JonBenet Ramsey murder: Cops urged to use advanced tech to re-test DNA on 3 key pieces of evidence
BOULDER, COLORADO: JonBenet Ramsey’s murder has still not been solved, even after nearly 26 years. However, a team of volunteer investigators and a detective's daughter think they know where the Boulder Police Department should be focusing on to move to the next stage of the investigation. Cindy Smit-Marra, who is the daughter of late detective Lou Smit, is on a mission to solve the cold case along with investigator John Anderson. The two are part of a team of about 12 investigators who continued the late Lou Smit's work.
The team insisted that the next stage of the investigation should be carried out on the basis of three different key pieces of evidence which includes the six-year-old beauty pageant queen's long johns, panties, and under fingernails. Lou Smit introduced the "intruder theory" that shook the case by proving that the six-year-old's parents were innocent. Initially, Boulder police and the court of public opinion believed John and Patsy were involved in JonBenet's murder that took place during Christmas in 1996 before Smit's involvement. Unfortunately, Smit died before he found a suspect, but he left behind a treasure trove of information that his team didn't want to go to waste.
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According to The Sun, Cindy Smit-Marra and John Anderson said, "The Ramseys didn't do it, and this case can be solved using the DNA evidence the killer left at the crime scene." The duo said JonBenet's long johns, in the panties and under the fingernails need to be re-tested "under the specific format required to do forensic genealogy research." "We request that the lab that did the testing on the long johns use their current technology to potentially identify more markers and/or separate any comingled DNA," they said. "This would simply take a phone call from the Boulder Police Department."
CurrentNewsTV reported that it is also known as forensic genealogy research. It is a groundbreaking new tool that has helped identify suspects in dozens of cases of murder and sexual assault. Experts compare the DNA samples from a crime scene to open-source databases from services like Ancestry.com or 23andMe. This narrows the suspect pool way down as law enforcement can start to build a family tree of a suspect. It was instrumental in helping the police to nail the Golden State Killer. The duo also reportedly wants Boulder police to bring in the most advanced private companies that specialize in forensic genealogy like Parabon or Othram.
The team has been using their own money and money raised through their GoFundMe page to test DNA and cross potential suspects' names off the list. Smit-Marra and Anderson said they want Boulder police to "coordinate with experts who can re-evaluate all of the physical evidence in this case to determine if that evidence may yield further identifying and/or corroborating DNA."
"Our team met twice with the Boulder Police Detectives and the Boulder District Attorney to share what we were doing and the results of our independent DNA analysis," Smit-Marra and Anderson said. "Unfortunately, our last request for a meeting was rejected when I confirmed the purpose of our meeting was related to Lou Smit's Intruder Theory, which eliminates the Ramsey family and focuses on efforts to identify her killer."
This is part of JonBenet's family's call for the governor to take the case from Boulder PD and bring in an outside agency. Despite an online petition with more than 20,000 signatures that support the Ramsey family's wish, Colorado Governor Jared Polis said in an email that no determination has been made last week.
"New DNA markers found could then be tested in the format required to do forensic genealogy," Smit-Marra and Anderson said. "Then retain an expert to conduct a 'familial' DNA search for relatives of the killer in CODIS using the DNA profile of the killer currently in CODIS."
"Then retain an expert to conduct a 'familial' DNA search for relatives of the killer in CODIS using the DNA profile of the killer currently in CODIS," they added. The investigative team said that their relationship with Boulder police has been "disappointing."
The police department recently revealed on Twitter it had been meeting with private labs. In response to someone who urged them to “Get JonBenet’s DNA retested,” the department tweeted, "Your information is not accurate. The Boulder Police Department regularly meets with multiple entities regarding this investigation, to include private labs, the FBI, CBI, the District Attorney's Office and others. In this ever- and quick-changing field of DNA analysis and testing, we are constantly speaking with these investigative stakeholders to evaluate how best to proceed given legal and scientific rules and limitations. Due to the length of time since this crime first occurred, Boulder police must be extremely cautious with handling of evidence and analysis. The Boulder Police Department has spoken with members of the Ramsey family in the past few years who have provide information to investigators. Detectives have never stopped investigating leads that continue to come in and having the DNA tested daily in CODIS."
And as our response says, we’re also talking and working with private labs
— Boulder Police Dept. (@boulderpolice) July 28, 2022
JonBenet's half-brother John Andrew Ramsey retweeted Boulder police's comment with a statement of his own on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, "Holy Moly! A real life response from @boulderpolice! So here is the issue…they talk a big game but every feeler I got out there tells me otherwise. Not to mention a terrible track record. Do you give them the benefit of the doubt?"
Holy Moly! A real life response from @boulderpolice! So here is the issue…they talk a big game but every feeler I got out there tells me otherwise. Not to mention a terrible track record. Do you give them the benefit of the doubt? https://t.co/ux98BbJ8f8
— John Andrew Ramsey (@JRamsey_Truth) August 2, 2022