WHAT WAS JULIA RENFRO'S ROLE IN THE NATALEE HOLLOWAY INVESTIGATION?

The Strategic Communications Task Force

Who We Are “The Strategic Communications Task Force is a working group established in Aruba to address the issues surrounding the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The Task Force includes representatives from AHATA (Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association), ATA (Aruba Tourism Authority), business and government leaders……”

"The Strategic Communications Task Force’s goal is to stay abreast of all developments in the Natalee Holloway disappearance, verify if information given is truthful and bring forward the correct facts when necessary. The Task Force also aims to inform the public and media whenever there is information that can be shared and monitor media coverage both locally and internationally in an effort to prevent and minimize any damage to the economic well being of Aruba."
http://www.aruba.com/holloway/taskforce.htm

Was Julia Renfro instructed to lie to the American citizens via the International media, thereby providing a completely incorrect view of the investigation as it progressed?

1. THE TALL DUTCH BOY WITH BLUE EYES

Julia Renfro attempts to distance Joran Van der Sloot from implication in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway as well as discrediting Beth Twitty when she stated that Beth told her that Natalee had phoned home and shared that she was in love with a tall Dutch boy with blue eyes. Gerold Dompig states that there are two declarations from Julia Renfro regarding this issue - declarations that have yet to be revealed.

Julia Renfro - The O'Reilly Factor - Dec. 7, 2005
O’REILLY: ... Now in the article, in the magazine, it states that you, Julia, had a conversation with Natalee’s mother Beth Holloway Twitty whereupon she told you that Natalee had mentioned another boy she was involved with on the island. Now Natalee’s mother denies that conversation. What say you?

RENFRO: ... What she told me on the 31st of May was that Natalee had met a tall Dutch boy with blue eyes. She’d met him. He spent some time with them, meaning the other Mountain Brook kids, as well, throughout their entire vacation.

O’REILLY: Another guy involved. You know, so you’re at odds with Natalee’s mother at this point, Julia?

RENFRO: Well, you know, we’ve — we’ve had a tough time. We’ve had a tough time, because I really went all out for her to help her and her family do everything possible to find their daughter Natalee.

O’REILLY: All right. So you’re standing by your story that she told you that Natalee told her there was a Dutch boy down on the island she liked with blue eyes. You’re standing by that?

RENFRO: Absolutely.

Gerold Dompig - VANITY FAIR - Jan. 2, 2006
According to Dompig, Beth Twitty had contact with her daughter while she was in Aruba. Dompig tells Burrough he has taken two statements from journalist Julia Renfro, as well as a worker at the Holiday Inn, and both claim Beth Twitty told them she had gotten a call from Natalee, who said she was in love with a tall, blue-eyed Dutch teenager. “We need to know the truth,” says Dompig. “Joran did not have blue eyes, so who was this boy?” Beth strenuously denies making any such statements, or having talked with Natalee while she was away.

HOWEVER ...

According to Beth Twitty, there was no contact between mother and daughter throughout the Aruban holiday and Natalee did not have an international calling plan. Also, Mountain Brook students deny that Natalee had any relationship with a tall, blue-eyed Dutch teenager.

Clint Van Zandt - 'The Abrams Report' - April 25, 2005
CLINT VAN ZANDT, FORMER FBI PROFILER: Yes we would. You know, a number of things, Dan. Number one, we‘ve got at least three different stories that implicate this man. Number one, there‘s this female cab driver who says that Natalee and her friends talked about this blond-haired, blue-eyed Dutch kid who Natalee really liked, was really hitting on. Beth refutes that; Natalee‘s mother refutes the statements. The students in the United States refute the statements.

Beth Twitty - 'The Abrams Report' - April 19, 2006
ABRAMS: Beth, any truth to this, I don't know if it's rumor or report, et cetera, that Natalee had said something to you about having a crush on a blonde haired, blue eyed boy in Aruba?

TWITTY: Dan, there's just—there's no truth to that at all. You know Natalee had not called me. She didn't have international calling on her phone and no she never—her friends said that this never happened, it was never mentioned. And just simply it's just another rumor that had started and it's just not true, Dan.

Beth Twitty - On the Record w/ Greta - April 18, 2005
TWITTY: ... But you know, I think there were some rumors circulating earlier on, maybe in the fall, about Natalee had met someone — a blue-eyed Dutch national — and it's just simply not true. There just was no truth to the rumors that were coming out of Aruba that Natalee had met him.

2. JORAN, DEEPAK AND SATISH - GOOD REPUTATIONS

Julia Renfro claims that as an editor she was privy to information that implied that Joran, Deepak and Satish were highly regarded on Aruba.

Julia Renfro - 'The Abrams Report' = June 17, 2005
ABRAMS: Bottom line, does everyone on the island, I mean is it small enough such that you know a little bit the three other men who are under arrest as well?

RENFRO: Well, it‘s a small enough island to know enough about everybody. Do I know them personally? No. But have I heard about them? Yes. And from my position in the newspaper, we‘re always covering all of the wonderful things that happen on Aruba and you know, they have good reputations.

HOWEVER ...

Another Aruban editor voices a contrary opinion regarding the reputation of Joran Van der Sloot.

Jossy Mansur - NANCY GRACE - Aug. 2, 2005
MANSUR: ... At school, he`s been in problems many times. He`s been allowed to gamble at 17 years of age, to enter casinos, which is prohibited in Aruba. He`s been allowed to drink at all these nightclubs that we see him partying. He`s a party boy. And I don`t know how they can serve him drinks, being 17 years old.

3. THE ALE CONNECTION

Why is the editor of an Aruban newspaper given direct inside information by those within the investigation regarding details relating to the Natalee Holloway case?

Julia Renfro - The O'Reilly Factor - Dec. 7, 2005
JULIA RENFRO, EDITOR, ARUBA TODAY: Well, it’s not really what I believe, but I did speak to the Commissioner Dompig earlier today, and I asked him, "What did you mean by they hurt the investigation?" And he said he’s not blaming them specifically for anything, but that their attacks via the U.S. media certainly changed the tide of the investigation, basically, pressuring the police to make what they felt, believe it or not, premature arrests of the suspect.

Julia Renfro - The O'Reilly Factor - Dec. 7, 2005
O’REILLY: OK. But Natalee’s mother denies the conversation totally. And what’s his name, Van Der Sloot, Joran Van Der Sloot doesn’t have blue eyes.

RENFRO: Right. That’s — that’s where there’s question.

O’REILLY: So the police are drawing a conclusion there was another man.. .

RENFRO: Right.

Julia Renfro - The O'Reilly Factor - June 9, 2005
Aruba newspaper editor Julia Renfro joined The Factor with the latest information on the case and the five men in custody. "The police told us that they have solid evidence against two of the men. The other three were considered as witnesses against those two men."

Julia Renfro - On the Record w/ Greta - April 5, 2006
RENFRO: Well, basically, Chief Dompig will remain in the position that he has always had and that commissioner of Oranjestad. Richardsonm on the other hand is the commissioner of the Noord district and the Noord residential area as well. Now, it is my understanding that while the Chief superintendant is abroad he will be replaced by Richardson, not Dompig.

VAN SUSTEREN: Why would Dompig want off this case? He has just gone on CBS 48 hours and said he was at a critical stage in this investigation. That is what they told 48 hours and he also said he believes it is alcohol and drugs. Making a rather profound announcement and then on Monday says he wants off.

RENFRO: Well, he actually said this last September. He was only suppose to be on the case for about six weeks. He was actually manhandling two positions by doing both the Noord district as well as the Oranjestad district. So, you know, this was a hefty handful here and Richardson who has been on the case since day one under Van der Straaten has continued on in Van der Straaten’s position. So it is really not as comical as people are making it out to be.

VAN SUSTEREN: I would not use the word comical. It’s more baffling. Why, if you got the deputy chief who’s been the person out front in what is perhaps the most important murder investigation going on in Aruba and who has just told CBS 48 hours that they were at a critical stage of the investigation suddenly says "Oh yeah, I wanted off last September. I want off again now and then leaves."

RENFRO: Well, I believe we are in a situation where Richardson is actually more qualified in this critical stage that we are in at this point.

VAN SUSTEREN: And more qualified than Dompig? Why was Dompig on this so long then?

RENFRO: Well, it’s my understanding that that is basically what Richardson was doing was he was doing the hard work, the behind the scenes work and it has just come to a point where Dompig has decided where he needs to move on.

Credit: Brandi (BFN)

4. THE DOUBLE AGENT

Was Julia Renfro placed in a position by the "powers that be" in the investigation to assure that all pertinent information that had the ability to implicated Joran or Paulus could be directed accordingly? Could this explain why Julia Renfro's cell number was printed on the Natalee Holloway Missing posters?

Julia Renfro - 'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' - Dec. 5, 2005
VELEZ-MITCHELL: ... You are mentioned quite a bit in this article, and basically, what it says is you were friends with Beth, you initially championed her cause and helped searched for Natalee.

JULIA RENFRO, “ARUBA TODAY” NEWSPAPER: Yes, I did. Actually, you know, everything you just said is absolutely correct, in that I went all out to help Beth in every way, to help find her daughter.

Julia Renfro - The O'Reilly Factor - Dec. 7, 2005
RENFRO: Well, you know, we’ve — we’ve had a tough time. We’ve had a tough time, because I really went all out for her to help her and her family do everything possible to find their daughter Natalee.

5. THE BLAME GAME

We do believe that Julia Renfro is attempting to obscure the issue. It is not Natalee's parents who are creating chaos on the Island of Aruba. As Beth Twitty implies in her defense of the boycott, it is a corrupt investigation - a corrupt investigation that is distancing Paulus and Joran Van der Sloot from being implicated in the events of that fateful morning.

Julia Renfro - DANA PRETZER SHOW - Mar. 26, 2005
RENFRO: Large groups of people have been canceling their trips to Aruba.”

PRETZER: You are a parent and I am a parent. This is a parents worst nightmare.

RENFRO: … the parents had lost their child, but they created massive chaos on an innocent island of 100,000 people.

HOWEVER ...

Beth Twitty - CBS NEWS - Mar. 25, 2006
Last fall, Twitty called for a boycott of Aruba. The island’s tourism industry has suffered: Travel bookings are off more than 4 percent from a year ago. Does she still support a boycott of Aruba?

“The only leverage that we have in getting any traction in the investigation is when they feel the effects of a boycott,” says Twitty lost their child, but they created massive chaos on an innocent island of 100,000 people.

6. THE RACE CARD

Julia Renfro claims that the detainment of the security guards was not a racial issue - that Aruba has no such distinctions.

Julia Renfro - CNN - June 15, 2005
She insisted the reasons behind the guards' arrest had nothing to do with race. "Locally there was never even a mention or a breath of concern that this was a racial issue nor a status issue," Renfro said.

HOWEVER ...

Ann John claims that race definitely factored into the detainment of her son, and her son concurs.

Ann John - NANCY GRACE - June 9, 2005
GRACE: Miss John, your son (Mickey John) is one of the two security guards that were first arrested, not one of the three young men that were last seen with Natalee. It`s my understanding that there is some belief a racial bias is happening. Do you think that?

JOHN: I do think so.

Ann John - CNN - June 15, 2005
"The problem is, and I will say it plain, they have a color question in Aruba." Ann John said.

Mickey John - On the Record w/ Greta - June 29, 2005
JOHN: Well, I guess they wanted (INAUDIBLE) maybe the Dutch guy have some power on them, they all friends, and the family stick and talk and say, "We're going to stick to that, and that's it," you know? Trade in some black guy, scapegoat, lock him up, I guess so.

7. THE PUSHING INCIDENT

Julia Renfro claimed that there was an incident when an upset Jug Twitty used physical force against her.

Julia Renfro - 'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' - Dec. 5, 2005
JULIA RENFRO, “ARUBA TODAY” NEWSPAPER: ... And at some point, I believe it was early July, her husband, Jug, got very upset with me and actually physically pushed me and yelled and screamed at me in foul language in front of my children.

HOWEVER ...

Beth Twitty concedes that the situation was tense but states Jug did not use physical force against Julia, and Beth implied that there were other witnesses present at the alleged incident who would concur.

Beth Twitty - 'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' - Dec. 5, 2005
BETH: Well, Jane, you know, tempers—you know, you are frustrated. We were searching for answers. But as far as Jug physically pushing Julie Renfro, no, that did not happen. I was there. There was another witness there with us, and also a cab driver was there. I‘m sorry that—if she felt that—misconstrued that situation. But there were senior several witnesses there, and no, he did not physically push her, but there was a heated moment, yes.

8. IMPLICATING THE SECURITY GUARDS

Julia Renfro claims that there was no reason to disbelieve Joran, Deepak and Satish when they implicated the security guards.

Julie Renfro - CNN - June 15, 2005
Renfro said police arrested the black guards "because the three boys pointed their fingers at these two security guards, and they couldn't leave that out of the loop. There was no reason to believe the boys were lying."

HOWEVER ...

Beth Twitty had already revealed to Aruban officials that the Holiday Inn security cameras did not record Natalee returning to the hotel, nor meeting up with any security guard in the lobby.

Beth Twitty - 'Rita Cosby Live & Direct' - Dec. 5, 2005
TWITTY: ….. within 72 hours, we knew that their first story was totally fabricated, that within the first 72 hours, I faced a room of 12 -- at least 12 detectives, Aruban and Dutch detectives, and a lead detective, Dennis Jacobs (ph), and they knew after we reviewed video footage from the Holiday Inn casino lobby that my daughter had never been brought back to the Holiday Inn. They knew that those suspects were fabricating a story from day one. You know, we—and what was so unbelievable about this, is they knew this information and still chose to pursue the two security guards on June the 5th.

9. WHERE DID THE SOLID EVIDENCE GO?

Julia Renfro's inside information implies that there is "solid evidence" against the security guards.

Julia Renfro - The O'Reilly Factor - June 9, 2005
Aruba newspaper editor Julia Renfro joined The Factor with the latest information on the case and the five men in custody. "The police told us that they have solid evidence against two of the men. The other three were considered as witnesses against those two men."

HOWEVER ...

Within four days a government spokesperson refuted Julia Renfro's words. R

uben Trappenberg - Associated Press - June 13, 2005
Authorities had freed John and another former hotel security guard, Abraham Jones, 28, late Monday. Trappenberg said earlier their release "probably means they had nothing to do with this case and prosecutors were able to check out their alibis."

10. CALL ME HOOTIE

There were those who ridiculed Beth Twitty in regards to the "Hootie" reference that appeared on the Natalee Holloway Missing posters. At the Birmingham Meeting in October, 2006, Beth revealed when responding to a question from an attendee that Julia Renfro was the instigator.

Beth Twitty - Birmingham Meeting - Oct. 28, 2006
20. The "Call me Hootie" poster... what is the explanation of that?

TWITTY: This poster is the first that was distributed in Aruba. The Kidnapped posters that were made up to be put up were not allowed to be used. The Call me Hootie poster idea came from Julia Renfro.

Credit: Debbie (BFN)

This collusion and corruption needs to be exposed, stopped, and the participants brought forth to answer for their actions to their own citizens, the US media, the US citizens, and most importantly – to Natalee Holloway’s family.

Natalee and her family deserve justice, and we will not let up until they have it! Natalee's Freebirds