After Joran van der Sloot’s murder confession, Natalee Holloway’s mother claims that her daughter “fought like hell” seconds before her passing
For 18 years, Beth Holloway had only one goal: to learn what had become of her daughter who had vanished.
She got them on Wednesday when Joran van der Sloot, the main suspect in the 2005 disappearance of her daughter in Aruba, confessed in court documents that he had beaten Natalee Holloway to death on a beach and then dragged her body out to sea.
Beth Holloway told Janet Shamlian, a CBS News journalist, that “the never-ending nightmare is over.” “And to me that’s better than closure.”
On Wednesday, 36-year-old Van der Sloot entered a guilty plea to federal charges stemming from his 2010 effort to extort money from Beth Holloway in exchange for information regarding the whereabouts of her daughter’s body. Unusual terms of the plea agreement required van der Sloot to “provide all information and evidence” concerning what transpired to Natalee Holloway and to allow her family to hear him give his testimony to federal authorities in “real time.”
The family decided to accept the plea offer, according to Beth Holloway, in an interview with The Associated Press, so that they might “finally get the answers we’ve been searching for for all these years.”
18-year-old Natalee Holloway vanished while traveling to Aruba with friends to celebrate her high school graduation. She was last seen leaving a bar on May 30, 2005, with van der Sloot, a Dutch national enrolled at an international school on the island in the Caribbean where he was raised.
Following Natalee Holloway’s disappearance, evening newscasts were filled with live updates from the island and images of her cherubic smile. Her disappearance rapidly caused an international sensation. Innumerable books, podcasts, and films have also been inspired by her disappearance.
“She was killed just by standing her ground”
In accordance with the conditions of the plea deal, Natalee Holloway’s parents were required to watch and listen several weeks ago as van der Sloot explained what transpired on the beach while being questioned by his own attorney. The court received extracts of the conversation that the prosecution provided.
He claimed that when Natalee Holloway was still lying down, she was physically resisting his overtures toward a sexual nature, and as a result, he kicked her “extremely hard” in the face. When Van der Sloot picked up a nearby cinderblock and threw it down on the teen’s face, he claimed that she was already unconscious or even dead.
According to a meeting transcript from October 3, van der Sloot said, “I completely smash her head in with it.”
Then, he claimed, he shoved her into the water after dragging her body until he was knee-deep in the waves. Hearing the specifics, Beth Holloway said, “It’s just blistering to your soul, and it hurts so deeply.” But you understand that your position is one of functionality since this is the opportunity I’ve been looking for for 18 years. Even while hearing it is difficult, it is still not as agonizing as not knowing. It was high time I learned.
In van der Sloot’s depiction of her kneeing him between the knees when he wouldn’t stop making sexual attempts, Beth Holloway claimed she recognized her tenacious daughter.
“Yes, I said, ‘That’s her,'” With a fleeting smile, Beth Holloway recalled. She struggled mightily. I believe she put up a fierce fight with her murderer.
According to Holloway, “She was killed just for standing her ground.” “I was so proud of her.”
Van der Sloot was referred to as “evil personified” by Natalee Holloway’s father, Dave Holloway, in a statement made following the sentence hearing.
He claimed that after hearing the confession, he now believes van der Sloot killed his daughter alone, however he still feels that others may have assisted in disposing of the body or covering up the crime. Despite extensive searches on land and at sea, Natalee Holloway’s body was never discovered.
I think their judgment is still coming, even though it may not be in a court of law,” Dave Holloway said. “We are experiencing the nightmare of every parent. Please give your kids a big hug today and every day in remembrance of our daughter, Natalee Ann Holloway.
In 2005, Beth Holloway took a flight to Aruba after rapidly deducing that van der Sloot had left the pub with her daughter. She then went in search of him and questioned him about what had transpired. She claimed that what came next was 18 years of lies and teasing, but she now believes they have learned the truth.