MY CONVERSATION WITH BETH HOLLOWAY-TWITTY

One-on-One with Beth Holloway-Twitty

When I spoke with Beth, she was on her way to the Alabama's governor's mansion for the candlelight vigil given by Alabama's first lady. Beth is a woman who is on the go 24-7. I never realized that a mother who is going through so much pain could still have the stamina and perserverence as Beth does. She's a very pissed off mother with a major mission. However, the stress has taken a huge toll on her. Since June, she's plummeted from a size 6 to a size 0.

Now she's battling her latest quandry: the defaming Vanity Fair article in which Gerold Dompig claimed that Beth's interference with the investigation is the reason why they haven't found Natalee. I could feel the anxiety in her voice, so I asked, "How are you feeling, Beth?" She said quietly, "Not good...it's rough. Very difficult." I asked her if she knew in advance that the Vanity Fair article was coming out. She explained that she knew about the article, but had no idea the piece would be so mean-spirited and evil to the fact that he would blame the family. Looks to me that we are seeing the true colors of media...ratings and money. Nobody wants to hear the angle of an anguished mother...they want to read the dirt. Whether the statements made are correct or false...people seem to have that unconscious desire to hear about someone's loss or tragedy and will pay money to read the blasphamous garbage.

Beth has not been "banned" from Aruba, but on October 18, 2005, she received a phone call advising her not to return to the island because Aruban officials would place her under arrest. Arrest? For what? She explained that she has been threatened to be arrested because she called Joran, Satish and Deepak 'criminals' on national TV; in addition to coming forward with the fact that her original written statement to the police was changed and 'falsified'. Evidently, those Arubans are squirmish about which words you use. Mainly because they don't have the capability of understanding the difference.

"Is it falsified or altered? Is it edited or manipulated?"

Aruba doesn't have freedom of speech, and they can't stand the fact that Beth has used the media to state her position on the lack of professionalism and possibly conspiracy that Aruba is pulling over. Aruba would have felt a whole lot cozier if Beth said her statement was "altered". It's the typical example of damned if you do, damned if you don't. Aruba was pissed from day one because the americans came to their island and wanted answers. They claimed we were "taking over", because they weren't getting any answers or doing anything to further the investigation. Aruba's ego got in the way of a missing girl and it is their doing that this matter has gotten out of hand.

Michelle: What about the witnesses that originally came forward? The jogger? The gardner? The landfill witness? The girls who came forward stating that they were also drugged and raped?"

Beth: "It's fear. They are afraid of the repercussions. For example, they threatened to deport the gardner if he spoke. The aruban law says that they don't have to release ANY information regarding a criminal case if they don't want to."

Michelle: "I heard the jogger witness disappeared, what did they threaten him with?"

Beth: "The aruban police claim that they no longer have this witness's statement. They 'lost' it. And they don't know his name or where to find him. They claim he hasn't come forward again, so they can't do anything about it."

In a community of approximately 70,000 (smaller than my hometown), I am sure they can find the jogger...they probably know who he is, and I'm sure they threatened him to keep quiet. It makes sense...everyone who had information has suddenly disappeared or recanted their statements.

Michelle: Why doesn't Aruba release the tapes of their interrogations, copies of their interviews, DNA evidence, evidence taken from Joran's apartment, etc?

Beth: "Like I said, the ALE doesn't have to release anything...and they haven't. And they won't."

Michelle: Has the FBI gotten involved? Are they doing anything at the moment?

Beth: "No. I've gotten no help from the FBI yet. But I still have my aruban lawyer, Helen Lejuez."

Michelle: Were the bartenders at Carlos-n-Charlies questioned? The owner of the bar?

Beth: "No...not that I am aware of."

Wouldn't that be typical police protocol? Interview the business where she was last seen?

Michelle: "Have you used psychics, and have any of them been able to help or shed some light?"

Beth: I've used many, many psychics...obviously nothing has worked."

I suggested that maybe we should recruit the expertise of Medium John Robert...from "Crossing Over". It can't hurt. I plan on trying to contact him with this case.

Michelle: "Did any of the other students experience anything odd or weird while they were in Aruba? What about students from past years?"

Beth: "There have always been crackheads walking around harassing and threatening the students...but I haven't had the personal opportunity to talk to any of the kids or past students."

Michelle: "One of Joran's and PVDS's alibis was that Joran was picked up at the McDonald's. JVDS originally told you the first night you met him that he picked Joran up at 4:00 a.m., but he later gave a statement that he picked Joran up at 11:00 p.m. Do you know if there are security cameras in the McDonald's parking lot to prove this claim?"

Beth: "On June 5, we asked officials to check to see if there were security cameras, and to this day, nothing has ever been done. No one has looked into it."

Michelle: "Have you talked to Jamie Skeeters since the Dr. Phil tape fiasco?"

Beth: "Oh yes. I talk to Jamie all the time. He stands by his tapes. He's had 20 experts authorize that the tapes are real. I spoke with Dr. Phil as well. He is angry that the Aruban authorities claimed he manipulated the tape...when it was just 'edited' for tv time."

Obviously Aruba and Americans are not on the same page when it comes to vocabulary and comprehension.

Michelle: "Have you been privy or given copies of any court or police documents?"

Beth: "No. Back when the prosecutor did have communication with me, I was brought into a room where they read from dutch statements of many witnesses. I was not allowed to see the documents, but I wrote the names down."

Michelle: "They wouldn't let you see the actual documents? They READ them to you? How do you know what they were reading to you was true? Have you thought about revealing the information they verbally gave you?"

Beth: "No. I can't share that information."

Is Beth is still scared of Aruban authorities? They are the ones that hold the key to the answer of Natalee's disappearance, and it seems as if she's unconsciously trying to still please them while at the same time pursuing the investigation on her own.

Michelle: "Will Tim Miller and Texas Equasearch be coming back to Aruba any time soon?"

Beth: "Yes. Another search will be done, but they need correct information from the Aruban authorities on locations to search. To this date, they haven't been contacted and they can't come back and search without new spots to search or additional leads."

As for the other burning questions people have about the actual events of May 30, 2005, Beth does not have much information. She has been kept in the dark the entire time with all the details, and the ALE has NEVER given her any information. All the information she has gathered has been on her own...through the help of her own investigators and volunteers.

Why won't Aruba release any of their investigative information? They jump quickly to ensure they trash the evidence we collected, but won't give up any of their own information to prove anyone's innocence. They have been adamant about not helping the Holloway-Twitty family from day one...and completely apathetic about following up on leads and interviewing vital persons of interest.

I realize that the ALE and the U.S. have two different judicial systems, but it seems that their way of solving a case is something out of an episode of "Keystone Cops". They have a lot to lose by not revealing any information or helping this family out.

Final thought: When you leave the United States on vacation, you have NO RIGHTS anywhere. Especially in Aruba, where they can arrest you for any reason they please. Remember this when you plan on taking a vacation...you could end up being a victim and your family will be completely helpless.

I am reiterating to please avoid traveling to Aruba...there are many other beautiful islands in the Carribean in addition to gorgious locations all over the world. Does Aruba with their wildly available drugs, menacing drug addicts, and rampant date rapists sound like a vacation paradise to you? Doesn't to me. I'll think I'll pass...from now and forever.