Back in 1996, more than Twenty-five years since a young JonBenet Ramsey, an aspiring beauty queen, was brutally murdered. The truth about her death remains a mystery, but people can’t help but talk about it even today. Now, JonBenet’s half-brother, John Andrew Ramsey, has stepped forward to share his thoughts in a special interview, opening up about the devastating murder that shook the nation to its core.
The discovery of six-year-old JonBenet’s lifeless body in her parents’ Boulder, Colorado, home sent shockwaves around the world. Some folks suspected that her parents were involved in the little beauty queen’s death, while others believed that someone outside the family was responsible. One thing’s for sure: JonBenet’s murder continues to grip people’s hearts and minds even after all these years.
John and Patsy Ramsey, JonBenet’s wealthy parents were the prime suspects in her murder. Despite the suspicions, they insisted they were innocent throughout the investigation. At the time of JonBenet’s death, John Andrew was 20 years old and not living in the family’s Boulder mansion.
Now 45, John Andrew, who is one of three children from John Ramsey’s first marriage, firmly believes that his father and stepmother had nothing to do with JonBenet’s death. He’s also convinced that his half-brother, Burke, who lived in the same house when the tragedy occurred, is innocent.
Over the years, John Andrew supported investigator Lou Smit, a retired homicide detective who came out of retirement to uncover the truth behind JonBenet’s murder. Smit worked with the Ramsey family as an independent investigator, striving to prove their innocence.
“Lou Smit was a legendary detective,” John Andrew said in the 20/20 special. He also recorded video diaries throughout the investigation, which will be aired for the first time during the special.
ABC News Legal Analyst Jami Lloyd praised Smit’s work, saying, “The evidence he collected over the years is a virtual encyclopedia of the case.”
Sadly, Smit passed away in 2010 before he could identify JonBenet’s killer. Before his death, he left a list of potential suspects for his family to investigate. Now, they continue the search for the person responsible for ending JonBenet’s life.
John Andrew remains hopeful, stating, “I think it’s really important for people to understand that this case can be solved. We will find this killer.”
Although her parents maintained their innocence, they were the prime suspects for more than a decade. In 2008, they were finally cleared of any wrongdoing after investigators determined that they were not responsible for their daughter’s death. Tragically, Patsy Ramsey, JonBenet’s mother, passed away in 2006 without the chance to see her name officially cleared and the charges against her dropped.
Source: AWM
