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,

Monday, June 06, 2005

Natalee Holloway Still Missing: Images From Aruba
 

Carlos 'N Charlies

The image at left is an outside daytime view of Carlos and Charlies, the Aruban version of a string of night spots from Texas to Cozumel and Cancun.

Arashi Beach Area

Palm Beach

Additional images of the Arashi Beach area are here. As mentioned in the post above, the terrain is not that of a simple sand beach. The area where Natalee Holloway was last reported to be taken before being dropped at her hotel is not an easy one to search.

Aruban Sunset

The search is all the more complicated by the surrounding water - home to difficult tides and currents. As previously reported, the Auban authorities have requested the asistance of the FBI through a special diving teram capable of searching amid the currents and under water outcroppings in the area.

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

Accidental Death Not Ruled Out in Case of Missing Alabama Teen

Authorities told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday that one of the three is the son of a Dutch justice ministry official who has lived on the island for more than 10 years and is studying at a school there.

In an important reversal, officials also said the two arrested men have not been charged as had been announced previously. Attorney general spokeswoman Vivian Van Der Biezan said authorities initially misspoke while trying to explain the situation to foreign reporters in English, a second language in this Dutch territory.

No one should want to queer an investigation for the sole purpose of sensationalizing the news; however, at the same time, no one should want the powerful elite of a small island nation to go light on the details simply to preserve the island's reputation among potential tourists, or even worse.

Hopefully the days ahead will clear up this growing mystery; but can an America who has experienced a Chappaquiddick afford to turn a blind eye to anything but the clearly communicated truth in the case of Natalee Holloway?