It’s been almost three decades since the body of JonBenét Ramsey was found in the basement of her family’s home in Boulder, Colorado, on Boxing Day in 1996 and still no one has been formally charged with the six-year-old child beauty pageant winner’s mysterious death.
But all that could change if her father, John Bennett Ramsey, 80, is correct about a hunch he’s held for years.
He recently appeared on the podcast True Crime News, where he revealed he believes the homicide squad that was investigating JonBenét’s death failed to conduct sufficient forensic examinations on seven key items found throughout the Ramsey home.
“My worry is that they’ve lost the evidence or misplaced it, therefore we can’t test it,” he shared. “I hope I’m wrong as it would be devastating if that were true.”
The untested items in question include, among other things, the handle of the garrotte used to choke JonBenét and the ransom note.
“We would like the untested items to be tested. We would then use the familial DNA research capability to find the killer,” John said in a plea to police.
“We’re not asking you to clear us or apologise – just to do the things that can be done.”
The case is set to garner even more interest with the announcement that a new drama series about the unsolved murder, starring Melissa McCarthy, is set to start production soon.
The investigation
JonBenét was first reported missing by her mother Patsy at 5.52am on 26 December. She had discovered a three-page ransom note on the stairs.
It demanded $190,000, which, strangely, was the exact amount John had received as a work bonus the year before.
The police were called immediately and began searching for the little girl but found no trace of her.
Incredibly, JonBenét wasn’t discovered until that afternoon, when John found his deceased daughter in the basement. She had apparently been garrotted and struck on the side of her head.
In the following days, JonBenét’s parents and her older brother Burke, then nine and now 37, were questioned and submitted DNA tests.
The Ramseys were the main suspects in the early days of the investigation. It focused on the strange ransom letter that demanded a relatively small amount and claimed to come from a “small foreign faction”.
There was intense media speculation about the multi-millionaire couple’s possible involvement. Patsy in particular came under scrutiny for her unusual behaviour during the investigation, and how she had put her daughter in beauty pageants that saw the little girl get heavily made up and dress in elaborate, expensive outfits.
The couple hired publicists, lawyers and their own private investigators. When police claimed they had evidence of Patsy lying, she snapped back, “Bring it on!”
Over the years, there were many alleged theories speculated on in the media. That John had been sexually abusing JonBenét, that her brother Burke may have hit his sister in the head or that Patsy had been angered by JonBenét wetting the bed.
Former Boulder detective Steve Thomas claimed in his 2001 book, “The little girl was killed by a family member, whom I believe to have been her panicked mother. Her father, John Ramsey, opted to protect his wife in the investigation that followed.”
Police initially focused on the family’s involvement. However, by mid-1997, more than 1600 people were named among the persons of interest.
In 1999, a jury set up to consider indicting the Ramsey family for charges relating to the case, including obstruction and placing a child at risk in a way that led to her death, was dismissed.
It wasn’t until after Patsy’s death in 2006 from ovarian cancer that the DNA of the “unknown male” at the crime scene cleared the family of involvement in 2008.
Untested evidence
John Ramsey claims seven items found throughout his family home were sent for forensic examination early in the investigation. However, they remain untested to this day.
These items include the handle of the garrotte found around JonBenét’s neck, a suitcase that was found propping up a window in the basement, the ransom note found on the stairs, a piece of rope from the guest room, a torch found on the kitchen counter, a piece of black duct tape that covered JonBenét’s mouth and a Dr Seuss book in the suitcase.
Holding on to hope
Since JonBenét’s death, the Boulder Police Department has followed up 21,000 tips, letters and emails. It has also spoken with around 1000 individuals across 19 states in their quest to find the culprit.
Boulder’s chief of police Maris Herold says they are still working with law enforcement agencies as well as forensic labs to solve the case.
“This crime has left a hole in the hearts of many. We will never stop investigating until we find JonBenét’s killer,” he says.
The current theory is that the “unidentified male” killed JonBenét. In the past, at least two men have confessed, but DNA has disproved their claims.
John is still hopeful that one day he will know the truth.
“This is a cloud that hangs over our family and it’s not fair,” he says. “My goal is to get an answer as to who did this for the sake of my family, my children and their children.”
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