What was Patsy Ramsey’s age at the time of death? Details explored from Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey

The 3-part docuseries Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey premiered on Netflix on November 25, 2024. Directed and produced by Joe Berlinger, it delves into the killing of JonBenét Ramsey. Using a plethora of archival materials, the series revisits the case, examining the possible missteps made by the media and law enforcement.

JonBenét Ramsey was six years old when she was found dead in her family's home at 755 15th Street in Boulder, Colorado, on the night of December 25, 1996. JonBenét was a child beauty queen. Incidentally, her mother Patsy Ramsay too was a beauty pageant winner.

The Denver Post reported on June 24, 2006, that Patsy Ramsey died on that day from ovarian cancer at the age of 49. She had been diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer back in 1993, aged 36. Read on to learn more about the mother of Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey’s subject.

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Patsy Ramsey died from ovarian cancer

As per The Denver Post report, Patsy died from ovarian cancer, and she was 49 at the time of her death. She died at her parents’ home in Georgia and her husband, John Bennett Ramsey, was by her side at the time of her demise.

Patsy was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer in 1993. She underwent an experimental chemotherapy program at the National Institutes of Health. Following the treatment, she was in remission for nine years. As per The Denver Post, this turned her into a religious person as she saw the remission as a sign of God's grace.

However, her ovarian cancer saw a recurrence in 2002, and her condition steadily declined, culminating in her death in 2006. The aforementioned report carries the following statement from L. Lin Wood, the Ramsey family’s attorney since 1999.

“I lost a great friend today. She was a remarkable lady who brought a lot of love to her family and to her friends.”

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Patsy herself was a beauty pageant winner

Patsy led an eventful life even before her family was struck by worldwide media attention following her 6-year-old daughter’s death under mysterious circumstances. Born on December 29, 1956, in Parkersburg, West Virginia, she graduated from Parkersburg High School in 1975.

She completed her B.A. in journalism in 1978 from West Virginia University, where she was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority. Additionally, she shot to fame after winning the Miss West Virginia beauty title in 1977. Incidentally, her sister, Pamela Ellen Paugh, would go on to win the same title in 1980 at age 24.

On November 5, 1980, Patsy, 23, married businessman John Ramsey. The latter had three children from his previous marriage which had ended in divorce. Burke Ramsey was the first child born to the couple, on January 27, 1987.

Their second child was JonBenét, born on August 6, 1990, in Atlanta. They moved to Boulder, Colorado in 1991. Netflix’s Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey shows how the daughter was found dead in the basement of the Boulder home.

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Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey: Synopsis, episodes, streaming options

The official synopsis of the docuseries reads:

“Police missteps and a media circus derailed the JonBenét Ramsey murder case. This definitive docuseries chronicles the decades-long quest for justice.”

The 3 episodes of Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey are as follows:

• Episode 1: Keep Your Babies Close
• Episode 2: Umbrella of Suspicion
• Episode 3: The Truth Is Going to Prevail

As of writing, the docuseries is available to stream on Netflix exclusively. The Netflix Standard with ads plan starts at $6.99/month, and the Standard and Premium plans cost $15.49/month and $22.99/month, respectively.