Authorities say 3 men in Aruba are strongest lead in disappearance
Sunday, June 05, 2005
HANNAH WOLFSON News staff writer
PALM BEACH, Aruba - Answers in the disappearance of a Mountain Brook teen could be imminent, relatives and authorities said Saturday as the hunt for the missing honor student intensified.
In Aruba, Deputy Police Chief Gerold Dompig said investigators have stepped up their probe into the three men last seen with 18-year-old Natalee Holloway and hinted at a swift resolution in the case that has baffled authorities and grabbed international attention.
"I want everybody to hold their breaths for the next 24 hours," Dompig said Saturday. "There will be developments after this weekend."
A family spokeswoman in Birmingham said much the same.
"They're watching them very closely," Holloway's aunt, Marcia Twitty, said of the three men.
Ten more FBI agents arrived in Aruba Saturday, bringing the total to 13. Attorney General Caren Janssen said they were brought in for "technical assistance."
Also, FBI agents were asked to come to Aruba. A US Representative from AL made some pretty strong comments that one does not do under normal circumstances. Here are some interesting (disturbing) comments from U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, 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.”
Aruban authorities still aren't calling their probe a criminal investigation, and Dompig said Saturday they haven't ruled out scenarios that Holloway left on her own or was kidnapped.
"The rule of thumb would be that, as more days pass, the fear becomes greater that we're looking at a situation where we might not find a person alive anymore," he said. "We think something will happen soon. Whether it's a conclusion that's good for the family or less beneficial for the family, I don't know."
Holloway vanished six days ago while on a five-day graduation trip to the tranquil Caribbean island with about 124 graduates and seven chaperones - four men who teach and coach at the middle and high schools in Mountain Brook and three of the men's wives.
She was last seen shortly after 1 a.m. Monday getting into a gray Honda with three Aruban residents as they left Carlos'N Charlie's bar and restaurant. The three men - two Surinamese men and a native of the Netherlands, between the ages 18 to 25 - were questioned and released, but Dompig said Saturday the men are "persons of interest" and investigators' strongest lead to date. Dompig said authorities are reluctant to release too much information about the men, who said they dropped off Holloway at the Holiday Inn where she was staying. The deputy chief said investigators are holding information close to the vest to avoid scaring off anyone.
"Of course, we keep a close eye on them and when we feel comfortable, and that's going to be very soon, there may be some new developments," Dompig said.
I wonder what went wrong after that article was published approx 2 weeks ago? It sounded like they thought something big was going to happen in a couple days. Did what they thought happen or not??? God only knows what all is going on in Aruba. IMO, it seems like it's way more than those 3 guys grabbing Natalee. Very strange.
Earlier post stated 8 FBI agents were on the case, not all in Aruba. Still, 8 agents assigned to a missing 18 year old seems to be a high number.
I know the FBI has offices all over the world. Does anyone know how many actual agents (not clerical) are assigned to Aruba or to a country that size? Is it dependent upon population or crime statistics?