Judge Releases The Three

"We promised the suspects that after Dec. 31, we will not pursue the case," Mos told The Associated Press Friday. "This investigation should end at a certain point." Judge Smid.

Aruba Prosecutor

Aruba's chief prosecutor said he will close the case of missing American teenager Natalee Holloway by the end of the month.

Hans Mos, said he would not comment about the kind of evidence his office is reviewing but that he does not anticipate finding Holloway's remains and prosecuting a case without them would be "very hard."
 

Holloway Parents Are Shattered

 No one has been formally charged in the investigation, which critics have said was botched in its early stages by Aruban authorities.

The probe has revolved around three suspects: Joran van der Sloot, a 20-year-old Dutch citizen and brothers Deepak Kalpoe, 24, and Satish Kalpoe, 21, from Surinam.

 

Not Worth Prosecuting

Hans Moe said he imposed the deadline himself earlier this year because he feels two years is a reasonable amount of time for bringing charges against someone.

Mos said he and the Holloway family feel pursuing a minor charge "doesn't serve a purpose." A person convicted of making a body disappear, for example, would serve only six months in prison, he said.

No Body Then No Crime

There was an exhaustive search, nothing was found, and the prosecutor said, "We have a strong conviction that something happened that night, and that it was a very serious thing," Mos said. "The question is whether we are able to prove it."

He said he does not anticipate ever finding Holloway's remains.

"It's very hard to try a case without a body," he said. "It's not impossible, but you need substantial evidence that somebody was killed."
 

Van Der Sloot's Lawyer

"The Aruban prosecution is going around in circles," said Joseph Tacopina, one of van der Sloot's attorneys. "They've bumbled this case from the beginning."

 

Van Der Sloots Detective

Tocopina uses a Lou Levine as an investigator, and Levine says Vand Der Sloot is innocent.