him and make sure he gets what he needs and maybe some attention because these past years have all been about the sister. I wish that a miracle would happen and Natalie would come home to them but I am sure that she is gone forever and by having her declared dead gives some closing to dad and maybe to the brother. Mom should not be angry about it and just go on believeing that Nat will come home, miracles do happen. BUt if she did come home ? Gives me the shivers to think what the kid would be going thru right now.

[Miho]

Beth Holloway is too busy lying to herself about what "an angel" her daughter was to accept that she is dead.

[Pachamama]

Thank you! Girls always need to watch each others backs.
You never allow your friend to leave a nightclub, bar or party with any guy. Even in your own goddamned town. You certainly don't let your friend who is drunk leave with three guys she just met. I found it all very odd. The only reason alot of these senior trips go to places like aruba, or mexico is the drinking age is 18. These kids are away from their homes, and parents and may be drinking for the first time, so they unfortunately go nuts and make very bad decisions. This one cost this girl her life. wasnt the first time, wont be the last time unfortunately.

Many years ago, when I was married to my ex-husband, a Mexican national, we visited Cancun often. I loved it. This was before it became "Spring Break" capital for newly turned 18s wanting to drink. Then, the kids started coming. If their parents knew what goes on there, I´m sure that most would have a heart-attack, then forbid their kids to set foot in the place. Rape is extremely common, both by locals taking advantage of immature and innebriated girls, as well as other teens doing the same thing. Hook-ups and pick-ups are the reason a lot of kids go down there. I am truly amazed that there have not been situations with kids disappearing, and/or muirdered. Robberies are also very common. Its very easy to steal from a kid who is wasted and totally unaware of what is going on around them. I rarely go to Cancun anymore, but when I do, it is never during Spring Break season, and I never stay on the strip.

[Mammy]

I think Joran had likely been preying on girls in Aruba for a long time and getting away with it. I think he could easily slip drugs into a girl's drink and do whatever he wanted to do to her and she wouldn't remember it. IMO, Natalee either overdosed on what he put in her drink combined with the effects of the alcohol, vomited and aspirated it into her lungs while passed out, or had a seizure and he panicked and decided to get rid of her. I think his dad helped dispose of Natalee's body where it would never be found, like out into the ocean, because he figured it was an accident and his son shouldn't be in a lot of trouble because of an accident. I also think Joran's father knew of some of his son's prior behavior in regards to taking advantage of drug or alcohol impaired girls, but dismissed it as "boys will be boys." I think Joran got very arrogant after getting away with Natalee's murder and decided to kill Stephany and expected to get away with that murder, too, but he wasn't able to get rid of the body and left too much evidence. It was no mere coincidence that he committed Stephany's murder five years to the day of Natalee's murder. He got over confident and didn't have daddy around this time to save his ass. All IMO

[TaupinJohn]

Guess who's about to grace our fair country with his presence?

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/interna...fysKalHESeNvLI

Yeah, him. I only hope there's a suitable welcoming committee to meet him at the airport. What a headline that would be: Van der Sloot Finally Gets American Justice. It could happen, you know. There's a lot of folks over here that have said if he's brought here he'll never make it back. And it only takes one.

[TaupinJohn]

An American prison would be a cake walk compared to where he is now. But if his U.S. sentence can be scheduled to begin the very day he's finished his time there, it would be awesome! I don't know what kind of time he can get for extortion, but I think it can be a pretty serious sentence.

The first comment to the NY Post article was someone going on about the spending of taxpayer dollars to bring him over here and try him. I don't agree. Natalee's mother deserves the small bit of gratification this will bring her, that woman has been to Hell and back. If ever there was a case in which we should splurge a little, this would be it. What he did, murdering this woman's child then taking her money for a promise to tell where her remains were -- and then not telling her -- is cruel beyond words.

I have no idea how Beth feels about this news, but I'm thinking she'll be tickled. Kind of an early Mother's Day present, for the one she won't be getting from her daughter. There is no way she'll ever be the whole person she was before this monster destroyed her family. But maybe this will give her a bit of satisfaction. This country has spent much more on far less worthy causes. Bring him.

[Seagorath]

I'm sure Van Der Sloot is still enjoying life. Sure his dad will just pay a judge or something...or pay a guard. This kid will never suffer behind bars. He will have internet access and pussy access. That's just the way it is. If you are rich or WHITE and SPOILED...you get away with shit. Plain and simple.

[McMorbid]

I doubt his father will be paying anyone off. He's dead so can't do much. And to say that white people get away with everything is wrong. Spoiled, rich, or anything else doesn't make a difference.

[pwem]

Yes I do believe there are different laws for poor and rich, Caucasian and ethnic.

[McMorbid]

I can see how money can build a better defense and even bribe off officials. Rich people tend to have connections but I don't think they have separate laws. I can't see the reasoning behind the race card play though.