RSSNatalee Holloway; Breaking Aruba News – Croes Released – Now Paul Van der Sloot
As reported earlier and now confirmed by CNN, Steven Croes will be released tomorrow at 1:oo pm because of lack of evidence according to his attorney.
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (CNN) — Steve Croes, a disc jockey who was arrested in connection with the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway, will be released Monday because of a lack of evidence against him, his attorney, Eleni Lotterhoman, said Sunday following a court hearing.
There was no word yet on how the judge may have ruled in the detention of the other four suspects.
Croes, 26, worked on a party boat on the island.
Sunday’s hearing was postponed from Saturday because the judge being flown in from the nearby island of Curacao was delayed, said David Kock, defense attorney for 18-year-old Satish Kalpoe, one of the suspects.
So far it appears from sources that the other four will remain in custody, but unconfirmed.
The other suspects include Kalpoe’s 21-year-old brother, Deepak Kalpoe; their 17-year-old friend, Joran Van Der Sloot; and his father, Paul Van Der Sloot, 53.
AP: Judge in Aruba Orders Release of Party Boat DJ Held in Natalee Holloway Disappearance
ORANJESTAD, Aruba (AP) – A judge ordered Aruban police Sunday to release a party boat disc jockey held in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, saying authorities did not have enough evidence against him, the man’s lawyer said.
“The judge agreed there is not enough proof he was involved to keep holding him,” said Croes’ lawyer, Eleni Lotter-Homan.
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6:00 pm – BREAKING NEWS: Fox News -
Suspect’s Father to Be Released
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The judge ordered the father of Dutch teen Joran van der Sloot and party boat disc jockey Steve Gregory Croes to be released in the absence of sufficient evidence to continue holding them. The other three suspects will remain in custody for another eight days, according to a court clerk.
The lawyer representing Paul van der Sloot, whose arrest has garnered the most attention, said Sunday that his client has waived his right not to testify against his son. Under Aruban law, parents have the option to refuse to testify against their children. In waiving that right, Paul van der Sloot is essentially agreeing to take the stand.
Video from The Political Teen of Paul Van der Sloot to be let go and waives his right to testify against his son.
From The Birmingham News, Suspect’s father released in Aruba case
The father of a Dutch suspect arrested in the disappearance of an Alabama teenager was freed from jail on Sunday, hours after a judge ordered the release of a party boat disc jockey also held in the case.
Paul van der Sloot, a high-ranking justice official studying to be a judge on the Dutch Caribbean island, had been arrested Thursday as a suspect for collaborating in a crime with his 17-year-old son, according to his lawyer.
“A little bit of the nightmare clouds are now disappearing,” van der Sloot’s wife, Anita, told The Associated Press. “The truth will always come forward. From the beginning, I trusted everything would be fine.”
Sunday Morning Update
There is a new judge on the island, who is supposed to be having a hearing this morning. Also, Aruba’s justice minister has admitted taking Joran’s father into custody to help make him talk. If this is true, it is another departure from how the US judicial system is run, and may be a sign of desperation by the Aruban judicial system. Rumor also has it that one or two of the suspects may be released.
On a brighter note, the full team from the Texas EquuSearch has arrived on the island Saturday. The final 17 members of the team are on site and ready to search.
The benefit for the Natalee Search was a success, as Fox reported on air today that 25,000 dollars was raised. We are hoping to have pictures from the event later on today.
9:31 AM: Four of the 5 suspects, Steve Croes is not there, are in the court house with the Judge that just recently arrived. They will be meeting individually with the Judge and the prosecutor.
10:40 Steve Croes’s is also at the courthouse now, Fox News is reporting that a decision is due soon.
1:30 PM Steve Croes will be released on Monday. Attorney says that he will be released as the judge has determined there is not enough to hold him.
The father of the Dutch teen suspect in Natalee Holloway’s disappearance was taken into custody in order to make his son talk, Aruba’s justice minister said Saturday.
In an exclusive interview with FOX News’ Geraldo Rivera, Justice Minister Rudy Croes said the detention of Paul van der Sloot whose son Joran changed the story he told police about the night of Natalee’s disappearance — could be key to solving the case.
“Any moment, we can have the solution,” Croes said. “I don’t think [Joran], if he really participated in the disappearance of this lady, I don’t think he can hold out for so long knowing his father is detained.”
Croes said Joran and two other suspects, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, were surveilled electronically after being released following an initial round of questioning. He implied that information picked up by such surveillance led to their second detention.
“That’s why, after a certain moment, they were seized,” said Croes.
A judge is to determine Sunday whether five suspects in the disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway will remain in jail.
Their hearing was postponed from Saturday because the judge being flown in from the nearby island of Curacao experienced flight delays, said David Kock, defense attorney for 18-year-old Satish Kalpoe, one of the suspects.
Kock said the judge’s flight was delayed several times, and as the afternoon grew later, the decision was made to reschedule the appearances.
A team of Texas search specialists began a full-fledged hunt for Holloway on Saturday.
“I feel very, very optimistic that we are going to take Natalee back to Alabama where she belongs,” said Tim Miller, director and founder of Texas EquuSearch.
The entire 27-member team, including eight divers and four dogs, had arrived by Saturday night. The divers were to search areas of water Sunday.
