MURDERED: JonBenét Ramsey
The morning after Christmas Day 1996, six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey was reported missing… only for her body to be discovered hours later in her family’s home. Nearly three decades later, the questions remain: What really happened that night? Who is responsible for her death? And why has this case gone unsolved for so long?
Watch this episode.
MURDERED: JonBenét Ramsey is our first-ever Crime Junkie episode on video. You can watch it right now.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel @CrimeJunkie to see future videos.
Watch Ashley Flowers' interview with JonBenét's father, John Ramsey.
Ashley sat down with John Ramsey for an exclusive interview about this tragic case. Watch it now here or on the Crime Junkie YouTube Channel.
For years, Ashley Flowers vowed never to cover this infamous case – unless she could hear directly from the Ramsey family.
In this episode, Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat explore the chilling details of JonBenét’s case, the infamous ransom note, and the lingering theories surrounding the investigation. With exclusive insights from JonBenét’s father, John Ramsey, this is a story you won’t want to miss.
We referenced a lot of reporting and resources surrounding this case! You can find them below:
- Officer French’s 12/26/96 Field Report
- Det. Linda Arndt’s 1/8/97 Detective Supplemental Report
- Clips from John and Patsy Ramsey’s 1/1/97 CNN Interview
- Det. Linda Arndt’s 1999 Good Morning America Interview
- The full text of Fleet White’s letter “To the people of Colorado”
- The full text of Det. Steve Thomas’s resignation letter
Head over to the Crime Junkie YouTube Channel to see Ashley’s sit-down interview with John Ramsey, you won’t want to miss it.
And be sure to head to Netflix on November 25th to watch their new documentary, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?
To learn more about Lou Smit’s suspect database, and his work on the case, listen to The Killing of JonBenét Ramsey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
And you heard it right – Crime Junkie Tour 2025 is officially on the books! To stay up to date on any and all things tour and tickets, be sure to visit our website.
The “garotte-like” object, that was made out of a rope and a broken paintbrush handle.
Photo found here
The cover of the tabloid issue including the David Wright & David Duffy article.
Credit: audiochuck staff.
Ramsey family photos.
Credit: audiochuck staff, courtesy John Ramsey.
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Listened to this episode? Let us know what you think here.
Episode Source Material
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): JonBenét Ramsey case 20th anniversary: A timeline of events, by The Denver Post. Published December 23, 2016. Accessed February 2, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): Twenty years later, there’s little hope that JonBenét Ramsey’s murder will ever be solved, by Kirk Mitchell. Published December 23, 2016. Updated December 25, 2016. Accessed February 2, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): Biographies of key figures in JonBenét Ramsey case, by The Denver Post. Published December 23, 2016. Updated January 4, 2017. Accessed February 2, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): Five myths about the JonBenét Ramsey murder case, by Kirk Mitchell. Published December 23, 2016. Updated December 27, 2016. Accessed February 2, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- JonBenét An American Murder Mystery: A Killer on the Loose (Season 1, Episode1). Aired September 12, 2016. Accessed February 2, 2023 via Discovery Plus.
- JonBenét An American Murder Mystery: Pool of Suspects (Season 1, Episode 2). Aired September 13, 2016. Accessed February 2, 2023 via Discovery Plus.
- JonBenét An American Murder Mystery: He Calls Himself Daxis (Season 1, Episode 3). Aired September 14, 2016. Accessed February 2, 2023 via Discovery Plus.
- The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey Part 1. Aired September 17, 2016. Accessed February 3, 2023 via Prime Video.
- The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey Part 2. Aired September 18, 2016. Accessed February 3, 2023 via Prime Video.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): Police find girl, 6, dead in home, by The Denver Post. Published December 27, 1996. Updated September 22, 2016. Accessed February 3, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, CO): Autopsy confirms JonBenét died of strangulation, by The Rocky Mountain News. Published February 15, 1997. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): Older Ramsey kids cleared, by Marilyn Robinson and Mary George. Published March 7, 1997. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): A huge pile of evidence, by Marilyn Robinson. Published April 12, 1997. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): DA: Family is the focus, by Marilyn Robinson and Christopher Lopez. Published April 19, 1997. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): Ramseys finally give interviews, by Marilyn Robinson and Mary George. Published May 1, 1997. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): Ramseys: We didn’t do it, by Marilyn Robinson. Published May 2, 1997. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): DNA tests done, officials mum, by Marilyn Robinson. Published May 15, 1997. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- ABC News Nightline: Case Not Closed. Aired May 30, 1997. Accessed November 21, 2024 via YouTube.
- AP News (New York, NY): JonBenet Ramsey’s autopsy report confirms brutal attack, by Jennifer Mears. Published July 14, 1997. Accessed February 6, 2023.
- The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, CO): Ramsey escalates own investigation, by Associated Press. Published July 23, 1997. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
- The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, CO): Boulder police near end of Ramsey problem by Associated Press. Published July 25, 1997. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
- The New York Times (New York, NY): Parents Still Called Suspects In Death of Beauty Princess, by James Brooke. Published December 6, 1997. Accessed February 6, 2023.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): Ramseys refuse interviews, by Marilyn Robinson. Published January 16, 1998. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): Parents turn in clothes, by Marilyn Robinson. Published January 29, 1998. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The New York Times (New York, NY): Grand Jury Refocuses Spotlight on JonBenet Case, by James Brooke. Published April 22, 1998. Accessed February 6, 2023.
- The Denver Post (Denver, Co): Ramsey evidence ‘exciting’, by Marilyn Robinson. Published June 4, 1998. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- AP News (New York, NY): Detective in Ramsey Case Quits, by Associated Press. Published August 7, 1998. Accessed February 6, 2023.
- The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, CO): Investigators seeking information about stuffed animal for JonBenet Ramsey case, by Associated Press. Published January 29, 1999. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
- The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, CO): Boulder police give JonBenet case to DA, by Associated Press. Published February 11, 2003. Accessed February 6, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
- CBS 48 Hours Mystery: JonBenet Ramsey Case: Prime Suspects. Aired December 18, 2004. Accessed February 7, 2023 via YouTube.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): DNA test clears Karr, by Kevin Simpson. Published August 28, 2006. Updated September 22, 2016. Accessed February 7, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): Boulder District Attorney clears Ramsey family in JonBenet death, by John Ingold. Published July 9, 2008. Updated December 20, 2016. Accessed February 7, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): JonBenét Ramsey grand jury indictment accused parents of child abuse resulting in death, by Kirk Mitchell and John Ingold. Published October 25, 2013. Updated September 22, 2016. Accessed February 7, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- Barbara Walters Presents: JonBenet Ramsey: The Mystery. Aired November 2, 2015. Accessed February 7, 2023 via Discovery Plus.
- Denver 7 (Denver, CO): JonBenet Ramsey murder investigation: Police chief says, we ‘will not give up’, by Deb Stanley. Published September 1, 2016. Accessed February 7, 2023.
- The Denver Post (Denver, CO): New analysis challenges DA’s exoneration of Ramseys in JonBenet case, by Charlie Brennan and Kevin Vaughan. Published October 28, 2016. Updated January 20, 2017. Accessed February 7, 2023 via Internet Archive.
- Denver 7 (Denver, CO): New DNA testing planned in JonBenet Ramsey murder case, by Deb Stanley. Published December 14, 2016. Accessed February 7, 2023.
- AP News (New York, NY): Boulder police brush off pedophile’s confession in JonBenet Ramsey murder, by Valerie Richardson. Published January 12, 2019. Accessed February 7, 2023.
- Hunting Jon Benét’s Killer: The Untold Story. Aired April 11, 2019. Accessed February 7, 2023 via Hulu.
- CourtTV: PETITION CALLS FOR JONBENÉT RAMSEY CASE TO BE MOVED FROM BOULDER POLICE, by Blayke Roznowski. Published May 2, 2022. Updated January 18, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2023.
- NewsNationNow: JonBenét Ramsey’s family renews effort to solve her murder, by Dara Bitler. Published July 26, 2022. Updated July 28, 2022. Accessed February 7, 2023.
- City of Boulder (Boulder, CO): News Release – JonBenet Ramsey Homicide Update, by Dionne Waugh. Published November 9, 2022. Accessed February 7, 2023.
- People: JonBenét Ramsey’s Father Is Optimistic DNA Advances Will Catch Daughter’s Killer, Slams Boulder Police, by Tristan Balagata. Published December 21, 2022. Accessed February 21, 2023.
- Denver 7 (Denver, CO): JonBenét Ramsey’s father says ‘time for answers is running out’ in letter to Polis, by Amy Wadas. Published January 3, 2023. Updated January 4, 2023. Accessed February 21, 2023.
- Court TV: JonBenét Ramsey’s father revisits daughter’s death 26 years later, by Court TV. Published January 18, 2023. Accessed February 21, 2023.
- Fox News: JonBenet Ramsey case: Newly unearthed documents reveal DNA did not match key players early in unsolved slaying, by Michael Ruiz and Audrey Conklin. Published February 10, 2023. Accessed February 21, 2023.
- Fox News: JonBenet Ramsey case: Boulder police respond to unearthed DNA bombshell, by Michael Ruiz. Published February 13, 2023. Accessed February 21, 2023.
- The Death of Innocence (print edition), by John & Patsy Ramsey. 2000. Thomas Nelson Publishers.
- The Other Side of Suffering (print edition), by John Ramsey with Marie Chapian. 2012. FaithWords.
- The Denver Post: Obituaries: Anne Brin Bork. Published September 24, 2009. Accessed November 10, 2024.
- Imgur. Photo. Published December 28, 2021. Accessed November 10, 2024.
- OpenCorporates: JonBenet Ramsey Children’s Foundation. Accessed November 10, 2024.
- Boulder County: Sales History. Accessed November 10, 2024.
Suggested Episodes
MURDERED: Nick Cordova
In May 2020, Nick Cordova was shot in the head while on FaceTime with his children. Suspicion initially focused on one man, but surveillance video showed he was not the shooter.. Nearly six years later, Cordova’s family is still pleading for answers.
MURDERED: Mary Yoder Part 2
In July 2015, Mary Yoder, a healthy 60-year-old chiropractor, went to work as usual. Later that day, she began feeling sick. Within 48 hours, she was dead. At first, her sudden decline seemed like a medical mystery. But investigators soon uncovered evidence of poisoning, launching a murder investigation that divided her family and the community.
MURDERED: Mary Yoder
In the summer of 2015, Mary Yoder, a healthy 60-year-old chiropractor, went to work as usual. Later that day, she began feeling sick. Within two days, she was dead. At first, her sudden decline seemed like a medical mystery. But investigators soon uncovered evidence of poisoning, launching a murder investigation that divided her family and the community.
Join our Fan Club to listen to this episode and more!
Unlock all of the exclusive benefits and dynamic listening experience as a Crime Junkie Fan Club member.
Join the Fan Club now to reap the rewards!
