As a seasoned investigator who has seen countless cases unfold over the years, I must say that the JonBenét Ramsey case stands out as one of the most intriguing and heart-wrenching mysteries in recent history. The life of this little girl was tragically cut short, leaving behind a family in turmoil and a nation yearning for justice.
A week after Netflix unveiled their Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey documentary series, the Boulder Police Department is addressing allegations that they didn’t thoroughly investigate the 1996 murder of the 6-year-old beauty queen whose death, 30 years on, remains a cold case.
Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn expressed in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, via Dionne Waugh of the Boulder Police Department, that the murder of JonBenét was an unimaginable atrocity that has forever marked our hearts. We remain dedicated to pursuing every possible lead and are collaborating with DNA specialists and law enforcement agencies nationwide until this devastating case is resolved. The Boulder Police Department will always regard this investigation as a top priority.
Emphatically reiterating his stance, Waugh wrote to THR, “The claim that we have overlooked valid evidence and leads, even those involving DNA testing, is utterly baseless.
In reaction to the statements made by the Boulder Police Department, director and producer Joe Berlinger of the show “Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey” issued a statement exclusively to THR, urging the police department to openly communicate with the Ramsey family. He believes that the family has been left uninformed about any advancements in the case.
Although the Boulder Police Department’s history spanning over two decades may raise doubts, we acknowledge their recent efforts to solve this tragic crime. Contrary to speculation, neither ourselves nor the Ramsey family have claimed that the BPD is currently disregarding potential evidence or leads; instead, we expressed uncertainty because they have not shared any tangible information with the family. In fact, as stated by the family, the BPD had promised almost two years ago to reopen the case from scratch using modern methods and assigning new investigators. The family was also informed that they would receive regular updates on the investigation’s progress. However, up until now, the Ramsey family claims they have not received any significant updates.
The Colorado Cold Case Team, which became part of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation in 2022 and operates full-time, was possibly not involved in reviewing the JonBenét case in 2023 as previously suggested, but rather it reviews all cold cases statewide. It’s worth noting that the Ramsey family had to petition the Governor of Colorado to have this specific case considered by the team, which is typically a standard procedure for any child homicide over 20 years old. In JonBenét’s case, however, such a step was only achieved through a public campaign. As far as we know, no actions have been taken following the Cold Case Review’s presentation of specific recommendations to the Boulder Police Department.
The filmmaking team, along with the Ramsey family, feel confident that recent advancements in DNA technology could potentially solve the crime, considering the significant strides made since 1997. To our understanding, the Boulder Police Department (BPD) has not yet engaged with Bode Technology, Parabon Nanolabs, or Othram. Notably, Othram has been instrumental in resolving numerous cold cases for other law enforcement agencies, including the recent solution to the 1995 Morgan Nick kidnapping case using cutting-edge DNA technology. It seems that the BPD may also be hesitant about probabilistic genotype testing. Bode Technology, a renowned forensic DNA analysis lab and current custodian of the data, claims they can swiftly complete the analysis once they receive a release form from BPD. It’s puzzling as to why this form has not been signed.
It’s possible that BPD is deep into new DNA testing, following all the suggestions from the Cold Case review team. This would bring great relief to us. However, there has been no clear communication from BPD regarding this matter to the family. Additionally, BPD refused our request for an interview for our documentary, which they have the right to do. It’s common for police departments to decline participation in documentaries about ongoing investigations.
We hope the Boulder Police Department achieves tremendous success in identifying JonBenét Ramsey’s murderer. We strongly encourage them to work together with any external organizations, such as private forensic laboratories, who have expressed a willingness to aid in resolving this appalling crime. Furthermore, it is crucial for the Boulder District Attorney’s office to keep the Ramsey family informed about the steps being taken to solve this case, given that they have already been cleared as suspects and formally apologized to them. The team behind the Netflix documentary on this case, who have spent nearly two years investigating and creating it, urges you to communicate with the victims more directly regarding your progress in solving this crime after almost three decades.
In light of renewed public curiosity about the murder of JonBenét, the Boulder Police Department hastened the release of their latest investigation update, which was initially planned for December, but was made available at the end of November instead. This update includes a nearly six-minute video statement from Chief Redfearn, who admits that the department could have handled the case better in the past. “The way law enforcement functions has significantly evolved over the last 30 years,” said Redfearn. “There are several aspects of our initial handling of this case that people have criticized for years, and we acknowledge those criticisms as valid.” However, it’s crucial to note that while we can’t undo the events of that tragic day in 1996, our aim is still to identify JonBenét Ramsey’s killer.
Redfearn mentioned during his speech the Cold Case Review Panel established by the Boulder Police Department in December 2023, which Waugh clarified was not formed by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation as portrayed in the documentary. Redfearn explained that this review lasted a year and involved over 21,000 tips, more than one thousand interviews, as well as samples such as handwriting, fingerprints, and DNA from around 200 people to see if modern technology and advanced forensic testing could generate new leads in the case. He stated that releasing the findings would jeopardize the case’s integrity and any potential future prosecution.
In May of 2022, the Ramsey family requested Colorado Governor Jared Polis to move the management of the DNA evidence from the Boulder Police Department to a separate, impartial investigation unit, instead.
For over a year now, we’ve been pushing hard for an action that we believe is crucial: We discovered five to six pieces of evidence from the crime scene were sent for DNA testing but weren’t actually tested. Our goal is to have these items analyzed. Not only do we want the already sampled and tested items re-examined, but we also propose using a public genealogy database to find not just a direct match, but a close relative as well. This method has been successful in solving cold cases in the past three to four years by law enforcement agencies. However, we’re unsure if these steps are being taken.
In a previous conversation, Berlinger shared with THR that he felt compelled to re-examine the JonBenét case due to how he perceived the Ramsey family had been unfairly treated in past years. This included John, JonBenét’s mother Patsy, and her older brother Burke, who were all once suspected of being involved in her murder. It wasn’t until 2008 that the Boulder County District Attorney, Mary Lacy, officially ruled the Ramseys as no longer suspects in this case. Regrettably, Patsy passed away from ovarian cancer in 2006, two years before the Ramsey family was cleared of suspicion.
Berlinger expressed confidence, saying, ‘I believe we can crack this mystery,’ and he expressed a desire to bring some form of closure to the affected family.” (You can read more in his interview with THR.)
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2024-12-03 17:28