New Arrestee in Holloway Case First Questioned By Police a Year Ago

April 20, 2006— -- The 19-year-old man arrested last weekend as a new potential suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway was first questioned by police in the earliest stages of the investigation almost a year ago, ABC News has learned.

Geoffrey van Cromvoirt was arrested following "chatter" generated after the Dutch equivalent of "America's Most Wanted" aired a reenactment of Holloway's disappearance, sources told ABC News. Van Cromvoirt's sister, who is a police officer, played an on-camera roll on the program, ABC News has learned.

In the Dutch reenactment, a mysterious white car follows the one Holloway is in with Joran van der Sloot, the Dutch teen long suspected in the case, the night of her disappearance. On Wednesday, a similar car was spotted parked in front of van Cromvoirt's gated home.

While van Cromvoirt faces hours of more police interrogation, Dutch and Aruban Coast Guard ships have returned to search the waters off Aruba with sonar devices.

Van Cromvoirt is being held as a possible suspect, not a witness, although van der Sloot remains the chief suspect. Van der Sloot has repeatedly denied being involved in Holloway's disappearance. Police won't say whether the two men knew each other, but van der Sloot's lawyer has said his client does not know van Cromvoirt.

Holloway has been missing since she disappeared on May 30, 2005, while on a class trip to Aruba. Van Cromvoirt worked for a private security company that patrols beaches outside Aruba's hotels. Holloway was last seen leaving an Aruba bar with van der Sloot and Surinamese brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, who were held for 25 days before being released. Van der Sloot has said he left Holloway on a beach near her hotel after they had kissed.

Van Cromvoirt's family runs the security company, according to Joseph Tacopina, the attorney for van der Sloot. The company provides security for the Aruban government and private companies, including the Holiday Inn, where Holloway had been staying, he said. The company installed the security camera and patrols the beach. Van Cromvoirt was part of the team that patrolled the Holiday Inn's beach in the early hours of the morning, according to Tacopina.

ABC News' Neal Karlinsky reported this story for "Good Morning America."