Lawyer: Man detained in Holloway case

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Dutch police have detained a man on suspicion of participating in the kidnapping and killing of Natalee Holloway last year in Aruba, the suspect’s lawyer said Sunday.

Gerard Spong said his client, whose name was not disclosed, was accused of “assisting in the murder, heavy battery and kidnapping” of Holloway. He also told Dutch national TV broadcaster NOS that the suspect was a croupier at the casino in the hotel where Holloway was staying.

The Mountain Brook, Ala., woman was 18 when she went missing in May 2005 during a high school graduation trip to the Dutch Caribbean island with classmates. She was last seen leaving a bar with three young men on May 30.

It was not clear when the suspect was arrested, but he was questioned Friday and is being held in the city of Utrecht, Spong said. Utrecht police spokeswoman Danielle Friedman said she could not confirm any arrests in the case. “If there was an arrest, it was on the orders of the Aruban prosecutors and all information will be transmitted through them,” she said.

Spong also told NOS the suspect is a friend of Joran van der Sloot — the last person known to have seen Holloway alive. Van der Sloot says he left Holloway alone on a beach after kissing her.

Authorities have arrested at least eight people — including two last month — in connection with Holloway’s disappearance but released them all for lack of evidence.

Holloway’s parents are attempting to sue Van der Sloot, 18, in a New York court, alleging he imprisoned and sexually assaulted their daughter and caused her disappearance.

 


Natalee Holloway's Mother 'Guardedly Optimistic' About New Arrest

Monday, May 22, 2006

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — The mother of missing Alabama teen Natalee Holloway is "guardedly optimistic" about the Dutch arrest last week of a new suspect in connection with their daughter's disappearance.

"An arrest is better than no arrest, so hopefully it will bring about something," said Beth Holloway Twitty, mentioning how there have been many supects and arrests but few answers.

Guido Wever, an Aruba national, is expected to face charges Tuesday in a Dutch courtroom connection with the disappearance of the high school senior. Wever's lawyer, Gerard Spong was expected to file a suit Monday to prevent his extradition to the Caribbean island on charges of "assisting in the murder, heavy battery and kidnapping" of the teen.

Holloway's father said he was encouraged by the authorities' move.

"Maybe he knows something and maybe something will come out of this," Dave Holloway, Natalee's father, told FOX News.

"The prosecutor made a bold move by arresting this guy...I understand he had some political connections as well as hiring a prominent attorney in Holland."

But that attorney denies the charges against his client.

"He has never met her, he claims that he has never seen her and he claims that he is completely innocent," Spong said.

Wever worked as a croupier at a casino in Aruba and left the island June 1, the day after the teen disappeared, Aruban attorney Ricardo Yarzagaray told FOX News.

Wever was considered a witness last June by Aruban investigators and was arrested Wednesday in Utrecht, Netherlands, said Spong, an attorney who specializes in deportation cases. Wever has not been formally charged.

Wever's parents, who are believed to still be in Aruba, released a written statement to the Dutch press Monday. "We are appalled at this development," it read. "We cannot believe that he should have anything to do with the case."

Holloway was 18 when she went missing in May 2005 during a graduation trip to the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba with classmates. She was last seen leaving a bar with three young men on May 30.

Dutch marines, the Aruban Coast Guard, the FBI and hundreds of volunteers have all searched the island and coastal areas of Aruba for Holloway, to no avail.

Karin Janise, a prosecutor in Aruba's public prosecutor's office, declined to comment on the arrest.

Jossy Mansur, the managing editor of the Aruban newspaper Diario, said that Wever left the island for the Netherlands soon after Holloway disappeared.

Authorities have previously arrested eight people in connection with Holloway's disappearance and then released them for lack of evidence.

Yarzagaray says Wever is a "good friend" of Joran van der Sloot — the last person known to have seen Holloway alive, though Wever's father denies they knew one another. Van der Sloot says he left Holloway alone on a beach after the pair kissed.

"They used to play tennis together at the racquet club," Yarzagaray said Monday.

Wever was questioned three times in Aruba shortly after Holloway's disappearance and twice later by Dutch authorities, Spong said.

Utrecht police spokeswoman Danielle Freedman said Dutch officials will not comment on the investigation, which is being carried out under the authority of Aruban prosecutors.

Holloway's parents are attempting to sue van der Sloot, 18, in a New York court. Their suit alleges he imprisoned and sexually assaulted Holloway, and caused her disappearance.

When asked about how this new development might affect their civil case in New York, Dave Holloway responded: "We'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out. It looks like the prosecutors have gotten more aggressive in the last several months and you know, as time goes on, the truth will eventually come out, and that's what we're hoping."