Joran van der Sloot married Peruvian woman Leidy Figueroa on July 4, 2014, during a ceremony inside Piedras Gordas prison in Peru. Figueroa was pregnant at the time, and their daughter was born in September 2014. In May 2023, van der Sloot’s lawyer told the media that the couple were divorcing. Although recent coverage often describes Figueroa as his ex-wife, the exact date on which their divorce was legally finalized has not been independently established in the sources reviewed. ANDINA – Peru News Agency+3
Introduction
The story of Joran van der Sloot’s wife has attracted renewed attention following the release of Netflix’s 2026 documentary series Taken: Natalee Holloway. While van der Sloot became internationally known because of the disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway in Aruba in 2005, his personal life also made headlines when he married a Peruvian woman while serving a prison sentence.
His wife was Leidy Figueroa, also identified in some reports as Leydi Figueroa Uceda. The couple married on July 4, 2014, at Piedras Gordas prison in Peru. Figueroa was reportedly seven months pregnant when they exchanged vows. Their daughter, Dushy, was born in September of the same year. ANDINA – Peru News Agency+2
However, their relationship did not remain together. In May 2023, van der Sloot’s lawyer confirmed to media outlets that he was getting divorced from Figueroa. Reports also linked him romantically to another woman, Eva Pacohuanaco. The exact legal status and finalization date of the divorce have not been clearly established through publicly available documentation. Fox News+2
Here is what is publicly known about Leidy Figueroa, their unusual prison wedding, their daughter and the reported end of their marriage.
Who Is Joran van der Sloot’s Wife?
Joran van der Sloot married Leidy Figueroa, a Peruvian woman, in July 2014. She became known internationally because of her relationship with van der Sloot, who was already serving a prison sentence for the murder of Peruvian business student Stephany Flores Ramírez.
Figueroa was not a public figure before the relationship attracted media attention. Information about her private life, including her background and professional activities, is limited. Contemporary reporting around the wedding described her as a local Peruvian woman who had connections to the prison where van der Sloot was being held. ANDINA – Peru News Agency+1
Their relationship was unusual because van der Sloot was already incarcerated when they married. The wedding took place inside the prison rather than at a conventional wedding venue.
Figueroa was pregnant with their child at the time. Van der Sloot’s lawyer, Máximo Altez, confirmed the marriage to Peru’s state news agency ANDINA in July 2014. He described the ceremony as brief, with only a small number of guests present. ANDINA – Peru News Agency+1
Figueroa has largely stayed away from public attention since reports of the couple’s separation emerged. There is limited independently verified information about her current employment, personal relationships or day-to-day life.
When Did Joran van der Sloot and Leidy Figueroa Get Married?
Joran van der Sloot and Leidy Figueroa married on July 4, 2014, at Piedras Gordas prison in Peru.
The wedding was widely reported because van der Sloot was serving a 28-year prison sentence for killing Stephany Flores Ramírez in 2010. Rather than waiting until his release, the couple held their ceremony inside the prison. ANDINA – Peru News Agency+1
According to ANDINA, van der Sloot’s lawyer confirmed that the ceremony was conducted by the mayor of Ancón, Jhon Becerra. The wedding reportedly lasted around five minutes and had only four guests.
The lawyer also said that van der Sloot gave his bride a painting as a wedding present. He reportedly expressed a wish to marry her again after leaving prison. ANDINA – Peru News Agency
The wedding attracted international attention for several reasons:
- Van der Sloot was already a convicted murderer.
- He was serving a lengthy prison sentence in Peru.
- His bride was pregnant with their daughter.
- The marriage took place inside a maximum-security prison.
- The couple’s relationship later became the subject of divorce reports.
The wedding was confirmed by van der Sloot’s lawyer and reported by ANDINA, making July 4, 2014, the established date of the ceremony. ANDINA – Peru News Agency+1
How Did Joran van der Sloot Meet Leidy Figueroa?
Reports about the couple’s early relationship indicate that they met through prison visits in Peru.
According to reporting based on comments from van der Sloot’s lawyer, Figueroa had connections to the prison environment and visited an inmate before becoming acquainted with van der Sloot. Some later accounts describe her as helping her parents with a sales business inside the prison.
Their relationship developed while van der Sloot was incarcerated. His lawyer said they had been together for several years before their 2014 wedding. ANDINA – Peru News Agency+2
It is important to distinguish what was publicly confirmed from what was reported through the lawyer. There is no extensive first-hand public account from Figueroa that independently documents every stage of their relationship.
The marriage nevertheless became a notable part of van der Sloot’s personal history because it showed that he had started a family while serving his sentence.
Does Joran van der Sloot Have a Daughter?
Yes. Joran van der Sloot and Leidy Figueroa have one publicly reported daughter together.
Their daughter, identified in reports as Dushy van der Sloot Figueroa, was born in September 2014, approximately three months after the couple’s wedding.
CBS News, citing the family’s lawyer, reported that the child was born on September 28, 2014, at a hospital in Lima, Peru. The lawyer said she was named after van der Sloot’s grandmother. CBS News
The birth received media attention because van der Sloot was serving his prison sentence at the time. He was not living with Figueroa as a typical parent would, and the circumstances of his incarceration made their family situation unusual.
There is limited reliable public information about the daughter’s current life or relationship with her father. As she is a private individual and was a child when the story first became public, details about her personal circumstances should not be assumed or treated as established without credible evidence.
Why Did Joran van der Sloot and Leidy Figueroa Separate?
The couple’s relationship reportedly broke down before van der Sloot’s 2023 extradition to the United States.
In May 2023, van der Sloot’s lawyer told media outlets that his client was getting divorced from Figueroa. Reports also connected the separation to van der Sloot’s relationship with another woman, Eva Pacohuanaco. Fox News+1
According to the lawyer’s account, van der Sloot had asked for a divorce and was interested in pursuing a relationship with Pacohuanaco. The lawyer also discussed the couple’s difficulties and the fact that other women had visited van der Sloot in prison.
These details came from statements attributed to his lawyer and media reporting. They should not be confused with a complete account from both spouses. Figueroa’s full perspective on the breakdown of the marriage is not extensively documented in the reliable public sources reviewed.
Was the Divorce Legally Finalized?
The separation was publicly reported in 2023, and later coverage has commonly referred to Figueroa as van der Sloot’s ex-wife.
However, the publicly available reporting reviewed for this article does not establish a definitive date for a finalized divorce decree. Therefore, it is more accurate to say that the couple were reported to be divorcing in 2023 than to claim a specific legal finalization date. Fox News+1
Who Is Eva Pacohuanaco?
Eva Pacohuanaco is a woman who was linked romantically to van der Sloot after his marriage to Figueroa reportedly began breaking down.
Media reports say Pacohuanaco became involved with him while he was imprisoned in Peru. The relationship attracted additional attention because of allegations involving attempts to bring drugs into the prison.
A 2026 TV Insider report, drawing on earlier media and documentary coverage, says Pacohuanaco claimed she did not initially know the full details of van der Sloot’s situation. She said she believed his account that he was getting divorced. TV Insider
There are important distinctions here. Being described as van der Sloot’s girlfriend does not establish that the two married. Nor does an allegation involving a prison visit establish that Pacohuanaco was convicted of a crime.
Is Eva Pacohuanaco Joran van der Sloot’s second wife?
There is no reliable public confirmation in the sources reviewed that van der Sloot married Pacohuanaco. Figueroa remains the only publicly documented wife identified in the reporting examined for this article.
Why Is Joran van der Sloot Back in the News in 2026?
Van der Sloot’s name has returned to headlines following the release of Netflix’s documentary series Taken: Natalee Holloway in November 2026.
The series revisits the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, an 18-year-old American who vanished during a trip to Aruba in May 2005. Van der Sloot was among the last people known to have been with her before she disappeared.
The case remained unresolved for years. In 2023, van der Sloot pleaded guilty in the United States to extortion and wire fraud charges connected to an attempt to obtain money from Natalee’s mother, Beth Holloway, in exchange for information about her daughter’s disappearance.
The US Department of Justice said he was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty. The department’s October 18, 2023, announcement explained that he had solicited money by promising information about Natalee’s remains and the circumstances of her death. United States Department of Justice
As part of the 2023 proceedings, van der Sloot admitted to killing Natalee. The case remains significant because her remains have never been found. Netflix’s November 2026 coverage also reports that Beth Holloway is pursuing further legal action in the Netherlands. AP News+1
The renewed attention has led readers to search not only for information about the disappearance but also for details about van der Sloot’s family, marriage and daughter.
Joran van der Sloot’s Criminal Cases: Background to His Marriage
Understanding why van der Sloot’s marriage attracted so much attention requires some background about his criminal history.
The Murder of Stephany Flores Ramírez
In May 2010, Peruvian business student Stephany Flores Ramírez was found dead in a hotel room in Lima. Van der Sloot was arrested in connection with her death.
In January 2012, Peru’s judiciary sentenced him to 28 years in prison for qualified murder and simple theft in connection with Flores’s death. The Peruvian judiciary’s official announcement also recorded a civil compensation order for her legal heirs. Poder Judicial del Perú
This was the sentence he was serving when he married Figueroa in July 2014.
The Natalee Holloway Case
Natalee Holloway disappeared in Aruba in May 2005 while on a school graduation trip. Van der Sloot was a central figure in the investigation and was later connected to an extortion scheme targeting her mother.
In October 2023, the US Department of Justice announced that he had pleaded guilty to extortion and wire fraud and received a 20-year sentence. The department stated that the scheme involved promises to reveal information about Natalee’s disappearance and death. United States Department of Justice
The 2023 guilty plea also included an admission that he killed Natalee. However, the US sentence was for the federal extortion and wire fraud charges, not a separate murder conviction for her death. United States Department of Justice+1
His Current Imprisonment
As of the latest November 2026 coverage reviewed, van der Sloot remains incarcerated in Peru. His 20-year US sentence is to run concurrently with his Peruvian sentence, according to the Department of Justice’s case information and subsequent reporting. United States Department of Justice+1
This background is relevant to the story of his marriage because Figueroa married him while he was already serving a lengthy sentence. His imprisonment continued to shape the circumstances of their relationship and family life.
What Has Leidy Figueroa Said About the Relationship?
Public information about Figueroa’s own views is limited compared with the amount of reporting based on statements from van der Sloot’s lawyer.
The lawyer’s comments in 2014 described the couple as being in love and expecting a child. He also rejected suggestions that the marriage was intended to affect possible extradition proceedings against van der Sloot. ANDINA – Peru News Agency
By May 2023, the same lawyer was publicly discussing the couple’s reported separation. His comments formed the basis of several reports about the divorce. Fox News+1
Because much of the public account comes from the lawyer and media reports, it would be inaccurate to present every reported detail as Figueroa’s own confirmed account. She has not provided a comprehensive, widely documented public explanation of the relationship’s end in the sources reviewed.
Where Is Leidy Figueroa Now?
Leidy Figueroa has largely maintained a private life since the reported separation became public.
Recent articles about van der Sloot’s personal history continue to identify her as his former wife and mention their daughter. However, reliable details about her current location, employment, relationship status and daily life are limited.
There is also no well-established public evidence in the sources reviewed that she has remarried. Claims about a new partner or major changes in her personal circumstances should therefore be treated cautiously unless supported by direct statements or credible reporting.
It is important to remember that Figueroa and her daughter are not responsible for van der Sloot’s criminal actions. Their private lives should be treated separately from coverage of his convictions and legal cases.
What Happens Next?
There is no confirmed public announcement in the sources reviewed of a new marriage involving van der Sloot or a major change in Figueroa’s relationship status.
The legal developments most relevant to van der Sloot concern his imprisonment and the continuing efforts by Natalee Holloway’s family to pursue further accountability. Netflix’s November 2026 reporting says Beth Holloway has been working with lawyers in the Netherlands on a murder complaint. That is a reported legal effort, not confirmation that new murder charges have been filed. Netflix Tudum
For readers interested specifically in his wife, the central confirmed facts remain the 2014 marriage to Leidy Figueroa, the birth of their daughter and the lawyer’s 2023 announcement that they were divorcing.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who was Joran van der Sloot’s wife?
Joran van der Sloot married Leidy Figueroa, a Peruvian woman, on July 4, 2014. Their wedding took place inside Piedras Gordas prison in Peru, where he was serving a sentence for the murder of Stephany Flores Ramírez. ANDINA – Peru News Agency
2. Is Joran van der Sloot still married to Leidy Figueroa?
In May 2023, his lawyer told the media that the couple were divorcing. Later coverage commonly refers to Figueroa as his ex-wife. However, the exact date of a legally finalized divorce has not been established in the sources reviewed. Fox News+1
3. When did Joran van der Sloot get married?
He married Leidy Figueroa on July 4, 2014, in a short ceremony at Piedras Gordas prison in Peru. ANDINA – Peru News Agency
4. Does Joran van der Sloot have children?
Yes. He and Leidy Figueroa have one publicly reported daughter, Dushy, who was born in September 2014. CBS News
5. Who is Leidy Figueroa?
Leidy Figueroa is a Peruvian woman who became known internationally after marrying Joran van der Sloot in prison in 2014. She is the mother of his daughter. She has largely stayed out of public attention, and detailed information about her current life is limited. ANDINA – Peru News Agency+1
6. Who is Eva Pacohuanaco?
Eva Pacohuanaco is a woman who was linked romantically to van der Sloot after reports emerged that his marriage to Figueroa was ending. There is no reliable public confirmation in the sources reviewed that he married Pacohuanaco. TV Insider+1
7. Where is Joran van der Sloot now?
As of November 2026, van der Sloot remains incarcerated in Peru. He is serving a 28-year sentence for the murder of Stephany Flores Ramírez, alongside a concurrent 20-year US sentence connected to extortion and wire fraud charges involving Natalee Holloway’s mother. Poder Judicial del Perú+2
8. Did Joran van der Sloot confess to killing Natalee Holloway?
Yes. During the 2023 US federal proceedings, van der Sloot admitted to killing Natalee Holloway as part of the agreement connected to his guilty plea for extortion and wire fraud. However, he was sentenced in the United States for those federal charges, not convicted of a separate murder charge for Natalee’s death in that proceeding.
