Spoiler alert: This article contains potential spoilers for the Netflix docu-series Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey.
NOTICE: This article contains disturbing subject matter, including references to child murder and violence.
Netflix’s new documentary Cold case: who killed JonBenét Ramseyoffers new insight into one of America’s most infamous unsolved murder cases and the investigation into his parents. Directed and produced by Joe Berlinger, the documentary explores the tragic true story of the murder of 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey and the impact of the initial investigation and media coverage. The docu-series includes interviews with key figures important to the case, including JonBenét’s father, John Ramsey, and her older half-brother, John Andrew.
Two people who were extensively investigated were JonBenét’s parents, John and Patsy Ramsey. Since the murder in 1996, John and Patsy Ramsey were questioned and investigated by authorities, and their parenting skills have been scrutinized by the media. Nearly three decades after her daughter’s death, the documentary, which joins Netflix’s growing list of the best true crime series, takes a deeper look at JonBenét’s murder and the reasons why her parents were treated as suspects.
John and Patsy Ramsey were suspects in JonBenét’s death since she was discovered in the family home
JonBenét Ramsey’s body was discovered in the family’s basement
In the Netflix documentary, John Ramsey narrates the events of his daughter’s murder. Ramsey recalls how, on December 26, 1996, the Ramseys planned to travel from Colorado to Michigan to visit family. In the morning, Patsy Ramsey discovered a ransom note saying “We have your daughter“and demanding money. Upon discovering that JonBenét was missing from her room, the police were called and an investigation was launched. Seven hours after her disappearance, JonBenét’s body was discovered by her father in the family basement; it was determined that she had died due to strangulation and traumatic brain injury (via Today).
The case immediately escalated from kidnapping to murder; quickly attracted national media attention due to the sensational nature of JonBenét’s death and the strange circumstances. It was the first and only homicide in Boulder, Colorado, in 1996. Early media reports criticized the Boulder Police Department’s initial investigation as they failed to cordon off the house as a crime scene. and did not conduct a thorough search of the house before JonBenét’s body was found. Retired detective Bob Whitson admitted in the docuseries that he made a mistake and “should have removed all those people from the scene“but also states that it initially seemed”a legitimate kidnapping.“
The media also questioned why it was John Ramsey who discovered his daughter’s body, and not the police (via Variety). However, reporter Julie Hayden stated in the docuseries that Officer Linda Arndt casually suggested to John Ramsey that he search the house. According to Hayden, Arndt reported that Ramsey went straight to the basement and found JonBenét’s body. Suspicion turned to John and Patsy Ramsey as Many believed it was a coincidence that the body was found immediately. Detective Charlie Brennan said police are calling JonBenét’s parents suspects. “It started on the first day.”
Other Evidence Linking John and Patsy Ramsey to JonBenét’s Murder
The ransom note and autopsy pointed to John and Patsy Ramsey as suspicious
Joe Berlinger’s three-part documentary explores the evidence linking John and Patsy Ramsey to their daughter’s murder. Retired detective Bob Whitson discusses how the Boulder Police Department has never had to deal with a kidnapping for ransom beforeand it was”a very rare case“to work. The ransom note demanded $118,000 — equivalent to $235,800 today — for JonBenét’s safe return and included a warning not to call the police (via CNN). The specific amount demanded raised suspicions as it was the same amount John Ramsey received as a Christmas bonus for his work at Access Graphics.
John and Patsy Ramsey were asked to provide handwriting samples so they could be compared to the handwriting on the ransom note. Whitson revealed that he received two notebooks from John Ramsey that contained samples from him and his wife. Handwriting expert Jeff Kitchart examined the notebooks and in Patsy’s notebook discovered a page that read “the first draft” of the ransom note, signaling that the ransom note had been written in Patsy’s notepad. Although John’s handwriting was erased, experts found some similarities between Patsy’s handwriting and the ransom note (via New Zealand Herald).
Handwriting expert Jeff Kitchart examined the notebooks and in Patsy’s notebook discovered a page that read “the first draft” of the ransom note, signaling that the ransom note had been written on Patsy’s notepad.
JonBenét’s autopsy also indicated a link between her parents and her death. Her body was found with her wrists tied with a white cord, which was also found around her neck as a ligature. Whitson stated in the documentation that the ligature was made from a broken brush handle, which was originally in Patsy Ramsey’s painting supplies. This told police that JonBenét was killed inside her home. Police also found a baseball bat and a flashlight that were initially believed to be linked to JonBenét’s head wound, but both were ruled out as murder weapons.
Why John and Patsy Ramsey Didn’t Fully Cooperate in JonBenét’s Case
Police used media attention to try to arrest the Ramseys
In the years following JonBenét’s death, John and Patsy Ramsey faced criticism for hampering the initial investigation. In the documentary series, John Ramsey reveals how he found his daughter’s body in the basement and took her upstairs to receive medical attention. Bob Whitson stated that the decision to remove the tape from JonBenét’s mouth and take her body upstairs contaminated the crime scene and destroyed possible evidence that could have helped identify the killer. It also increased suspicions that the Ramseys were involved in the crime.
The negative news attention had the potential to damage the Ramseys’ reputation and fuel public speculation that they had murdered their daughter.
The Ramseys hired a lawyer in the days following the murder as they feared police would consider them prime suspects. In the series, John Ramsey stated that the police used the media “to sweat them” and pressure them to confess. Reporter Paula Woodward also stated that the police “took these little bits of information, distorted them” and sent it to the media. The negative news attention had the potential to damage the Ramseys’ reputation and fueled public speculation that they had murdered their daughter.
The media frenzy and public speculation that focused on John and Patsy Ramsey following their daughter’s murder are displayed throughout the documentary. In particular, Patsy Ramsey faced heavy media scrutiny for allowing 6-year-old JonBenét to participate in child beauty pageants. Although the media claimed that Patsy made JonBenét participate in beauty pageants so she could “live through your daughter“, John Ramsey revealed to People Magazine that this was not true. He stated that JonBenét enjoyed participating in the pageants and that they were a way for her and Patsy to spend time together.
Have John and Patsy Ramsey ever been charged with JonBenét’s murder?
The Ramseys should have been charged with child abuse and endangerment in 1999
Despite all the media scrutiny and police investigations they were involved in, John and Patsy Ramsey were never formally charged with their daughter’s murder. In 2008, the Boulder district attorney announced that the Ramseys were cleared of any involvement in the murder of JonBenét Ramsey. This announcement was made after new DNA evidence was found on JonBenét’s body; although the DNA remains unidentified, it was confirmed to belong to a man unconnected to the Ramsey family. The case was reopened in 2009 but has since been classified as cold.
While John and Patsy Ramsey were cleared of murder it was revealed that they would be indicted in 1999 on charges of child abuse and endangerment. According to CBS Newscourt indictments stated that both Ramseys “allowed a child to be unjustifiably placed in a situation that represented a threat to the child’s life or health”, and “provided assistance to a person, with the intention of hindering, delaying and preventing the discovery of that person for the commission of a crime“, resulting in the death of his daughter. However, the charges were ultimately dismissed as the prosecutor concluded that there was not enough evidence in the case (via CNN).
In 1999, the Ramseys filed a lawsuit on behalf of their son, Burke, against Star Magazinefor his claims that Burke was the prime suspect in his sister’s death.
The Ramseys have been involved in several lawsuits related to their representation in the media. In 1999, they filed a lawsuit on behalf of their son, Burke, against Star Magazinefor allegations that Burke was the prime suspect in his sister’s death; three weeks after initial publication, the magazine retracted its allegations (via The daily camera). In 2001, the Ramseys faced a lawsuit related to their book The Death of Innocence, which was later rejected (via Law). In 2002, the Ramseys settled out of court for their representation in the 2000 book JonBenét: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation.
In 2016, Burke Ramsey filed defamation lawsuit against CBS for $750 million after the release of the documentary, The case of: JonBenét Ramsey, which he claimed portrayed him as the killer. The case was eventually solved in 2019. The murder of 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey still remains unsolved, but constant media attention and court cases show that interest in the case remains strong to this day. With the launch of Cold case: who killed JonBenét Ramsey on Netflix, there is hope that this new docu-series could spark even more interest and potentially bring to light new evidence that could help solve one of America’s most notorious unsolved murder cases.
Sources: Today, Variety, CNN, New Zealand Herald, People Magazine, CBS News, The daily camera, Law