Police in Boulder, Colorado are taking a new approach to JonBenét Ramsey’s murder case nearly 26 years after she was killed.
The Boulder Police Department announced in a news release on Thursday that it “will be consulting with the Colorado Cold Case Review Team in 2023.”
JonBenét, a 6-year-old pageant contestant, was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family’s Boulder, Colorado, home on Dec. 26, 1996.
In their release, Boulder Police, along with the Boulder County District’s Attorney’s Office, shared an update on the decades-long investigation.
“Since JonBenet’s murder, detectives have investigated leads stemming from more than 21,000 tips, letters, and emails. We have traveled to 19 states to interview or speak with more than 1,000 individuals,” the announcement reads, adding that local, state, and federal authorities have been working with the District Attorney’s Office Colorado’s Department of Public Safety, Colorado’s Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and DNA labs.
Authorities noted that the DNA evidence they’ve gathered so far is so small it “could, in whole or in part, be consumed by DNA testing.”
Though DNA testing will still be a part of the investigation, Boulder police said they are now seeking help from the specialist Colorado Cold Case Review Team and will be working with the agency next year.
“The Cold Case Review Team is comprised of professional investigative, analytical, and forensic experts from across the state,” it shared, noting that it will also provide “best practices” in the probe.
“This crime has left a hole in the hearts of many, and we will never stop investigating until we find JonBenet’s killer,” Police Chief Maris Herold said in the update. “That includes following up on every lead and working with our policing partners and DNA experts around the country to solve this tragic case. This investigation has always been and will continue to be a priority for the Boulder Police Department.”
Added District Attorney Michael Dougherty: “The murder of JonBenet Ramsey is a terrible tragedy and sparked years of unanswered questions and theories. Our office has successfully prosecuted other cold case homicides and many murder cases. In every one of those cases, it was the evidence that proved the defendant(s) guilty. Whether it is DNA or other evidence, more is needed to solve this murder. I appreciate the collaboration with CBI, the FBI, and the Boulder Police Department.”
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