The Natalee Holloway Tragedy

Natalee Holloway's disappearance on May 30, 2005, shocked and stunned all of us. The lack of any probative or viable investigation on the part of Aruban officials or the Chief of Police Dompig speaks volumes about foreign justice. Chief Dompig opined the theory early on, that Natalee died as the result of alcohol poisoning, combined with drugs. The investigation was stone walled due to government officials putting their country's interests ahead of justice for the victim of a crime. Giving credence to the possibility of a sensational murder involving a visiting American student, would negatively impact the tourist trade that is the mainstay of the Aruban economy. Self preservation was and is the motivation for not acknowledging the truth. Chief Dompig made the analogy that trying to prove that Natalee had been murdered, was like looking for a needle in a haystack. This said on an island 17 miles wide and 26 miles long. Chief Dompig decided , early on, to not even look for the haystack.

Cliff van Zandt, former F.B.I. profiler and contributor to MSNBC news states that there was no chance of successfully solving this case from the beginning. The main suspect, Joran Van Der Sloot, was the son of an Aruban judge, with built-in protection due to his class and social status. Mr. van Zandt's opinion was proven correct when Van Der Sloot was released from all charges associated with Natalee's disappearance. Another dis- believer in Aruban justice is HLN''s Nancy Grace. Ms. Grace expressed horror and extreme mortification at the way Arunan officials handled the investigation. Ms. Grace publicly denounced the honesty and integrity of the Aruban Police Department, and directly implied that a cover up was on-going to deny justice to Natalee's family.

Natalee has been missing now for over 5 years. During that time, had she been able, Natalee would have graduated from the University of Alabama, and entered her first year of medical school. What further accomplishments she would have attained, we will never know.

Joran Van Der Sloot, the first, best and only suspect in her disappearance, now sits in a Peruvian jail, having confessed to the murder of another young girl. Authorities are looking into his recent activities in both Thailand and Amsterdam, to compare time lines regarding recent disappearances of young girls in those countries. Had justice been served 5 years ago in Natalee's case, how many more young girls would be alive today. I can think of at least one.