Natalee Holloway - Case Discussion Extended Thread 12

Various News Outlets | 8/2/05

[MizSterious]

Same here. I think just about everyone knows (in general terms) what happened--but I doubt it can ever be proven. Very sad.

[TexKat]

From Greta Wire:

On lighter side: We all showed up dressed alike

Aruba Bound

We have lots of pictures posted today on the blog. Click on the links in the photo box to check out my photo essays.

I have posted some more of the ones we took in Birmingham, Alabama when we interviewed Beth Holloway Twitty, Jug Twitty and Natalee's friends. Several show the prayer wall erected for Natalee. There is one light hearted one — Jug, my producer George Szucs and I all showed up for the interview wearing the same outfit (yellow shirt, blue jeans and brown shoes.) It looked like we had called each other and staged the scene.

I have also posted pictures taken by my colleague Shayla Bezdrob. Shayla has been in Philly covering the disappearance of LaToyia Figueroa (search). LaToyia has been missing since July 18, is pregnant and also the mother of a seven year old. Because Shayla is "on the road," and I am likewise "on the road," I don't have an explanation for each of Shayla's pictures. It is a nightmare trying to write a blog on the road. Having looked at the images myself, I can tell what many of them are... and assume you can, too. By the way, still no word about LaToyia, but we are trying to get information.

As you read this, yes, we are on a plane... headed back to Aruba. There have been some recent developments that cause us to want to go back and see what we can learn. It is easier to get information if we are there, but not impossible to collect if we are at home.

If you watched Monday night's show or read yesterday's blog, you know that we were in Alabama over the weekend interviewing Beth's mother, stepfather and friends. We also went to the prayer wall (check the photo essays) erected at a local church for Natalee. The church was not the one Beth and Natalee attend — but a local church with immense hope for Natalee.

Since this was Beths's first time home since May 30, some of her friends had her over for dinner and graciously invited us when they learned we were also in town. We went and had a great time. What was so stunning to us — besides fabulous Southern food and Southern hospitality — is how many faces we recognized. Twenty-three people at this dinner have "done time" in Aruba helping Beth and since we have been there so much, we recognized them.

We left the party early (we had much to do in the morning — including feeding the tapes from our interviews to New York.) However, we did not leave empty handed... we left with food in plastic containers that our hosts insisted we take. (I told you, we experienced that Southern hospitality!) We ate all the food in the car before we even got back to our hotel. It was great! (Two of us had never had grits before.)

On Monday we drove to Atlanta to do the show out of our Atlanta bureau. It is easier to do the show out of our own bureau than a rent-a-bureau hence the reason that we traveled from Birmingham to Atlanta. I had never seen the Atlanta bureau before so it was fun for me to see it.

Now here are some viewer e-mails — randomly chosen:Click on above link for e-mails

GretaPix: Natalee Holloway Prayer Wall Part 1

GretaPix: Natalee Holloway Prayer Wall Part 2

GretaPix: Searching for LaToyia Figueroa Part 1

GretaPix: Searching for LaToyia Figueroa Part 2

[eleni121]

Beth Twitty said on Fox last night that the 17 year old "Urine" had an open-ended line of credit at the casino where the legal gambling age is 18

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I head that amazing bit of information. Are the Aruban "Authorities" interviewing the casino management? Probably not. It appears the whole island is in the grips of an international mafia cartel and the peons who live there are too scared to rock the boat. The rest are on the take.

That said, how does Nat's disappearance fit into this?

[TAquinas]

"I was wondering if the tip regarding the landfill was provided by a "witness" who was just picking a likely place and hoping to hit the jackpot on the reward."

You're not the only one who has thought of this idea. Of course, he couldn't just say the body is buried in the dumping site - he had to embellish it a little. Had he not embellished by telling what he saw, he could have been arrested if a body had been found. To predict is a dangerous thing, if the prediction ultimately comes true, especially in the times we're living.

[Carolinamom]

I find it very suspicious that PV whatshisname has refused having his property searched, especially since there is a deep and unused cistern there.

[Dark Skies]

bttt

[eleni121]

Alcohol? Personal stupidity? Both?

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Assuming both factors come into play (I do not believe it) - disappearance/death/abduction is not quid pro quo. NO one deserves death/disappearance for living life. Those responsible must pay and pay harshly.

[stuartcr]

I'm guessing she was abducted, and sold to someone in the east or middle east...

[truthluva]

mark

[Tarheel]

There needs to be LE on each ship, as one guest said on Fox over the weekend.

Interestingly last night on FNC, d/n remember which program, a former head of security for Carnival Cruise Lines, stated that the Asst. Chief of police from Redlands, CA was on the ship. By the tone of the man's voice it sure sounded as if this Asst. Chief had a room near to the couple and was a source of info.

[xnphn]

Or not that far away. It certainly would explain the various suspects' apparent confidence that no useful forensic evidence- including a body- will be found.

[Froufrou]

WADR Trust, how can you be sure that it's the guests' fault and not the staff's? If rolling passengers is something they get away with, I mean? Two rapes is two too many the way I look at it, regardless of being polite in talking with staff, regardless of alcohol consumption.

The staff are there to serve, not take advantage of a situation whereby they escape prosection because they are international and therefore under no legal jurisdiction.
I merely want to suggest here that speculating alcohol is the common thread may be a tad far-fetched. Consider the man who awoke nude and alone in the black ocean and swam 17 hours to safety. That could be difficult after a binge. Not to mention frightening.

[TexKat]

Talking to Beth in her living room

Holding Out Hope

Greta catches up with Natalee's mother and stepfather at their Birmingham home

[stuartcr]

South America is not that far away..they never found that other girl from 6 or 7 yrs back either.

[Trust but Verify]

I think a big problem with this type of travel is jurisdiction. It certainly seems so in the latest case to make the news. I don't know what the solution to that would be since I'm not a lawyer and there are certainly some very thorny legal issues here. Many of these ships dock very briefly in foreign ports. How do we know where the crime took place? Do you have the authorities in the next port of call investigate, and on what basis?

Do cruise companies 'cover-up' these crimes because they're bad for business? I'm sure they do. Are they right in doing so? No they're not.

In the end, the best person to entrust your own safety to is yourself. do not mingle with strangers. Do not get yourself so tanked up you don't notice someone tampering with your drink. Do not go to the bars and clubs by yourself.

With all the traveling I havedone, I've never come close to being a crime victim. It's not really that hard, but you do have to consider it your responsibility.

[TexKat]

From Sm:

Yesterday the Equusearch dog teams went into action checking out some points of interest that had been previously searched by other dog teams and needed to be gone back over. The Bird Sanctuary is a vast area of marsh and water canals. The search teams will do some work out there and most likely will be out there again later this week. All leads must be searched to see whether they amount to more or can be taken out of the realm of possible options.

Dog Searches at the Bird Sanctuary

Pictures of the Infamous Monkey Cage

Say hello to Mico, He has had a pretty busy last couple of days as the EquuSearch teams have searched near his cage. I think I heard Mico say at one point during the day yesterday … “Red, Get me out of here, take me back with you”.

[MizSterious]

I agree. I'm never so careful as when I'm traveling. Even in this country, cozying up to strangers can result in "bad things" happening.

[NCjim]

Wow - I left for the weekend, came back to thread 10 only to see the abyss there :-)

So I figured today I would start with thread 11 - but I see we're up to 12.

Anything worth noting in thread 11 or are we still waiting?

By the way, thanks for adding me back to your ping list!

[sodpoodle]

One cruise only so far - and too old for trouble:)

Regarding the enterprises on board. Are they independent of the cruise lines? If so, I would background check the casino employees. Most of the service help were "short term" young "students" from 30+ countries - well mannered and hard working....they sometimes work 24 hour shifts.

You are correct - remember to pack sunscreen & your common sense when you leave home.

sp

[MizSterious]

I would make one exception to what I said, though. If it's something like hotel or cruise ship employees committing these crimes, we must remember many will have pass keys, and your quarters may not be as secure as you'd think if you've locked the door. Unfortunately, I've heard stories of women being assaulted in their own rooms in some of these places.