Early Life and Education of Joran van der Sloot: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Joran van der Sloot. A timeline of key moments.

Joran van der Sloot is a Dutch murderer convicted of killing Stephany Flores Ramírez in Peru in 2010. He gained notoriety as the prime suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba. While never charged in the Holloway case, his involvement remains heavily suspected. He is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence for the Flores murder.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Controversies & Scandals

August 1987: Joran van der Sloot's Birth

On August 6, 1987, Joran Andreas Petrus van der Sloot was born. He later became known for his involvement in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and the murder of Stephany Flores Ramírez.

Others born on this day/year

1990: Family Moves to Aruba

In 1990, Joran van der Sloot's family moved from Arnhem to Aruba, where he later became an honor student at the International School of Aruba.

May 2005: Meeting Natalee Holloway

On May 29, 2005, Joran van der Sloot met Natalee Holloway at Carlos'n Charlie's bar in Oranjestad, Aruba. Holloway was last seen leaving the bar with Van der Sloot and two others.

June 2005: Arrest in Holloway Disappearance

In June 2005, Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers were arrested in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The Kalpoe brothers were released on July 4, while Van der Sloot remained in custody.

June 2005: Paulus van der Sloot Questioned and Released

On June 22, 2005, Paulus van der Sloot was arrested for questioning in Holloway's disappearance and was released on June 26.

September 2005: Return to the Netherlands and Removal of Travel Restrictions

In September 2005, after his release, Joran van der Sloot returned to the Netherlands to study at the HAN University of Applied Sciences, and a higher court removed his travel restrictions.

September 2005: Interview on A Current Affair

On September 26, 2005, Joran van der Sloot stated in an interview with the American television show A Current Affair that neither he nor the Kalpoe brothers had sex with Holloway, and admitted to initially lying to the authorities.

November 2005: Paulus van der Sloot Wins Unjust Detention Action

In November 2005, Paulus van der Sloot won an unjust detention action against the Aruban government, clearing him as a suspect and allowing him to retain his government contract.

2005: Moët & Chandon Anniversary Cup

In 2005, Joran van der Sloot competed in doubles tennis with his father at the Moët & Chandon Anniversary Cup.

February 2006: Lawsuit Filed by Natalee Holloway's Parents

In February 2006, Joran van der Sloot's parents stated their son was unfairly singled out on ABC's Good Morning America, and Van der Sloot and his father were served with a lawsuit filed by Natalee Holloway's parents while in New York City, alleging personal injury.

April 2007: New Search Launched at Van der Sloot's Parents' Home

On April 27, 2007, Dutch authorities launched a new search at Joran van der Sloot's parents' home in Aruba, reviewing the case for new indications, unrelated to his book.

November 2007: Re-arrest in Holloway Case

In November 2007, Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers were re-arrested for suspicion of involvement in voluntary manslaughter and causing serious bodily harm that resulted in the death of Natalee Holloway. Van der Sloot was later released without charge.

January 2008: Wine Thrown at Crime Reporter

On January 11, 2008, Joran van der Sloot threw a glass of red wine in crime reporter Peter de Vries's face on the Dutch talk show Pauw & Witteman.

September 2008: International Emmy Award and Move to Thailand

In September 2008, Peter de Vries accepted an International Emmy Award in Current Affairs for his coverage of Natalee Holloway's disappearance in New York City, and Joran van der Sloot moved to Thailand, opening a restaurant after dropping out of university.

November 2008: Fox News Interview and Retraction

In November 2008, Joran van der Sloot said in an interview on Fox News's On the Record that he sold Holloway into sexual slavery and later retracted the statements.

November 2008: Undercover Footage of Sex Trafficking Preparations

In November 2008, Peter de Vries aired undercover footage of Joran van der Sloot making preparations for the apparent sex trafficking of Thai women in Bangkok, with De Vries claiming Van der Sloot was making $13,000 per woman sold into prostitution.

August 2009: Asia Pacific Poker Tour

In August 2009, Joran van der Sloot was spotted in Macau at the Asia Pacific Poker Tour.

January 2010: Paulus van der Sloot Ends Law Firm Partnership

In January 2010, Paulus van der Sloot ended his partnership at the law firm where he worked.

February 2010: Death of Paulus van der Sloot

In February 2010, Paulus van der Sloot, Joran van der Sloot's father, died of a heart attack in Aruba at the age of 57 while playing tennis. Joran returned to Aruba and began gambling afterwards.

March 2010: Van der Sloot Offers Information on Natalee Holloway's Body

Around March 29, 2010, Joran van der Sloot allegedly contacted John Q. Kelly, Beth Holloway's legal representative, offering to reveal the location of Natalee Holloway's body and the circumstances of her death in exchange for $25,000 upfront against a total of $250,000.

May 2010: Van der Sloot Named Suspect and Flees to Chile

In May 2010, Peruvian officials named Joran van der Sloot as the lone suspect in the homicide investigation of Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramírez. An Interpol notice was issued, and it was believed he fled to Chile. He was sighted entering Chile on May 31, 2010. His ex-girlfriend said he asked her for money to buy a ticket back to Aruba.

May 2010: Van der Sloot and Flores Seen Together Before Her Death

In May 2010, a hotel guest and employee reported seeing Joran van der Sloot and Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramírez entering the hotel room together. Police also obtained video footage of them playing cards at the Atlantic City Casino in Lima the night before. Van der Sloot had entered Peru via Colombia on May 14, 2010, to attend the Latin American Poker Tour.

May 2010: Van der Sloot Flees to Chile After Flores' Murder

In May 2010, following the murder of Stephany Flores Ramírez on the 30th, Joran van der Sloot fled to Chile. He was later arrested in Chile and extradited to Peru for questioning related to Flores's murder.

May 2010: Flores Wins Money at Casino Before Death

In May 2010, surveillance video from the Atlantic City Casino recorded Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramírez winning $10,000 at a baccarat table on May 25, while accompanied by a male friend. On May 29, she also won $237 playing poker. On May 30, at 3:00 a.m., Flores was recorded entering the casino alone and walking to a poker table where Joran van der Sloot was sitting. He had not registered for the Latin American Poker Tour.

May 2010: Death of Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramírez

On May 30, 2010, the fifth anniversary of Natalee Holloway's disappearance, Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramírez, 21, was found dead at the Hotel TAC in Lima, Peru. On June 2, a hotel employee discovered her beaten body in room 309, registered to Joran van der Sloot. He had left the hotel without returning the key, leaving the television turned on. A tennis racquet was recovered from the room.

June 2010: Van der Sloot Ordered Held on Murder and Robbery Charges

On June 11, 2010, Lima Superior Court Judge Juan Buendia ordered Joran van der Sloot to be held on charges of first-degree murder and robbery for acting with "ferocity and great cruelty" in the death of Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramírez. Denied bail, he was transported to Miguel Castro Castro prison.

June 2010: Van der Sloot Charged with Extortion and Wire Fraud

On June 3, 2010, Joran van der Sloot was charged by the U.S. District Court of Northern Alabama with extortion and wire fraud. A warrant was issued for his arrest through Interpol. On June 4, Dutch authorities raided homes in the Netherlands at the request of the U.S. Justice Department.

June 2010: Van der Sloot Confesses to Flores' Murder

On June 7, 2010, Joran van der Sloot confessed to bludgeoning Stephany Flores. Later, he attempted to retract this confession, alleging intimidation by the Peruvian Police and framing by the FBI.

June 2010: Van der Sloot Reportedly Confesses to Killing Flores

On June 7, 2010, Joran van der Sloot reportedly confessed to killing Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramírez after hours of interrogation, having initially proclaimed his innocence. This confession potentially aligned with a defense strategy to reduce the charge to manslaughter.

August 2010: Photo of Van der Sloot with Inmates Surfaces

In August 2010, administrative action was taken after América Televisión aired a photo of Joran van der Sloot with inmates Hugo Trujillo Ospina and William Trickett Smith II taken with official equipment at Miguel Castro Castro prison on August 23, 2010.

August 2010: Interpreter Issues and Trial Delays in Van der Sloot Case

In August 2010, the Van der Sloot case stagnated due to the inability to find an official interpreter for the case in Peru, as stated by Navarro on August 21, 2010. On September 6, a Peruvian appeals court rejected Van der Sloot's motion that he was being unlawfully held.

September 2010: Beth Holloway visits Joran van der Sloot in prison

In September 2010, Beth Holloway and a Dutch television crew visited Joran van der Sloot in a Peruvian prison. Holloway stated she told Van der Sloot she had no hate in her soul and inquired about her daughter's disappearance. Van der Sloot responded he could not speak without his lawyer and handed her Navarro's business card.

September 2010: Van der Sloot Admits to Extortion Plot

On September 6, 2010, in an interview published by De Telegraaf, Joran van der Sloot admitted to the extortion plot against Natalee Holloway's family, stating he wanted to retaliate for their actions over the previous five years. His attorney suggested potential translation errors in the interview.

2010: Death of Paulus van der Sloot

In 2010, Joran van der Sloot's father, Paulus van der Sloot, passed away.

2010: Return to Aruba

In early 2010, Joran van der Sloot returned to Aruba following the death of his father, Paulus, after selling his Bangkok restaurant business.

January 2012: Van der Sloot Sentenced to Imprisonment

In January 2012, Joran van der Sloot was sentenced to 28 years' imprisonment for the murder of Stephany Flores.

March 2014: Peru Announces Van der Sloot Extradition to U.S. in 2038

In March 2014, the Peruvian government announced that Joran van der Sloot would be extradited to the U.S. in 2038 after completing his sentence in Peru for the murder of Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramírez, to face charges of extortion and wire fraud.

July 2014: Van der Sloot marries Leidy Figueroa

On July 4, 2014, Joran van der Sloot married Leidy Figueroa, a Peruvian woman he met while she was selling goods inside the prison. She was seven months pregnant with his child at the time.

September 2014: Birth of Van der Sloot's daughter

On September 28, 2014, Leidy Figueroa gave birth to Joran van der Sloot's daughter in Peru.

February 2016: Undercover Footage of Van der Sloot Confessing to Holloway Murder

In February 2016, an undercover reporter filmed Joran van der Sloot confessing to the murder of Natalee Holloway, during which he laughed about never revealing the truth and admitting to killing her. His Peruvian wife was present during the conversation.

January 2023: Additional Sentence for Trafficking Cocaine

In January 2023, while already imprisoned, Joran van der Sloot had an additional 18 years added to his sentence for trafficking cocaine.

June 2023: Van der Sloot Extradited to the U.S. and Arraigned

On June 8, 2023, Joran van der Sloot was extradited from Peru to the United States, landing in Birmingham, Alabama. On June 9, he was arraigned in federal court in Birmingham on charges of extortion and wire fraud against Beth Holloway, pleading not guilty to both charges.

June 2023: Van der Sloot Extradited to the United States

On June 8, 2023, Joran van der Sloot was extradited to the United States to face trial for extortion and wire fraud, related to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

October 2023: Van der Sloot Admits to Killing Natalee Holloway

In October 2023, Joran van der Sloot admitted to killing Natalee Holloway in a proffer letter after pleading guilty to other associated charges in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

October 2023: Van der Sloot Admits to Holloway's Murder and Receives Sentence

On October 18, 2023, Joran van der Sloot admitted to beating Natalee Holloway to death on an Aruba beach as part of a plea deal. He stated he bludgeoned her head with a cinder block and disposed of her body in the ocean. He was sentenced to 20 years on the extortion charges, to run concurrently with his Peru sentence.

2045: Scheduled release date

Joran van der Sloot is scheduled for release in 2045, due to a Peruvian law prohibiting prison sentences from exceeding a maximum of 35 years when the prisoner has not been sentenced to life imprisonment.