Netflix's 'Taken: Natalee Holloway' Reveals What Happened to Joran van der Sloot After Shocking Confession

Joran van der Sloot remains behind bars in Peru after confessing to killing American teenager Natalee Holloway nearly two decades after she disappeared in Aruba. His admission in 2023 finally provided Beth Holloway with an account of what happened to her daughter after years of uncertainty, but van der Sloot has never been convicted of Natalee's murder, despite admitting to killing her in 2023.

Netflix's three-part documentary, Taken: Natalee Holloway, revisits the case and examines how van der Sloot's confession came about, the crimes that led to his imprisonment and the latest efforts to pursue further justice for Natalee.

The series, released on 4 November 2026, features interviews with Beth, Natalee's friends and people involved in the investigation, alongside previously unseen footage from the FBI's efforts to expose van der Sloot's extortion attempt.

Joran van der Sloot Confessed To Killing Natalee Holloway in 2023

Natalee disappeared on 30 May 2005 during a graduation trip to Aruba. The 18-year-old from Mountain Brook, Alabama, was last seen leaving a nightclub with van der Sloot and brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe. She never returned to her hotel, and her remains have never been found.

For years, van der Sloot gave conflicting accounts of what happened that night and denied responsibility for her disappearance.

The breakthrough came in October 2023, when he pleaded guilty to federal extortion and wire fraud charges in the United States. The charges related to his 2010 attempt to extort $250,000 (£185,575) from Beth Holloway in exchange for information about Natalee's remains. He received $25,100 (£18,632) before providing information he later admitted was worthless.

As part of his plea agreement, van der Sloot provided an account of Natalee's final moments. He said they had gone to a beach after leaving the nightclub, where she rejected his advances. He then admitted kicking her in the face before using a concrete block to smash her head. He subsequently disposed of her body in the ocean, and her remains have never been found.

The confession was presented to Beth, who described hearing it as a moment when her long-running nightmare finally ended.

In the documentary, she recalls watching van der Sloot give his account and thinking: 'My nightmare is over.'

Why Is Joran van der Sloot in a Peruvian Prison?

Van der Sloot's imprisonment is connected to another murder. In May 2010, five years after Natalee disappeared, he killed 21-year-old Peruvian student Stephany Flores Ramírez in a hotel room in Lima. He was arrested in connection with her death and subsequently convicted in Peru.

In 2012, he received a 28-year prison sentence for Flores' murder. He was subsequently convicted of drug trafficking while incarcerated in Peru and received an additional 18-year sentence in 2023. However, Peruvian law limits the combined prison term in his circumstances to 35 years, with his release projected for 2045.

However, the American sentence was ordered to run concurrently with his Peruvian sentence. This means the two terms are served at the same time rather than consecutively.

Following the US proceedings, van der Sloot was returned to Peru. As of the latest available reports in August 2026, he remained at Challapalca prison, although he had requested a transfer after alleging threats from fellow inmates. His transfer request was awaiting judicial consideration.

Has Joran van der Sloot Been Charged With Natalee's Murder?

Despite his confession, van der Sloot has not been formally charged with Natalee's murder. The 2023 proceedings in the United States concerned extortion and wire fraud, not a murder prosecution. His admission was part of the agreement connected to those federal charges.

Beth has continued pursuing legal options. In a November 2026 interview, she revealed that she had been working with Dutch lawyers Royce de Vries and Annemiek van Spanje on a murder complaint against van der Sloot.

The complaint is intended to encourage Dutch authorities to consider prosecuting him for Natalee's killing. Beth said prosecutors were obtaining documents and case files as part of the process. However, no Dutch murder charges have been announced, and the submission of a complaint does not guarantee a prosecution.

Beth Holloway Says Her Fight for Justice Is Not Over

Although the confession brought an end to years of uncertainty, Beth does not consider her efforts complete. Speaking about her continued pursuit of accountability, she said, 'The nightmare's over, right? But I'm not done yet.'

Her latest legal efforts represent another chapter in a case that attracted international attention and left Natalee's family searching for answers for almost 20 years.

For Beth, knowing what happened to her daughter has finally ended the torment of uncertainty. But as Taken: Natalee Holloway makes clear, her pursuit of justice continues, even as van der Sloot remains imprisoned in Peru.