A New Twist in the Natalee Holloway case; Suspects Undergo DNA Testing

As reported on MSNBC last night, the three suspects in the Natalee Holloway disappearance underwent DNA testing. According to reports all three gave blood and swabs samples that will be sent to both Holland and the FBI in the US for testing. Also according to reports more FBI agents were flown in to Aruba on Tuesday.

The district attorney ordered the testing for Joran van der Sloot, the 17-year-old in custody, and Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, NBC’s Sue Kroll reported. The court will release the reason for the testing Wednesday, Kroll has learned.

Video from MSNBC

Birmingham News; Dutch youth ordered to give DNA sample in Natalee Holloway case

Authorities ordered a Dutch youth held in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway to provide investigators with a DNA sample, the young man’s defense lawyer said Wednesday.

Joran van der Sloot was taken to a hospital Tuesday and submitted a saliva sample for the genetic testing sought by prosecutors, defense lawyer Richie Kock told The Associated Press.

Many of us will never comprehend the manner in which Dutch law works. Prosecutors ordered all three suspects to provide DNA even though the Kalpoe brothers remain out of jail. A judge can order the Kalpoe brothers out of jail for lack of evidence against them in the suspicion of Natalee’s disappearance yet an order can be obtained for their DNA? One would think that in order to gain such an order enough evidence would be present to at least hold a suspect on just a “suspicion” charge. As described on CNN this morning by an Aruban attorney; the Kalpoe brothers remain suspects even though they have been released from jail. Then one thinks after all this time, how was such an order never required or requested from the beginning? If they took samples and evidence from the suspects homes and vehicles; why would it not have been done in the beginning to get a possible match? One then further speculates if there is some sort of match could there be re-arrests in the near future?

Also on MSNBC’s Scarborough Country, Joe Scarborough interviews Marcia Twitty and Michelle Kosinski, NBC Correspondent discusses the surrendering of DNA by suspects. (Full transcripts here)

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, NBC CORRESPONDENT: Well, NBC News has learned, for the first time in this investigation that has spanned seven weeks now, prosecutors have ordered that the three suspects submit a blood sample for DNA testing to be used in some way in this case.

Prosecutors haven’t said why, but we expect to find that out soon. They will release their reason for why they want this testing done and why now in this case. So, we see Joran Van Der Sloot once again taken out of jail, led this time not to the beach where he says he left Natalee Holloway the morning she disappeared, but to the hospital to take that blood test.

We also saw the Kalpoe brothers. You are looking at video of Deepak – that’s who we caught on tape—going to the hospital themselves and submitting of their own will. Remember, they are out of jail at this point, but they are still considered under suspicion. These are the young men who say they dropped off Natalee and Joran that morning on that beach.

We talked to Natalee Holloway’s mother tonight, and she told us a couple things about this. Remember, at the same time this is going on, there are more FBI agents that flew to the island today. They met with her this afternoon. And FBI agents, as well as Dutch authorities, are now testing a piece of duct tape with hair attached to it. It was found in a remote area of a national park.

So, things are going on in this case, but Beth Holloway tells us it’s so difficult for her to get her hopes up about any new findings or new developments because her hopes have been dashed so many times in the past.

Macia Twitty, Natalee’s aunt is also interviewed and said the following:

MARCIA TWITTY, AUNT OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: You know, Joe, we want the truth. We so desperately want the truth, to find out what happened to Natalee.

And I will tell you, you know, our minds will kind of run the gamut. You know, you see all this stuff, but, at the same time, there is no concrete evidence that any of this belongs to Natalee. I mean, we don’t have a sandal. We don’t have a bracelet. We don’t have anything, you know, that points toward Natalee.

So, all of these things just keep getting thrown at us, but yet we really don’t have the answers.

SCARBOROUGH: And I always ask this of you. What can we do to help?

M. TWITTY: You know, it’s always keeping Jug and Beth and Dave and the family in everybody’s thoughts and prayers.
And, again, you know, I keep saying it. And I have said it to you a lot of times. I think it’s very important that we continue to put pressure on the government in Holland, the Dutch government, to intervene, and to be a part of that—that—what’s going on in Aruba. We need—they need help down there.

(Full transcript)