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Aruba police official: Suspect confesses to killing missing teen

Saturday, June 11, 2005 Posted: 12:03 AM EDT (0403 GMT)

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (CNN) -- One of three young suspects arrested Thursday in the investigation into the disappearance of an Alabama teenager has confessed to her murder, a senior police official said late Friday.

The suspect has agreed to lead police to the body of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway, the police official said.

Police did not say which of the three teenagers confessed.

The three have been identified as brothers Satish Kalpoe, 18, and Depak Kalpoe, 21, and their friend, 17-year-old Joran Van Der Sloot, the son of a judge.

The three, taken into custody early Thursday, were the last people to have reported seeing the missing student.

Police said Van Der Sloot met Holloway May 29 at the casino in the Holiday Inn where she was staying. The Birmingham, Alabama, student was in Aruba with classmates celebrating their high school graduation.

Later that night, Holloway went to a popular nightclub, Carlos'N Charlie's, with about 40 of her classmates. She left around 1:30 a.m. on May 30 with the Kalpoes and Van Der Sloot, authorities said.

Holly Brown, a Holloway friend who was at the club that night, said she found Van Der Sloot to be "very different."

"He lied about his age, and when we went on the [Carlos 'N Charlie's] Web site, we found pictures of him there one week before at the same place, wearing the same clothes," Brown told CNN.

In interviews with police, the three men acknowledged leaving the bar with Holloway. They told police they visited a beach before taking her back to her hotel about 2 a.m.

According to police statements, the Kalpoe brothers described her as stumbling on the way into the hotel, possibly as a result of alcohol, and that a "dark-colored" man in a black T-shirt with a radio helped her.

That testimony led to Sunday's arrest of Abraham Jones, 28, and Mickey John, 30, two security guards at a hotel near where Holloway was staying.

But a Holiday Inn employee who has reviewed surveillance tapes from that morning said the tapes do not show any sign of Holloway. Authorities had no explanation and were looking at whether the five men have any connections to each other.

The guards' attorneys maintain the two are innocent.

None of the five men have been formally charged.

Van Der Sloot's mother said she was confident her son had told authorities everything and that he was innocent.

"He was willing to help with anything, and he had a kind of quiet resolve -- I mean he said, 'Mom, don't be upset because everything will be fine. I know I am innocent, I didn't do anything,'" Anita Van Der Sloot told CNN.

"And in a very almost naive way he was very open with us, told us everything what happened," she said, adding that he has offered to speak with the Holloway family.

Government officials have said solving Holloway's disappearance is a national priority on the small Caribbean island where tourism is a top industry.

A massive search operation has involved authorities, family, friends and volunteers.

CNN's Karl Penhaul and Rick Sanchez contributed to this report.

-- One of three young suspects detained in Aruba confesses to killing Alabama teenager, senior police official says.

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You knew it was coming, but still--sad to hear.

FoxNews is being a little more cautious until they get confirmation; Natalee's family is a few yards away from the Fox reporter, and she's giving them a LOT of space until (a) something concrete is divulged and (b) the family is prepared to speak.

MSNBC is also not "jumping the gun"; all they report is that one of the three said "something bad happened"...and they won't speculate as to what that might be.

Police aren't even confirming the report.... hmmmm. I thought it was the real thing.

"Something bad" could be just about anything. It could have been accidental, who knows. but if she were alive and hurt, you would think they would have said something by now.... is it still possible she was abducted? given the alternatives, i almost hope so.

What a shame, a waste of a young life.

it aint over yet. never give up hope.

Such a sad outcome. On one hand it's a comfort to know she's not kidnapped and forced into what we feared, but on the other, I really feel for her family. How devastated they must be.

Mary

if it hasnt been confirmed, (and CNN is the only one saying something about a murder confession) isnt it horribly cruel to the family? Heck BOTH families.

i think it's irresponsible to report that until they have confirmation. Even FOX isnt saying anything yet.

alicia-w wrote:if it hasnt been confirmed, (and CNN is the only one saying something about a murder confession) isnt it horribly cruel to the family? Heck BOTH families.

i think it's irresponsible to report that until they have confirmation. Even FOX isnt saying anything yet.

All three networks are reporting it, but nothing has been confirmed. They are still going on the assumption that's there no news. It also was mentioned on the big network morning shows.

dont you ever sleep

alicia-w wrote:dont you ever sleep

I did from about 12:30am until 7:30. Only because of Arlene was I up early.

1230-730 isn't bad.. that's 7 hours lol

Josephine96 wrote:1230-730 isn't bad.. that's 7 hours lol

It's not bad, but it's not that great either. I have to really get 8 hours to avoid feeling like junk. It's not too bad right now though.

FoxNews confirming Natalee Holloway's death, according to a "high police official"; nothing more at this time.

streetsoldier wrote:FoxNews confirming Natalee Holloway's death, according to a "high police official"; nothing more at this time.

Yep... and 44 minutes later they are saying "Conflicting reports"

This is beyond annoying now... if she's dead tell us, if she's not, stop with the rumors!!!

Good point Brent... If you're gonna give confirmation on something as serious as this.. stick with it..