KION - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News WeatherSuspect in Natalee Holloway Case Confesses

Suspect in Natalee Holloway Case Confesses

AMSTERDAM (BNO NEWS) -- Dutch suspect Joran van der Sloot has confessed to disposing the body of missing American student Natalee Holloway while on the Caribbean island of Aruba, a Dutch newspaper reported on Tuesday. He made the statements in front of an RTL television camera.

The statements by van der Sloot follow a similar confession more than two years ago during an undercover operation by Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, which prosecutors said did not constitute new legal evidence.

'De Telegraaf' newspaper reported that - in the new confession - Van der Sloot said he is still scared of being prosecuted and admitted to disposing Holloway's body in a marsh on Aruba. The report said the chief prosecutor on Aruba confirmed the story, but said Van der Sloot could be attempting to give multiple false versions to hide the truth.

Chief prosecutor Peter Blanken told 'De Telegraaf' that the confession resulted in a new investigation into the disappearance of Holloway, but eventually concluded without results. "It became clear that this statement is hold together by lies and fantasy," Blanken said. "Times are wrong and named witnesses have denied."

Blanken also said that, if Holloway's body was disposed in the marsh, it would probably never be recovered. "If she was left there, the chances of finding her are extremely small," Blanken said. "After several days, nothing would have been found except bones and maybe a plastic shoe."

Natalee Holloway went missing on May 30, 2005 during a high school graduation trip to Aruba. The case received international media attention, but her body was never found.

The prosecutor's office on Aruba, which reportedly confirmed Tuesday's report, did not immediately respond to inquiries left by BNO News as its offices were closed.