Joran van der Sloot admits to killing Alabama teen Natalee Holloway -- but her body will never be found, judge says

Almost two decades after Natalee Holloway vanished in Aruba, the man long suspected in her death has confessed to killing the Alabama teen in grisly detail, court documents reveal.

Joran van der Sloot's confession was publicized shortly after he pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to extorting and defrauding Holloway's family.

He was accused of trying to sell information about the location of Holloway's remains to her mother, Beth Holloway, in exchange for $250,000.

"It's over. Joran van der Sloot is no longer the suspect in my daughter's murder. He is the killer," Beth Holloway said Wednesday.

"After 18 years, Natalee's case is solved," she said. "He gave a proffer in which he finally confessed to killing Natalee."

In a proffer, a defendant offers information they know about a crime, often as part of a plea deal.

Van der Sloot, 36, admitted to killing the teen with a cinder block on an Aruban beach after she rejected his sexual advances, according to a transcript of an interview with his attorney.