Shivangi Sinha
In Peacock’s ‘Pathological: The Lies of Joran Van Der Sloot,’ the documentary delves into Joran van der Sloot’s involvement in two murders separated by five years. The crimes include the disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway in 2005 and the murder of Peruvian woman Stephany Flores Ramírez in 2010. The documentary sheds light not only on the crimes but also on the scrutiny faced by van der Sloot’s parents in the media, exploring their responses and countenance throughout the investigations.
Who are Paulus and Anita van der Sloot?
Joran van der Sloot’s parents, Paulus van der Sloot and Anita van der Sloot, initially lived in the Netherlands. Paulus, a lawyer, and Anita, an art teacher, were raising three children, including Joran. When the Dutch government proposed constructing a highway through the Sloots’ estate in Boxtel, Paulus initiated a legal battle against the plan, spanning nearly 20 years. In 1990, the family relocated to Aruba.
Paulus became closely involved with the Aruban government and aspired to work as a judge. Due to the nature of his work, the family developed connections with individuals holding significant positions in the government. However, trouble arose with their son Joran during his teenage years. The documentary reveals that Joran exhibited signs of aggression towards friends, and animals, and even bullied his younger brother. In an attempt to address the issue, Paulus and Anita decided to have him reside in an outhouse within their home compound.
Instead of resolving the issue, confining him to the outhouse granted him more freedom, allowing him to move around the city without interference from his parents. Following his arrest on June 9, 2005, on suspicion of involvement in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, few anticipated that attention would shift towards Paulus as well. Two other boys, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, arrested with Joran, claimed that Paulus had advised them to remain silent and not cooperate with the police. He was subsequently arrested on June 22.
Amidst the media scrutiny, rumors circulated, including one suggesting that he had assisted Joran in disposing of Holloway’s body. Anita, on the other hand, addressed the media during that period and asserted that she did not believe her son was involved in the crime. She insisted that Joran was being unfairly targeted and reassured that his family supported him through the challenging times. Paulus was subsequently released from prison on June 26. Holloway’s mother gave an interview in which she claimed that during a private chat, Paulus had admitted that his son acted out. She alleged that he had admitted to sending Joran to seek the help of a psychiatrist.
Paulus van der Sloot is No Longer Alive and Anita van der Sloot Keeps a Low Profile
In November 2005, Paulus van der Sloot filed a case against the Aruban government, alleging unjust detention. He succeeded in the motion, clearing his name and securing the retention of his contract as a lawyer. In a subsequent motion, he sought monetary compensation, and while he initially won the case, the judgment was later reversed on appeal. In January 2007, he commenced work as the managing partner at the law firm that had represented him in the Natalee Holloway case.
In 2008, Joran van der Sloot provided an interview to a media outlet in which he described an account of what had transpired with Holloway in exchange for money. He asserted that he had sold her to a human trafficking ring in Venezuela, and his father had supposedly aided him by paying off certain police officers who had discovered this information during the investigation. However, he retracted his statement immediately afterward, and it was suggested that his claims were false. He had only given the interview for money.
In January 2010, Paulus departed from the law firm, and in the following month of February, while engaged in a game of tennis at the Tierra del Sol estate in Aruba, he succumbed to a heart attack. Anita van der Sloot subsequently informed the media that Joran was deeply distressed at his father’s funeral, blaming himself for causing undue stress to him. She revealed that before she could converse with him, he left her a note indicating that he was going away and advised her not to worry.
Following Joran’s admission to killing Stephany Flores in June 2010, Anita provided an interview in which she characterized her son as “sick in his head, but he wanted no help.” She disclosed that he had always been deceitful and would slip out of the house to gamble. While she maintained disbelief in his involvement in Holloway’s disappearance, she acknowledged that if he were responsible, he must face the consequences of his actions. She also noted that Joran had not always exhibited such behavior, suggesting that somewhere along the way, he had lost himself to his sinister actions. Anita is still living in Aruba and there was a sighting of her in 2023 but she did not interact with the media at all.
Read More: Eva Pacohuanaco: Where is Joran van der Sloot’s Girlfriend Now?
