Police in Colorado believe they are close to solving the murder of JonBenét Ramsey, the six-year-old beauty queen whose death in December 1996 shocked the world.
The little girl was found strangled in the basement of the family’s home in Boulder.
The Young Miss Colorado’s killer left her in a pile of clothes with an eight-inch skull fracture and a fragmented paintbrush stabbed into her neck by garrotte.
A surprising confession by a police source has also given investigators new hope of finally solving the 28-year mystery.
“We fixed the case from the beginning, and now we can finally solve it with fresh blood,” a police source told police. New York Post.
This stunning statement comes as Boulder’s newly appointed police chief, Stephen Redfearn, redoubles his efforts to solve the case.
Redfearn, who took up his role in early 2024, has made solving the murder a top priority.
“He wants it resolved and off the books,” said a department insider. “He is assigning officers and resources to solve the murder, which has been a black mark on the Boulder Police Department.
Police in Boulder, Colorado, believe they can solve the infamous 2025 murder of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey, who was found dead in her home in December 1996
Boulder’s new police chief, Stephen Redfearn, has prioritized the case and allocated new resources to crack the decades-long mystery
The house where six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey was murdered in Boulder, Colorado, pictured in 1996
“I’m not sure what it will take to break it wide open, but it feels like it’s within reach. We hope for 2025; this is our year,” the researcher added.
No one has ever been arrested for the murder, but a new three-part Netflix true crime documentary, “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey,” has also renewed interest in one of America’s most infamous cold cases.
JonBenét’s murder has haunted investigators and captured the public’s imagination.
Although initial suspicions focused on her family – father John, mother Patsy and brother Burke – they were ruled out as suspects by DNA evidence in 1997, and in 2008 they were formally exonerated.
Despite a multi-agency task force being established in 2023, progress has been slow.
One researcher admitted that the task force has only met in person once, but emphasized that members keep in regular contact.
Last week, Chief Redfearn reaffirmed the department’s commitment to solving the case in his annual department update.
“JonBenét’s murder was an unspeakable crime, and this tragedy has never left our hearts,” Redfearn said.
The body of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenét was found in her home in Boulder, Colorado on December 26, 1996
A crime scene photo at the Ramsey family home showed the open basement window that investigators believe JonBenét’s killer used. Her body was found under a blanket in an adjacent room used as a wine cellar
JonBenét is pictured with her mother Patsy and brother Burke Ramsey in 1990
‘There have been terrible failures, but I think this can be resolved if the police accept help from outside their system. That was their fault,” he said in a recent interview with Today last week
“We are committed to following up on every lead and continuing to work with DNA experts and our law enforcement partners across the country until this tragic case is solved.”
Yet the department’s credibility remains under attack.
John Ramsey, JonBenét’s father, has spoken out about his frustration with the investigation.
‘There have been terrible failures, but I think this can be resolved if the police accept help from outside their system. That was their fault,” he said in a recent interview with Today.
Ramsey had long argued that Boulder PD was unwilling to work with outside experts who could bring new perspectives to the case.
“They have to accept the help that is offered to them,” said Ramsey, now 80. “A new police chief has been appointed from outside. I hope he accepts help so this can be resolved.”
Ramsey urged police to go “deeper” with the crime scene samples and “sort through the DNA we have today and give it more meaning.”
He demanded that police eventually sample five or six items that were taken from the crime scene but never analyzed.
He stated that he wants items that have been tested to be resampled due to advances in technology and then compared to the public genealogical database to look for a possible match, as has been done in numerous other cold cases.
In the aftermath of her death, a media frenzy ensued with photo after photo of JonBenet on stage, dressed in makeup, dancing and singing in costumes.
John and Patsy Ramsey, the parents of JonBenét Ramsey, meet with a small select group of local Colorado media after four months of silence in Boulder, Colorado in May 1997.
The couple were suspected of involvement in the murder of their daughter, but were later acquitted due to DNA evidence. The photo shows the Ramsey family together in December 1993
Authorities have indeed sent several items for renewed DNA testing, but significant breakthroughs have so far remained elusive.
The DNA evidence in the case has long proven problematic, with Boulder police coming under heavy criticism for mishandling the investigation.
In 2015, former Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner admitted that evidence at the crime scene may have been misused. Reddit forum.
“The crime scene was not handled properly and this later affected the investigation,” he said.
A department insider defended their efforts and pushed back against claims of negligence.
“The claim that there is viable evidence and leads that we are not pursuing – including DNA testing – is completely false,” Chief Constable Redfearn said.
The stakes are high for Redfearn and his team.
The case is one of the most high-profile mysteries in the US and remains a cold case, but there is now renewed interest following the release of a new Netflix documentary
It quickly became clear that large portions of the public were as interested in JonBenét’s appearance as a “Hollywood star” as they were in the identity of the killer.
Child beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey is seen in 1996, the year she died
JonBenet Ramsey’s grave in Marietta, Georgia, pictured
The case not only tarnished the reputation of the Boulder Police Department, but also left a lasting wound in the community.
“It hasn’t been as aggressive as anyone would have hoped,” one investigator admitted. “But now there is a lot of pressure to get this resolved.”
Although the Ramsey family remains “cautiously optimistic” about possible developments, the public’s patience is running out.
Investigators hope that the new year, along with new leadership, will finally bring some progress in the JonBenét case.
“I knew this could take years, but with the right resources and mindset, I still believe justice is possible,” John Ramsey said.
“This investigation will always be a priority for the Boulder Police Department,” Redfearn promised.