Joran van der Sloot Confesses to Murder of Natalee Holloway in Plea Deal, Ends 18-Year Investigation

Van der Sloot's confession in Holloway's disappearance case, touted as a major influence in today's true crime genre, is part of plea deal for charges of wire fraud and extortion. Family and wider public express mixed reactions to closure of an 18-year international saga.

• Joran van der Sloot has confessed to the murder of Natalee Holloway 18 years after her disappearance, as part of a plea deal where he pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and extortion.
• Van der Sloot was already serving a 28-year sentence in Peru for the murder of another woman. His recent confession reveals that he killed Holloway after she rejected his sexual advances.
• Holloway's disappearance in 2005 heavily influenced the true crime genre, according to criminology expert Amy Schlosberg, due to the mystery surrounding the case, the media attention it received, and the perseverance of Holloway's parents in seeking justice.
• Holloway's mother, Beth, has received some closure with Van der Sloot's confession. However, authorities have not 'closed the door' on possible legal action against him, despite the statute of limitations for murder in Aruba having passed.
• Aruban police have expressed embarrassment at being outsmarted by a teenager in the initial investigation. Van der Sloot will remain in Peru to complete his current sentence before starting his 20-year sentence for his offenses related to Holloway's case.

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