NATALEE HOLLOWAY, LOST IN PARADISE TRANSCRIPT: TLC JANUARY 17, 2010

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NATALEE HOLLOWAY, LOST IN PARADISE

(Beth)  I will stay here until I find you Natalee.

A MISSING DAUGHTER

(Dave) As long as we come up with leads, we’ll be out here.

A GRIEVING MOTHER

(Beth) I’m asking all mothers and fathers and all nations to hear my plea.

HER PUSH FOR JUSTICE

(Beth)  I will continue to be the voice for my daughter, seeking justice for her in Aruba.

BUT DID HER CRUSADE UNDERMINE THE INVESTIGATION?

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair) Senior police officials would say, “They’re ugly Americans.”

(Unidentified Aruban Woman)   ???... You twist the information

(Scene from Aruban protest against Beth in front of Court)

(Anita Vandersloot) This is not about Natalee anymore.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO NATALEE HOLLOWAY?

(Arlene Schipper)  It’s a very hard case.  They have a very hard job to do here.

AFTER YEARS OF MYSTERY HER MOTHER'S WORST FEARS SEEM TO BE CONFIRMED BY A VIDEO CONFESSION.

(Video from Range Rover) 

(Joran Vandersloot) All of the sudden, Patrick (shows Joran imitating shaking/convulsing)

(Beth)  I felt like that was our answer

JUST AFTER 11AM ON MONDAY MAY 30TH 2005 BETH HOLLOWAY WAS RETURNING FROM A WEEKEND VISIT WITH FRIENDS WHEN SHE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL SHE WOULD NEVER FORGET.

(Beth) With that one phone call I became the parent that all mothers and fathers dread from the moment our children are born.  I mean it’s the call that changed my life forever.  Natalee was missing.

BETH’S 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER NATALEE, AN ALL AMERICAN HONOR STUDENT FROM MOUNTAIN BROOK HIGH SCHOOL IN ALABAMA WAS ON A FIVE DAY SENIOR GRADUATION TRIP TO THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF ARUBA.  SHE WAS LAST SEEN THE NIGHT BEFORE THE GROUP WAS TO RETURN HOME.

(Beth)  Something was terribly wrong.  I mean it was more than a mother’s intuition, it was certainty.

BETH KNEW HER DAUGHTER WOULD NEVER LEAVE HER FRIENDS, AND JUST DISAPPEAR.  NOT BY HER OWN CHOICE

(Beth)  I knew instantly.  Just because she was so time oriented, schedules...there was no way she would miss a flight.

NATALEE WAS A REMARKABLY DRIVEN TEENAGER WITH STRIKING GOOD LOOKS, AMBITION, AND A PASSION FOR DANCE OF ANY KIND.

(Beth)  She loved to dance.  She started when she was three, from tap, ballet, jazz...

NATALEE AND HER YOUNGER BROTHER MATT GREW UP IN CLINTON, MISSISSIPPI.  THEIR PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD.  WHEN SHE WAS IN THE 8TH GRADE HER MOTHER REMARRIED A MAN NAMED JUG TWITTY AND MOVED HER TWO KIDS TO THE CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY OF MOUNTAIN BROOK IN BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA.  IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR NATALEE TO FIT RIGHT IN.

(Vivian Yielding)  She and I just bonded from the start because we liked a lot of the same things.  We were both dancers and loved Math, which was kind of dorky but we loved it.

NATALEE HAD FUN WITH HER FRIENDS

(Video of Natalee speaking about a trip to the beach)

BUT SHE ALSO STAYED FOCUSED

(Carol Standifer)  Natalee was very goal directed and she was very determined and very accomplished.  She was a high achiever.  She wanted to be a doctor; she wanted to go to Medical School.

NATALEE AND HER MOM WERE EXCEPTIONALLY CLOSE

(Vivian Yielding)  They did a lot together.  You know you’d say hey Natalee you want to hang out, and she’d say no I’m hanging out with my mom.

BETH HELPED NATALEE GET READY FOR THE BIG MOMENTS OF SENIOR YEAR; PROM, GRADUATION, AND HER PLAN TO START AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA WHERE SHE’D EARNED A FULL FOUR YEAR ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP.

(Carol Standifer)  She was very proud of Natalee.  She was proud of what she had done, what she was going to do, and was real excited about helping her get ready to go on her trip.

FROM THE MOMENT SHE HEARD ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN BROOK SENIOR TRIP SHE NEVER HAD ANY DOUBT THAT NATALEE SHOULD GO.

(Beth)  You know she’s worked hard and she deserves it,  and I thought why deny her.

(Vivian Yielding)  We were very excited about the trip you know it was going to be a fun adventure for all of us to go on together.

BUT THERE WERE RISKS AS WELL, FOR A GROUP OF RELATIVELY SHELTERED KIDS; THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF TEMPTATION ON THE ISLAND WHERE THE LEGAL DRINKING AGE WAS 18.

(Beth) That was a concern of mine, because she had been kind of in a cocoon and really had not been in those types of establishments.

(to be continued)

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ARUBA, JUST OFF THE COAST OF VENEZUELA DRAWS MORE THAN A MILLION VISITORS A YEAR, MOST FROM AMERICA.  THEY COME NOT ONLY FOR THE WHITE SAND BEACHES AND TRANQUIL WATERS BUT ALSO FOR THE BUSTLING NIGHT LIFE.  IN RECENT YEARS THE ISLAND HAS BECOME A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR HARD PARTYING AMERICAN TEENS.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair) They’re High School kids, they think Aruba is Daytona...its Fort Lauderdale...its Key West; and that’s pretty much what it is.  Teenagers are going there to get drunk, have premarital sex on the beach, and do all the other things 18 year old American kids do.

FOR THE MOUNTAIN BROOK HIGH SCHOOL GROUP THIS WAS A CHANCE TO LET LOOSE AFTER GRADUATION.  THERE WERE 124 STUDENTS AND ONLY 7 CHAPERONES.

(Vivian Yielding)  There was really high energy among the group.  Excitement levels were beyond normal, you know it was just because we were on a beach and it was great.

THE GROUP STAYED AT THE HOLIDAY INN, AN ALL INCLUSIVE RESORT WHERE DRINKS ARE POURED ALL DAY LONG.

(Vivian Yielding)  We were in a close knit resort and it was fairly safe we felt and you know we really didn’t leave there.  Everyone kind of hung out on the beach together and swam.  It was typical 18 year olds, but nothing ever troublesome by any means or crazy.

ON THE LAST NIGHT OF THEIR TRIP NATALEE AND HER FRIENDS ENDED UP AT A POPULAR NIGHT SPOT, CARLOS ‘N CHARLIE’S WHERE THE DRINKING COULD QUICKLY GET OUT OF HAND.

(Julia Renfro) 17, 18 years old, there’s no problem to go into a bar and order as many drinks as you want, whereas at home they couldn’t do that.  So you’re putting a kid in a candy store and uh with nobody watching and unfortunately bad things can happen.

(Donna Greene, Director, Community Ministry for Girls) I wasn’t in Aruba, I don’t know what went on but I have over the years seen many girls make poor choices on senior trips.

AROUND 1AM  CLOSING TIME, AFTER DANCING AND LAST MINUTE DRINKS; NATALEE LEFT THE BAR AND GOT INTO A GRAY HONDA WITH A BOY SHE MET NAMED JORAN AND HIS TWO FRIENDS DEEPAK AND SATISH.  SHE WAVED GOODBYE TO HER FRIENDS AS THE CAR DROVE OFF. 

THE NEXT MORNING, NATALEE HOLLOWAY WAS MISSING.

(Vivian Yielding)  Natalee was one of the most responsible of us and when we didn’t get the wakeup call that morning from her, we kind of knew something was not right.

NATALEE NEVER SHOWED UP IN THE HOTEL LOBBY THAT MORNING FOR THE RETURN TRIP TO THE AIRPORT.

(Vivian Yielding)  Knowing Natalee, we immediately knew that it was not normal behavior or anything.  We got in touch with Beth as soon as possible.

BETH GOT DOWN TO BUSINESS, RACING HOME SO SHE COULD FLY TO ARUBA AND FIND HER DAUGHTER,

(Beth)  I was driving 120 easy, had the flashers on, honking the horn, just letting everybody know that I was coming through.  I knew I had a job to do.

THAT JOB WOULD SOON PIT HER AGAINST THE AUTHORITIES IN ARUBA.

(Beth)  There was something going on, way above and beyond our control.

FOR BETH HOLLOWAY NEWS OF HER DAUGHTER NATALEE’S DISAPPEARANCE ON THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF ARUBA AT FIRST SEEMED UNREAL, BUT MOMENTS AFTER SHE GOT THE CALL, BETH WENT INTO HIGH GEAR.

(Beth)  I just began working through those layers; the FBI, State Department, American Consulate, trying to connect with the Embassy.  You cannot help your child if your emotions are taking over so I really almost had to detach because you’ve got to go to work, you’ve got a huge job to do...and you’ve got to do it.

THAT VERY DAY, MAY 30TH 2005, BETH, HER HUSBAND JUG, AND SEVERAL FRIENDS FROM THE BIRMINGHAM AREA WERE ON A FRIEND’S PRIVATE JET TO ARUBA.

(Beth)  I wanted to be on that island that day.

WHEN THE GROUP ARRIVED AROUND 11PM THE STREETS IN THE CAPITAL WERE QUIET.  BETH WAS IMMEDIATELY STRUCK BY THE SIZE OF THE ISLAND.

(Beth)  I was thinking...gosh the hiding places are just tremendous; if they’ve killed her where have they disposed of her body, or if she’s alive where are they hiding her?

NATALEE’S FRIENDS TOLD BETH THAT SHE HAD LEFT A BAR CALLED CARLOS ‘N CHARLIE’S IN A GRAY HONDA WITH A BOY NAMED JORAN, SO THE GROUP BEGAN IMMEDIATELY TRACKING HIM DOWN.

(Beth) They had a description so we were trying to iron out who this individual...his full name and address, and where he was.  And we went straight to the hotel and Brenda the night manager at the Holiday Inn Hotel knew instantly who he was.

(to be continued)

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JORAN VANDERSLOOT WAS A DUTCH TEEN WHO LIVED ON THE ISLAND.  THE 17 YEAR OLD WAS A FREQUENT GAMBLER AT THE HOLIDAY INN WHERE NATALEE AND HER FRIENDS HAD STAYED.

(Beth)  Joran had been around Natalee’s friends for a couple of days at the Excelsior Casino.

BETH’S GROUP FIRST COMBED THE CASINO AND THEN HEADED TO CARLOS ‘N CHARLIE’S, THE LAST PLACE NATALEE HAD BEEN SEEN.  MEANWHILE A LOCAL BUSINESS MAN NAMED CHARLES CROES WHO THEY DRAFTED TO HELP, DROVE OVER TO THE BEACH AREA TO QUESTION SOME KIDS.

(Charles Croes)  I said, “Do you know him?” they said “Sure”.  I said “Do you know where he lives?” and they said “Yes”.

BY THE TIME THE GROUP RETURNED TO THE HOLIDAY INN, CROES EVEN HAD INFORMATION ABOUT THE GRAY HONDA.

(Beth) Now we had the car that Natalee was last seen getting into.  We had the tag number, we had the individual and we had his home; so we said we’ve got it...we’ve got everything that we need.

THE ALABAMANS WENT TO THE POLICE WHO RELUCTANTLY AGREED TO ESCORT THEM TO JORAN’S HOME. 

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair)  There was an air of impatience, and air of this kid knows what happened to Natalee...maybe he did it.

WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE, JORAN’S FATHER, PAULUS VANDERSLOOT EMERGED.

(Beth)  I’m sure we totally caught them off guard by showing up on the island so quickly.

AT THAT POINT THE POLICE WERE ONLY OBSERVERS, SO CHARLES CROES SENSING TENSION STEPPED IN TO MEDIATE.  HE BEGAN TO QUESTION JORAN.

(Charles Croes)  Very simply I said to him, “You realize there’s a young girl missing, and you realize that this young girl has a family here that have flown down and are looking for her.  And of course you realize that if you’re involved in this in any way at all...” I said, “You’re in a whale (?) of shit.”

WHAT JORAN TOLD CROES THAT NIGHT IS THAT HE AND HIS TWO FRIENDS LEFT CARLOS ‘N CHARLIE’S AND DROVE NATALEE TO THE LIGHTHOUSE ON THE NORTH END OF THE ISLAND BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO SEE SHARKS.  FROM THERE THEY DROPPED HER OFF AT THE HOLIDAY INN, WHERE SHE STUMBLED DRUNK INTO THE HOTEL LOBBY.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair)  Joran tells the first of many versions of that night.  She was by Joran’s account exceedingly drunk.  Joran did acknowledge that there was some type of brief sexual encounter.

(Beth)  Joran was describing Natalee, and he described in front of the men her condition, that she was repeatedly falling asleep and waking up and how she was so drunk.  And then he goes on to describe the sexual activity he engaged in with her in the back seat of the car as she’s falling asleep and waking up.  Well then you can imagine the tempers of the men from home.

JORAN’S FATHER DIDN’T LIKE THE WAY THINGS WERE GOING,

(Charles Croes)  He put his hand on my shoulder and almost in an I’m sorry kind of way grabbed his son and said “That’s it, we’re done.”

BUT BEFORE THE NIGHT ENDED JORAN DID SPEAK DIRECTLY TO BETH.

(Beth)  I just told him I wanted Natalee back, and he just hit his chest and said you know “What do you want me to do?”  It was just...I mean there’s just no talking to him.  He was just arrogant...cocky.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair)  You heard different versions of Joran Vandersloot.  The dominant one you heard is that he is a bit of a golden boy.  He had a sense of you around him of entitlement actually; that he was used to being around pretty girls, knew how to handle himself.

EARLY THE NEXT MORNING BETH AND JUG DROVE TO THE POLICE STATION TO GIVE A STATEMENT, BUT THE POLICE WOULD NOT TAKE IT.

(Beth)  They didn’t say anything besides “We don’t need you.”  There was no communication, there was no explanation, there was nothing, just that we were needed to leave.

IN ARUBA A PERSON ISN’T OFFICIALLY CONSIDERED MISSING FOR AT LEAST 48 HOURS, NATALEE HAD BEEN GONE FOR LESS THAN 24.

(Julia Renfro)  Until someone’s actually missing for 48 hours, they’re not actually missing.  People miss their flights umm, it happens all the time.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair)  Just as the Twitty’s assumed a crime had occurred initially, I think it’s clear that the Aruban police believed a crime had not been committed.  Their first thought is drunken American kid, because they don’t have a long string of dead American teenagers there.  After 24 hours their assumption switches to drunken American kid off shacking up with some Aruban kid.

(Beth) From 2005 Footage...I’m just frustrated that...I want some answers.

BETH WOULD FACE A MAJOR CULTURE CLASH IN ARUBA.  THE ISLAND IS A PART OF THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS AND MOST NATIVES SPEAK DUTCH OR A LOCAL DIALECT BEFORE ENGLISH. 

THE LEGAL SYSTEM WAS DIFFERENT TOO, AND BETH WOULD FEEL IT BLOCKED HER EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

(Beth) From 2005 footage (crying) I will continue to search until I find her.

(2005 footage of protesters outside of the Court)


(to be continued)

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DURING THE DAYS FOLLOWING NATALEE HOLLOWAY’S DISAPPEARANCE , FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN HER HOMETOWN OF MOUNTAIN BROOK ALABAMA STRUGGLED TO MAKE SENSE OF THE TRAGEDY.

(Vivian Yeilding)  The first week was just unbelievable, it’s unreal and unfathomable.

(Marcia Twitty)  It’s hard, it’s the not knowing I think; and the waiting.

IN ARUBA THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING AMERICAN TEEN AT FIRST CAPTIVATED THE ISLAND.

(Beth)  The tourists would just come in droves to the Holiday Inn, it was just amazing.  People from everywhere would fly in to help.

(Julia Renfro)  There were hundreds and hundreds of people who came to help.  And every single day we went searching.

THE ARUBAN GOVERNMENT RELEASED FOUR THOUSAND WORKERS AT LUNCHTIME TO JOIN IN THE SEARCH.

(Julia Renfro)  The Minister of Justice asked for every Government employee to meet in the heart of the island and they organized buses, and the buses all went in different directions.

(Gerold Dompig, Deputy Police Chief)  All these civil servants had a half day off to look for Natalee.  We had fifty or a hundred Marines combing through several areas, we had dogs coming in, we had these F-16’s flying over taking pictures.

THE DIRECTION OF THE INVESTIGATION WAS BASED ON THE STORY JORAN VANDERSLOOT TOLD NATALEE’S FAMILY WHEN THEY ARRIVED.  HE SAID HE AND TWO FRIENDS, DEEPAK AND SATISH KALPOE FIRST DROVE HER TO THE LIGHTHOUSE, THEN DROPPED HER OFF AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE HOLIDAY INN. 

NATALEE’S MOTHER, BETH AND HER HUSBAND JUG TWITTY WERE STILL REELING FROM BEING TURNED AWAY BY THE POLICE DURING THE FIRST 48 HOURS.

(Beth)  They knew we were desperate when they turned us away.

(Gerold Dompig, Deputy Police Chief)  I visited Beth, and in the beginning I was confronted with uh a lot of anger and feelings of mistrust.  I knew that we had a big problem, because this was a family that we would not be able to satisfy.

THE POLICE ASKED ONE QUESTION IN PARTICULAR THAT SURPRISED THE FAMILY.

(Carol Standifer)  Very early on the Police asked Beth and Jug...did Natalee have a seizure disorder?  Did she have a history of having seizures?  And they said, “No, she’s never had a seizure.”  And that was odd.

(Beth)  You’ve got to remember there was so much bizarre stuff going on we didn’t have any more thought process to put into it besides it was just a medical question you know...why are they asking that?  Just go get her...you know.

WHY WAS THAT RELEVANT?  WHAT DID THE POLICE KNOW?  BETH WOULD ONLY FIND OUT THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION YEARS LATER.

MEANWHILE SHE WAS MORE FOCUSED ON WHY JORAN AND HIS FRIENDS HADN’T BEEN DETAINED.

(Beth)  Didn’t want to arrest anyone, didn’t want to interrogate...they didn’t want to even question them.

(Gerold Dompig, Deputy Police Chief)  It’s hard for them to understand that when we investigate we have to go systematically; we have to do it by the book.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair)  You have to get a sense at which the pace of the Aruban legal system works.  It does not move at a lightning fast pace.  It moves at a pace measured in days, and weeks, and months.

ON THE THIRD DAY OF THE STANDOFF NATALEE’S FATHER, DAVE HOLLOWAY ARRIVED ON THE ISLAND.

(Julia Renfro)  Dave showed up a little bit later.  He was in shock, devastated.

HE JOINED THE TEAMS OF SEARCHERS COMBING THE ISLAND.

(Julia Renfro)  Dave was actually out there digging in the dirt.

WHILE NATALEE’S MOTHER, BETH WAS PURSUING HER OWN INVESTIGATION.

(Julia Renfro)  Her big concern was that not enough was being done.  And as a mother myself, I reacted right along with her...well let’s do everything we can do.

THEY PLASTERED THE ISLAND WITH POSTERS AND PICTURES OF NATALEE HOPING TO STIR UP SOME CLUES.

(Carol Standifer)  We took those flyers and we passed them out and gave the flyers to everyone and you know “Have you seen Natalee?  This is Natalee.”  And there was a phone number.

ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE CALLS STARTED COMING IN, FUELED IN LARGE PART BY RUMOR AND SPECULATION.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair)  There are a raft of rumors that swirl around as they only can on a small Caribbean island.

IN THOSE EARLY DAYS, THE RUMORS WERE MOSTLY SIGHTINGS OF NATALEE ALIVE SOMEWHERE ON THE ISLAND.  NO LEAD WAS TOO SMALL OR TOO FAR OUT, THE FAMILY WAS DESPERATE FOR ANSWERS.

(Beth)  The leads were coming in constantly and they were bizarre.  But we acted on every lead we got. 

(Julia Renfro)  We were just rushing from one place to another place looking and asking questions to everybody.

(Beth)  I would talk to anybody, I went through any person...any crack head... anybody, I was just desperate...you know.... talk to the devil.

(Gerold Dompig, Deputy Police Chief)  We felt like this was going to be like a circus which wasn’t really going to help the investigation.

(to be continued)

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ADDING TO THE CIRCUS ATMOSPHERE WAS THE MEDIA THAT BEGAN TO DESCEND ON THE ISLAND.

(Carol Standifer)  Within two or three days every cable news network was there, all of our local news were there, all of the print media were there, magazines, tabloids, newspapers...it was just very very intense.

SINCE BETH WAS FRUSTRATED BY THE POLICE RESPONSE, SHE TURNED TO THE MEDIA FOR HELP INSTEAD.

(Julia Renfro)  We were trying to reach the tourists around the world who had been here during that week who had maybe seen something or knew something.

(Beth) The media would ask for an interview and I would say yes.  I’d talk to anybody that asked me to.  I honored any and all requests from everyone.

BETH WOULD OFTEN SIT FOR SEVERAL INTERVIEWS IN A ROW.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair)  Beth was exactly the type of victim that American cable television circa 2005 loved .

(Beth) (2005 footage)  We will not give up until they give us answers, and where Natalee is.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair)  She was sympathetic, well spoken and her viewpoint immediately was picked up, magnified and repeated.

AND WHILE FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE ALL TOO EAGER TO SPEAK OUT, THE ARUBAN AUTHORITIES WERE NOT USED TO SO MUCH MEDIA ATTENTION.

(Not identified on show ... Ronny Bernadina)  Everyone wants to know everything, and sometimes in this investigation it’s difficult to say everything because we have to respect privacy.

ON JUNE 5TH, SIX DAYS AFTER NATALEE DISAPPEARED THE POLICE ARRESTED TWO SECURITY GUARDS WHO WORKED AT A HOTEL DOWN THE STREET FROM THE HOLIDAY INN.  THE ARRESTS WERE A RESPONSE TO THE SCRUTINY FROM THE HOLLOWAY’S AND THE AMERICAN MEDIA.  BUT THEY WERE PROMPTED BY JORAN’S ORIGINAL STORY IN WHICH HE SAID A GUARD STEPPED IN TO HELP NATALEE AFTER HE DROPPED HER OFF AT THE HOTEL.

(Beth)  We’d already known within 72 hours that Joran’s story was completely fabricated, because I had seen the video footage from the Holiday Inn Entrance.  Natalee was never brought back to the Holiday Inn Hotel, yet they still proceeded to arrest two innocent male black security guards.

WITH THIS THE FAMILY GREW EVEN MORE IMPATIENT, AND THE PRESSURE ON THE POLICE TO SOLVE THE CASE ONLY INTENSIFIED.

(Gerold Dompig, Deputy Police Chief)  The family didn’t trust the team anymore, they said it openly.

ON JUNE 9TH WITH THE TWO SECURITY GUARDS STILL IN CUSTODY, THE POLICE SUDDENLY ARRESTED THE THREE PRIMARY SUSPECTS IN THE CASE, JORAN VANDERSLOOT, AND DEEPAK AND SATISH KALPOE.  IT WAS THE MOVE BETH WAS WAITING FOR.

(Beth) I just pretty much felt like, it was done.

BUT IN FACT HER PROBLEMS WITH THE INVESTIGATION AND WITH THE ISLANDS PEOPLE WERE ONLY BEGINNING.

(Beth) July 2005 footage...Do not allow these criminals to walk among your citizens.

(Kelly Cobielle, Reporter) Prosecutors say the picture is starting to get clearer.

ON JUNE 10TH 2005, ELEVEN DAYS AFTER NATALEE HOLLOWAY DISAPPEARED FROM HER SENIOR TRIP TO THE ISLAND OF ARUBA; IT SEEMED THAT AUTHORITIES WERE COMING CLOSE TO ANSWERING WHAT HAD HAPPENED.  THEY HAD ARRESTED THE THREE MEN WHO WERE LAST SEEN WITH HER, JORAN VANDERSLOOT AND HIS FRIENDS, DEEPAK AND SATISH KALPOE.  BUT AFTER THE SUSPECTS GAVE THEIR STATEMENTS, AUTHORITIES TOLD NATALEE’S MOTHER BETH TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST.

(Beth)  The FBI said that it’s a strong possibility that Natalee is no longer alive because of the way the suspects are implicating each other in her death.  It was like taking a bullet in the gut.

(Carol Standifer)  The next day we went on the far side of the island and spent the day very quietly and that was really the first time when she really broke down and cried.

BETH WAS DEVASTATED BY THE NEWS, BUT SHE HOPED THAT THE ARRESTS WOULD AT LEAST BRING CLOSURE.

(Beth)  I guess I felt like they had their suspects and that we would get recovery of her remains.  I just pretty much felt like, it was done.

BUT WHEN THE THREE SUSPECTS WERE ARRESTED, JORAN’S MOTHER, ANITA BEGAN TO PLEA HER SON’S CASE.

(Anita Vandersloot)  Joran is very creative, very open; very social.  He’s a great kid.

(Unseen Reporter) Do you think he had anything at all to do with Natalee’s disappearance.

(Anita Vandersloot) No, no I believe in my son; he’s innocent.  Two hundred percent.

(Beth)  I don’t think that Anita ever, I don’t think that she had a clue really.

ANITA SAID THE ARRESTS CAME AS A SURPRISE.

(Anita Vandersloot)  We thought there was no pressure anymore on the boys.

THAT’S BECAUSE THE POLICE WERE WATCHING AND FOLLOWING THE SUSPECTS WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE.

(Arlene Schipper)  They were gathering information by wiretaps and those things and that prompted the arrests.  Basically, maybe if they waited a little bit more they could have gathered more evidence or more information.

(Gerold Dompig, Deputy Police Chief)  I think that my colleague that was in charge at that time, probably made that call a little bit earlier because of the International pressure.

(Beth)  Remember, we never could communicate with them; so how could we put pressure on them?

WHATEVER THE REASON, THE LACK OF EVIDENCE WOULD BE A CRUCIAL PROBLEM FOR THE AUTHORITIES.  UNDER THE LEGAL SYSTEM IN ARUBA WHICH IS PATTERNED ON DUTCH LAW THERE IS NO PLEA BARGAINING.

(Gerold Dompig, Deputy Police Chief)  In the states for instance, they would bring in the boys, cut a deal with the weakest one and try to get the others convicted.  We are not allowed to do that.

AS SOON AS THE THREE YOUNG MEN WERE ARRESTED, THEIR STORY BEGAN TO CHANGE.  NOW INSTEAD OF CLAIMING THAT THEY DROPPED NATALEE AT THE HOLIDAY INN, THEY SAID THE KALPOES DROPPED NATALEE AND JORAN AT THE BEACH NEAR THE MARRIOTT RESORT AND FISHERMAN’S HUTS.

(to be continued)

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(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair) His story becomes, no the Kalpoe’s dropped us off at the beach, we had a sexual encounter and she was too drunk and I walked home.

(Anita Vandersloot)  He says,” Mom, I dropped the girl at the beach.  I walked with her; I left her because she wanted to stay there.”

BUT THERE WERE STILL MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.  WAS NATALEE INCAPACITATED BY DRINK, OR EVEN DRUGS?  DID JORAN OR THE OTHERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HER CONDITION TO HAVE SEX WITH HER?  AND MOST IMPORTANT, WHAT HAPPENED AFTER JORAN AND NATALEE GOT TO THE BEACH?

IN AN EFFORT TO FIND OUT POLICE MADE ANOTHER ARREST, PAULUS VANDERSLOOT, JORAN’S FATHER.

(Arlene Schipper)  They thought he interfered with the interrogation or that he coached the three suspects.

(Anita Vandersloot)  I told Van der Straaten, “This is such a big mistake, and I will go worldwide to talk about what’s going on here in Aruba because this is not about Natalee anymore. This is about an enormous pressure from the States.  Media pressure” 

PAULUS WAS RELEASED AFTER THREE DAYS, THE ALLEGATION THAT HE MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WAS ONLY ONE OF THE STORIES CIRCULATING.

(Julia Renfro)  Normally the authorities do not release any information about a suspect, except for their initials and possibly their birth date.  And in this particular case, everything about everybody was told and much more.  The stories kept getting bigger and bigger and wilder and wilder.

EVERY CLUE OR LEAD WAS REPEATED BY THE THRONG OF MEDIA NOW CAMPED ON THE ISLAND.

(Carol Standifer)  It sure did take a life of its own.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair)  At some point I think everyone acknowledged that the massive press was not helpful.  It was like herds of cattle that were throwing up clouds of dust that were obscuring the facts.

THE CABLE TELEVISION JUSTICE SHOWS WERE PARTICULARLY DEVOTED TO THE STORY, AND THEIR COVERAGE TENDED TO SIDE WITH BETH.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair)  In those first couple of weeks especially it was “bereft mother trying to find innocent child, being slowed by incompetent small island idiots.”  That was the overwhelming tenor of the coverage.  And you know it didn’t take long for that to engender a lot of resentment.

THAT RESENTMENT REACHED A BOILING POINT AT THE BEGINNING OF JULY, MORE THAN A MONTH AFTER NATALEE’S DISAPPEARANCE.

(Unnamed Court Reporter)  The detention of Deepak K. and Satish K. has not been prolonged and the suspects will be immediately released. 

(Beth)  All of the sudden, poof, the rug just got pulled out from under me.  We were always just blindsided.

BETH, CONVINCED THAT HER DAUGHTER WAS KILLED WAS SHOCKED THAT TWO PRIME SUSPECTS WERE RELEASED.

(Beth) 2005 footage:  These criminals are not only allowed to walk freely among the tourists and citizens of Aruba, but there are no limits to where they may choose to travel.  I’m asking all mothers and fathers in all nations to hear my plea.  Do not allow these criminals to walk among your citizens.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair) Beth unfortunately called the Kalpoe’s criminals.  That’s among the things that start to turn the tide of public opinion in Aruba against them. 

(More scenes from the protesters outside the court)

(Beth) Totally turned from that point forward, totally turned.

EVEN WITHOUT LOCAL SUPPORT BETH KEPT PUSHING FOR ANSWERS.

(Beth) cont 2005 footage:  I am asking this in the name of my beautiful, intelligent, and outstanding daughter who I haven’t seen for 36 days and for whom I will continue to search until I find her.  Thank you all so much.

THE SEARCH TO FIND NATALEE CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND.   NOW THOUGH WITH THE INFORMATION FROM THE SUSPECTS; THEY WERE LOOKING FOR HER REMAINS.

NATALEE’S FATHER DAVE HOLLOWAY WAS OFTEN OUT WITH THE TEAMS.

(Dave) As long as we come up with leads, we’ll be out here.  I’m a very determined person; a lot of people already know that.  I thought we’d be out here maybe 3 days and here we are at 60 so as long as we have clues or tips, we’ll keep looking.

BUT AS THE SEARCH DRAGGED ON, SO DID THE CLASH BETWEEN NATALEE’S FAMILY AND ARUBAN OFFICIALS.

(Beth)  from 2005...If the investigation had been handled properly during the first 10 days perhaps I would have the answers that I have so desperately sought.

(to be continued)

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(continued)

IN AUGUST 2005 THE GRADUATING CLASS FROM MOUTAIN BROOK HIGH SCHOOL HEADED OFF FOR COLLEGE, BUT ONE OF THEIR CLASSMATES, NATALEE HOLLOWAY; WOULDN’T BE JOINING THEM.

(Vivian Yeilding)  It was something we were going to do together, she was rooming with one of our best friends; and so it kind of changed a lot for us.

NATALEE HAD DISAPPEARED JUST AFTER GRADUATION, ON THE LAST NIGHT OF HER SENIOR TRIP TO ARUBA.

(Vivian Yeilding)  It was hard for us to ever think those thoughts of we may never see her again.

THE EFFORT TO FIND OUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO NATALEE CONTINUED.  17 YEAR OLD JORAN VANDERSLOOT, BELIEVED TO BE THE LAST PERSON TO SEE NATALEE ALIVE WAS STILL DETAINED AND INTERROGATED REPEATEDLY.

(Anita Vandersloot)  They are pushing real real hard on him, with a lot of pressure, most incredible things done to him.  I think mental torture is the right word here.

THROUGH THE SUMMER THE QUESTIONING CONTINUED WITH OBSERVERS FROM THE NETHERLANDS AND THE FBI WATCHING.

(Arlene Schipper)  They flew in specialists from Holland to interrogate the suspects

(Gerold Dompig, Deputy Police Chief)  We had two behaviorists from the FBI who also gave advice during the interrogations.

BUT JORAN GAVE NOTHING AWAY, OR PERHAPS HE GAVE AWAY TOO MUCH.

(Gerold Dompig)  He basically makes up his story every time you talk to him.  The basic story he changed three times, but the little facts changed over twenty five times.  So it was never the same.

(Louis B. Schlesinger, PhD Forensic Psychologist)  When somebody lies so much and so comfortably and gives so many inconsistent stories; whatever they say really lacks credibility.

THE OBSERVERS HAVE THEIR OWN THEORY OF JORAN’S BEHAVIOR.

(Gerold Dompig)  Their first impression was this seemed like a manipulative person; A person
who was very intelligent, very smart.  They used the word sociopath.

(Louis B. Schlesinger, PhD Forensic Psychologist)  The behavioral analysts concluded that Vandersloot was what they referred to as a sociopath; which basically refers to an individual who has an ability to detach himself emotionally from events, and has no interpersonal or human attachment to others.

FROM THE LITTLE BIT THEY GLEANED IN TWO MONTHS OF INTERROGATIONS, MANY AUTHORITIES BELIEVED THAT NATALEE MAY HAVE DIED ACCIDENTALLY FROM ALCOHOL POISONING OR PERHAPS FROM A DATE RAPE DRUG JORAN SLIPPED IN HER DRINK.  THEN THEY THOUGHT JORAN PANICKED AND RATHER THAN GETTING HELP, DISPOSED OF THE BODY.

(Gerold Dompig)  To me there’s enough that he said that convinces me that he is involved in the disappearance of Natalee.

BUT INVESTIGATORS WANTED TO KNOW WHERE AND HOW AND JORAN WOULDN’T TELL THEM.  AND THE CONTINUING SEARCHES FOR PHYSICAL EVIDENCE FOUND NOTHING.  NOTHING THAT CONNECTED TO NATALEE, OR THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED.

(Beth) 2005 footage:  Everyone that’s watched has seen the twists and turns that it has taken.  And I know that they feel the same frustrations that I do.

BETH HOLLOWAY CONTINUED HER VERY PUBLIC SEARCH FOR ANSWERS, EVEN THOUGH THAT SEARCH WAS ALIENATING THE PEOPLE OF ARUBA.

(Julia Renfro) I believe that she felt that the more pressure she put on Aruba, the sooner she would be able to find her daughter and unfortunately it had a different reaction.  Um People weren’t as willing to help as much anymore, donations stopped coming in.

(Unidentified Woman ...Renfro associate jmo) We have welcomed all the International media in Aruba.  What do you do?  You twist the information. O.K. and those are not facts.

(The same woman is seen carrying a poster which she shields the Vandersloot’s from the cameras with that says CNN is a disgrace to Journalism..or something to that effect)

ARUBAN POLICE SPENT FORTY PERCENT OF THEIR OPERATIONS BUDGET IN 2005 INVESTIGATING NATALEE’S DISAPPEARANCE, SO OFFICIALS WERE ESPECIALLY ANGRY AT BETH’S MEDIA CRUSADE.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair) The sixty four dollar question became, as this resentment builds, how did it manifest itself at the law enforcement level?  Clearly, I got a lot of personal resentment from senior police officials who would say “Well we don’t like Jug and Beth Twitty, they’re ugly Americans and they’ve acted poorly but that hasn’t impacted our investigation.”  You know human behavior being what it is, you know it did.

AS THE TIDE OF OPINION ON THE ISLAND TURNED AGAINST BETH, THE VANDERSLOOT’S WENT ON TELEVISION TO PLEAD THEIR SON’S CASE.

2005 Interview

(Unseen reporter) What do you think when you see her and hear about her saying these things over and over and over again about you, about Joran, about your family.

(Paulus Vandersloot) It isn’t fair and it doesn’t help the case.

(Anita Vandersloot)  We want Joran home; we want him to go on with his life.  We want to have our life back.

(to be continued)

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(continued)

A JUDGE WAS SCHEDULED TO DECIDE JORAN’S FATE IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, THREE MONTHS AFTER NATALEE DISAPPEARED.  WOULD HE BE HELD FOR TRIAL, OR LET GO?  A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE HEARING POLICE REARRESTED DEEPAK AND SATISH KALPOE WHO WERE IN THE CAR THAT NIGHT WITH JORAN AND NATALEE.

(Unseen Reporter) Why are they arrested, and what are they saying?

(Unidentified Attorney)  Basically, we don’t know they haven’t shown us any evidence.

(Unseen Reporter)  Is that normal?

(Unidentified Attorney) No it isn’t normal, only in Aruba is it normal.  Arrest people and don’t show them the evidence.

IT TURNED OUT THE AUTHORITIES HOPED TO GET ONE OF THE SUSPECTS TO TURN ON THE OTHERS, AND THE TACTIC SEEMED TO WORK; JORAN OFFERED A NEW VERSION OF EVENTS.  THAT NIGHT THE KALPOE’S DROPPED HIM OFF AT HIS HOME AND DROVE OFF WITH NATALEE.

(David Kock, Kalpoe Defense Attorney)  First the two Kalpoe brothers on the request of Joran told a story to help him and then he turned things around and started pointing fingers in their direction.  And that’s why they got very upset at Joran.

(Beth)  They had already turned on each other.

BETH SAYS SHE WAS TOLD THAT THE JUDGE WOULD DETAIN THE SUSPECTS FURTHER, BUT INSTEAD HE LET ALL THREE GO AT THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER.  IT WAS A SHOCK.

(Beth) from 2005...The suspects who took my daughter from Carlos ‘n Charlie’s on the last night of her senior trip, who were the last to be seen with her alive, and who offered at least a dozen different versions of what they did with her; are now free.  For the rest of my life I will continue to be the voice of my daughter seeking Justice in Aruba, every parent would want the same Justice for their child.

SINCE BETH FELT THE ARUBAN AUTHORITIES HAD LET HER DOWN, SHE WOULD TRY TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY ON HER OWN.  IN THE END IT SEEMED, THE SUSPECT GAVE THE ANSWER HIMSELF.

Scenes from the Range Rover:

Joran’s words translated:  I panicked, you know

Joran’s words translated:  I thought, no one even knows that I left the house.

(Beth)  I felt like, that was it.  I felt like that was our answer.

IN THE YEARS AFTER HER DAUGHTER NATALEE DISAPPEARED ON A SENIOR TRIP TO ARUBA, BETH HOLLOWAY TRIED TO KEEP HER STORY VISIBLE IN THE HOPES THAT SOMEHOW SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. 

AUTHORITIES TRYING TO CLOSE THE CASE AT THE END OF 2007 ONCE AGAIN ARRESTED JORAN VANDERSLOOT, AND DEEPAK AND SATISH KALPOE; THE LAST PEOPLE SEEN WITH NATALEE.

(Hans Mos, Former Chief Prosecutor Aruba) What we want is the only thing is the truth.  What happened on the 30th of May two and a half years ago, and we want to establish that.

(Ronald Wix, Kalpoe Defense Attorney)  What they did is they threw up a lot of old evidence and presented it as new evidence.

(David Kock, Kalpoe Defense Attorney) A desperation move in our opinion, you know time is running out I still have to do something.

ONCE AGAIN THE JUDGE RELEASED ALL THREE.  BUT WHEN JORAN RETURNED TO HIS HOME IN THE NETHERLANDS HE TOLD A NEW FRIEND ALL ABOUT HIS ORDEAL; LITTLE DID HE KNOW THE FRIEND WAS WORKING WITH A DUTCH CRIME REPORTER AND THEIR CONVERSATIONS WERE CAUGHT ON HIDDEN CAMERAS.

Scenes from the Range Rover

Joran’s words translated:  There’s a road right there.  That’s where they dropped me off.  I get out and walk to the beach and we’re kissing and stuff.  But she doesn’t look that well.  S*** man she looked quite pale.  But she wanted it, she wanted it badly.  All of a sudden Patrick (imitates shaking/convulsing) I don’t know what she was doing.

JORAN INDICATED THAT NATALEE HAD SOME TYPE OF SEIZURE.  HE SAID THAT AFTERWARD SHE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF LIFE.  HE ASKED FOR HELP FROM A FRIEND, WHO DISPOSED OF HER BODY IN THE OCEAN. 

JORAN RECANTED AFTER HIS STORY WAS RELEASED.  BUT BETH CONSIDERS IT HIS MOST TRUTHFUL CONFESSION, ALTHOUGH SHE THINKS HE CAUSED NATALEE’S SEIZURES BY GIVING HER DRUGS.

(Beth)  I felt like that was our answer.  That he had given her this date rape drug, given her this potent shot of Rum 151, induced those seizures that he spoke about; and that he had disposed of her body at sea.   

THE STORY ALSO SEEMED TO CONFIRM A SUSPICION THAT SHE AND HER FRIENDS HAD HAD FOR YEARS, THAT THE POLICE HAD ALWAYS KNOWN WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT.

(Carol Standifer) The police asked that question the first week if Natalee had seizures so that is why I believe they were aware from the very beginning of what happened.

(Beth)  Obviously Joran had mentioned this to the police early on for them to have even asked us such a question.

BUT EVEN AFTER JORAN’S STATEMENT HE WAS NOT ARRESTED AGAIN.

(to be continued)

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(continued)

(Tom Anelli, Criminal Defense Attorney) He’s changed his story so many times that the Prosecutor and the Judge in this case cannot believe anything that is said.

(Bryan Burrough, Vanity Fair)  The history of crime is full of crimes like this, where everyone is reasonably certain they know what happened; the problem is proving it.

THE SUSPECTS ARE STILL AT LARGE, AND THE CASE IS STILL OFFICIALLY OPEN.
FOR THE PEOPLE OF ARUBA IT HAS CAUSED LASTING CONTROVERSY AND HARDSHIP.

(Julia Renfro)  The media represented Aruba in a very very bad light.  And Americans were outraged, and not just Americans; people all over the world were outraged at Aruba for the cover-up for the scandal for...for all of these things that were being represented in the media.  And this created wow a lot of hatred towards Aruba and towards anything Aruba.

(Governor Bob Riley, Alabama)  We have no other option.

A NUMBER OF GOVERNORS IN THE STATES EVEN CALLED FOR A TRAVEL BOYCOTT AGAINST THE ISLAND WHICH ALSO HURT TOURISM.

AS FOR BETH, SHE HAS TRIED TO MOVE ON WITH HER LIFE.  SHE DIVORCED HER HUSBAND, JUG TWITTY, NATALEE’S STEP FATHER, AND BUILT A NEW HOME IN 2009; WITH A ROOM SET ASIDE FOR NATALEE.  SHE’S CREATING A FOUNDATION TO HELP OTHER FAMILIES GOING THROUGH THE NIGHTMARE OF LOSING A CHILD.  AND SHE ALSO SPEAKS TO HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE KIDS ABOUT STAYING SAFE AT HOME AND ABROAD.

(Beth seen speaking to and hugging a teen at one of her speaking engagements.)

(Beth shows a card she’s designed that says on the outside “A message from Natalee’s Mom”, and on the inside “You are your own best protection...Save Yourself”)

NATALEE’S FRIENDS DON’T NEED TO BE REMINDED.

(Vivian Yeilding)  We are very good about having a buddy system, staying together, walking in pairs, and being accountable because that helps so much in increasing your safety.

THEY'VE REMAINED CLOSE TO BETH.

(Vivian Yeilding)  Whenever we’re in town, we try to go to dinner with her and stay in touch and you know she is one of our best friends now throughout all of this.

(Beth) (crying)  Some people had said well isn’t it hard to be friends with her friends?  But I lost Natalee, so why should I have to lose her friends?  And so I don’t.

(Carol Standifer)  Her goal is just to move on with her life, to take the story and try to make something good come of it.

(Beth)  What I can do is hopefully share some life lessons and can prevent this tragedy from happening to another family so I stay focused on what I can do rather than what I can’t;

I can’t get Justice for Natalee.



End of the transcript.

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