Who were the suspects in the JonBenét Ramsey cold case?

JONBENÉT Ramsey was murdered on Christmas Day 1996 and the identity of her killer has been a mystery for decades.

After the Netflix documentary Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey aired on November 25, 2024, her father received a letter that altered the landscape of the long list of suspects in the case.

JonBenét was just six-years-old when she died
JonBenét was just six-years-old when she diedCredit: Alarmy
JonBenét's brother Burke was cleared of suspicion in the case
JonBenét’s brother Burke was cleared of suspicion in the caseCredit: AP: Associated Press

JonBenét’s tragic murder

JonBenét Ramsey lived in Boulder County, Colorado with her dad John Bennet Ramsey, mom Patricia, known as “Patsy”, and brother Burke.

She competed in several child beauty pageants, after following in the footsteps of her beauty pageant winning mother.

On the night of December 25, 1996, JonBenét was killed at her home and hidden in the property’s basement. 

Her disappearance on December 26 prompted a search for the six-year-old, culminating in the discovery of her body concealed behind a door in the basement.

This sparked an investigation into who murdered JonBenét which had two lines of inquiry. 

Two theories emerged: one positing that a family member was responsible for her death, while the other suggested an intruder, possibly gaining access through the property’s two open windows or basement door, committed the crime.

Shocking confession 

A Netflix documentary entitled Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey landed on the streaming platform on November 25, 2024. 

The series sparked a renewed interest in the case and led to John Bennett receiving a shocking letter in the post. 

He revealed to the Daily Mail: JonBenét’s father told the Daily Mail: “Based on all this publicity, recently I got a letter from a lady saying, ‘My ex-husband’s the killer, and I’ve kept this inside for as long as I can – please, please call me.’

“We reached out to her, but she didn’t answer the phone, so I don’t know.

“We’ve shared at this point with a private investigator.”

JonBenet Ramsey’s dad reveals fresh hope ‘monster’ who killed his daughter will be found after probe takes major turn

Although this has not yet led to an arrest, John Bennett hopes it will help his family find peace. 

JonBenét’s family

John, Patsy and Burke were never named as suspects in JonBenét’s murder but much of the police inquiries into the six-year-old’s death focused on her family. 

Patsy was the person to report her daughter as missing, after discovering a two-and-a-half page ransom note on the kitchen staircase. 

The note was written using a pen and some paper that belonged to the Ramseys, and it asked for a monetary amount equivalent to John’s annual Christmas bonus. 

The note including such specific details and being so unusually long led the police to believe that the family might have been involved.

JonBenét’s autopsy revealed what was believed to be pineapple in the six-year-old’s stomach and her older brother Burke’s fingerprints were on a bowl of pineapple in the kitchen. 

His parents claimed that he had been asleep in his bed all night, though, and there was no physical evidence to dispute this. 

Burke sued CBS after one of their documentaries appeared to imply that he was the killer, but the case was settled and amicably resolved to the satisfaction of all parties in 2019. 

Both John and Patsy were publicly exonerated by Mary Lacy, the Boulder County District attorney, and Burke was cleared of suspicion. 

Gary Oliva is one of the leading suspects in JonBenét's death
Gary Oliva is one of the leading suspects in JonBenét’s deathCredit: The Sun US

Gary Howard Oliva

The convicted pedophile Gary Howard Oliva was publicly named as a suspect in 2002, however he was never charged.

He was found to have phoned a school friend on the night of JonBenét’s death, where he confessed that he “just hurt a little girl”.

It was also uncovered that he had been near the Ramsey’s house at the time of JonBenét’s death.

When he was arrested in 2016 for two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child and one count of sexual exploitation of a child, he was found to have several pictures of JonBenet. 

Some of these photos included her autopsy pictures. 

Oliva’s DNA was found not to match traces on JonBenét’s body, but his handwriting showed a striking similarity to the writing on the ransom note found in the Ramsey home. 

John Mark Karr confessed to the murder but his confession was called into question
John Mark Karr confessed to the murder but his confession was called into questionCredit: AP: Associated Press

John Mark Karr

On August 15, 2006, John Mark Karr confessed to the murder and sexual assault of JonBenét while teaching in Bangkok.

However, his confession quickly fell apart as he was unable to give any details beyond the ones which had been reported in the press. 

Also, JonBenét’s autopsy had not indicated the presence of any drugs in her body and there was no evidence to suggest the teacher was even in Boulder County at the time of her death. 

Karr’s DNA did not match the traces found on JonBenét’s body either. 

JonBenét was murdered when she was just six-years-old
JonBenét was murdered when she was just six-years-oldCredit: Alarmy

You May Also Like

Founder of FedEx, Fred Smith, passes away at 80, leaving behind 10 children

FRED Smith, the billionaire founder of revolutionary delivery firm FedEx, has died…

Kroger ordered to pay $75 million for hazardous situation at store that caused repairman to lose fingers while protecting customers

A MAJOR retailer is forced to shell out millions to a heroic…

JD Vance issues a straightforward caution to Iran about potential attacks on the US

Vice President JD Vance issued a no-nonsense warning to Iran if the…

“Trump’s Unprecedented Iran Attack: A Closer Look at Operation Midnight Hammer’s Decoy Strategy in 37-Hour Covert Mission”

AMERICA’S colossal bomb raid on Iran’s key nuclear sites was a masterclass…

Arrest Made: Georgia Police Chief Accused of Sexual Crimes Involving a Minor

A Georgia police chief has been arrested for alleged sex crimes against…

A challenge to find four differences in a cozy living room scene in under 11 seconds is for those with sharp observation skills

Put your IQ to the test with this challenging puzzle. Anyone can…

Russia warns Trump about consequences of attacking Iran and meeting between Iran regime and Moscow. Concerns grow about potential terror retaliation against the West.

Russia last night warned Donald Trump had opened ‘Pandora’s box’ after the US…

Six people confirmed dead and two others missing following a boat capsizing incident on Lake Tahoe amid a severe storm with 8-foot waves

AT least six people have been confirmed dead and two others missing…

A Look Inside the Lavish Wedding of Lady Violet Manners as She Marries Viscount Garnock, Known as the ‘Caledonian Cowboy’

Lady Violet Manners and William James Lindesay-Bethune, also known as Viscount Garnock,…

Hooded Gunmen Open Fire at Wedding, Resulting in Bride’s Death and Injuries to Groom and 13-Year-Old Boy

During a wedding ceremony in Goult, France, a bride was tragically killed…

Kelsey Parker shares heartbreaking post about the loss of her third child, who was ‘born sleeping’ just a week before her due date

Kelsey Parker has announced the tragic loss of her third child, her…

British Plasterer Expelled from Dubai Due to Facial Tattoos Saying ‘Blessed’, ‘Family’, and ‘Crazy Life’

A British man was ‘devastated’ after being kicked out of Dubai for…