Featured Image Credit: ERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP via Getty Images / Family Handout
Topics: US News, Crime, True crime, Parenting
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: US News, Crime, True crime, Parenting
Joran van der Sloot has revealed how he killed Natalee Holloway, the teenager's mother says.
Natalee Holloway went missing at the age of 18 years old while in Aruba in 2005 and, despite her body never being found, was legally declared dead in 2012.
Earlier today (Wednesday, 18 October) Joran van der Sloot pleaded guilty to charges of trying to extort Natalee's mother - through her lawyer - offering answers surrounding Natalee's death in exchange for money.
He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for pleading guilty to one count of extortion and one count of wire fraud.
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Shortly after van der Sloot appeared in court earlier today, Holloway's mother, Beth Holloway, addressed members of the press outside.
She said, as per a video shared by ABC News: "Today I can tell you with certainty, that after 18 years, Natalee's case is solved.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's over. It's over. Joan van der Sloot is no longer the suspect in my daughter's murder - he is the killer.
"In the course of [...] prosecution, here for extortion and wire fraud indictment, he gave a proffer in which he finally confessed he killed Natalee."
The mom went on to say van der Sloot described 'when and how he killed' her daughter.
"He said that after killing her on the beach in a Rubet, he put her in the water and that was the last that he ever saw her," Beth continues.
Beth's lawyer, John Q Kelly, told PEOPLE that van der Sloot told law enforcement he took a cinder block on the teenager's head after she said no to his sexual advances.
The mom states van der Sloot's alleged confession was 'all verified' by 'a comprehensive and conductive, conclusive polygraph test'.
Judge Anna Manasco also outlined van der Sloot's confession as she sentenced him, stating: "You have brutally murdered in separate incidents years apart two beautiful women who refused your sexual advances."
Natalee's mom resolves: "Even with this confession though, he can't be tried here for Natalee's murder, but I'm satisfied knowing he did it, he did it alone and he disposed of her alone.
"Thanks to a lot of very smart and dedicated people here, I got the answer I've been searching for for the past 18 years.
"Joran van der Sloot's confession means we've finally reached the end of our never-ending nightmare. And for me, reaching the end of the nightmare being over is better than closure.
"It's been 18 years since Natalee disappeared and Natalee would've been 36 years old today. I still miss her everyday. It's been a very long and painful journey but we've finally got the answer we've been searching for all these years.
"We've finally today, got justice for Natalee."
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