Joran Van der Sloot Trial in Murder of Stephany Flores in Peru Begins Today … Then Extortion Charges in US?

Finally, two murders later … Joran Van der Sloot will be tried in a court of law, it’s been a long time in coming.

Joran Van der Sloot murder trial of 21 year old Stephany Flores begins in Peru today. Van der Sloot is accused of murdering Stephany Flores on May 30, 2010, five years to the day of the disappearance and  presumed death of Natalee Holloway in Aruba. Joran Van der Sloot admits to killing Stephany Flores; however, he claims, as per his attorney  Luis Jimenez Navarro, that the murder was not premeditated. Joran Van der Sloot was charged last year with “qualified murder” and simple robbery, that  together could carry a sentence of up to 30 years in prison.

Joran van der Sloot goes on trial Friday in Peru, ready to admit to killing a 21-year-old woman while planning to fight more stringent charges that could land him more time in prison, his lawyer said.

About six and a half years ago, the Dutch national was considered the prime suspect in the case of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway, who vanished while on a graduation trip to the Caribbean island of Aruba. He was arrested twice but never charged in connection with Holloway’s disappearance, which is still unsolved.

Yet van der Sloot’s trial in another high-profile case, which his lawyer said has a tenuous connection with the Holloway story, is set to go forward Friday.

The 24-year-old is accused of killing Stephany Flores in his Lima hotel room in May 2010. Police say that he took money and bank cards from her wallet and fled to Chile, where he was arrested a few days later.

According to Radio Netherlands, United States authorities are currently involved in negotiations with the Peruvian government to have Van der Sloot extradited to the US for trial immediately after his trial in Peru ends to face trial and extortion charges as he tried to extort $250,000 from Beth Holloway, mom of missing Natalee Holloway.

One thing is for certain, Peru has an opportunity to do what Aruba refused to do … provide justice for a murder victim. This time Joran Van der Sloot does not have pappa Sloot and his connections to get him out of this one. Joran, its time to face the music for the first time in your life.

For more updates and discussion, go to Scared Monkeys Forum: Natalee Holloway/Stephany Flores Case Discussion threads.