Netflix’s 'Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?' Challenges the Decades of Suspicion
Netflix’s Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey? delivers a deeply unsettling reflection on one of the most notorious unsolved cases in American history—the 1996 murder of six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey in Boulder, Colorado. While the three-hour docuseries doesn’t solve the nearly three-decade-old mystery, it unearths significant revelations about how misinformation and public scrutiny devastated the Ramsey family.
The documentary goes to great lengths to challenge the long-standing suspicions that implicated JonBenét’s parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and her older brother, Burke. In the years following the tragedy, media speculation fueled a perception that the family was somehow responsible. This narrative was perpetuated despite key DNA evidence collected from the crime scene that excluded all family members as potential suspects. Yet, as investigative journalist Paula Woodward explains in the series, "People hated the Ramseys" based on flawed and manipulated information.
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John Ramsey, now 80, recounts how the family endured relentless media harassment, with paparazzi surrounding their homes and a public eager to pin blame. Burke Ramsey, only nine at the time of his sister’s death, was so vilified by tabloid speculation that he later won a defamation lawsuit against CBS over allegations aired in 2016.
One of the most shocking moments revisited in the docuseries is a 1997 mock trial staged on The Geraldo Rivera Show . The televised jury pointed fingers at Patsy Ramsey, a spectacle that left her deeply traumatized. Despite these sensational accusations, experts determined Patsy did not write the infamous ransom note found at the crime scene.
The documentary also sheds light on missteps by investigators. Evidence suggesting an intruder, including unidentified male DNA and testimony from an independent investigator, Lou Smit, was reportedly ignored by police in favor of their theory targeting the Ramseys. The series also delves into potential suspects, including John Mark Karr, whose claims of guilt were ultimately disproven when his DNA didn’t match the evidence.
John Ramsey now advocates for retesting the collected DNA using advanced technology and expanding the search through modern databases. This call to action underscores the enduring hope for resolution in a case that continues to captivate and confound. As the Boulder Police Department reiterates, the pursuit of justice for JonBenét remains an open and active investigation.
Netflix’s series doesn’t provide closure, but it masterfully highlights the damage wrought by hasty conclusions and media sensationalism while keeping the fight for answers alive.
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