‘JonBenet was killed by brother; parents covered it up’
CHILD beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey, whose murder shocked the world 20 years ago, was killed by her brother before their parents covered up what he’d done, experts now believe.
Criminologists used modern forensic techniques on the original evidence, casting doubt on the theory that the 6-year-old was sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled by an intruder. Their analysis is said to show that JonBenet – dubbed Little Miss Sunshine – was killed by her 9-year-old brother Burke in a flash of temper.
The US investigation for the CBS documentary The Case Of: JonBenet Ramsey, which involved former Scotland Yard criminal behaviour analyst Laura Richards, concluded he probably fatally struck his sister with a torch when she took some pineapple from his bowl.
JonBenet’s body was found in the cellar of her family home in Boulder, Colorado, in December 1996.
Her mother, Patsy Ramsey, called the emergency 911 number to report finding a note left by kidnappers demanding a ransom for $118 000 (R1.6 million). But doubt was cast on the ransom motive when JonBenet’s body was found in the cellar. She had been beaten and strangled. She had a nylon cord around her neck, her wrists were bound and her mouth covered by duct tape.
The documentary team enhanced a formerly unintelligible three-way conversation between the Ramseys and Burke at the end of the emergency services call after Mrs Ramsey thought she had hung up. It was claimed that during six seconds of audio Mr Ramsey can be heard asking: “What did you do? Help me, Jesus.” The couple said Burke was asleep, but in the recording he is heard asking: “What did you find?”
The 911 call was said to be suspicious. Kim Archuleta, the 911 operator, said the call sounded rehearsed. She remained on the line because she had “a bad feeling”.