ORANJESTAD, Aruba - Two Surinamese brothers who had been detained and released in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway were arrested again Friday based on new evidence, officials said.
Satish and Deepak Kalpoe were arrested after authorities uncovered "new facts and circumstances" in the investigation of Holloway's disappearance, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
The brothers were detained on suspicion of involvement, with unidentified "other people," in premeditated murder and rape, the prosecutor's office said.
To arrest them again, "there had to be new facts and circumstances. That is the case," the statement said. Authorities declined further comment.
The prosecutor's office also said the brothers were suspected of other offenses, but they did not provide details. No information was disclosed about a third man who authorities said was arrested Friday with the Kalpoes.
Satish, 18, and Deepak, 21, were released from jail in July after a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to hold them in the disappearance of the 18-year-old American, who vanished the final night of a high school graduation trip to the Dutch Caribbean island.
Earlier, a lawyer for Satish Kalpoe said authorities had not disclosed why the brothers had been arrested again. "They haven't shown us any evidence," Elgin Zeppenveldt told reporters outside a court where they were to appear before a judge.
The brothers were first arrested on June 9 along with Joran van der Sloot, 18, who authorities have identified as a suspect in the case though no charges have been filed.
Holloway's family said they were pleased about the arrests, which they learned about from the FBI.
"We haven't been told why, but I think it's obvious," Natalee's stepmother, Robin Holloway, said by phone from Meridian, Miss. "We've known all along they had something to do with Natalee's disappearance."
Holloway, of Mountain Brook, Ala., was last seen leaving a bar with the Kalpoe brothers and van der Sloot in the early hours of May 30. Extensive searches of the island have produced no sign of the teen who was last seen in public leaving a bar with van der Sloot and two other young local men.
You guys play nice now you hear!!
I know that the Kalpoe brothers were arrested for the rape and murder of an unknown person, but we are all pretty sure they are referring to Natalee, aren't we? I haven't kept up on this case for weeks now and maybe there's something else going on that I don't know about.
You rock, TexKat!
Thanks for the updates on this thread and the last one. I've been away most of the day and had missed the news about the new arrests.
Who is this Freddy Arends and what has he done?
I'm sure our sleuthers will get to the bottom of it!
Thank goodness. I just got home. (I play a golf scramble everyFriday) ans was worried about you today. Sooo glad to see you here!