DENVER (KDVR) — On Dec. 26, 1996, JonBenét Ramsey was reported missing from her home in Boulder. The family of the beauty pageant star had called the police about a ransom note that was left in their home.
The 6-year-old was later found dead in the basement of the home. Her death was ruled a homicide by strangulation.
Her case remains unsolved and has been the subject of a number of documentaries and books, most recently in the Netflix three-part series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?”
The documentary is scheduled to premiere on Nov. 25.
The death of JonBenét Ramsey
The Boulder Police Department initially responded to the Ramsey house, located in the 700 block of 15th Street, after a 911 call on Dec. 26, 1996.
The caller, Patsy Ramsey, reported that a note had been found that indicated their daughter, JonBenét, had been kidnapped. The note demanded that a $118,000 random be delivered in exchange for the 6-year-old.
However, JonBenét’s body was found during a search of the house that afternoon. An autopsy revealed she died of strangulation.
The case remains open as of 2024.
Boulder police said detectives have followed up on “every lead that has come into the department,” including over 21,000 tips letters and emails. Detectives have also reportedly left the state to interview or speak with over 1,000 people for the investigation over the years.
Despite this, nobody has been convicted of JonBenét’s death, and no suspects have been announced.
In 2013, it was revealed that in 1999 a grand jury had recommended an indictment be filed against Patsy and John, JonBenét’s parents, in connection to her death. No indictment was filed and in 2008, DNA evidence cleared JonBenét’s parents Patsy and John, as well as her older brother, Burke, of involvement in the case.
In 2006, a man confessed to killing JonBenét and was arrested, but DNA evidence also cleared him.
John Ramsey has continued to advocate for the investigation, telling NewsNation in 2023 that he wants the murder of children a federal crime. Patsy died in 2006 of ovarian cancer.
JonBenét Ramsey: Developments in recent years
In 2022 the digitized case file, which police said includes nearly 2,500 pieces of evidence and around 40,000 reports, was made available to the Colorado Cold Case Review Team.
The purpose of the review was to generate recommendations and determine if updated technologies could help produce new information or lead to police solving the case.
In December 2023, police said the review team had handed down recommendations and that they, alongside the Boulder District Attorney’s Office were “reviewing and prioritizing” them.
Specifics about the recommendations were not revealed to preserve the integrity of the investigation.
No additional information about the review team’s findings has been released.
In addition to the new Netflix series, Paramount+ has ordered a limited series about the cold case. The series will reportedly star Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen.
A release date for the Paramount+ show has not been revealed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
