A decades-old unreleased interview between Barbara Walters and the parents of murdered child pageant star JonBenet Ramsey has emerged, shedding new light on the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death.
According to Fox News, John Ramsey suggested in the previously unaired 2000 interview that his daughter's killer may have been motivated by the specific amount mentioned in the ransom note, which matched his bonus that year.
The interview's resurfacing coincides with the November release of Netflix's documentary "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey."
During the conversation with Walters, John Ramsey addressed the peculiar ransom demand of $118,000, acknowledging its connection to his bonus amount that year. His wife Patsy, who passed away in 2006, confirmed she was unaware of the bonus amount at the time of the incident.
The case has seen renewed attention under the Boulder Police Department's new leadership. Stephen Redfearn, who became the fifth police chief to oversee the case since 1996, assumed his role on September 6. John Ramsey, now 80, has expressed optimism about this change in leadership and continues to advocate for further investigation into his daughter's murder.
The investigation has faced numerous challenges over its 28-year span. Despite a grand jury's 1999 indictment of both John and Patsy Ramsey for child abuse resulting in JonBenet's death, then-District Attorney Alex Hunter declined to sign the indictment, citing insufficient evidence. The prosecutors eventually dropped their case against the parents in 2006.
Recent developments have focused on DNA testing capabilities. John Ramsey has been vocal about his desire for the Boulder Police Department to transfer evidence to the FBI for advanced testing, particularly regarding the unidentified male DNA discovered in 1997.
Multiple pieces of evidence from the crime scene remain untested using current DNA technology. These items include the garrote found around JonBenet's neck, the ransom note, a suitcase believed to be used by the killer to escape, an unidentified flashlight discovered on the kitchen counter, and an unknown rope found in her brother Burke's room.
Barbara Walters questioned John Ramsey about the ransom note's specific amount, to which he responded:
Well, that was one of the theories that I came up with, that it was close to the net amount I'd received that year as a bonus. One-eighteen means something to the killer. We know that. We believe that. Whether it's tied to my bonus or something only the killer knows, we don't know.
The Boulder Police Department has maintained its commitment to the investigation. In a September statement, they confirmed Chief Redfearn's ongoing communication with the Ramsey family, indicating no plans to alter this approach.
JonBenet Ramsey would have turned 34 in August 2024, marking almost three decades since her tragic death in her family's Boulder, Colorado home the day after Christmas. Her father continues to seek justice, pressing for modern DNA testing of evidence and maintaining dialogue with law enforcement.
The case remains one of America's most infamous unsolved murders, with John Ramsey actively pursuing new avenues for investigation.
His recent advocacy for FBI involvement and advanced DNA testing represents his ongoing determination to identify his daughter's killer, while new police leadership offers a fresh perspective on this decades-old case.
