Joran van der Sloot's recent confession that he killed Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway in Aruba in 2005 has brought closure to a nearly 20-year mystery. Van der Sloot's confession came as part of a plea agreement in the extortion and fraud case against him. Court documents reveal that the Dutch national detailed how he killed Holloway, 18 at the time, on a beach in Aruba after she rejected his sexual advances. He admitted to bludgeoning her with a cinder block and disposing of her body in the ocean. This confession, along with years of detailed case files and the blessing of Holloway's mother, led to the recent breakthrough in the case.

The FBI played a significant role in this investigation, with a spokesperson stating that the Birmingham team of agents had done extensive homework and preparation over the course of 18 years. They reviewed van der Sloot's prior statements and conducted thorough investigative work. The FBI also had regular contact with Holloway's mother, who had been advocating for justice for her daughter since her disappearance. Beth Holloway was kept informed and gave her blessing before the plea deal was finalized.

Van der Sloot, currently serving a 28-year prison sentence in Peru for the murder of Stephany Flores in 2010, was extradited to the US in June to face charges of extorting and defrauding the Holloway family. He pleaded guilty to these charges in an Alabama federal court, and his 20-year sentence will be served concurrently with his existing sentence in Peru. Despite his confession, it is unclear whether he will face additional charges in Aruba. The statute of limitations for murder in Aruba is 12 years, but the case remains open, and the Aruba prosecutor's office has requested documents from the US Department of Justice pertaining to the investigation.

Beth Holloway, in a recent interview, described her daughter as someone who "fought like hell" in the moments before her brutal murder. She expressed pride in Natalee for standing her ground and resisting her killer. Holloway also mentioned that listening to van der Sloot describe the gruesome details of her daughter's death was excruciating but necessary for closure. Natalee's father, Dave Holloway, called van der Sloot "evil personified" during the court proceedings.

Despite the confession, the likelihood of van der Sloot facing charges in Aruba is uncertain due to the statute of limitations. However, the authorities have not ruled it out completely and stated that the investigation remains open. The spokesperson for the prosecutor's office in Aruba emphasized that they will follow up on any serious leads.

With the plea agreement and confession, Beth Holloway expressed a sense of peace and victory. She stated that even though van der Sloot's apology seemed insincere, she now has the answers she has been seeking for the past 18 years. Van der Sloot's lawyer confirmed that he will be returning to Peru to continue serving his sentence. The Holloway family lawyer did not provide immediate comment on the recent developments.