Top Stories of the Week
Joran van der Sloot Admits to Killing Natalee Holloway, Faces Extortion and Wire Fraud Charges
Natalee Holloway and Joran van der Sloot
Birmingham, Alabama - In a significant revelation, Joran van der Sloot, the primary suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway in Aruba, confessed to her murder, said US Federal Judge Anna Manasco on Wednesday.
Van der Sloot’s confession came amidst charges of extortion and wire fraud related to an alleged attempt to sell information about Holloway’s remains to her family for $250,000. The whereabouts of Holloway’s remains continue to elude discovery, leading to her legal declaration of death in 2012 by an Alabama judge.
In an emotionally charged court session, Holloway’s mother, Beth, confronted van der Sloot, condemning his almost two-decade-long denial.
Illinois Man Charged with Hate Crime for Fatal Stabbing of Boy and Attack on Woman Due to Islamic Faith
Wadea Al-Fayoume and Joseph M. Czuba
Plainfield Township, Illinois - In a horrifying hate crime on Saturday in Plainfield Township, Illinois, 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume was stabbed to death, while his mother sustained severe injuries. The Will County Sheriff's Office believes the motive behind this violence was the victims' Muslim faith.
The assailant, Joseph M. Czuba, 71, is currently held at the Will County Adult Detention facility. He faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of committing a hate crime, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Attorneys for Richard Allen, Delphi Murder Suspect, Unexpectedly Withdraw from Case
Andrew Baldwin, Richard Allen and Bradley Rozzi
Delphi, Indiana - Special Judge Fran Gull announced on Thursday that attorneys representing the Delphi murder suspect, Richard Allen, have withdrawn from the case. Allen is facing charges for the February 2017 murders of Abby Williams and Libby German near Delphi’s Monon High Bridge.
Scheduled for a 2 p.m. appearance in the Allen County court on Thursday, Allen was absent when the court session began around 2:30 p.m. The delay, which Judge Gull described as stemming from an “unexpected turn of events,” lasted half an hour. Upon commencement, Judge Gull clarified that Allen’s attorneys, Andrew Baldwin and Bradley Rozzi, had stepped down from their roles in the case.
In Other Crime News
Port-au-Prince, Haiti - Former Justice Official Arrested in Connection to Haitian President’s Assassination. Read More.
Canberra, Australia - Australia Fines Social Media Platform X $385,000 for Lack of Transparency on Child Sexual Exploitation Content. Read More.
Sacramento, California- California Family Trio Pleads Guilty in $600 Million Catalytic Converter Heist. Read More.
Miami, Florida - Conor McGregor Avoids Charges in Sexual Assault Accusation at Miami’s Kaseya Center. Read More.
Camden County, Georgia - Georgia Police Release Bodycam Video in Fatal Shooting of Previously Exonerated Black Man, Leonard Allen Cure. Watch Video.
CrimeDoor Blog
Snapshots of Justice: The Evolution and Impact of Crime Scene Photography
Standing to document the worst parts of human nature cannot be easy. But that’s precisely what crime scene photographers do each day in order to bring justice to victims.
Their lenses capture the silent and stark details that become critical to so many investigations. We often see their images in true crime documentaries or news reports and they offer us a glimpse into the depth of their important work. But what’s behind these powerful photos? The truth is crime scene photography has a rich history and continues to experience exciting advancements that improve investigators’ ability to find the truth.
Crime History
OCTOBER 13, 1891 - Ellen Donworth
Ellen Donworth, a 19-year-old sex worker, departed her Westminster Bridge Road home sometime between 6-7 p.m. on October 13, 1891, to meet a man at London’s York Hotel. At some point in the evening, Donworth accepted a drink from a man she did not know. Shortly after, Donworth was found outside a bar, violently ill. She was taken back to her home, where she perished on October 16.
An autopsy confirmed the drink she’d been given was laced with strychnine. On her deathbed, Donworth identified the man who gave her the drink, stating he was “a tall gentleman with cross eyes, a silk hat, and bushy whiskers gave me a drink twice out of a bottle with white stuff in it.”
Shortly after Donworth’s death, a letter arrived at the coroner’s office offering help in finding her killer for £300,000. The handwriting in the letter was connected to Dr. Thomas Cream, who was going by the name Dr. Thomas Neill. Cream also sent a letter to a local bookshop owner accusing him of the murder and asking for money for his silence. Cream, who became known as the “Lambeth Poisoner,” was convicted of poisoning a man in the United States in 1881. He was eventually arrested for the murder of four women. He was convicted and executed by hanging in 1892.
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