JonBenet’s autopsy determined that she died of strangulation and cranial damage. She had an eight-inch long skull fracture and a near square-inch piece of her skull was completely broken off (Maloney). The wound probably occurred with her head being slammed against a tub or some kind of other ceramic surface (Maloney). Other findings included a possible lengthy period of sexual abuse. Her vagina was badly inflamed and there was a hole in her hymen. There were also blood stains in her panties and around the vaginal area (Maloney). The Ramseys continue to deny these allegations to this day.
The most intriguing thing about the JonBenet Ramsey case is its uncertainty. There is so much speculation involved that many feel we will never know who committed these murders. In January of 2004, Colorado law enforcement sent in a sample of blood from JonBenet’s panties to the FBI’s Combined Index System which logs genetic profiles of criminal offenders (Maloney). This was gathered right after her body was found, but authorities never sent it in because they were sure that JonBenet was killed by one of her parents. Today, there is still no word on who may have been connected to this blood stain.
The Ramseys have remained the prime suspects in public eye for the last 10 years. Life is very hard for them, as can be expected for a family that lost such a beautiful child. They are continually scrutinized by the media. In 2001, they sued CourtTV for $70 million dollars. They claimed that a 1999 show on JonBenet’s murder investigation named their son Burke as a prime suspect in the murder case (“Ramseys Sue CourtTV). They believe that the show made them look bad by describing them as a centerpiece of police investigation.
They also filed a suit against the New York Post in 2002, once again claiming defamation (“N.Y. Post to Get JonBenet Files”) As a result, the newspaper was awarded the rights to documents from their case to help in their defense.
Interesting current developments include John’s running for office in the Michigan House of Representatives (Lambert). This seems particularly odd considering the vast amount of negative media attention that the Ramsey family has received over the years. The Ramseys continue to state that they are just trying to “move on with their lives.” Interestingly enough, John Ramsey made this exact comment just days after he found his daughter’s body (Maloney). It seems as if there would be a little more time allowed for grieving.
In February of this year, the Ramseys met with the Boulder district attorney to look at more details of the case (“Justice for JonBenet”). The district office has received numerous tips and opinions from people throughout the years since the murder, and continues to work on the case. Just last month, a former chief investigator in the Ramsey case, Tom Bennett, regained his old job position and will be once again looking into the Ramsey case (Brennan). His primary job will be to continually look for new leads in the investigation. He hopes to find more information soon. Currently, there have still never been any arrests or convictions made in the Ramsey case.
Boulder authorities continue to look for solutions as the Ramseys maintain their innocence. They really have a bundle of things working against them, with the theories that Patsy wrote the letter and John sexually abused his daughter. It is hard to believe that nothing really substantial has been accomplished over the past ten years. We may never understand why JonBenet was killed and who did it. This is a very intriguing case and we can only hope that it can be solved one day. America wants answers, and one can be sure that the Ramsey family definitely needs them as well.
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