Chilling true story of beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey’s m.u.r.d.e.r as cold case comes to Netflix

Netflix will soon release a three-part documentary titled Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey? focusing on the murder of the six-year-old beauty pageant winner.

JonBenét Ramsey was just six years old when she went missing from her family home, with a chilling two-and-a-half page ransom note left behind.

On December 26, 1996, John and Patsy Ramsey were faced with their worst nightmare when their daughter went missing, before her lifeless body was later discovered by her dad in the basement. The case remains unsolved and is now being re-examined in a Netflix documentary titled Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?

The three-part docuseries will look at evidence from the case and examine missteps taken by law enforcement. Ahead of the series premiering on the streaming giant later this month, the Mirror US has taken a look at the true story behind the show.

At around 5:45 am on December 26, 1996, a ransom note was found on the doorstep of the Ramsey family’s home in Boulder, Colorado, saying JonBenét had been taken hostage. The writer of the note said the child would only be returned if they received $118,000.

JonBenét Ramsey was kidnapped from her home

The note also warned the family against calling the cops. However, John and Patsy phoned 911 just minutes after finding the piece of paper. When the police arrived at the crime scene, they failed to seal off the house, allowing people to walk in and out freely.

Investigation notes also said the victims’ advocates, who had been there to support the family, had wiped down the kitchen, potentially removing vital evidence. By 1 pm, there was still no progress in tracking down JonBenét.

John started making preparations to gather the ransom money. At this point, he went into the basement and sadly discovered his daughter’s lifeless body covered in a blanket.

JonBenét had black duct tape over her mouth. Her hands were tied and she also had a cord squeezed around her neck which had been attached to a wooden garrote.

Her family is still searching for answers 

The Netflix show will premiere later this month

John carried his daughter’s body upstairs where she was checked for signs of life. A forensics team then turned up and sealed off the house.

It was determined JonBenét died after suffering a blow to the head and investigators later revealed she had been sexually assaulted. Speculation started mounting about who had killed the child, with a list of suspects including a random intruder, a family friend, John and Patsy themselves and JonBenét’s nine-year-old brother Burke Ramsey.

JonBenét’s mom sadly died of cancer in 2006 without knowing who killed her daughter. Two months after her death, teacher John Mark Karr confessed to JonBenét’s murder, but the charges were dropped after DNA recovered from JonBenét’s underwear was not a match for Karr.

In November 2022, Boulder Police Department released a statement giving an update on the cold case. They said the investigation was still ongoing, but explained the amount of DNA evidence available is “extremely small and complex.”

In a joint statement with Boulder County’s District Attorney’s Office, the Boulder Police Department said: “This crime has left a hole in the hearts of many, and we will never stop investigating until we find JonBenét’s killer.”