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.
Natalee Holloway Evening Updates
From the Iowa Channel, Texas Crews Comb Aruba In Hunt For Missing Teen
Court Hearing Delayed Until Sunday
Volunteer rescuers from Texas on Saturday combed Aruba in the latest search for a U.S. teenager from Alabama who disappeared almost a month ago.
Texas EquuSearch is using sniffer dogs on land and sonar in the ocean. The searchers are said to be focusing on “five or six areas of interest” on land.
Also, Court Hearing Delayed Until Sunday.
Also Saturday, the lawyer for one of two Surinamese brothers being held in connection with Holloway’s disappearance confirmed that his client admitted lying to police when he told them that he and his brother and their Dutch friend dropped Holloway off alone at her hotel, the Holiday Inn, the night she disappeared.
The man now claims that he and his brother dropped Holloway and 17-year-old Joran van der Sloot off together at the Marriott hotel and then went home.
Joran’s mother told the AP last week that he, too, had changed his story, acknowledging now that he and Natalee were alone together at a beach near the Marriott, but she said he insists he left her there and did not hurt her.
A court hearing for the Surinamese brothers, Kalpoes, van der Sloot and van der Sloot’s father, Paul van der Sloot, a high-ranking justice official in Aruba, was postponed Saturday until Sunday because the judge was unable to make it to Aruba on Saturday from nearby Curacao.
The judge must decide whether there is sufficient cause to continue holding the four. Also in custody is a 26-year-old party boat disc jockey.
Natalee Holloway; Saturday June 25
From the Birmingham News, Teen’s father crime suspect
The father of a Dutch teen being held in Natalee Holloway’s disappearance is suspected of being an accessory to a variety of crimes ranging up to premeditated murder, Aruban authorities said Friday.
Paulus van der Sloot, 53, was arrested Thursday in the case. His 17-year-old son, Joran, has been held for more than two weeks.
The senior van der Sloot, a justice official, is suspected of three crimes, said Mariaine Croes, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office. They are: complicity to premeditated murder, complicity to murder and complicity to kidnapping.
From the AP: Texas Volunteer Search Group Arrives in Aruba to Search for Missing U.S. Teen
A volunteer U.S. rescue group launched a major ground and ocean search Saturday for an Alabama teen who disappeared nearly four weeks ago while on a school trip.
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On Saturday a Judge is supposed to determine whether Aruban authorities have enough evidence to continue to hold Paul van der Sloot, father of 17-year-old Joran van der Sloot. Paul Van der Sloot is being presently held in Natalee Holloway’s disappearance is suspected of being an accessory to a variety of crimes ranging up to premeditated murder, Aruban authorities said Friday According to the AP:
Also Saturday, a judge was to decide whether to allow prosecutors to continue holding justice official Paul van der Sloot, father of 17-year-old Joran van der Sloot, the honors student from the island who is believed to be one of the last people to see 18-year-old Natalee Holloway the night she went missing
UPDATE: JUST A REMINDER …
***** Natalee Holloway Benefit *****
Benefit For
Natalee Holloway Recovery Trust
Saturday, June 25, 3–6
Featuring Live Music by
Matthew Mayfield and Will Mason of
Moses Mayfield
Spread the word if you are in the Birmingham area, you got to be there.
If you are not in the Birmingham area and can not attend this event, but still want to donate, visit this site:
AMSOUTHTRUST Natalee Holloway Trust
UPDATE: All five suspects in court today for determination on whether they will continue to be held. New Judge will determine this.
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Tuscaloosa news: More questions than answers in mystery of missing teen
Why were the youths last seen with 18-year-old Natalee Holloway left free for days after she disappeared? Why did police not search the home of the Dutch youth who was flirting with her until two weeks after she went missing? Why did Aruban officials ask the FBI to send divers, who came to the island but never searched its waters?
Criminal experts say these apparent mishaps could make it harder for Aruban investigators to crack the case, and may ultimately prevent the Holloway family from ever knowing what happened.
Attorney General Caren Janssen, the top prosecutor on the Dutch Caribbean island, refused to comment on the criticisms and potential implications, saying only that “I can’t comment on the investigation until it’s over. Investigators must be allowed to do their jobs.”
4:45 pm EDT: UPDATE
Hearings for the 5 suspects being held will be delayed until tomorrow. Fox is now reporting, that there was a problem with a flight from Curacao to Aruba, causing a delay. The hearings will be held tomorrow at 8:30 .
Natalee Holloway, Afternoon/Evening Updates
For the first time on Friday after noon the Aruban authorities have come out and stated what many have suspected but most have dreaded to think. As days and days go by as Natalee has vanished without a trace they Aruban authorities have “suggested that Natalee was murdered.”
Fox News, Aruba Authorities Detail Murder Suspicions
For the first time Friday, Aruban authorities detailed the allegations suspected of the five men being held in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and they suggested that Natalee was murdered.
Joran van der Sloot and his friends Deepak and Satish Kalpoe are being held under suspicion of murder and kidnapping as well as being an accessory to murder. A fourth man, Steve Croes, is being held under the same conditions.
The fifth man, Paul van der Sloot — the father of 17-year-old Joran — was being held on suspicion of complicity to pre-meditated murder, complicity to kidnapping and murder and kidnapping. Under the Aruban system, complicity is a lesser charge.
The charges that Paul van der Sloot is being held under seems to have changed a bit from what was reported last night. In any event, it was certainly not the news that the Holloway or Twitty families wanted to hear.
None of the men have been charged with a crime. But all are in police custody. An Aruban government spokesman confirmed the allegations.
UPDATE:
The Political Teen has video from Fox on this.
Also transcripts from last nights Scarborough Country. ‘Scarborough Country’ for June 23
7:40 pm EDT: UPDATE: Aruba Today, June 24 edition
‘Texas Search & Rescue Team Arrives’
‘Aruban Police Detain Father of Dutch Suspect’
