Netflix's Cold Case: Why is JonBenet Ramsey's murder still an unresolved mystery? Explained

After almost 30 years, the murder of child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey is still a mystery. The six-year-old who was found dead in her home in late December 1996 after repeated threats from unknown parties is the subject of a new Netflix documentary series titled Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey.

The series explores the circumstances surrounding JonBenet Ramsey's death, highlighting the police's inaction, the potential tampering of evidence by Ramsey's family members due to a lack of strict protocols, and the key suspects involved in the case. It also discusses the insufficient evidence to support any of the police's findings, which has contributed to the case remaining unsolved for many years.

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After almost thirty years, JonBenet Ramsey's murderer/murderers are still not found, and here is the reason why

It has been years since JonBenet Ramsey was found dead in the basement of her family home in Colorado. On December 26, 1996, Patsy Ramsey, JonBenet's mother, found a note somewhere lodged in their house demanding a hefty amount of money in exchange for her daughter, who was allegedly abducted.

Several hours after that, Patsy called the authorities from the Boulder Police Department and informed them of the matter. However, John Bennet Ramsey, JonBenet's father, discovered her dead body in their home's basement before the police or detectives could take any action.

An autopsy ruled that JonBenet's death was a result of strangulation and a critical skull fracture. The official cause of death was considered to be "asphyxia by strangulation associated with craniocerebral trauma."

Furthermore, although the autopsy did not explicitly point towards any instances of physical assault, the possibility was not completely ruled out due to the presence of certain pieces of evidence that pointed towards the same, including instances of tampering with the intimate areas of the child.

Over the years, the police conducted thorough investigations, but no official charges had been made in the case. A few suspects emerged, including JonBenét's parents, who were for a long time considered to be the primary suspects by the media and others involved in the investigation.

However, it was later revealed that the police did not conduct the investigations effectively, having overlooked several critical aspects of the case. They allegedly overlooked key procedures, including proper DNA matching, and conducted lackluster investigations despite the Ramseys urging them to seek a more thorough investigation several times during the process, leading to the case still not being solved after so many years.

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What does JonBenet Ramsey's father have to say about his daughter's murder remaining a mystery after all these years?

The Ramseys (Image via Getty)

Speaking to People in November 2024, John Bennett Ramsey, JonBenet's father, exclaimed that there were at least six or seven pieces of evidence that were yet to be tested for DNA among the ones collected by the authorities. One of the most crucial ones among them included the garrote that was believed to be used to asphyxiate and kill JonBenet.

Ramsey wants the Boulder Police Department to send the pieces of evidence they have acquired to laboratories that use modern methods of DNA testing. He believes that the matter will never be solved if this is not done. He says:

“If it stays in the hands of the Boulder Police, it will not be solved, period. If they accept help, all the help that's out there, that's available and offered, it will be solved. Yes, I believe it will be solved.”

He also adds:

“We're not asking them to do anything weird. Just do your job. Test the DNA.”

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Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey is currently streaming on Netflix.