[Guest post by DRJ]
The AP reports Joran Van der Sloot had been paid $15,000 as part of an FBI sting, but he apparently fled to Peru before the sting was completed.
Prosecuting him for a $15,000 extortion plan could have yielded little or no jail time, so it was an understandable decision to try to get more evidence. I don’t think anyone could have known it would end with Stephany Flores’ death.
— DRJ
Pronounced "Patter-EE-koh"
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I hold no brief for van der Sloot, but how did the FBI decide that it had jurisdiction over a disappearance in Aruba? And if he didn’t go into US territory, what would getting him into a scam on the Holloways gain them? AFAIK they couldn’t arrest him in Aruba or the Netherlands.
Technomad (e2c0f2) — 6/9/2010 @ 3:10 pmAccording to the report, Van der Sloot targeted the Holloway family with his extortion plot and the funds were paid from the U.S. That gives the U.S. jurisdiction of the case. I assume the hope was to get Van der Sloot to tell them the location Natalee’s body so they could provide the information to the Aruban authorities.
DRJ (d43dcd) — 6/9/2010 @ 3:12 pmFrom what I surmise, Stephany came across some info about the extortion. Why or how is anybody’s guess unless Joran explains(ed) it in more detail.
It was enough for her to freak out about and to appear to Joran that she would tell the authorities about it and him so he threatened her and she fought back and he throttled her.
I always thought that there had to be damage (or the threat of damage) done for a solicitation of money for information to be considered extortion.
I’m wondering if the Feds had some doubts if he had gone far enought and were trying to get Joran to step over that line so that he could be convicted.
I guess they took an interest because it would be a feather in their caps if they could nail this guy for something after the fiasco in Aruba.
jakee308 (ace517) — 6/9/2010 @ 3:48 pmI read that she Googled Van der Sloot’s name and the Natalee Holloway case obviously came up as a result. She may not have known who he was. I doubt the Holloway case was big news in Peru or something a then 16-year-old Peruvian girl would have followed.
And my guess is Van der Sloot thought he was dealing with the Holloway family, not the FBI, and they wanted him to try to extort more money and/or offer information for more money.
DRJ (d43dcd) — 6/9/2010 @ 3:51 pmThat sounds like a scene in a bad sitcom.
“Need to google your date, but you don’t want to use his computer? There’s an app for that!”
Young ladies need to not be behind closed doors during date number 1. Obviously not her fault she died, but a shame.
I hate to chastise, but I also thought it was really sad that Natalee, who probably was a relatively responsible girl, was given the adult responsibility of international leisure travel before she graduated high school. Lots of kids do it without incident, I know, but mine won’t.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 6/9/2010 @ 3:57 pmThat’s the story, but methinks it might be indeed a story, making the crime look like one out of momentary panic, rather than one of multiple (how many?) planned psychopathic attcks on young women. Waiting to hear where he has been on May 30th the last couple of years.
Googling the names of potential dates, searching Facebook and Myspace. New tools for the parents of daughters, glad somebody suggested it.
MD in Philly (5a98ff) — 6/9/2010 @ 4:18 pmDustin
I think if we don’t learn from the mistakes of others we are just fools. we can say a person made a mistake without beating up on them.
MD
Still, 100% agree on the May 30th. i am convinced either he is a serial killer who has alot more victims. or he is a serial killer who was just getting started.
I do not believe he spontaneously decided to kill her.
A.W. (f97997) — 6/9/2010 @ 6:27 pmHas anyone checked to see if any other young women met an unfortunate or unknown end, in any of the other places he’s been hanging out in over the last few years? Or are we to believe he’s only left two bodies in his wake?
Mike Giles (70fdbe) — 6/10/2010 @ 12:10 pmI think that’s going to happen. I think the Peruvian police will check his passport and forward his travel information to the police and/or Interpol of every place he’s been.
nk (db4a41) — 6/10/2010 @ 12:35 pmEspecially since some reports suggest his punishment under Peru law may result in a prison term of 10 years or less. If so, everyone has an interest in seeing that he’s tried for any other crimes, including the U.S. extortion plot.
I heard on the news today that during the extortion attempt, Van der Sloot told the Holloways where Natalee’s body is. If so, that would be a basis for the Aruban government to detain him pending an investigation, but apparently they didn’t.
DRJ (d43dcd) — 6/10/2010 @ 12:40 pmComment by DRJ — 6/10/2010 @ 12:40 pm
We can only hope that he is incarcerated in that same “mountain top” prison that Peru sent that Ivy League coed for supporting the Sendero Luminoso.
AD - RtR/OS! (e78fff) — 6/10/2010 @ 12:56 pmRegarding Dustin’s comment (above) who stated: “I hate to chastise, but I also thought it was really sad that Natalee, who probably was a relatively responsible girl, was given the adult responsibility of international leisure travel before she graduated high school. Lots of kids do it without incident, I know, but mine won’t.”
Reminds me of the recent plot for the Liam Neeson movie “Taken.” My father in law swears that he will keep this movie handy to show his nephews and nieces when they get older and want to travel the world by themselves at too young and age.
Derek Cannon
Derek (46f8d0) — 4/1/2011 @ 1:35 pmWebmaster – HCGLessons.com
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Definitely makes you think twice about all the risks that go along with traveling anywhere, especially for young women who are more likely to be targets for as compared to other demographic groups.
Taylor (4b2ee4) — 4/5/2011 @ 4:27 am@Taylor
For sure, we used to take our whole family to Mexico with us…not any more.
Bob Diamond Real Estate
Bob Diamond (2b5a7d) — 4/7/2011 @ 4:58 pm@Derek
Stephen (47f0ad) — 4/9/2011 @ 6:09 pmExactly! I’ve seen that movie too. That’s why I’m not letting any of my girls travel by themselves. They think they are old enough but they aren’t. By the way, that movie was outstanding and action-packed! I just love Neeson movies.
@Derek Cannon: Agree totally. Taken is a good movie as well and especially girls have to be very cautious. We recently had an episode in my town with four girls traveling to Bolivia regularly on all expenses paid vacations paid by one of the gir’s boyfriends. Could they really not see it coming when they was arrasted for smugling 50 kilo of Cocaine on their way out of Bolivia?
Eric Gibson (901f2e) — 4/11/2011 @ 12:19 pm