Joran does not know Geoffrey von Cromvoirt

Those were the words you would hear from Joe Tacopina on every show that he would guest on for the next several days, following the arrest of GVC. It would begin almost immediately that Easter Sunday, as the MSNBC began by stating the two were acquainted. Joe, of course checked this out right away with Joran, and Joran and his family said, he did not know him at all. It was significant because had Joe not been Joran's voice, the media certainly would have run rampant with speculation on the two young men. After all they are both young good looking teens in Aruba, they must know each other.

 


Arrest Made in Natalee Holloway Case

Monday April 17, 2006
 
ORANJESTAD, Aruba, There may be a new lead in the disappearance of an American student in the Caribbean. Natalee Holloway hasn't been seen since last May 30, when she vanished after a night out on the island of Aruba. She had been celebrating her high school graduation. Now, police have a man in custody who seems to have something to do with the case, but they won't say what.
 
Nineteen-year-old Geoffrey von Cromvoirt was taken into custody Saturday, but local police remain tight-lipped about whether he is a suspect, a witness or something else.
 
Geoffrey worked for a family-owned private security company, which patrols beaches outside Aruba's hotels.
The last place the once-prime suspect Joran van der Sloot says he left the Alabama teen was on the beach near her hotel staring a the stars.
 
In February 2006, van der Sloot said, "I think what I did wrong is leaving her there at the beach. I should have brought her back to her hotel or I should have made sure I left her with someone, one of her friends."
 
A lawyer for Joran van der Sloot told ABC News' Good Morning America his client does not know von Cromvoirt, the new man taken into custody.
 
"I am absolutely convinced he doesn't know him, doesn't hang out with, or socialize with him, did not know his name," Tacopina said. "This somehow brought Joran back into the picture. He knows nothing about him, has never spoken of him, and certainly did not discuss the case with him."
 
This lawyer also heard the von Cromvoirt was picked up because of forensic evidence.
 
The 19-year-old Geoffrey von Cromvoirt can be held for three days before facing a judge.

Joe Tacopina on The Lineup

April 16, 2006 with Kimberly Guilfoyle

Joe first will comment to Kimberly about Tracy Allen who was assaulted on the beach nine days before Natalee went missing. He said that in the massive amount of police documents they recently received Tracy Allen and other women's names came up as having problems near the area of the fisherman huts. Joe has no way of knowing if any of this is related to Natalee but still thinks it is important to be investigated. Joe says that the importance of following all leads in this case is very important. Joe finds the fact that the sketch of Tracy Allen's perpetrator was just put out after 11 months is problematic to this investigation, and obviously other investigations by Aruban law enforcement.

When Kimberly implies that Joran might know this knew suspect arrested Geoffrey Van von Cromvoirt Joe adamantly says Joran does not know him. He says that Joran never met him and doesn't know him at all, in spite of some of information that is "out there." Joe himself says that he is aware of who Geoffrey's father is, by running surveillance on the island. He also says that Mr. Von Cromvoirt installed the security cameras at the Holiday In. Joe's sources on the island say this is mostly just someone they want to question. Which would make one think it is not quite as significant as others might be indicating.

Joe discusses GVC on Abrams Report

Abrams Report MSNBC with Dan Abrams April 17, 2006

Dan's first question to Joe was the usual, "Does this guy know your client?" Joe's response, "Easy one, absolutely not. Whether he knows of my client, I heard he knows of him, obviously everyone knows of him... He's not friends with him, Joran does not know him, has not seen him before, doesn't recall every meeting him." Dan will suggest to Joe that there are those that are trying to say that the two young men are acquainted and Joe says that nothing could be further from the truth.

Joe will say in response to Dan's comment that since this guy works the beach and Joran left her on the beach that this might be significant. Joe feels this is going down the road of speculation, which he is loathe to do. But he will agree this guy possibly being involved would be consistent with everything Joran has said up til this point.

Joe says that Geoffrey is the owner of a t-shirt recovered in June, and it has his initials on it. The new police chief has picked up the investigation. Joe also finds the fact that the Geoffrey's father installed the security cameras at the Holiday Inn Hotel and casino. This same camera captured Natalee and Joran together but the portion of the tape with Natalee and Geoffrey is missing. Joe says that witness statements put Geoffrey in that casino with Natalee and Joe also mentions the blue eyed Dutch boy that of course Natalee's family now denies. It is an interesting segment with Joe and Dan Abrams.

 

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