BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (NewsNation) — Joran van der Sloot, the chief suspect within the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway, pleaded not responsible to fraud and extortion prices Friday morning.
Wearing an Air Jordan T-shirt, van der Sloot briefly wore an earpiece delivering a Dutch translation of the listening to, NewsNation native affiliate WIAT wrote, however finally selected to not use it.
Van der Sloot, WIAT mentioned, was escorted out of jail in Peru on Thursday morning to start the trek to America.
Whereas in Peru, he had been serving a 28-year sentence for the slaying of a Peruvian girl, Stephany Flores, 21. She died in 2010 — 5 years to the day after Holloway’s disappearance.
Holloway, 18, was on a highschool commencement journey with classmates to the Caribbean island of Aruba when she went lacking. She was final seen by mates as she was leaving a bar with van der Sloot.
U.S. prosecutors mentioned in 2010 that van der Sloot reached out to Holloway’s mom, Beth Holloway, looking for the cash to reveal the situation of her daughter’s physique.
WIAT wrote that van der Sloot’s promise got here up empty, nonetheless, and he finally fled to Peru. He was wished within the U.S. on one depend every of extortion and wire fraud — the one prices ever to have linked him to Holloway.
Beth Holloway launched an announcement when van der Sloot was extradited that mentioned she is overcome with “blended feelings.”
“As a mom who has tirelessly pursued justice for the kidnapping and homicide of my valuable daughter, I stand earlier than you in the present day with a coronary heart each heavy with sorrow and but lifted by a glimmer of hope,” the assertion mentioned.
United States Lawyer Prim F. Escalona mentioned in an announcement that van der Sloot might be returned to Peru after his case concludes, pursuant to the phrases of the Extradition Treaty between Peru and the U.S.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
