Nearly 29 years after JonBenét Ramsey was found dead in her Boulder, Colorado, home, investigators have announced they are pursuing new evidence and conducting fresh interviews in one of America’s most notorious unsolved murder cases.
The Boulder Police Department issued its annual update, with Police Chief Stephen Redfearn confirming that detectives have collected new evidence over the past year and have tested and retested other pieces of evidence to generate new leads. The department has also conducted several new interviews as well as re-interviewed individuals based on tips received.
“The case remains a top priority for the department,” Redfearn stated, adding that he has met with the Ramsey family to assure them investigators share their goal of bringing JonBenét’s murderer to justice.
Details on what evidence has been tested and who has been interviewed cannot be released, according to police. However, Redfearn emphasized that DNA testing technology continues to advance, offering renewed hope for a resolution in the decades-old case.
“It is never too late for people with knowledge of this terrible crime to come forward, and I urge those responsible for this murder to contact us,” the chief said.
The 6-year-old child was found dead in the basement of her family’s home in the 700 block of 15th Street on December 26, 1996. A ransom note demanding $118,000 had been found on the stairs of the home earlier that morning. Her death was ruled a homicide by strangulation.
The investigation has spanned nearly three decades, with police following up on more than 21,000 tips and traveling to 19 states to interview over 1,000 individuals connected to the case. Unknown DNA was found under JonBenét’s fingernails and in her underwear, evidence that remains central to the ongoing investigation.
The Ramseys and their son Burke, who was 9 years old at the time of his sister’s death, were cleared as suspects in 2008. JonBenét’s mother, Patsy Ramsey, died in 2006. Her father, John Ramsey, continues to advocate for the case’s resolution.
The case has generated intense public interest and media scrutiny over the years, spawning numerous documentaries, true crime podcasts, and conspiracy theories. The child beauty queen became the subject of widespread speculation about the circumstances surrounding her death.
Following her death, JonBenét’s body was flown to Atlanta and buried at St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia.
The Boulder Police Department has worked with federal, state, and local partners throughout the investigation, as well as DNA experts from around the country. District Attorney Michael Dougherty noted that his office has successfully prosecuted other cold case homicides and remains committed to this investigation.
The department’s annual update marks the latest in a series of periodic briefings meant to keep the public informed about progress in the case. While investigators have pursued thousands of leads over the years, no arrests have been made in connection with JonBenét’s murder.
Redfearn’s statement emphasized the department’s ongoing commitment to solving the case, noting that techniques and technology constantly evolve, particularly in the realm of forensic DNA analysis. The advancement of DNA testing methods has provided investigators with new opportunities to examine evidence that may not have yielded results with older technology.
John Andrew Ramsey has remained engaged with investigators and expressed cautious optimism about recent developments in the case. The family has endured decades of speculation and media attention while waiting for answers about what happened to the young girl.
The investigation represents one of the most high-profile unsolved murder cases in American history. The combination of the victim’s age, the mysterious circumstances of her death, the ransom note found in the home, and the extensive media coverage has kept the case in the public consciousness for nearly three decades.
Police continue to urge anyone with information about the case to come forward. Tips can be submitted to BouldersMostWanted@bouldercolorado.gov or by calling the police tip line at 303-441-1974. Investigators stress that even small details or information that may have seemed insignificant at the time could prove crucial to solving the case.
As the 29th anniversary of JonBenét’s death approaches, the Boulder Police Department maintains that solving this case remains a top priority and that investigators will continue to pursue every lead until justice is achieved for the murdered child and her family.
