The murder of JonBenet Ramsey

JonBenet Ramsey Biography

(1990–1996)
JonBenet Ramsey was a 6-year-old beauty queen who was found murdered in her parents' Boulder, Colorado, home on December 26, 1996

Synopsis

JonBenet Ramsey was born on August 6, 1990, in Atlanta, Georgia. The daughter of a socialite and a wealthy businessman, she was a 6-year-old beauty queen who was found murdered in her parents' Boulder, Colorado, home on December 26, 1996. Still unsolved, the murder led to one of the most publicized police investigations of the 1990s. In 2008, new DNA technology cleared all members of her family.

Mysterious Death

Born on August 6, 1990, in Atlanta, Georgia, JonBenet Ramsey was the daughter of a socialite and a wealthy businessman. She was a 6-year-old beauty queen who was found murdered in her parents' Boulder, Colorado, home on December 26, 1996. Still unsolved, the murder led to one of the most publicized police investigations of the 1990s.

Noticing that JonBenet was not in bed that morning, Patsy Ramsey called the police after finding a ransom note demanding $118,000 for her daughter's safe return. The girl's body, however, was discovered in the basement later that afternoon. She had a skull fracture and had been sexually molested and strangled with a cord.

Investigation

What followed was what some say were unforgivable errors by the Boulder Police Department. The crime scene was compromised when John Ramsey brought his daughter upstairs; the Ramseys were not immediately and separately interviewed.

For the next four years, the investigation came up short, with the Ramseys themselves as lead suspects. The evidence, though circumstantial, crucified the Ramseys in the eyes of the public: The ransom note was written on paper belonging to the Ramseys; fiber found on the duct tape used to bind the child was consistent with that found on Patsy's clothing.

On December 13, 1999 the Boulder grand jury brought the $2 million investigation to an inconclusive close. The Ramsey family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and published a memoir, The Death of Innocence, in 2000 to counter the media persecution they felt had ruined their lives.



Clearing the Ramsey Family

Patsy Ramsey died June 24, 2006 of ovarian cancer at the age of 49.

In July 2008, new "touch DNA" technology cleared all members of JonBenet Ramsey's family in the 1996 killing. Boulder County District Attorney Mary Lacy formally apologized in a letter to John Ramsey for the cloud of suspicion his family had lived under for nearly 12 years.

http://www.biography.com/people/jonbenet-ramsey-12986606#clearing-the-ramsey-family





LOOKING BACK ON ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST SENSATIONAL MURDER MYSTERIES: THE JONBENET RAMSEY TIMELINE OF TRAGEDY



December 26, 1996: JonBenet Ramsey, 6, is found dead in the basement of the family's Boulder home, several hours after her mother called 911 to say the girl was missing and that she had found a ransom note. She was killed after she was strangled and suffered a fractured skull


January 1, 1997: Patsy and John Ramsey appear in first TV interview to protest their innocence


April 30, 1997: They undergo formal interviews at the Boulder County Justice Center


May 20, 1997: Mrs Ramsey, who authorities believe could have written the ransom note, gives them a fifth handwriting sample


Summer 1997: The Ramseys move from Colorado to Atlanta


March 12, 1998: Boulder police ask the DA to take the case to a grand jury


June, 1998: Boulder police present the results of their investigation to Hunter's prosecutorial team and outside advisers; the Ramseys are interviewed separately over three days by investigators


August 12, 1998: Authorities say the Ramsey case will go to a grand jury and the following month, it begins


October 13, 1999: The grand jury disbands and the DA announces there is not enough evidence to file charges against the couple


March 29, 2001: The Ramseys file an $80 million libel and defamation lawsuit against officers at the Boulder Police Department who agree to an undisclosed settlement in the case


March 31, 2003: Federal judge says evidence is 'more consistent with a theory that an intruder murdered JonBenet than it was with a theory that Mrs. Ramsey did'


December 2003: New DA confirms that DNA from a spot of blood from JonBenet's underwear has been entered into the FBI's national database - but that it's not from her family


June 24, 2006: Patsy Ramsey dies in Roswell, Georgia, at age 49, from ovarian cancer


August. 16, 2006: John Mark Karr, a 41-year-old American school teacher who confessed to the crime, is arrested in Bangkok, Thailand - but his DNA does not match that found on the body


July 9, 2008: DA makes public a letter she has written to John Ramsey explaining that new DNA tests have convinced her that no member of the Ramsey family should remain under any suspicion


September 2010: Reports surface that police seek to re-interview JonBenet's brother Burke, who had been 9 at the time of her death, as they continue to investigate the death


July 21, 2011: John Ramsey remarries to Jan Rousseaux, 53, a designer


June 14, 2012: A. James Kolar, who worked as an investigator in the DA's Office, writes in a new book that the Ramsey family 'may have been involved at least as an accessory after the fact'


October 23, 2013: Judge rules that the court will release grand jury indictment about the Ramseys


October 25, 2013: Indictment is released, revealing that in 1999 it accused the Ramseys of two counts each of child abuse resulting in death in connection to the first-degree murder of JonBenet




.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2582916/JonBenet-Ramsey-death-house-listed-2M-owners-list-FOURTH-time-2008.html#ixzz3Al2JAhpm















25 October 2013 Last updated at 20:19


.JonBenet Ramsey: Grand jury voted to charge parents in case




A Colorado grand jury was prepared to charge the parents of a slain six-year-old beauty queen in her death, newly released court documents in the 17-year-old murder case show.

The panel voted in 1999 to charge JonBenet Ramsey's parents with fatal child abuse and "accessory to a crime".

But prosecutors declined to try John and Patsy Ramsey on any charges.

JonBenet's body was found brutally beaten and strangled in her Boulder, Colorado, home in December 1996.

The Ramseys always maintained their innocence.

Lin Wood, a lawyer for John Ramsey, said the documents released on Friday meant "absolutely zero" to the investigation.

"The documents today are a mere historical footnote, a small glimpse into the grand jury proceedings," Mr Wood said in a statement. "It's four pages of what would have likely been hundreds of volumes of testimony and exhibit."

The prosecutor at the time, Alex Hunter, has not commented about the newly released documents. Patsy Ramsey died of cancer in 2006.

Unsolved

Videos of JonBenet Ramsey's performances in beauty pageants opened a window into a subculture of which many Americans had been unaware

The investigation into JonBenet's death gained national attention in the US after grisly details of the crime and videos of the girl performing in beauty pageants were publicised.

The Ramseys were never charged, and DNA evidence eventually suggested someone else killed the girl. In 2008, prosecutors formally exonerated them in the murder and publicly apologised.

Her killing remains unsolved.

The release on Friday of the grand jury indictments came after a lawsuit by the Boulder Daily Camera newspaper and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP).

The 1999 documents show the grand jury moved to charge Mr and Mrs Ramsey with child abuse resulting in death and with being an accessory to a crime.

The documents allege the couple placed their daughter "in a situation which posed a threat of injury to the child's life or health" which led to her death, and then helped the killer evade discovery and prosecution.

Alex Hunter, the Boulder County district attorney at the time, declined to sign the indictments, effectively dropping the charges.

"I and my prosecutorial team believe we do not have sufficient evidence to warrant the filing of charges against anyone who has been investigated at this time," Alex Hunter, the Boulder County district attorney, said in 1999.

Analysts say it is uncommon for a district attorney not to sign off on a grand jury decision.

'Not a family member'

US grand juries are convened in secret and tasked with determining whether enough evidence exists to bring a suspect to trial. But prosecutors must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in order to convict - a substantially higher bar.

JonBenet's body was found in the basement of her home on 26 December 1996 after her parents reported her missing. Her skull was fractured and she had been strangled.

The couple offered a $100,000 (£61,700) reward for information about the killer. The Boulder police were also faulted for botching the initial search of the Ramseys' home.

In 2008, former District Attorney Mary Lacy publically apologised to the Ramseys after new DNA evidence suggested the killer was not a family member.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24675182

A very interesting article on this by the former detective on the case. Was on the 'ask me anything on Reddit' (whatever Reddit is) Which he thought the interview would not go out in the public domain.

Daily Mail covered it. The original was on their website Saturday but an updated version was posted yesterday.

Worth a read.

Here it is Andrew, yes good article.  Parents should be questioned separately.......


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2969242/Detective-Jon-Benet-Ramsay-s-murder-completes-Reddit-AMA.html

http://justiceformaddie.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/jon-benet-ramsey-offers-insight-into.html  

This is a cracking read, and the similarities between this case and the case of Madeleine are spooky.  I think it illustrates the problems faced by the Bolder police in prosecuting the case against the parents  Jonbenet too had a detective avenger, Steve Thomas, that the parents were determined to ruin, tragic that it has taken to many years for him to be vindicated.

However, the Ramseys were powerful and influential before their daughter was killed, and they had connections the McCanns could only dream about.  Kate and Gerry are nouveau riche, they came to prominence through the loss of their daughter - their powerful friends are/were transient.  Jonbenet didn't have an Operation Grange, Madeleine does, lets hope those investigating this, are doing so on her behalf.

That's a good read.

Interestingly, despite a homicide detective declaring their innocence, a massive pr campaign, suing the lead detective for defamation and the Boulder County District Attorney finally exonerating them, the Ramseys never have and never will shake off the suspicion that they were involved in JonBenet's death.

Cristobell Author ‏@RosalindaHu  

#mccann  http://cristobell.blogspot.co.uk/
A 30 minute must see - Who killed #Jonbenet Ramsey?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl5Ll3sLFs8 …

What an eye opener that is, shocked I am. How Mrs R could sit and deny it was her handwriting under the photos beggars belief! Thanks for posting and to Cristobell for bringing it to our attention.

I don't think that the writing was proved conclusively to be hers but the note was written with a pen and on paper that was in the house.

JonBenet Ramsey's Brother Breaks His Silence Nearly 20 Years After His Sister's Murder

Nearly 20 years after his sister was murdered, JonBenet Ramsey’s brother will speak publicly for the first time about the unsolved event that has gripped America.

Burke Ramsey, 29, will appear in a special three-part season premiere on Dr. Phil starting Monday, September 12, about the case that made headlines around the world.

During the series, he will reveal never-before-heard details about the case, according to the show.

His pageant star sister, then 6, vanished on Christmas Day 1996. Burke was 9 at the time.

JonBenet's body was found the next day in the basement of her family's home, just a day after she was reported missing. She had been beaten and strangled on December 26, 1996, hours after her family reported her missing on Christmas Day.

In 2008, JonBenet’s parents, John and Patsy, were cleared as suspects in their daughter’s death. At the time, Patsy had been dead for 2 years after a battle with ovarian cancer.

No one was ever charged in the little girl’s death.


http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/17822-jonbenet-ramseys-brother-breaks-his-silence-nearly-20-years-after-his-sisters-murder

Interesting - but I wonder if, like a certain pair of U K twins - he has any genuine memories of the event and not what his parents instilled in him.

I have belatedly watched some of the video posted earlier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl5Ll3sLFs8

I had to stop watching because Patsy Ramsey has the same effect on me as Kate McCann - sending my blood pressure up with her lies and arrogance.

I have heard from a friend who has watched it all that it is very interesting and there appears to be no doubt that Patsy alone was responsible for the murder and that John covered it up to protect her.

I watched it - it`s obviously her handwriting.  I hadn`t seen her being questioned by the police before and she is so obviously trying to con the policeman and not doing it very well.

Not only trying but succeeding.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/could-jonbenet-ramseys-murder-finally-8652215

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3745256/This-unlike-ransom-note-ve-seen-Original-investigators-team-new-experts-examine-evidence-murder-JonBenet-Ramsay-including-controversial-demands-letter-new-CBS-true-crime-series.html

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2016/08/17/dr-phil-teases-interview-with-jonbenet-ramseys-brother.html

Just a few of the articles out today on this.

What was the video you posted on 17th August, Andrew? It's no longer available.

I can't remember now...

I'm sure it was a teaser trailer for this new upcoming documentary. Although why it's been whooshed, I have no idea.

Freedom wrote:Interesting - but I wonder if, like a certain pair of U K twins - he has any genuine memories of the event and not what his parents instilled in him.  

As I said before, it will be interesting to know what he has to say but I have reservations on whether his memories are independent ones.

Freedom wrote:

Freedom wrote:Interesting - but I wonder if, like a certain pair of U K twins - he has any genuine memories of the event and not what his parents instilled in him.  

As I said before, it will be interesting to know what he has to say but I have reservations on whether his memories are independent ones.

I think this new documentary will be a load of tosh to be honest. I don't think the brother had anything to do with it but has probably been brainwashed so much ever since that any recollection on his part will be cloudy to say the least. Truth and facts mixed up with fiction and lies.

It was the late mother Patsy for me who was responsible and the husband assisted in the cover up. Imo etc.

I certainly agree.

I'm sorry of course that Patsy died young but she really was a nasty piece of work.

Indeed. And AFAIK she wrote the "kidnap" letter ...

Absolutely she did. I read somewhere that another letter (first draft) was found in the bin as well. Although I can't recall where I read it.