Who killed JonBenét Ramsey? The Netflix series looks at suspects in cold cases

Berlinger says the series focuses on those who “have played armchair detective for thirty years, often callously pointing the finger at people who have suffered such unimaginable loss.”

“Through unprecedented access and a comprehensive, multi-year investigation, we reveal profound flaws in the original handling of this case, which led to a sea of ​​conspiracy theories that have nearly destroyed the Ramsey family for a second time,” the release said before the show aired.

Before the documents appear on the streaming service, we check what we know for sure about JonBenét Ramsey and people connected with the case.

Who was JonBenét Ramsey?

JonBenét Ramsey was born on August 6, 1990. She went on to win many child beauty pageants, including American Royal Miss and Little Miss Colorado. She was approached by her mother, Patsy, who regularly competed in competitions in her youth.

In the early morning hours of December 26, 1996, JonBenét was reported missing by her parents, who found a ransom note demanding $118,000 (approximately £93,000) to ensure their daughter’s safe return.

JonBenét’s father, businessman John Ramsey, claimed the amount requested was roughly equal to his Christmas bonus, which reinforced his belief that the kidnapper was someone who knew him.

Although an initial search of the Ramsey family’s exclusive home proved fruitless, during a second search of the property, John discovered his daughter’s body in the basement. JonBenét’s mouth was taped shut, her wrists and neck were tied with string, and her body was covered with a blanket. An autopsy revealed that she died of suffocation and a skull fracture. Her death was ruled a homicide by investigators.

Who killed JonBenét Ramsey? Suspects and evidence

The Ramsey family

Following the murder, suspicions immediately fell on the Ramseys themselves. Police investigating the murder raised concerns about the ransom note left behind because it was unusually long and written using a notebook and pen that were already in the family home. The strange amount of the ransom also aroused suspicion.

Police also alleged that John and Patsy were reluctant to cooperate with police investigations. The family, however, rebuked this, saying they did not want to become a scapegoat and that the police needed to conduct a full investigation.

Both John and Patsy, as well as their son Burke, who was nine years old at the time of the murder, were questioned by police. They also had to provide handwriting samples to prove they had not written the note. Although John and Burke were exonerated, Patsy’s handwriting sample was inconclusive – but there was no evidence to support the theory she had written.

No member of the Ramsey family was ever officially named a suspect by authorities, and in 2000, John and Patsy were released The death of innocence about the murder of their daughter, vehemently denying that they were involved.

In 2008, new tests on JonBenét’s clothing revealed DNA that pointed to an “unexplained third party” being responsible for her death. That prompted Boulder District Attorney Mary Lacy to clear the Ramsey family of any involvement, saying the family “were also victims of this crime.” The Ramseys’ exoneration came two years after Patsy died from ovarian cancer.

Burke Ramsey comforts his father after Patsy’s death

Burke also maintained his innocence; in 2008, he met with the host of an American talk show, Dr. Phil, and told how he grew up in a loving family.

There was physical evidence that JonBenét was killed by an intruder; In addition to the new DNA evidence, a shoe print and a broken basement window were found next to her body, suggesting a break-in.

John Mark Karr

In 2006 teacher John Mark Karrwho lived in Thailand, confessed to JonBenét’s murder. Karr, who was also linked to child pornography allegations in the US he then claimed that he had drugged the child and then sexually assaulted her. Karr claimed he killed her by accident.

However, many of Karr’s claims were quickly debunked during analysis; JonBenét’s autopsy revealed that she was not under the influence of drugs, and Karr’s DNA did not match DNA found on the body. The only details Karr provided in connection with the case were already in the public domain, and his testimony was quickly discredited.

Gary Oliwa

In recent years, convicted sex offender Gary Oliva has become a suspect. In 2016 was arrested after it was discovered that he was using public Wi-Fi to transmit images of sexually abused children. He also had several photos of JonBenét – including 19 photos of her autopsy that had previously been leaked to the press.

While serving a 10-year sentence (he was released on parole earlier this year),

Oliva wrote to a school friend, Michael Vail, claiming that he had killed JonBenét.

In 2019, he wrote: “I have never loved anyone as much as JonBenét, and yet I let her slip, break her head in half and watch her die. It was an accident. Please believe me. She wasn’t like other children.

At the time of the murder, Oliva lived in Boulder, just 13 houses away from the Ramsey family.

Vail also claims that Oliva called him the night of JonBenét’s murder, before her death was made public, claiming that he “hurt a little girl.” Although Vail reported the conversation to Boulder authorities twice, he claimed they never responded.

Oliva’s DNA does not match that found on JonBenét’s body, but his handwriting is believed to be similar to that on the ransom note. Despite the development of events, Oliva was never charged in connection with this case.

Boulder police reopened the case in 2010, and have since claimed to have reviewed over “21,000 tips, over 1,000 interviews conducted in 17 states and two other countries, and samples from over 200 different people, including handwriting, DNA, fingerprints and shoe prints.”

The case file includes nearly 2,500 pieces of evidence and approximately 40,000 reports, spanning more than a million pages documenting the investigation.

“Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey?” is now available to watch on Netflix