Interview With Van
der Sloot Friend
Since my earlier post I have conducted another level of verification which
could not possibly be manufactured to fool someone and pass off an imposter in this
regard. I am certain what follows is an honest representation of an interview I
conducted earlier tonight with a friend of Joran Van der Sloot and her family.
As I have maintained all
along, I don't report here just to entertain with some preconceived notion of
guilt or truth. I don't know everything about this young woman ... what I do
know from speaking with her is that this is her truth.
She's obviously bright,
articulate, attractive and concerned for a friend and a family. She remembers
the family from days at the beach and the boy from there, too - as well as the
nights they went "partying." Apparently many of the young people she
knew went to Carlos and Charlie’s, because they thought "it was one of the
most stable, or safest" clubs to attend in Aruba.
Me: How long did you know him?
Her: I don't know, 7, maybe 10
years. I knew the family. His Mother taught me in Art Class. I feel so bad for her, she is such a sweet lady.
Me: So, you knew her from
school?
Her: And the beach, most I knew
her and Joran, we would go to the beach together on
Saturdays. They were a good family. People think they are rich. They are not
rich. They work for everything they have.
Me: So, you knew his Father,
too? What was he like?
Her: I knew him some. He was a
very loving man. He loved his kids, always hugging and kissing them. That
really bothers me about this because I know how much they love their children.
She must be crazy over this, she's a nice woman and he really is a special man.
He was one of the most giving men I've met when it comes to his family. But he
usually didn't go to the beach with us. He was working.
Me: What did he do for a living, I've heard he's a judge.
Her: Yes, he judges, sometimes.
But not always. I'm not sure what he did before. He
traveled a lot, on business, I think.
Me: Well, this is hard to ask,
but, your relationship with Joran, was it romantic? At all? Were you intimate?
Her: No. (laugh)
No, it wasn't like that. We were friends. I was a few years older than him. And
we were only friends, good friends.
Me: You went partying? I
laughed. I wasn't an angel when I was a kid, I know how it is. I don't judge
it. But what did you mean by "partying."
Her: Going out
.. to clubs. Just ...
partying.
Me: I understand. What kind of
drugs did you guys do?
Her: No drugs. I didn't use
drugs.
Me: I saw Joran's web site.
There were a lot of pictures ... a lot of drinking. (laughing)
What about Joran, what kind of drugs did he like?
Her: I never saw Joran use
drugs. Only drinking. If he did, I never saw it. I
never saw him drunk.
Me: You never saw him drunk? I
have a picture of him passed out, it looks like maybe
from drinking.
Her: That could be, but I never
saw that. He was very tall, a big boy. I saw him drink, maybe tipsy. Alcohol
didn't seem to affect him too much.
Me: Well, there has been talk,
reports. Supposedly he threw someone through a plate glass window.
Her: I never heard that. Not
Joran, it couldn't be.
Me: But, it's said he has a
temper ... that he needed anger management, or something.
Her: Anger management? (She
nearly laughed.) He played tennis, he was a top player
on the island and traveled off the island to play. Now, tennis ... (she is also
a top tennis player) I'll tell you, competitive tennis, what can happen on the
court, you lose, a bad call. I saw Joran play and he never lost his composure,
always he was in control.
Me: What was he like when he
lost?
Her: Down, mostly. He'd go off
alone, off to the side, sit and pull his hat down over his head. He always
blamed himself. "Why did I do that" "I could have done
better" That was what he was like when he lost, he never got angry that I
saw.
Me: Did he have a girlfriend?
Her: I know he had a girl
friend in Ninth grade, now, I don't know. He liked girls, yes, I know. He liked
to make out. He was good with the girls.
Me: Did you know the other
boys, the brothers?
Her: No, not really. I might
have seen them, out, sometimes with Joran, at the clubs. But I was never with
them when they were together. I didn't really know them, no.
Me: So, tell me about his
girlfriend.
Her: She was blond, blue eyes.
The girl every one wanted in high school. But Joran got her. I remember that.
Me: Did it last long? The one
in ninth grade?
Her: A while, Not too long, they broke up.
Me: They broke up? What
happen?
Her: I don't know. I think she
may have dropped him, for another boy.
Me: That must have hurt.
Her: Yes, he was very sad. I
think he tried to get her back. But he accepted it, was sad for awhile and then
moved on.
Me: He didn't get upset? Really?
Her: No. Not that I can recall.
It was like the tennis. He seemed to blame himself. He kept to himself for a
while, but he came out of it, then he was fine.
Me: You mean he didn't pursue
her, the girl everyone wanted?
Her: Not really, I don't think
so. Like I said, he tried to get her back, but he couldn't. So he moved on.
Me: So, what happened? Do you
think Joran did this?
Her: Impossible. I mean, I
wasn't there. To say impossible, I mean, could someone have a hidden side? I
suppose. But, no, Joran couldn't do this. Joran couldn't hurt anything. He
wasn't like that. These are good people, always polite and nice, very very nice people. People you like to be with.#
Coming away from speaking
with her tonight I was left with the distinct impression that I had spoken with
a person who seemed genuine and honest, as well as candid. She's well-educated,
accomplished and I was able to verify those facts independent of any means she
could control. I doubt she was even aware I would conduct certain research to
validate her identity (h/t to a friend). While the only eyes of hers I have
looked into are in a picture, one I found, not one she provided, I cannot think
of a single reason why such a nice young woman would lie.
Lastly, when I read her the
two late night emails I received just hours before Joran Van der Sloot's
arrest, she said, "That's Joran."