Joran Van Der Sloot To Be Extradited to the United States

The Peruvian Supreme Court, in record time, has approved the extradition of murderer Joran Van Der Sloot to the United States. Van Der Sloot is facing charges he extorted money from the family of Natalee Holloway, a girl whose disappearance he is suspected of involvement with.

The only caveat to the extradition is that it will not be able to be sulfilled until Van Der Sloot has served his 28 year sentence for killing 21-year-old Stephany Flores. Under Peruvian Law, Van Der Sloot could be eligible for parole in 7 years.

Van Der Sloot’s attorney, Max Altez, told Reuters,

“We were surprised by how quickly the extradition request was heard. We think there is a lot of pressure from the U.S. government.”

Michael Griffith, Senior Partner at the International Legal Defense Counsel said this was a double win for the United States. Van Der Sloot will be facing between 10-15 years in the US for extortion. There is no statute of limitations for a murder charge so during the time Van Der Sloot is serving in Peru they can develop a case against him for the disappearance of Holloway.

Griffith said,

“There is an upside because the U.S. now has several years to put together a murder investigation. On murder, there is no statute of limitations. Maybe by the time he is released, [the U.S.] will have an airtight case against him in Natalee Holloway’s disappearance,”

Van Der Sloot was the last person seen with Holloway when she was on a senior trip to Aruba. It is widely believed that Van Der Sloot had something to do with her disappearance. Her body has never been found.

Van Der Sloot had contacted Holloway’s family in Alabama and offered to tell them the location of her body and how she dies if they would pay him $250,000. He took $25,000 and went to Peru without ever telling them anything.