Posts tagged cold case

JonBenét Ramsey, was murdered here in Boulder December 26, 1996. This is a case and a story we all know well. Perhaps now with a DA and a police department working together, there may be justice for JonBenet. You can find everything you will ever need to know about the case here: Jonbenet Ramsey Murder Case .

John and Patsy Ramsey

Boulder Police believe John and Patsy Ramsey killed their daughter Christmas night 1996. In a fit of rage, Patsy Ramsey who had just returned from a party, grabbed her daughter and smashed her head against the bath tub. The child had wet her bed. But she was killed instantly.  Throughout the night  Patsy and her husband John created an elaborate scenario right out of the movies of how a group of Arabs had come into their home , left a ransom note, strangled and raped their daughter and left her body in the basement.

As soon as the first cop and detective arrived on the scene, they saw through the story.  By nightfall the Ramseys were on their private jet to Atlanta. Surrounded by a team of lawyers and PR people they went into hiding and on CNN to proclaim their innocence. They created a media frenzy the like of which Boulder nor America had ever seen. There was no way these rich freak were going to be charged with their daughters murder. First of all it would upset their social setting. Secondly it would ruin their image as a family of beauty queen socialites. Murder does not have a place there.

Burke Ramsey age 27 and his girlfriend.. ( striking resemblance to Jonbenet)

Burke Ramsey who was 9 years old at the time was whisked away. He has never been heard from since.  Police believe he witnessed the murder and was told by Patsy and John that if he planned on living he better shut up for the rest of his life.  Then district attorney Alex Hunter believe that to this day.  The hope is now that Burke Ramsey has come of age (27) he will come forward and tell what he knows.

That’s not likely. But current Boulder DA Stan Garnet could arrest John Ramsey for the murder of is daughter and he could arrest Burke Ramsey too.  That is not completely out of the question, but there is this legal issue ” beyond reasonable doubt”

Garnet gave the case back to Boulder Police department who reopened it. It is not a cold case.

One celebrated Boulder criminal defense attorney Skip Wollrab told us now that Burke Ramsey is of age”he could be subpoenaed to appear before a Grand jury to tell about what he knew , saw and heard the night of the murder. Just the facts. Some of it might be privileged” but this would give Burke a chance to tell his story.   Attorney Wollrab  told Boulder Channel 1 the “DA has got to be able to prove his case to a jury of 12 unanimously beyond a reasonable doubt. Knowing they did it is one thing , proving they did it is something else” he said.

There was also some level of semen found in Jonbenets body and police have not revealed whether they think it is Burkes.  At one point Burke Ramsey was himself a suspect and  police theorized that he might have killed his sister out of Jealousy.

The question is will the DA move this case forward this Christmas.