Natalee Holloway murder suspect to be extradited to the US after family’s 18-year battle for justice

Ms Holloway was presumed dead in 2012 after she went missing in 2005 in Aruba

The Holloway family has been fighting for justice for their daughter and sister, Natalee Holloway, who went missing in 2005 after going on a trip to Arbua and was declared dead in 2012.

Now, the man suspected of being involved in her disappearance and presumed death, Joran van der Sloot, is being extradited from Peru to the United States.

Peru’s government said it will allow Mr van der Sloot’s extradition on Wednesday, to face trial on wire fraud charges and extortion, according to the Associated Press.

Mr van der Sloot, a Dutch citizen, is accused of trying to profit off the Holloway family after he was connected to Ms Holloway’s disappearance.

Ms Holloway disappeared at 18 years old in 2005 while on a high school class trip to Aruba.

She was last seen around 1.30am on Monday 30 May leaving Carlos’n Charlie’s, a nightclub and bar, with Mr van der Sloot, a 17-year-old honours student who was living in Aruba.

Also in the car were Mr van der Sloot’s two Surinamese friends, Deepak Kalope and Satish Kalope.

Extensive searches went underway to locate Ms Holloway but her body was never found. Mr van der Sloot, Deepak and Satish were identified as suspects in Ms Holloway’s disappearance but her body was never found and no charges were filed.

In 2010, prosecutors accused Mr van der Sloot of the murder of 21-year-old student Stephany Flores. Mr van der Sloot pleaded guilty in 2012 and is serving a 28-year prison sentence.

US prosecutors allege that Mr van der Sloot accepted $25,000 in cash from the Holloway family in 2010, in exchange for information that would supposedly lead them to her body.

Mr van der Sloot went to Peru after receiving the money.

According to an affidavit, Mr van der Sloot reached out to Holloway’s mother, Elizabeth Holloway, asking for $25,000 to reveal the location where Ms Holloway was and another $225,000 when Ms Holloway’s remains were recovered, according to AP.

Mr van der Sloot pointed to a house where he claimed Ms Holloway was buried, however, an FBI agent claimed Mr van der Sloot later admitted to lying about the location in an email.