In an exclusive report by Fox News, it has been revealed that John Ramsey, the father of JonBenet Ramsey, is set to meet with the chief of the Boulder Police Department in Colorado next month.
This meeting will also include a representative from an independent genetic genealogy research lab. The aim of this meeting is to persuade local authorities to permit an external lab to test the evidence from the unsolved murder case of his daughter, JonBenet, which dates back to 1996.
Thursday marked the 28th anniversary of the tragic incident where six-year-old JonBenet was found brutally murdered in the basement of her family's Boulder home. The identity of her killer remains a mystery. "We have requested a meeting with [Boulder Police Department] Chief [Stephen] Redfearn in January. He said yup, absolutely, let's get together," John Ramsey, 80, shared with Fox News Digital. He further added that a representative from a cutting-edge lab would be present to explain the potential of their services. Ramsey is hopeful that the chief will accept their assistance.
Ramsey has been advocating for years for an independent lab to test the crime scene items that are almost three decades old. If the BPD chief agrees, Ramsey believes it will be a significant step forward. "The reason I've done these media interviews Netflix, that documentary is to keep pressure on the police. We're not going to go away, folks," Ramsey stated. He is determined that his daughter's case will not be one of the thousand unsolved homicides in Colorado.
Ramsey is pushing for the retesting of certain evidence for DNA traces, including the external male DNA that federal officials disclosed in 1997. He also wants other items to be tested for the first time. With the significant growth of private genetic genealogy databases over the last decade and the advancement in technology used to identify and link DNA to specific individuals, the possibility of identifying a suspect in JonBenet's murder using genetic evidence is more promising than ever before.
According to public records initially obtained by journalist Paula Woodward, there are over 20 items in the case that have never been tested. These include a garrote found around JonBenet's neck, a ransom note found in the Ramsey house on the morning of the murder, a suitcase found in the basement believed to be used by the killer to escape, an unknown flashlight found on the Ramsey family's kitchen counter the morning of the murder, and unknown rope found in brother Burke Ramsey's room that day.
While it remains uncertain whether partnering with an independent lab with access to private databases will yield any results, Ramsey is hopeful that it is the next step in his pursuit of justice for his daughter. "DNA is pretty complicated stuff. I have learned that," Ramsey said, "but that's the reason that needs to be retested. That's the one step that we're asking the police to do is engage one of these one or two cutting-edge labs in the world and see what we come up with and we come up empty-handed, then I'll say, 'Thank you. You tried. That's the best we can do right now with today's technology. Thank you.' But until we do that, we haven't done everything that could be done."
Ramsey expressed optimism about the progress being made in the case, 28 years after his daughter's murder. The Boulder Police Department has confirmed that they have regularly met with the family and plan to continue doing so.
Chief Redfearn, the fifth police chief to take on the case since 1996, was officially appointed in September. BPD detectives have followed up on more than 21,000 tips, emails, and letters, and traveled to 19 states to interview or speak with over a thousand people in connection with the case.
Redfearn, reflecting on the 28 years since JonBenet's murder, stated, "The killing of JonBenet was an unspeakable crime and this tragedy has never left our hearts. We are committed to following up on every lead and we are continuing to work with DNA experts and our law enforcement partners around the country until this tragic case is solved. This investigation will always be a priority for the Boulder Police Department."
Local authorities have partnered with federal officials, including the FBI, and DNA experts from across the country. District Attorney Michael Dougherty acknowledged the tragedy of JonBenet's murder and the years of unanswered questions and theories it has sparked. He emphasized the importance of evidence in solving such cases and expressed appreciation for the collaboration with CBI, the FBI, and the Boulder Police Department.
The investigation has seen officials sorting through 2,500 pieces of evidence and approximately 40,000 reports with more than a million pages documenting the investigation. The Colorado Cold Case Review team has also provided BPD with a list of tips for the department to pursue, according to Redfearn.
Login