JonBenet Ramsey murder: Colorado cops to team up with cold case team to solve 26-year-old case
BOULDER, COLORADO: Colorado police have reportedly vowed not to stop until they find JonBenét Ramsey's murderer and as part of their mission, they have decided to partner with a cold case team. A statement from the Boulder Police Department and Boulder County District Attorney’s Office said, “The Cold Case Review Team is comprised of professional investigative, analytical, and forensic experts from across the state.”
The official announcement continued, “The Review Team is another tool to help further cold case homicide investigations, including making recommendations based on best practices in the investigative field,” as it went on to mention, “This investigation continues to receive assistance from federal, state, and local partners. Boulder Police work with multiple agencies, including the FBI, the District Attorney’s Office, Colorado’s Department of Public Safety, Colorado’s Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and several private DNA laboratories across the country,” per Law&Crime.
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On the morning of December 26, 1996, the child beauty queen was reported missing by her family. A ransom note was also apparently found but later the same day, her body was discovered in the basement of her home. It was eventually revealed that she was strangled and her skull was fractured. “Since JonBenet’s murder, detectives have investigated leads stemming from more than 21,000 tips, letters, and emails. We have traveled to 19 states to interview or speak with more than 1,000 individuals,” the statement noted.
Now, investigators said that they had DNA proof but it “is extremely small and complex”. “The sample could, in whole or in part, be consumed by DNA testing. In collaboration with the CBI and the FBI, there have been several discussions with private DNA labs about the viability of continued testing of DNA recovered from the crime scene and genetic genealogy analysis. Those discussions will continue. Whenever there is a proven technology that can reliably test forensic samples consistent with the samples available in this case, additional analysis will be conducted,” the media release stated.
Police Chief Maris Herold also shared his views as the 26th anniversary of Ramsey’s death nears. He reportedly said, “This crime has left a hole in the hearts of many, and we will never stop investigating until we find JonBenet’s killer. That includes following up on every lead and working with our policing partners and DNA experts around the country to solve this tragic case. This investigation has always been and will continue to be a priority for the Boulder Police Department.”
District Attorney Michael Dougherty agreed with Herold as he added, “The murder of JonBenet Ramsey is a terrible tragedy and sparked years of unanswered questions and theories. Our office has successfully prosecuted other cold case homicides and many murder cases. In every one of those cases, it was the evidence that proved the defendant(s) guilty. Whether it is DNA or other evidence, more is needed to solve this murder. I appreciate the collaboration with CBI, the FBI, and the Boulder Police Department.”