Quick Info
| Profession | Convicted murderer and former extortionist |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Date of Birth | 06/08/1987 |
| Age | 39 years |
| Birthplace | Arnhem, Netherlands |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
Latest News about Joran van der Sloot
Newly released FBI surveillance footage, featured in the Netflix docuseries 'Taken: Natalee Holloway', shows him discussing a $250,000 payment from the Holloway family in exchange for information about her remains. In the recording he reportedly claimed his father had buried her in a property's foundation. The footage has renewed attention on the 2010 extortion attempt.
He petitioned Peruvian authorities for a transfer to another prison, saying he was being threatened with death by fellow inmates at Challapalca. He said the prison administration had agreed to the move, but a judge still needed to approve it. His request was pending as of late August 2026.
He was reportedly found hanging from a strip of blanket in his cell at Challapalca prison, in an apparent suicide attempt, according to Peruvian outlet La Republica. He was reported to be in stable condition but remained under observation afterward. He was serving a 28-year sentence for the 2010 murder of Stephany Flores Ramirez at the time.
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Bio/Wiki
| Summary | Dutch national who is serving a prison sentence in Peru for the 2010 murder of Peruvian business student Stephany Flores Ramirez. He is also the prime suspect in the 2005 disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway in Aruba, and confessed to killing her in October 2023 while pleading guilty to related charges. Her remains have never been found, and he has not been convicted of her murder. |
|---|---|
| Current Status | As of November 2026, he is reported to be held at Challapalca prison, a maximum-security facility in the Andes of southern Peru. In August 2026 he petitioned for a transfer, and as of late August a judge had not ruled on the request. |
Personal Life
| Marriage | He married his pregnant Peruvian girlfriend in a ceremony held inside prison. |
|---|---|
| Detention | He has been transferred between Peruvian prisons, including after a dispute with a prison warden. |
| Spouse | Leidy Figueroa |
Relationships & More
| Natalee Holloway | American teenager who disappeared in Aruba in May 2005; he was the last person known to have been with her. |
|---|---|
| Stephany Flores Ramirez | Peruvian business student whose body was found in a Lima hotel room registered under his name in 2010. |
Family
| Father | Paulus van der Sloot, who was arrested as part of the Holloway investigation and died of a heart attack in 2010. |
|---|---|
| Mother | Anita van der Sloot |
| Siblings | Two brothers |
Career
| Extortion | In 2010 he offered to reveal the location of Natalee Holloway's remains for $250,000; the information was false and he was charged in Alabama with extortion and wire fraud. |
|---|---|
| Drug Trafficking | In January 2023 he received a further sentence of 18 years and four months for cocaine trafficking committed while in prison. |
| Extradition | Peru temporarily extradited him to the United States, and he arrived in Birmingham, Alabama, in June 2023 before being returned to Peru. |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. He was reported to have fled to Chile before the Flores body was discovered and was detained in a taxi after crossing the border from Peru in 2010. | |
| 2. He has made and retracted several confessions about Natalee Holloway's disappearance over the years. | |
| 3. In 2026 Beth Holloway filed a criminal complaint against him in the Netherlands. | |
| 4. Aruba's statute of limitations for manslaughter reportedly expired after 12 years, so he cannot be prosecuted there for Holloway's death. |
