Joran van der Sloot to be extradited to U.S. to face extortion charges
Big development in the unsolved disappearance of American teenager Natalie Holloway in Aruba 18 years ago. Peruse government is allowing the prime suspect to be extradited to the U.S. on charges of trying to extort Holloway's family. CBS's Elaine Kahana reports this brings the family a step closer to justice. It was in 2005 when 18-year-old Natalie Holloway disappeared, while on a high school class trip to Aruba. Holloway was last seen leaving a bar with yarn VanderSloot and two other men.
No charges were ever filed in Holloway's disappearance. Her body has never been recovered. Now VanderSloot could be extradited to the United States. VanderSloot is in Peru, serving a 28-year sentence for the 2010 murder of Peruvian student Stephanie Flores. How unusual is it, Ricky, to have an extradition take place so many years after an indictment like this? Many times it is the political situation that may have been cold about extradition that suddenly much later becomes warm. VanderSloot is accused of trying to extort a quarter of a million dollars from Holloway's family, allegedly promising he would lead them to her body. Prosecutors say VanderSloot collected $25,000 in cash and then lied about where she was buried.
Holloway's disappearance generated intense media coverage that some criticized, accusing the media of ignoring other missing women. What made this story stand out was this public plea on the part of the mother. And it was also the fact that Aruba was a very popular destination for American tourists. There was a concerted public relations campaign to get her back. It's not clear when the extradition would take place. VanderSloot's attorney says he plans to fight it. In a statement, Natalie Holloway's mother thanked the president of Peru and U.
S. officials. She noted her daughter would have been 36 years old now and said she was blessed to have had Natalie in her life for 18 years. Nora, difficult to hear that. Alayne Cajano, thank you.
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