John Ramsey, father of slain six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey, continues to pressure police nearly three decades later for answers in his daughter's unsolved murder. Despite alleged remarks from Boulder police expressing eagerness for him to stop asking questions, Ramsey remains resolute in his pursuit of justice.
John Ramsey, the father of slain six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey, continues to be a relentless force in the pursuit of justice for his daughter's murder, even after 28 years have passed. Despite alleged remarks from Boulder police suggesting they are waiting for him to die, Ramsey refuses to give up the fight for answers.
JonBenet was brutally murdered in the basement of her family home in Boulder, Colorado, on the day after Christmas in 1996. Her case has captivated the nation and remains unsolved to this day. Initially, Boulder authorities suspected John Ramsey and his late wife, Patsy Ramsey, but they were ultimately excluded.
However, Ramsey believes that the Boulder Police Department (BPD) is still resisting cooperation with him. He alleges that a member of the police department has been quoted as saying, "We're just waiting for John Ramsey to die." Ramsey believes this implies that pressure will be off once he is gone, and the case will fade away.
Despite this alleged hostility, Ramsey remains undeterred. He is determined to keep the case alive until justice is served. He wants the BPD to allow an independent forensic genetic genealogy company to conduct DNA testing on existing items in his daughter's case, including a pair of JonBenet's underwear that tested positive for traces of an unknown male's DNA in 1997. He also wants BPD to hand the case over to the FBI.
Investigative journalist Paula Woodward, who has followed the JonBenet murder case for decades, confirms that she has also heard about the alleged statement from a BPD officer. BPD Interim Chief Stephen Redfearn, however, has denied this claim, stating that they have never stopped working to solve the crime and keep John Ramsey updated on progress.
Regardless, Ramsey is not convinced. He believes that his son, John Andrew Ramsey, will continue his quest for justice when he is no longer around. "He's very passionate about getting this resolved, and, I'm grateful for that," Ramsey said.
In addition to pursuing DNA testing, Ramsey is advocating for states to enact the federal Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act. This act would allow family members of homicide victims to take action against police departments if their cases go unsolved, as homicides are prosecuted at the state level.
Ramsey has also been concerned about the possibility that BPD may have lost some items that could have been tested for DNA evidence over the years. He fears that essential clues may have been misplaced or destroyed.
Despite the challenges and setbacks, Ramsey remains hopeful. He believes that the case will be solved with the help of DNA, as famed Colorado detective Lou Smit predicted on his deathbed. Smit created a case file for JonBenet and a list of hundreds of potential suspects before he passed away. He told Ramsey to "not forget" a particular name, which Ramsey believes is a crucial lead.
In 2022, Ramsey sent a letter and a petition with over 30,000 signatures to Colorado Governor Jared Polis, requesting his support for independent forensic genetic genealogy testing. The governor expressed optimism that the case could be solved using modern technology. BPD announced that it would consult the Colorado Cold Case Review Team for assistance in 2022.
Ramsey remains steadfast in his belief that the killer of his daughter will not escape justice, and he continues to push for a resolution to the mystery that has haunted his family for nearly three decades.
Authorities urge anyone with information related to the JonBenet Ramsey investigation to contact the BPD at 303-441-1974 or Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
