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Van der Sloot: I'm a Snake

The strange journey of boy who wanted 'to be a lion'

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 14, 2010 4:00 AM CDT

(Newser) – Joran Van der Sloot knows something that shouldn't surprise anyone: "If I had to describe myself as an animal, it would be a snake," he has revealed on YouTube. But he has higher aspirations. "I want to be a lion and one day I will be a lion," he adds. Instead, the reptile-who-wants-to-be-a-wild cat has run a Thai coffee shop, allegedly extorted money, suffered the death of his dad, and gambled professionally. Along the way, he became the prime suspect in the disappearance of one young woman and admittedly killed another.

How did a handsome high school tennis star who grew up privileged in Aruba reach this point? He describes himself on social network and dating sites as "attractive, agnostic, a smoker, regular drinker" who likes "pissing in random places when totally drunk/wasted," reports AP. A friend describes him as "arrogant, like nobody can do anything to me; he wasn't shy about it." One defender, a cousin, described Van der Sloot as seriously twisted, but with an excuse. "I think that Joran needs help," she said. "Because something is bad in his head."

Joran van der Sloot holds his inmate number before being transferred to the Miguel Castro Castro prison in Lima after his arrest in the murder of business student Stephany Flores last month.
Joran van der Sloot holds his inmate number before being transferred to the Miguel Castro Castro prison in Lima after his arrest in the murder of business student Stephany Flores last month.   (AP Photo/America Television Channel, Domingo al Dia)
Joran van der Sloot sits in a car with his father in 2007 after his arrest in Aruba in the disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway.
Joran van der Sloot sits in a car with his father in 2007 after his arrest in Aruba in the disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway.   (AP Photo/Pedro Famous Diaz, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 34 comments
HANKHILL
Jun 20, 2010 9:39 PM CDT
hope soon one day he will be very dead
Eleutherius
Jun 15, 2010 11:05 PM CDT
"One defender, a cousin, described Van der Sloot as seriously twisted, but with an excuse. "I think that Joran needs help," she said. "Because something is bad in his head.""

How is the cousin offering an excuse? We all /know/ something is bad in his head, he murdered two people! It's not like everything can be dandy in your brain but you're still killing people.
kanireally
Jun 15, 2010 10:17 PM CDT
Just another entitled, arrogant @$$hole. Disgusting.
 

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