John Ramsey Reveals Why Investigators Initially Suspected Him
This file image made from an undated family video shows JonBenet Ramsey performing during a beauty pageant. (AP Photo/Ramsey family video)
Nearly 30 years after the killing of JonBenet Ramsey in her family’s Boulder, Colorado, home, investigators are signaling that new DNA technology could bring renewed momentum to the long-cold case.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said in a recent video statement that the investigation “remains a top priority,” noting that advances in DNA testing are reshaping what is possible in unresolved cases. The department has historically been cautious about using its limited biological evidence, but Redfearn’s comments have raised expectations that previously untested or undertested items—potentially including the garrote used in the 6-year-old’s death—could now be reexamined.
JonBenet’s father, John Ramsey, has urged authorities to work with a private genetics lab that uses investigative genetic genealogy, a method credited with solving numerous cold cases nationwide. He has described the approach as the “gold standard,” saying experts have told him only a very small DNA sample is needed. Ramsey told the Daily Mail that he believes the technique could identify a suspect within months and said he wants reassurance that all modern investigative options are being fully pursued.
Once a vocal critic of Boulder police, Ramsey now says he is encouraged by the department’s new leadership and has met several times with Redfearn. Investigators continue to sift through a broad pool of potential suspects, including a list of roughly 700 individuals previously compiled by veteran detective Lou Smit. Ramsey maintains that DNA testing offers the most effective way to narrow those leads.
JonBenet was reported missing on Dec. 26, 1996, and was later found dead in the basement of her family’s home. Early DNA testing cleared her immediate family. Despite that, Ramsey and his late wife, Patsy Ramsey, were for years the subject of public suspicion. Ramsey has said he believes investigators initially viewed him as a suspect because he remained calm rather than visibly distraught in the hours after his daughter disappeared.
According to police, investigators have followed more than 21,000 tips and interviewed over 1,000 people in connection with the case. Redfearn has also said that “new evidence” has been collected. Authorities continue to ask anyone with information to come forward by calling 303-441-1974 or contacting Boulder police via email.
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