The potential plea deal for Joran van der Sloot, the long-suspected individual in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba, is contingent on him revealing new insights into her death. Set to appear in a Birmingham federal court this Wednesday, van der Sloot had previously denied charges of extorting Natalee’s Holloway’s mother, Beth Holloway relating to her death. John Q. Kelly, the Holloway family’s attorney, emphasized that the plea deal’s acceptance is tied directly to van der Sloot providing details about Natalee’s tragic death and how her remains were handled.
Authorities have not publicly verified Kelly’s claims, and a recent order in the case is sealed. Van der Sloot, 35, has been a longtime suspect in Holloway’s death but has never faced charges related to the incident. This plea hearing approaches just days ahead of what would be Holloway’s 37th birthday.
Federal officials assert that van der Sloot, in 2010, attempted to extort $250,000 from Beth Holloway, capitalizing on her fears about never discovering her daughter’s fate. A Birmingham grand jury indicted him on wire fraud and extortion charges in June 2010. After his extradition from Peru—where he’s serving a 28-year sentence for another murder—van der Sloot pleaded not guilty to these charges.
Prosecutors allege that van der Sloot offered to reveal Natalee’s body’s location for an initial $25,000. Upon confirmation of the remains being Natalee’s, he would then claim the remaining $225,000. An affidavit indicates that van der Sloot admitted to pushing Natalee, leading to her death, with his late father assisting in disposing of the body. He later confessed to lying about her remains’ location.
