JonBenét Ramsey
As Christmas nears, so does the anniversary of the death of JonBenét Ramsey. This year, police in Boulder, Colorado, say they will be consulting with the Colorado Cold Case Review Team in 2023, as part of their latest effort to solve the controversial case.
“The Cold Case Review Team is comprised of professional investigative, analytical, and forensic experts from across the state,” the Boulder Police Department and Boulder County District Attorney’s Office announced in a press release on Wednesday. “The Review Team is another tool to help further cold case homicide investigations, including making recommendations based on best practices in the investigative field.”
Ramsey was reported missing on Dec. 26, 1996, Boulder cops have said. Her family said that they found a ransom note in their home, but JonBenét was found dead in a basement room, according to officers. Investigators determined that she was strangled to death and also sustained a skull fracture.
Authorities say they do have DNA evidence available, but they describe it as “small and complex.”
“The sample could, in whole or in part, be consumed by DNA testing,” the press release said. “In collaboration with the CBI and the FBI, there have been several discussions with private DNA labs about the viability of continued testing of DNA recovered from the crime scene and genetic genealogy analysis. Those discussions will continue. Whenever there is a proven technology that can reliably test forensic samples consistent with the samples available in this case, additional analysis will be conducted.”
Authorities once again renewed their vow to solve the case.
“This crime has left a hole in the hearts of many, and we will never stop investigating until we find JonBenét’s killer,” Police Chief Maris Herold said in the announcement. “That includes following up on every lead and working with our policing partners and DNA experts around the country to solve this tragic case. This investigation has always been and will continue to be a priority for the Boulder Police Department.”
“The murder of JonBenét Ramsey is a terrible tragedy and sparked years of unanswered questions and theories,” District Attorney Michael Dougherty of the 20th Judicial District said. “Our office has successfully prosecuted other cold case homicides and many murder cases. In every one of those cases, it was the evidence that proved the defendant(s) guilty. Whether it is DNA or other evidence, more is needed to solve this murder. I appreciate the collaboration with CBI, the FBI, and the Boulder Police Department.”
In outlining their work on the case, authorities said they looked into leads from more than 21,000 tips, letters, and emails. They went to 19 states and spoke with more than 1,000 people.
Last year, police announced they were turning to genetic DNA testing to figure how who killed JonBenét.
“As the Department continues to use new technology to enhance the investigation, it is actively reviewing genetic DNA testing processes to see if those can be applied to this case moving forward,” Boulder police said in their December 2021 update.
From officers:
Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact our tip line at 303-441-1974, BouldersMostWanted@bouldercolorado.gov or Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
[Screenshot via ABC News]