Over the years, more than thousands of women have gone missing in the United States. Numerous of these disappearances remain a mystery today, with a multitude of bodies still not found. However, in October, a case involving a young woman was finally cracked tracing back to 18 years ago.

On May 30th, 2005, teenager Natalee Holloway disappeared in Aruba while on a class trip. Holloway was last seen with three men who were identified as Joran van der Sloot, and brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. When the news got out, suspicion of who murdered Holloway pointed towards Van der Sloot as he was the last person to be seen with her leaving a club. Yet, in the many times he was arrested, he would always be released due to the lack of evidence to prove that he was guilty of the crime.

A few months later on the 26th of August, Van der Sloot was incarcerated and the brothers were behind bars after moments of freedom. The prosecutor’s office claimed they acted “together with other people” in raping and killing Holloway. Evidence involving Holloway’s disappearance remained unfound as there were still many questions as to what happened to her and who did it.

Five years later, on the 17th of May in 2010, clues pointing towards Van der Sloot finally appeared. Holloway’s mother, Beth, was told by Van der Sloot that information about her daughter’s death would be told if she paid him. An exchange of $25,000 up front and $225,000 later a federal grand jury indictment alleges. However, the information of Beth Holloway wiring $15,000 and $10,000 through an attorney was proven false. 

Now, practically two decades after Natalee’s disappearance, Joran van der Sloot has been found guilty. On the 18th of October, Van der Sloot was being detained for the murder of Stephany Flores that took place on the 30th of May in 2010, where the police supposedly found evidence regarding the Natalee Holloway case. During his court trial, he admitted to his crimes. The gruesome actions of “killing her with a cinderblock after she pushed him away during a sexual encounter,” were described by Van der Sloot in a transcript with his attorney. Afterward, “he decided to throw her into the ocean, revealing the secret of her unfound body.” Sophomore Gabriella Perez shares her thoughts on this case stating, “It’s sad that it has taken this long to find her murderer, and they [police officials] are never going to find her body.” US federal Judge Anna Manasco conveys to Van der Sloot, “You have brutally murdered, in separate incidents years apart, two beautiful women who refused your sexual advances.”

After 18 years of sadness and pain, Holloway’s family has finally found peace in knowing what happened to their daughter.