Crime
We moved Boulder Crime News and police blotter out of News and made it a primary category. Even though crime news is the highest in analytic s some readers complain because it ruins non violent news. Our readers and viewers prefer science, tech environmental and entertainment news. So crime news junkies now have your own bad news section here.
Jonbenet Ramsey murdered in Boulder Christmas 1996: Unsolved?
Dec 21st
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 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.
2 black protestors arrested in Boulder during Saturday demonstrations
Dec 13th
Police arrested two protestors this afternoon during a planned march in Boulder.
The first protester was arrested after a motorist complained to police that the protestor spit on the motorist’s car. The protestor did not have any identification on him and gave the police officer his name and date of birth. The initial clearance indicated he was wanted on several warrants.
An officer arrested the protestor in the 2700 block of Pearl St. and attempted to transport him to the Boulder County Jail, but was surrounded by dozens of people involved in the planned march who blocked the officer from leaving the area.
At this time, another protestor, Joseph Virgil Harris Tolbert (DOB 11/23/1983), became combative with police and refused to cooperate with orders to clear the area around the police car which had been surrounded. Tolbert sat on the hood of the patrol car, preventing the police officer from leaving the area to go to the Boulder County Jail.
Tolbert fought with several officers as he was being arrested and continued to be combative in his efforts to resist being taken into custody. Tolbert was transported to the Boulder County Jail and faces charges of Resisting Arrest and Obstructing a Peace Officer.
Police have released the first protestor who had been arrested on the warrants. There was a miscommunication regarding his social security number and the warrants do not apply to him. He was cooperative during the investigation.
Tolbert has been released from jail on a personal recognizance bond.
The case number is 14-15862. No further information is available and nothing further will be released this weekend.
Meints Allegedly Stabbed again
Apr 9th
Tuesday, April 8, 2014 – Police in Boulder are investigating an alleged stabbing which the victim said took place in the 2100 block of Pine Street just before 3:00 this afternoon, April 8, 2014.
The victim is Zachary Meints. He told investigators that he was attacked and stabbed by an unknown male when Meints was walking in the area. He said his attacker thrust a folding knife into his abdomen. Meints drove himself to a local emergency room for treatment. The wound does not appear to be serious.
Meints shared that he had been stabbed in Lafayette recently.
Meints said he tried to spray the suspect with pepper spray, but feels he missed. The attacker fled toward to the east and police have been working to locate him.
The suspect is described as:
White male
Unknown age
Wearing a black and white bandana over his face and a long-sleeve black shirt
5’10” tall, 175 pounds (medium build)
Source: City of Boulder