(NewsNation) — Authorities are planning to extradite Joran van der Sloot, the main suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, from Peru to the U.S. in June.
“It’s a very complicated process,” former FBI agent Tracy Walder told NewsNation.
It’s not clear exactly where van der Sloot will be housed, but he is expected to remain in a federal prison as the case proceeds. Walder cautioned people that it may take time for the case to proceed, if it goes to trial at all. It’s not yet clear how van der Sloot will plead.
Holloway was visiting Aruba on a senior trip when she disappeared in 2005. Her case made headlines as her family and friends searched for her. Although Holloway is believed to be dead, her body has never been found.
Holloway was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot and two other men. Repeated efforts were made to arrest van der Sloot and the other men over the years, but each time they were released on lack of evidence.
“The reality is, they didn’t have anything tying him to Holloway’s murder, what they really have is extortion and wire fraud,” Walder explained.
In 2010, van der Sloot reportedly offered to tell Beth Holloway, Natalee’s mother, where Natalee’s body was in exchange for money. The information he provided in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars turned out to be false, according to lawyers.
“I don’t know of any parent who wouldn’t pay whatever it takes to find out what happened to their child, and he preyed on that,” Walder said.
Van der Sloot was charged with wire fraud in relation to that incident, as well as to the murder of Stephany Flores, who allegedly found information related to Holloway on his computer. He is sentenced to 28 years in prison in Peru, where the murder took place.
Peruvian authorities initially offered to extradite van der Sloot to the U.S. after he finished his prison sentence, but this month reversed course and agreed to extradite him to Alabama, where he will face charges for wire fraud and extortion.
Officials are now saying van der Sloot should be extradited to the U.S. in early June.