Joran Van Der Sloot - Natalee Holloway Disappearance

Natalee Holloway Disappearance

Van der Sloot (then age 17) and brothers Deepak (then age 21) and Satish Kalpoe (then age 18), were arrested on June 9, 2005, as suspects in the May 30, 2005 disappearance of an 18-year-old American woman, Natalee Holloway. The Kalpoes were released from custody on July 4, but were re-arrested on August 26 on suspicion of rape and murder, while Van der Sloot remained in custody. Van der Sloot and the Kalpoes were released on September 3 because of a lack of evidence. After his release, Van Der Sloot was required to stay within Dutch territory pending the results of the investigation. On September 5, 2005, Van der Sloot returned to the Netherlands to study international business management at a university, the Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen. On September 14, a higher court removed the travel restrictions. Gerold G. Dompig, former deputy commissioner of the Aruba Police Force, stated that the initial arrests were made prematurely under pressure from Holloway's family. Dompig charged that the family sidetracked the investigation by making it difficult for the police to collect evidence to solve the case.