Sunday, June 05, 2005

Disturbing Developments in Natalee Holloway Disappearance

Update: Arrests made in case.

With the Natalee Holloway investigation focusing on three men, one the son of a judge and all said to be popular on the small island, authorities are speaking with an ominous tone of mystery regarding the Alabama senior and honor student's disappearance.

An additional ten FBI agents are on in Aruba, bringing the total to thirteen. The additional resources were apparently requested as a result of some unknown circumstances in the case.

U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, said Saturday there were circumstances surrounding Holloway's disappearance that warranted the FBI being heavily involved. He declined to give details.

"The circumstances were disturbing," said Bachus, who formally requested the FBI's involvement. "I can't get into it, but it's something the family is aware of. There was an immediate recognition that this was not simply a teen who wandered off."

Authorities are also hinting at a quick resolution of the case, but offering few details.

"I want everybody to hold their breaths for the next 24 hours," Dompig said Saturday. "There will be developments after this weekend."

In what could be a tragic irony, in the Mountain Brook yearbook, Holloway's senior quote came from the old Lynyrd Skynyrd song "Freebird." It says:

"If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me? For I must be traveling on now, there's too many places I haven't seen."

Sunday, June 05, 2005

Bloody Mattress Discovered In Natalee Holloway Search

Update: It has since been reported that the mattress is not linked to Natalee Holloway.

Along with detaining two suspects, security guards at the Allegra Hotel, which is near where Holloway was staying, police have now reported discovering a bloody mattress on a beach in Eastern Aruba. The mattress has been sent to police headquarters for testing.

The mattress was found in thick brush at Grapefield beach in eastern Aruba, prompting authorities to focus their search for the blonde teen in the area, the Dutch Caribbean island's deputy police chief Gerold Dompig told The Associated Press.

In last reports, the Aruban police are being assisted by at least thirteen members of the FBI.

Sunday, June 05, 2005

Natalee Holloway Disappearance: Suspects In Custody
 

Security Guards Arrested

Pictured is one of two suspects now under arrest in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The suspects were detained at different homes within the San Nicolas area of Aruba.

Aruban authorities are said to have requested a special diving team from the FBI to assist in the search as a result of certain treacherous ocean currents around the tiny island.

Reports suggest the two men arrested, ages 28 and 30, may appear before a magistrate for formal charges within 48 hours. Neighbors reported that both men were employed as security guards at the Allegro Hotel, near the Holiday Inn where Natalee was staying with her class members.

The Allegro is under renovation and is the construction site searched earlier in other reports.

Monday, June 06, 2005

Natalee Holloway Still Missing: Images From Aruba

Inside Carlos 'n Charlies

Over 700 volunteers have joined the search for missing Alabama honor student Natalee Holloway and the Aruban government closed early so an additional 4,000 civil servants could join in the search.

Carlos and Charlie's, the last known location for the teen, is a well-known tourist partying spot and isn't shy about letting people know it. At its website it proclaims:

Drink a Mother Margarita, in a 28 oz. souvenir yard glass, refill it and dance until you drop. At Carlos 'N Charlie’s there is always something happening, with live entertainment daily.

And judging from additional content, the theme is played out to the maximum.

(Carlos and Charlies) Is famous for the fact that we make you party while you are eating your dinner or lunch! While eating or drinking from our World Famous 28oz Yard drink, we will have shots, some more shots and to top it off, some more shots!

Additional pics from inside the club can be found at website linked above. Update: There were links to internal pages, though I did not hot link individual images. Carlos and Charlies emailed and asked me to remove the links as it was causing crashing, or some other issue with their server.

The lighthouse pictured at left is believed to be the one near Arashi Beach, identified by the three men Natalee left with as the general location where they took the young woman.

Lighthouse

The beach landscape around Aruba might not be what some imagine, as it has a host of outcroppings and structures due to the islands terrain. For a short series of pictures depiecting the nightclub from the outside, as well as the beach area and hotels,