The Untold Truth Behind Joran van der Sloot's Unimaginable Escape from Justice

The plea agreement offered by US prosecutors to Joran van der Sloot, which included charges of extortion and wire fraud, prompted his admission of guilt in the murder of Natalee Holloway in Aruba in 2005. Despite the impossibility of prosecuting van der Sloot for Holloway's death, legal experts argue that this agreement played a crucial role in bringing closure to the grieving family. Following his guilty plea in federal court on Wednesday, the 36-year-old's confession regarding his involvement in extorting and defrauding the Holloway family, in exchange for $250,000 and information about Holloway's whereabouts, became public knowledge.

"Its over. Joran van der Sloot is no longer the suspect in my daughters murder. He is the killer," Beth Holloway said Wednesday.

Natalee Holloway is seen in her senior year portrait from the Mountain Brook High School yearbook.

Mountain Brook High School/Holloway family

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A chronological overview of the case reveals that van der Sloot, a Dutch citizen, is unlikely to be prosecuted for the murder. This is due to the 12-year statute of limitations for homicide in Aruba having expired, and the fact that the United States, where there is no statute of limitations for homicide, does not have authority over the criminal investigation in the Caribbean island nation.

CNN has contacted the Aruba public prosecutors office for a statement. The office informed the Associated Press that it is uncertain if van der Sloot could be charged with murder in Aruba. According to AP, the case remains open and the authorities will investigate any significant leads, as stated by Ann Angela, spokesperson for the prosecutors office.

As part of his plea deal in the United States, van der Sloot has agreed to disclose all information he possesses regarding the events surrounding Holloway's disappearance. This process, known as a proffer, entails the defendant providing prosecutors with their knowledge about a crime.

"The prosecutors likely aimed to provide closure to the victims' family and loved ones by obtaining a confession from him for the committed crime," stated Ben Grunwald, a professor from the Duke University School of Law.

As per the plea agreement, van der Sloot will serve his 20-year prison sentence for extortion and wire fraud concurrently with his existing 28-year sentence in Peru for the murder of Stephany Flores, a Peruvian woman, in 2010. In June, Peruvian officials temporarily released him to the US to face the charges of extortion and wire fraud.

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Wife: Joran van der Sloot stabbed in prison

During the plea-bargaining process, it is common for defendants to receive certain benefits in exchange for admitting their guilt in a crime. These benefits may include a reduced sentence recommendation or the dismissal of a charge, subject to approval by a judge. In the case of van der Sloot, it is probable that he was able to avoid a consecutive sentence that would have mandated his extradition to the US for a 20-year term in a federal prison, following his incarceration in Peru, as stated by Grunwald.

"I assume he didn't provide the confession without receiving something in return," Grunwald expressed. "I was somewhat taken aback to witness that he received the concurrent, so it crossed my mind that it might be the compensation for the confession."

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Convicted killer Joran van der Sloot marries girlfriend in prison

Van der Sloot, according to a sentencing memorandum, was also found guilty of smuggling cocaine into his prison in 2021. Consequently, he received an additional 18-year sentence in Peru. However, Peruvian law restricts prison terms to a maximum of 35 years, unless a life sentence is imposed, as stated in the document.

Therefore, van der Sloot is expected to be released from the Peruvian prison in 2045. It is unlikely that he will return to the US to serve time for the federal charges, as he will have completed both sentences concurrently. Legal experts suggested that upon his release, he will likely be deported to his home country of citizenship.

Joran van der Sloot (center) is transferred in a police car from the Ancon I jail in Lima, Peru, on June 8.

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Van der Sloot was long suspected in teens murder

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During a high school graduation trip in May 2005, Holloway, originally from Alabama, went missing while visiting Aruba. The last known sighting of her was when she left a nightclub with van der Sloot and two other individuals.

The local authorities detained and later released van der Sloot, along with the Kalpoe brothers, Deepak and Satish, multiple times as part of their investigation into Holloway's disappearance. The men's legal representatives consistently asserted their clients' innocence.

Beth Holloway speaks to media after the appearance of Joran van den Sloot outside the Hugo L. Black Federal Courthouse Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Butch Dill/AP

Natalee Holloway's mother tells her daughter's killer in court he has caused 'indescribable pain and harm' to her family

In December 2007, the Aruban Public Prosecutors Office announced that the cases against the three individuals would be dropped due to insufficient evidence.

According to a court document filed on Wednesday, a transcript of an interview with van der Sloot's attorney revealed that van der Sloot claimed Holloway had kneed him in the crotch after he made unwanted advances towards her. In response, he kicked her in the face and attacked her with a cinder block. Subsequently, he chose to "push her off" into the ocean, as stated in the transcript.

Holloway's remains were never discovered. In 2012, a judge in Alabama issued a legal declaration confirming her death.

During the sentencing, Judge Anna Manasco of the US District Court cited the killings of Holloway and Flores as influencing her decision to impose a 20-year sentence on van der Sloot. Additionally, after reviewing van der Sloot's statement, Manasco expressed certainty that Holloway's body would never be located.

Natalee Holloway

Holloway Family Video

Holloways mother decided on validity of confession

According to the plea deal, Holloway's mother will be consulted to assess the accuracy, authenticity, and truthfulness of the information and evidence provided by van der Sloot regarding her daughter. Additionally, the agreement prohibits US federal prosecutors from utilizing any information or evidence from van der Sloot's statement against him in the investigation.

Prosecutors also agreed to acknowledge his "truthfulness" at his sentencing, noting it "provided closure to the Holloway family," the document says.

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Joran van der Sloot pleads not guilty to extorting and defrauding Natalee Holloway's mom

Van der Sloot's attorney may have recommended that he accept the plea deal instead of going to trial for extortion and fraud charges. This decision was likely influenced by the extensive evidence against him, which had the potential to result in a longer prison sentence, according to Hermann Walz, a former assistant district attorney in New York and adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Additionally, prosecutors may have had the motivation to protect Holloway's family from the emotional distress of reliving her death during a trial, especially considering the significant amount of time that had passed since her disappearance, Walz added.

In court on Wednesday, Manasco stated that she took into account van der Sloot's "violent killing of Natalee Holloway" when deciding to accept the plea agreement.

"It's actually not a bad decision for him, and I am certain they did not reach this agreement without consulting with Natalee Holloway's family," Walz commented to CNN. "The family believes that it is essential for them to have some understanding of what truly occurred. Now, they have that knowledge. And that can hold significance for some individuals - just the family having that closure."

CNNs Holly Yan, Devon M. Sayers and Aaron Cooper contributed to this report.