Truer Crime – Natalee Holloway Part 2

Host: Celisia Stanton
Date: December 8, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Truer Crime delves into the aftermath of Natalee Holloway’s disappearance, focusing on both the unwavering search for answers by her family and the relentless manipulation by the prime suspect, Joran Van Der Sloot. Host Celisia Stanton explores how Joran’s lies and the media circus shaped the case, the tragic murder of Stephanie Flores that ended his freedom, and ultimately, the belated confession that provided a form of closure. Throughout, the episode asks hard questions about media, justice, and whose stories get told.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Case Resurfaces: Stephanie Flores and Renewed Spotlight

• [02:09] Five years after Natalee Holloway’s disappearance in Aruba, Joran van der Sloot resurfaces—this time connected to the murder of Stephanie Flores in Peru.
• Stephanie Flores, 21, was found murdered in a Lima hotel room. Surveillance footage identified Joran as the last person with her.
• Her family discovered Joran’s identity through a Google search—a chilling moment:
  “They gave Enrique the man's name, and so he and his wife did what anyone would do. They typed it into Google. And when the search results loaded, his wife screamed.” ([03:15])
• With physical evidence tying him to the crime, Joran could no longer hide behind shifting stories.

2. Five Years of Lies, Confessions, and Media Spectacle

• [04:33] The episode examines the years following Natalee’s disappearance:
  • Joran told multiple, changing stories to the police and media.
  • Secret recordings and interviews resulted in new "confessions", quickly retracted or contradicted.
  • Examples include his story to Peter de Vries (secretly recorded), later dismissed as lies.
  • Joran at times claimed Natalee died of an overdose, sold her to traffickers, and more—none substantiated.
• Media Critique:
  “Joran had built an entire reputation on lies... he found a way to profit emotionally, and maybe even financially from pain, and the media let him do it.” ([08:40])
• Each new headline extended the Holloway family’s anguish:
  “Every time he opened his mouth, headlines followed. And each time, Beth and Dave were forced to relive their worst nightmare...” ([08:54])

3. The Extortion Sting and the Murder in Peru

• [10:41] Just before killing Stephanie Flores, Joran attempted to extort $250,000 from Natalee’s family in exchange for information about her body.
• Beth Holloway’s lawyer, John Kelly, worked with the FBI on a sting. Joran gave yet another account of Natalee’s death, and pointed them to a false burial site.
• He continued contacting John Kelly, even while fleeing after Stephanie Flores’ murder.
• Joran was eventually arrested, confessed to the Peruvian murder, and sentenced to 28 years: “His lawyer blamed extreme psychological trauma from the Holloway case. But Joran pled guilty and was sentenced to 28 years prison in Peru.” ([13:37])
• The Holloway family experienced both relief and unresolved grief, captured poignantly: “For Dave, Holloway, knowing that Joran was finally behind bars brought some relief. But it wasn't closure.” ([13:51])
  • Dave Holloway petitioned to have Natalee declared legally dead; Beth Holloway remained unwilling to give up hope.

4. Years of False Leads and Trauma

• [15:52] Even after Joran’s imprisonment, the family endured endless scams and dead ends—people claiming knowledge of Natalee’s fate in exchange for money or notoriety.
• The Oxygen docuseries The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway followed a 2016 tip; DNA proved it false.
• Dave Holloway’s reflection:
  “My advice... you've got to remember that your other children are hurting, too. You can't stay focused entirely on the missing… For the first five years, I missed out on that.” ([18:19])
• Despite everything, the hope of closure lingered, and the cycle of hope and heartbreak continued.

5. Joran’s Final Confession & Aftermath

• [20:53] In 2023, Joran was extradited to the US on extortion and wire fraud charges. He agreed to confess in exchange for a plea deal.

  • His confession: He described a violent attack:
    “He pushed harder. She kneed him in the crotch. In a flash of rage, he said, he kicked her in the face... picked up a cinder block and brought it down across her face... dragged her body... into the ocean...” ([21:41])

• Beth Holloway’s Victim Impact Statement:
  “Joran, for 18 years, you have denied killing my daughter Natalie. Your lies, manipulation, taunting us with fake news interviews, and wild stories of what happened to her have caused indescribable pain and harm to my family and me... You are a murderer. Remember that. Every time the jail door slams shut, you're a killer.” ([23:26])
  “By the way, you look like hell, Joran. I don't know how you're going to make it.” ([24:15]) “As far as I'm concerned, it's over. It's over. Joran Van Der Sloot is no longer the suspect in my daughter's murder. He is the killer.” ([24:49])

• Dave Holloway’s Statement:
  “What I've come to realize is the impossibility of having what this man took from us restored. And over time, I found some level of peace and acceptance of that reality.” ([25:55])

6. Media, Justice, and Public Grief

• [26:02] Celisia reflects on the impact of public attention:
  • Justice is always limited.
  • Media coverage kept Natalee’s name in the spotlight, but also prolonged the family’s agony and drew false leads.
  • The story became a “mirror,” reflecting wider cultural judgments—stigmatizing even the island of Aruba.
  • The “Missing White Women Syndrome” is addressed, highlighting disparities in whose stories are covered and mourned.
• Celisia’s personal take:
  “I'm not at a giant network. I don't have hundreds of thousands of people tuning into the show. I'm an independent creator. I'm trying to tell stories that matter...” ([27:30])
  • She emphasizes using the visibility gained from high-profile cases like Natalee’s to spotlight those marginalized and overlooked.

7. Broader Context & Call to Action

• [29:55] The episode closes by spotlighting the disparities in missing persons coverage for Indigenous and Black women in the US, including:
  • Statistics: Murder is the third leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native women; Black people make up 14% of the US population but nearly 40% of missing persons reports.
  • Organizations highlighted:
    • National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (niwrc.org)
    • Black and Missing Foundation (recent documentary on Relisha Rudd)
  • “True Crime shouldn't just tell stories about what's wrong, it should help make things right.” ([32:28])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the endless cycle of lies and heartbreak:
  “Joran had built an entire reputation on lies... Every time he opened his mouth, headlines followed. And each time, Beth and Dave were forced to relive their worst nightmare...” ([08:40]–[08:54])

• On the human cost for families:
  “You've got to remember that your other children are hurting, too. You can't stay focused entirely on the missing…” —Dave Holloway ([18:19])

• On incomplete justice:
  “In every story I tell, I'm struck by the profound inadequacy of justice… Justice always has its limits.” —Celisia Stanton ([25:09])

• Beth Holloway’s address to Joran:
  “You terminated her potential, her dreams, and her possibilities when you bludgeoned her to death in 2005.” ([23:38])
  “By the way, you look like hell, Joran. I don't know how you're going to make it.” ([24:15])

• On media, visibility, and whose stories we tell:
  “That's what ties all of the stories on truer crime together. Natalie's case asks us to confront how media, justice and power intertwine. But at its center is this young woman who didn't make it back to her family.” ([28:28])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:09 — Discovery of Stephanie Flores’ body; renewed focus on Joran Van Der Sloot
• 04:33 — Recap of Joran’s shifting stories and the unending media spectacle
• 10:41 — Joran’s attempted extortion of the Holloway family; setup of the FBI sting
• 13:37 — Joran sentenced for Stephanie Flores’ murder
• 15:52 — The family’s experience with false leads and emotional fallout
• 18:19 — Dave Holloway on the impact to his family
• 20:53 — Joran’s US extradition and his final confession
• 23:26 — Beth Holloway’s direct statement to Joran in court
• 25:09 — Reflections on the limits of justice
• 26:02 — Analysis on media, justice, and public grief
• 29:55 — Discussion of disparities in missing persons coverage; call to action

Tone & Style

Celisia Stanton maintains an empathetic, reflective, and context-rich tone throughout, balancing meticulous research with emotional resonance. She centers the lived experience of Natalee Holloway’s family while also challenging listeners to think critically about the broader social dynamics at play.

Conclusion

The episode is a powerful, nuanced look at a case too often reduced to headlines. It honors Natalee Holloway’s life, interrogates media complicity in amplifying trauma, and asks listeners to seek empathy, solidarity, and advocacy for all missing persons—not just those whose stories dominate the news.