Natalee Holloway: It Ain't Over? (OPEN THREAD, Y'ALL)

Radio Netherlands is telling the world that the mystery of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway from the island of Aruba has been solved. Peter R. de Vries, a Dutch TV journalist, seems to think that his hidden camera investigations in Aruba have uncovered what really happened the night of May 31, 2005.

The journalist has turned his info over to the Aruban prosecutors, and he plans to tell the story during a TV special airing on Sunday in the Netherlands. While de Vries has not made a public statement about the past suspects in the case, it is interesting to note that he recently had a televised run-in with the former prime suspect in the Holloway disappearance, Joran van der Sloot. The video of the incident is at the bottom of this post. It took place on a Dutch news program after van der Sloot underwent what he apparently thought was some pretty rough questioning by de Vries.

This is an open thread. So anyone out there not tired of discussing the Holloway disappearance, start yer yakkin' in the comments on this post.

UPDATE, 02/01/08, 11:44 a.m. ET

MSNBC is reporting that Joran van der Sloot has been re-arrested. Aruban prosecutors will neither confirm nor deny the report.

UPDATE, 02/02/08, 10:33 a.m. ET

CNN corrects the record here. Joran van der Sloot's arrest has been requested by Aruban prosecutors.

UPDATE, 02/03/08, 11:23 a.m. ET

This blog outlines what it says are the basics of Joran's alleged confession. Essentially, Joran supposedly told an acquaintance that Natalee died on the beach that night, after sex with Joran. A panicked van der Sloot called his buddy, former party boat DJ Steve Croes. The pair then allegedly took Natalee's body out to sea on this very boat, where they dumped her, presumably in deep water.

Poker with a Predator?

I've got a new, true-crime related post up at RadarOnline.com. The title of this entry gives you a pretty good idea as to what my "Fresh Intelligence" post is about:

"NBC's Poker After Dark Player's Child Molesting Past."

The piece above is about Shahram "Shawn" Sheikhan, a pro poker player who was -- well, go read the article. I owe a hat-tip to Lost in Lima Ohio for the heads-up on the story.

All I'll say here about the "Iron Sheik" is this: he could present an opportunity for NBC to produce its ultimate mashup show, pitting Sheikhan against lowlifes from Dateline's "To Catch a Predator" series. He could play poker with past "Predator" faves like "Zima-toting buckass nekkid dude in a ball cap" and "wispy-mustached computer geek looking to finally lose it to a hot little Lolita." As each predator/player entered the room, Chris Hansen would naturally play host, addressing each participant with what has become Hansen's "Predator" anthem -- "Why don't you have a seat, right over there..."

I've also got another Idol post up there... about *yawn* American Idol auditions in *yawn* -- Omaha. Yeah. They were that thrilling.