John Ramsey

John Bennett Ramsey is the father of JonBenét Ramsey, a 6-year-old who was found dead in her family's home in Boulder, Colorado, on December 26, 1996. John claimed to have woken up, showered, and then heard his wife scream when she found the ransom note. John said he instructed her to call the police immediately. Around one o'clock that afternoon, he discovered JonBenét's body hidden in an obscure room in the basement.

In 1998 the Grand Jury voted to charge John and Patsy Ramsey with child abuse resulting in death and accessory to first degree murder. The Boulder District Attorney's office refused to take the case to trial.

Early Life
John Ramsey was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was in the Navy

John Ramsey had an affair which led to the dissolution of his first marriage. Describing this affair in his 1998 police interview, John Ramsey portrays himself as a passive victim in the situation:

"Well, just -- we hired her as a secretary in a small office, and you know, I was vulnerable, but not -- not crossing the line. We were at a Christmas party that this office building had, she said gee, I left something up in my office, do you have a key? And so I went up, unlocked the door and as soon as the door unlocked she turned around and kissed me. And then I just kind of got sucked in. But it was a, just a very strong physical attraction [...] It was one of the things I got into and I couldn't get out. She was extremely aggressive. [...] Our marriage probably wasn't strong or that wouldn't have happened at all, but it certainly ended it. And it was probably the biggest regret I have in my life, but she was a very volatile person. [...] I got rid of her finally. You know I just couldn't, I finally got her to stop pursuing me."

His daughter Beth

Personality
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Involvement in the Investigation
John Ramsey was cooperative while the crime was considered a "kidnapping". After the body was found, John Ramsey attempted to fly out of Boulder immediately and refused police's request to go to a hotel for separate interviews.

John and Patsy Ramsey did not participate in formal interviews until four months after the crime.

First Version
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Second Version
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Suspicion of John Ramsey
"If she had been taken to a hospital emergency room, and doctors had seen the genital evidence, her father would have been arrested."

- Dr. Robert Kirschner

The circumstances of the body's discovery, the presence of concealed sexual injuries as well as evidence of prior abuse, the inconsistent nature of John's story and the apparent presence of his clothing fibers in the victim's underwear have led some investigators to suspect John Ramsey of involvement in his daughter's death.

Evidence Potentially Implicating John Ramsey
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 * His initial claim to have been the last person to see JonBenet alive, and the first one up that morning (a story he subsequently changed)
 * The presence of fibers from his black wool shirt in JonBenet's underwear
 * The possible use of his flashlight
 * His changing stories
 * His behavior on the morning of December 26 strongly aroused the suspicion of Detective Linda Arndt
 * The presence of evidence of prior sexual abuse
 * Testimony from colleagues and housekeepers about his moments of anger
 * His attempt to leave town by private jet immediately after the discovery of the body

After the Murder
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See John Ramsey Interviews