On November 30, 2007, a judge ordered the release of Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, despite attempts by the prosecution to extend their detention. The two brothers were released on the following day. The prosecution appealed the Kalpoes' release. That appeal was denied on December 5, 2007, with the court writing, "Notwithstanding expensive and lengthy investigations on her disappearance and on people who could be involved, the file against the suspect does not contain direct indications that Natalee passed away due to a violent crime". Van der Sloot was released without charge on December 7, 2007, due to lack of evidence implicating him as well as a lack of evidence that Holloway died as the result of a violent crime. The prosecution indicated it would not appeal.
On December 18, 2007, prosecutor Hans Mos officially declared the case closed, and that no charges would be filed due to lack of evidence. The prosecution indicated a continuing interest in the Kalpoes and Joran van der Sloot (though they are now no longer legally suspects), and alleged that one of the three, in a chat room message, had stated that Holloway was dead. This was hotly contested by Deepak Kalpoe's attorney, who stated that the prosecution, in translating from Papiamento to Dutch, had misconstrued a reference to a teacher who had drowned as one to Holloway. Attorney Ronald Wix also stated, "Unless (Mos) finds a body in the bathroom of one of these kids, there's no way in hell they can arrest them anymore".
On January 31, 2008, Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries claimed that he had solved the Holloway case. De Vries stated that he would tell all on a special television program on Dutch TV on February 3. Beth Twitty's attorney, John Q. Kelly, told ABC News that he had little faith that the supposed evidence would prove pivotal to the case and suggested that it would be quickly debunked.
The broadcast aired February 3, 2008. The broadcast included excerpts from footage recorded from hidden cameras and microphones in the vehicle of Patrick van der Eem, a Dutch businessman and ex-con, who gained Van der Sloot's confidence. Van der Sloot was seen smoking marijuana and stating that he was with Holloway when she began convulsively shaking, then became unresponsive. Van der Sloot stated that he attempted to revive her, without success. He said that he called a friend, who told Van der Sloot to go home and who disposed of the body. An individual reputed to be this friend, identified in the broadcast as Daury, has subsequently denied Van der Sloot's account, indicating that he was then in Rotterdam at school.
On February 8, 2008, Van der Sloot met with Aruban investigators in the Netherlands. Van der Sloot denied that what he said on the tape was true, stating that he was under the influence of marijuana at the time. Van der Sloot indicated that he still maintains that he left Holloway behind on the beach.
On March 20, 2009, Dave Holloway flew a search dog to Aruba to search a small reservoir in northern Aruba, previously identified by a supposed witness as a possible location of Natalee's remains. Aruban authorities indicated that they had no new information in the case, but that Holloway had been given permission to conduct the search.
On February 23, 2010, it was reported that Joran van der Sloot had stated in an interview (first offered to RTL Group in 2009) that he had disposed of Holloway's body in a marsh on Aruba. New chief prosecutor Peter Blanken indicated that authorities had investigated the latest story, and had dismissed it. Blanken stated that "The locations, names, and times he gave just did not make sense".
An underwater photograph taken by an American tourist while snorkeling in October 2009 was publicized in March 2010 after the photographer stated that the image depicted something on the sea bed which resembled human remains. Aruban authorities indicated that they would send a dive team to examine the site.
Beth Twitty alleged in televised interviews that Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers know more than they have told, and that at least one of them sexually assaulted or raped her daughter. Twitty has stated that she has received copies of police statements stating that Joran van der Sloot admitted having sex with Holloway at his home and described intimate details of her. She has never released copies of the alleged statement, though she characterizes them as admissions of "sexual assault" and Vinda de Sousa, former Holloway–Twitty family Aruban attorney, has indicated that no such admission was made. In addition, Dompig has denied that any such statement was made, stating that Van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers consistently denied having sex with Holloway.
Twitty has been criticized for her focus on Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers, to the exclusion of any other theory as to what happened to Holloway. According to the lawsuit filed by the Kalpoe brothers, she has (on various television programs) repeatedly accused them, and Joran van der Sloot, of "sexual assault" and "gang rape" of her daughter.
Following the airing of the De Vries program, Beth Twitty, adhering to the position that the tapes represent the way events transpired, told the "New York Post" that she believes her daughter might still be alive if Van der Sloot had called for help. She contends that Van der Sloot dumped Holloway's body, possibly alive, into the Caribbean. Twitty also alleges that the individual Joran van der Sloot supposedly called that evening was his father, Paulus, who, according to Twitty, "orchestrated what to do next". She, and Dave Holloway, alleged that Joran van der Sloot was receiving "special legal favors". After the court decision not to rearrest Van der Sloot was affirmed, Twitty stated, "I think that what I do take comfort in, his life is a living hell", later adding, "I'd be good with a "Midnight Express" prison anywhere for Joran.
Twitty's book "Loving Natalee: A Mother's Testament of Hope and Faith",written under the name "Beth Holloway", which she has resumed following her divorce from Jug Twitty, was released on October 2, 2007. The release was accompanied by a number of TV appearances, including a full hour on "On the Record". A television movie, titled "Natalee Holloway", based in part on Beth Twitty's book, was made by LMN (formerly the Lifetime Movie Network). Twitty has continued to make television appearances when there were new developments in the case.
In October 2008, the Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) announced plans to create a television movie, "The Natalee Holloway Story", based on Beth Twitty's book "Loving Natalee: A Mother's Testament of Hope and Faith". The senior vice president of original movies, Tanya Lopez, stated in the announcement that the network was "pleased to be working closely with Natalee's mother" and that they intended to tell the story of Holloway's disappearance "sensitively and accurately". The movie was expected to focus on Beth Twitty's involvement in the search for Holloway. The movie, which aired April 19, 2009, under the title "Natalee Holloway", stars Tracy Pollan as Beth Holloway, Grant Show as George "Jug" Twitty, and Amy Gumenick as Natalee Holloway. The movie brought in the highest television ratings in Lifetime's 11-year history, with average viewership of 3.2 million people and more than 1 million women in the 18-49 age bracket. Although the movie set ratings records for Lifetime, the movie was not received well by critic Alec Harvey of "The Birmingham News". Harvey called the movie "sloppy and uneven, a forgettable look at the tragedy that consumed the nation's attention for months".