[Palladin]

This is sort of what I am thinking, except--here's where premeditation comes in for the father: Joran rapes Natalee and leaves her in a comatose state on the beach, either from suffocation or strangulation. Joran gets his father to come down, put her in VDS car, and take her to the house. How to clean upthe mess? Can't take her to Emergency Room without bringing down the whole VDS family.

Father advises to kill her and dispose of body. Method of murder? Complete the strangulation? Call Croese and inject an OD of heroin or other drug? Method of disposal: Croese,for a hefty fee, takes the body in a boat out to the Northern point and feeds it to the sharks.

[Carolinamom]

I wonder how Beth Holloway 'KNOWS' Natalee was at their house at 3am.......is there a witness that she uncovered during her house-to-house visits?

[spectre]

VERY GOOD...Palladin!

I think we agree that Daddy was cleaning up a potential mess...that night.

Bad man!

sw

[Dark Skies]

You may be correct. But it is a roundabout route .

The most likely cause of death is drugs mixed with alcohol. Kid(s) drag Dad in. Blood being thicker than water (and Dad's legal training tells him that no body means most likely means a circumstantial case), Dad became an "accessory after the fact" (though that may not be the Dutch charge) and helped the kid(s) dispose of the body. Sharks are a great help...but some body parts will eventually appear (I hope). Also, hair (except for on my noggin) is ubiqitous. If she was in a car trunk or boat, Natalee's hair is in their somewhere.

But, truth being so much stranger than fiction. I am probably off by a mile.

[Big Jake]

Here is the deal: In the US states, a rape that results in a homicide rises to a higher level of penalty... for example in Alabama, it can be the death penalty. (something Aruba does not have). With that said, the use of an illegal substance to incapacitate the victim during a rape shows premeditation. I do not know how Dutch law would treat a premeditated rape that resulted in a homicide, but my guess is... it just might be considered premeditated murder. I could be way off on this... comments anyone??