Case Profile: JonBenet RamseyJONBENET RAMSEY If JonBenet Ramsey had lived, she'd be a junior in college. More than 14 years have passed after the murder and her case continues to baffle investigators.
By Jane McGrath
Edited by John Fuller In late 1996, the tragic, brutal murder of a 6-year-old girl rocked the nation. And although child murders are typically newsworthy, the chilling and sensational details surrounding this particular case have proved enduring and intriguing for the public and investigators alike. Watch Video: Evidence of Two Intruders In JonBenet Ramsey Killing? Patsy, a former Miss West Virginia, encouraged her young daughter to enter beauty pageants. With an adorable face and charming personality, 6-year-old JonBenet won several competitions, including Little Miss Colorado, donning elaborate costumes and heavy makeup. The Ramsey family enjoyed a normal Christmas Day in 1996. The children gleefully opened their presents on Christmas morning; later, the family had dinner with their friends, the Whites. After leaving, they stopped at a few other houses to drop off more presents. By the time they got home, JonBenet was sound asleep. They carried her upstairs and put her to bed without waking her up. According to her account, Patsy awoke early next morning to prepare for the family's flight to Michigan. On the spiral staircase, she found a note. It was a ransom letter for JonBenet. Patsy panicked upon finding JonBenet's room empty and called 911 at 5:52 a.m. Police officer Rick French arrived about 18 minutes after her call and immediately searched the house for the girl, but he didn't find her. Friends of the family, including their reverend, soon arrived at the house and began consoling a hysteric Patsy. John, according to various accounts, was tense but calm throughout the morning. The ransom note, unusually long and written on lined legal paper with a black felt-tipped pen, claimed to be from a "group of individuals that represent a small foreign faction." It demanded $118,000, a sum that has puzzled investigators as an odd figure — and small considering the Ramseys' wealth. The letter indicated that the kidnappers would call "between 8 and 10 am tomorrow" and told the Ramseys that if they informed authorities, it would "result in your daughter being beheaded." The letter was signed "Victory! S.B.T.C." Next: Discovery of the Body |
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