The chief suspect in the Natalee Holloway case is expected to plead guilty in extortion charge

By KIM CHANDLER and SUDHIN THANAWALA
Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The chief suspect in Natalee Holloway’s 2005 disappearance is scheduled to appear in court. He is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to trying to extort money from her mother as part of a plea deal that her attorney says is contingent on providing new information about the missing teen. Thirty-six-year-old Joran van der Sloot, who is charged with extortion and wire fraud, will appear before a federal judge in Birmingham, Alabama, for a plea and sentencing hearing. Attorney John Q. Kelly, who represented Holloway’s mother during the alleged extortion attempt, says the plea deal was contingent on van der Sloot providing details about what happened to Holloway. Van der Sloot is not charged in Holloway’s death.