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Tuesday, June 7, 2005

Attorney says he expects clients to be accused of homicide

ORANJESTAD, Aruba (CNN) -- Prosecutors in Aruba decided to further detain two hotel security guards in the disappearance of an Alabama student based on what authorities called "a reasonable suspicion" they were involved in "criminal acts" related to the case.

Asked Tuesday if the men were to be charged with homicide and kidnapping, prosecution spokeswoman Vivian van der Biezen said, "I cannot confirm it. I think I will be able to confirm it tomorrow."

Natalee Holloway, 18, vanished eight days ago while on a graduation trip to Aruba with about 100 of her high school classmates accompanied by parent chaperones.

Prosecutors decided to detain the suspects for another eight days. They are to appear in court Wednesday. Acting on a tip, police arrested the pair Sunday morning in the oil-refining town of San Nicolas.

Van der Biezen would not elaborate about evidence gathered in the investigation, but she did say that authorities would not have prolonged the detention if they only had circumstantial evidence.

Defense lawyer Chris Lejuez said he expects his clients to be formally accused of homicide, being accomplices to homicide, and of kidnapping leading to homicide.

He said his clients are innocent. The guards -- ages 28 and 30 -- worked at Hotel Allegro in Oranjestad near the Holiday Inn where Holloway was staying.

Lejuez said the men were not working the night Holloway disappeared.

"They had not been near the hotel at that hour at that time," he said. "So, there is no reason for them to have to admit to something that they did not do."

He said he has not been able to see the full statements his clients have made to police.

Aruba police spokesman Edwin Comenencia said authorities have received more than 200 tips and that searchers continue to comb the island for Holloway, including dive teams that are searching the coastal waters.

"The investigation is ongoing," he said. "All options are open."

Police, Dutch marines, FBI agents and hundreds of volunteers have been scouring the Caribbean island for the straight-A student who earned a full scholarship to attend the University of Alabama this fall. (Profile)

A reward of $55,000 has been offered for any information leading to her whereabouts.

Authorities said some searchers were focusing on the eastern tip of the island, the same area searched Sunday by Dutch marines, and near San Nicolas where the suspects were arrested.

Police said officers were pressing the two men for clues to Holloway's whereabouts, but they were not cooperating.

Police also want to find out if the suspects had any connection to three other men in whose company Holloway was last reported seen.

Holloway last seen leaving club

Holloway -- from the affluent Birmingham suburb of Mountain Brook -- was last seen leaving Carlos 'n' Charlie's, an Oranjestad nightclub, in the wee hours of May 30.

Witnesses said she left in a car with three local men.

Authorities said the men told police they took Holloway to nearby Arashi Beach before bringing her to her hotel at 2 a.m., authorities said.

Holloway's uncle, Paul Reynolds, said he was told security cameras did not show his niece returning to the hotel that night, according to an Associated Press report. Police declined to comment on that report, the AP said.

She is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall and 110 pounds.

People with any information are encouraged to call a tip line at 1-877-628-2533.

CNN's Karl Penhaul contributed to this report.