Warning: This article contains discussions of child abuse which may be distressing for some readers.
John Ramsey, the father of JonBenét Ramsey—a six-year-old who was murdered in her home 28 years ago—has announced a significant development in the search for her killer.
JonBenét’s body was discovered in the basement of her family’s house in Boulder, Colorado, on December 26, 1996. She had been beaten to death and sexually assaulted, leaving authorities puzzled for years.
That morning, her mother, Patsy Ramsey, contacted the police after finding a ransom note and realizing JonBenét was missing from her bedroom.
The note claimed she had been kidnapped and demanded $118,000 for her return.
Tragically, just hours afterward, her father John Ramsey found JonBenét’s body in the basement.
The case captured national attention, especially after videos circulated showing the young girl in beauty pageants, where she won titles like Little Miss Colorado and National Miss Tiny Beauty.
Initially, local police suspected JonBenét’s parents and her nine-year-old brother, Burke, of involvement until 2008, when a DNA sample from the crime scene revealed it belonged to an ‘unknown male’.
Although the family was exonerated from any involvement in JonBenét’s murder, the person responsible has never been identified. Patsy Ramsey passed away from cancer in 2006 without seeing justice for her daughter.
The case regained public interest through the Netflix docuseries “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey,” released this year.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, John Ramsey expressed hope that the widespread viewership of the series has refocused attention on the case, bringing them closer to finding justice for JonBenét, despite the influx of false leads.
He recounted receiving a letter from a woman who accused her ex-husband of the murder, but the lead proved unreliable as she didn’t respond to his call.
At 81, John said he has encountered similar situations with roughly half a dozen unproductive leads, yet he diligently forwards all information to a private investigator for examination.
John also mentioned two key developments in the investigation. A detective, whom he described as an obstacle, has been disciplined and retired, with a new police chief appointed, and the FBI is now involved.
The family is urging the new chief to perform further tests on the unidentified DNA, noting its pivotal role in cracking other cold cases.
The FBI has also constructed a profile of the suspect, suggesting he was in his 20s or 30s at the time and had an obsession with movies.
The ransom note was characterized by the FBI as a ‘fantasy’ and deemed to have been written by a ‘psychopath,’ lacking normal emotional responses and possibly exhibiting sadistic tendencies previously, according to John.
If you are affected by these issues or wish to talk confidentially about child welfare, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD or 1-800-422-4453) is available 24/7 and takes calls from the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico.