The father of slain child beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey continues his quest for justice through advanced DNA testing of crucial evidence from the decades-old murder case.
According to the Daily Mail, John Ramsey believes seven key pieces of evidence could finally solve his daughter's brutal murder that occurred in their Colorado home on December 26, 1996.
The six-year-old's parents initially reported her missing after discovering a ransom note demanding $118,000. Hours later, John Ramsey found his daughter's body in their basement, having been battered and strangled with a crude garrote device. Though the Boulder DA officially cleared the family in 2008 and issued an apology, no one has ever been charged with the crime.
John Ramsey, now in his eighties, maintains that unidentified male DNA found at the crime scene could identify the killer through modern testing methods. The evidence includes DNA found under JonBenét's fingernails and in her underwear, which didn't match any family members. Former Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner admitted in 2015 that crime scene evidence may have been mishandled, potentially affecting the investigation.
Detective Lou Smit discovered several pieces of physical evidence during the investigation that remain untested or could benefit from advanced analysis. These include a length of rope found in the guest bedroom next to JonBenét's room that none of the Ramseys could identify and a suitcase positioned beneath a basement window that may have been used by the perpetrator to enter or exit.
John Ramsey explained his continued pursuit of justice to CBS, stating:
Finding the killer isn't going to change my life at this point. But it will change the lives of my children and grandchildren. This cloud needs to be removed from out family's head.
The crude garrote device used in the murder, constructed from a paint brush handle and cord, contained male DNA that John Ramsey claims was never properly tested. He expressed frustration about this oversight to True Crime News, questioning why such a crucial piece of evidence wasn't thoroughly examined from the beginning.
A white blanket found wrapped around JonBenét's body could also hold vital DNA evidence. John Ramsey discovered his daughter's body covered in this blanket, with duct tape over her mouth and her hands tied behind her back. The Boulder Police Department has faced criticism over their handling of DNA evidence throughout the investigation.
The lengthy ransom note, written on Patsy Ramsey's personal stationery, remains a controversial piece of evidence. Though handwriting analysis suggested similarities between Patsy's writing and the note's script, this could never be conclusively proven. The three-page document demanded an unusually specific ransom amount and contained multiple misspellings.
In 2022, John Ramsey supported an online petition requesting Colorado's governor to put an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. The Boulder Police Department responded by strongly denying claims they were neglecting viable evidence or leads, though Police Chief Stephen Redfearn acknowledged past investigative shortcomings.
JonBenét's stepbrother John Andrew Ramsey suggested in a recent Netflix documentary that authorities may have been ruling out potential suspects incorrectly if the existing DNA evidence isn't as reliable as previously thought. This could include Gary Oliva, a convicted pedophile who confessed to accidentally killing JonBenét but was cleared through DNA testing.
The case has gained renewed attention through the Netflix series, which examines the reliability of early DNA testing and questions whether certain suspects were prematurely eliminated from consideration. The documentary highlights the need for advanced testing of all available physical evidence.
The murder of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey remains one of America's most infamous unsolved cases nearly three decades after her death in Boulder, Colorado. Seven pieces of physical evidence, including DNA samples and items from the crime scene, could potentially identify her killer through modern testing methods. While her father, John Ramsey, continues pushing for independent analysis of this evidence, the Boulder Police Department maintains they are actively pursuing all viable leads in their investigation.
