JonBenét Ramsey was a
six-year-old American girl who
became the subject of a highly
publicized and controversial
murder case in the United
States. She was born on August
6, 1990, in Atlanta, Georgia,
and later moved with her family
to Boulder, Colorado. JonBenét
was a child beauty queen,
participating in various
pageants, which contributed to
her public profile.
On December 26, 1996, JonBenét
was reported missing after her
mother found a ransom note in
their home.
At 1:20 p.m., Ramsey's father
discovered his daughter's body
in the wine cellar. She lay on
her back, her bound arms over
her head with a cord binding her
wrists, duct tape covering her
mouth and a makeshift garrote
around her neck. She was wrapped
in a white blanket Although she
was dressed, nearby lay her
favorite pink nightgown..At
autopsy, There were chunks of
pineapple in JonBenet's upper
digestive tract, but she had not
eaten this for dinner and no one
recalled her eating a snack
before bed. Yet there was a bowl
of cut pineapple in the kitchen.
How and when she had consumed
this remained a mystery. DNA was
found under the JonBenet’s
fingernails. It has always been
a key piece of evidence.
Multiple suspects, including
local Michael Helgoth, former
teacher John Mark Karr
(who confessed to the killing in
2006) and convicted sex offender
Gary Oliva (who
admitted to being obsessed with
JonBenét), were all cleared —
along with the Ramseys — because
their DNA didn’t match.
In
2008, DNA evidence pointed away
from the Ramsey family, but the
identity of the killer has yet
to be determined.
The case involved numerous
theories and speculation
regarding the circumstances
surrounding JonBenét's death,
with many believing it to be
either an intruder's crime or
the result of a family member's
involvement. Experts brought in
one of the world's foremost
pathologists, Cyril Wecht, to
assist with the investigation.
Per the book, Cyril Wecht:
Forensic Pathologist:
Cyril Wecht entered the case via
a phone call from a supermarket
tabloid, the Globe. He
did not know the case he was
being asked to review, only told
that it was on the "west coast."
When he got the photos, he
realized the case was that of
JonBenet Ramsey. From what he
could see, he thought she had
been bound with the intent to
restrain, not kill. It even
hinted of a sex game gone wrong.
The fact that the killer had
written a ransom note as an
afterthought, rather than
bringing it along, also seemed
strangely unprepared for a
kidnapping, as did the note's
complexity, content and length.
Wecht decided that molestation
was the primary motive and that
the death itself was accidental.
Despite extensive
investigations, including
multiple interviews and public
interest, the case remains
officially unsolved. It has
continued to capture public
fascination and prompted
numerous documentaries, books,
and discussions about child
safety, media influence, and
criminal investigations. The
unresolved nature of her murder
has left a lasting impact on
both the community and broader
societal implications regarding
similar cases. The case has
garnered significant media
attention and public interest,
leading to various
investigations and discussions
about how it was handled
including a cover-up by the
various police agencies
(unproven to date). In 2008, DNA
evidence pointed away from the
Ramsey family, but the identity
of the killer has yet to be
determined.
View the autopsy report
Police
Investigation Report # 1
Police
Investigation Report # 2
Police
Investigation Report # 3
Search
Warrant
DNA
Analysis/Report
