The unsolved mystery of JonBenét, a six-year-old found deceased in her residence in Boulder, Colorado in 1996, continues to intrigue, nearly thirty years on. The mystery surrounding her murderer is at the heart of the three-part documentary series on Netflix, ‘Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?’. This series focuses on the effects that law enforcement’s decisions and media perceptions had upon the investigation at the time. Throughout the years, several leads and tips related to the case have cropped up, contributing to a complicated web that experts are attempting to untangle, in a constant endeavor to shed light on the incident.
The director of ‘Cold Case’ firmly believes that, despite the years that have passed, the case is not cold and the criminal responsible can be discovered. Upon creating the series, one of its indented purposes was to push law enforcement to revisit the items of evidence initially gathered at the crime scene. The director feels that advanced DNA testing technologies we have today can provide further insights that primitive techniques of the past couldn’t have shed light on.
Several items of evidence were tested during the initial investigation, but given the rudimentary nature of DNA testing methods at that time, the documentary proposes a reevaluation of the evidence using current, more sophisticated methods. The idea focuses on the possibility that an external intruder, and not the parents of JonBenét Ramsey, could be accountable for the crime – a notion backed by the evidence shown.
In 2023, the Boulder Police Department teamed up with the Colorado Cold Case Review Team with the aim of revisiting the original homicide study. The renewed investigation has placed significant emphasis on DNA testing. Although such forensic testing was available in 1996, the advancements that have occurred in the DNA testing field since then are significant.
While the DNA testing process of yesteryears did provide some insights, today’s science around DNA analysis has advanced dramatically. Accordingly, current cutting-edge forensic methodologies are being employed by leading DNA experts in analyzing the remaining DNA samples related to the case. The prosecutors are keen to apply the latest expert findings to uncover any overlooked evidence.
The review team, apart from conducting new DNA testing, has also undertaken the commendable task of digitizing and integrating all the previously collated evidence from the case. This evidence includes over 21,000 tips, more than a thousand interviews, DNA samples, fingerprints, shoe prints, and handwriting samples gathered from over 200 sources.
With this relook at the facts and evidence facilitated by the advancements in forensic science, the aim is to gain fresh perspectives and keep an open mind towards each piece of evidence available. Since some of the circumstances around JonBenét Ramsey’s demise—that includes the cause of her death and specifics of injuries sustained—are well-documented, they provide concrete facts for the relooking of the case.
Based on the autopsy report, it was established that JonBenét’s cause of death was ‘asphyxia by strangulation associated with craniocerebral trauma’. Moreover, the autopsy report revealed that she experienced ligature strangulation and had a significant ligature furrow, an indentation indicative of something being tightly fastened, encircling her neck. Additionally, her right wrist bore a ligature.
The postmortem examination identified a section of a white cord with a double knot placed around her neck in a way that it rested in the center of the backside of the neck. Notably, this cord had been cut on the right side of the neck and removed. Furthermore, JonBenét sustained a contusion, a form of bruise, on her scalp, which was accompanied by a fracture on the right side of her skull.
Apart from the aforementioned injuries, JonBenét suffered from other head injuries, including subarachnoid and subdural hemorrhage—two variants of brain bleeding. The autopsy report also documented specific abrasions found on her body which were present on her right cheek, right shoulder, lower left back, and lower left leg.
A few other notable findings from the autopsy included the detection of small amounts of dried blood on certain parts of her body. However, a toxicologic screening conducted revealed no traces of drugs or ethanol in her blood. The initial examination was conducted on JonBenét at her home by a pathologist on the night of her tragic demise.
Other observations from the autopsy included the presence of a ‘red ink line drawing in the shape of a heart’ on her left palm and her wearing a yellow bracelet having her name ‘JonBenét’ inscribed on one side and ’12/25/96′ on the other. The clothes she had on were noted and handed over to the police.
Additionally, multiple other items of evidence, including fibers and hair, ligatures discovered at the scene, clothes, and various swabs and smears, were handed over to the Boulder Police Department. Other key pieces of evidence included fingernail clippings, jewelry, hair samples, eyelash and eyebrow samples, and blood samples, among others.
On December 31, 1996, JonBenét’s abrupt departure from life was marked with her burial in Marietta, Georgia. Despite the passage of nearly three decades, JonBenét Ramsey’s case remains a perplexing riddle waiting to be resolved.
The resurrection of the case through Netflix’s documentary ‘Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?’ underscores a renewed hope in unearthing the truth behind her murder, underpinned by advanced forensic technology and an open, analytical mindset. While the case still remains cold, a torch has been rekindled that may someday illuminate the path to justice for JonBenét Ramsey.
Netflix’s ‘Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?’ Sheds New Light on Unsolved Mystery appeared first on Real News Now.
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