Any case of murder, disappearance, or kidnapping always impacts the world because it reminds us of the vulnerability of life, the uncertainty of safety, and other triggers. It only gets worse when it involves children. Two recent cases still move us: the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in 2007 and, just eleven years before that, the murder of JonBenét Ramsey.

Madeleine, who was only four years old when she was last seen in Portugal, is still missing, but JonBenét, who was only six years old, was murdered inside her home on Christmas Day 1996. To this day, in 2024, no arrests have been made, no suspects have been charged and the case is generating a lot of controversy. Following the trend of biased documentaries that generate discussion, Netflix today made available the documentary Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey? intending to have the last word on what is undoubtedly one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century.

The kidnapping and murder: a matter of hours

JonBenét Ramsey was a six-year-old girl, known for participating in child beauty pageants. She lived with her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and her older brother, Burke, in Boulder, Colorado. On the morning of December 26, 1996, Patsy claimed to have found a three-page handwritten ransom note on her staircase, claiming that JonBenét had been kidnapped and asking for an exact amount of $118,000 — curiously, the same amount as the bonus John received that year. Patsy called the police immediately, but after several searches, JonBenét’s body was found about eight hours later in the basement of the house.

Her hands were tied, a rope was around her neck, and there were signs of physical assault, including head trauma. The method used for strangulation was an improvised garrote, which raised suspicions of premeditation.

The investigation was marked by controversies and errors, including the contamination of the crime scene, mainly because the house was invaded by friends and family, contaminating possible evidence. In addition, it was John who found the body, after a detective suggested that he look around the house again to see if there was anything strange. Upon seeing his daughter, he threw himself on top of her, destroyed the scene, and took the body with him to another floor, destroying the crime scene and hindering any possibility of searching the place.

Public opinion against the Ramseys

Due to the countless images of JonBenét at the championships or home videos, the public – encouraged by the media – immediately turned against the Ramseys. The tradition that initial suspects are always those closest to the victim eliminated any argument from the family that a stranger entered the house, took the girl to the basement, sexually abused her, and killed her while everyone slept, for the police or those covering the case.

It may come as a surprise to millennials, but this “detective” thing has always been a driving force for true crime fans, even 28 years ago. Since then, there have been several documentaries, books, and articles discussing who killed JonBenét Ramsey, without getting close to the truth.

There are several basic unanswered questions about the Ramseys, the main one being the ransom letter. The police considered the long and detailed letter to be possibly fabricated. Experts pointed out that it seemed like a diversion, but it was never proven who wrote it, although tests showed that the handwriting and vocabulary were very similar to Patsy’s, and yes, the ransom amount suggests that it was someone who had access to the Ramseys’ banking information.

Not only were John and Patsy treated as suspects, with speculation that the note was an attempt to cover up an accident or other act by the family, but the vast majority believe that the killer was Burke, who was only nine years old at the time. According to the official testimony, he slept through the night even when the police first entered the house and Patsy was crying loudly.

What the family insists

Since then, the Ramseys have insisted that it was an intruder. There is evidence that suggests the presence of an outsider, such as footprints in the snow and a partially broken window. However, this has never been confirmed. In 2008, DNA analysis ruled the Ramseys out as direct suspects, but the case remains unsolved.

The Netflix documentary is set up so that today we agree with the family’s version of events. Directed by Oscar-nominated director Joe Berlinger, Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey focuses on the mishandling of the case by the police and the media, highlighting the flaws on both sides, without getting anywhere near the main issue “against” the Ramseys, which is the ransom letter. But the fact is, they have never managed to come up with anything more than circumstantial evidence against the family.

Almost thirty years later, no one, including John and Patsy Ramsey, has been charged with JonBenét’s murder. Berlinger believes in the innocence of John and Patsy Ramsey, and it is with this goal that the documentary wants to give us the impression as well. And he goes further: he believes that it is possible to find the culprit, just eliminate the presumption that the parents or the brother are the ones to blame. Patsy Ramsey died of cancer in 2009, at just 49 years old.

According to Detective Lou Smit, who was the main supporter of the intruder theory while alive, Patsy Ramsey’s last words to him were “Lou, I don’t have much time left. Please catch this guy before I die.” Today, Smit’s heirs are on the Ramseys’ side to clear the shadow of suspicion over them. The TV Movie is on the way

One of Joe Berlinger‘s concerns about giving this pro-family version is that Paramount+ is preparing a series about the case, along the lines of the hits that Netflix has been showing with Ryan Murphy‘s signature. Nothing new, there are so many of them these days, but still, for him, it’s important to have a pro-family version.

“I’m deeply concerned about this production perpetuating false ideas. I don’t know what [path] they’re taking, but it was kind of shocking to me to hear from John Ramsey that this production didn’t contact him,” he told Variety. “I don’t want to criticize other filmmakers, but Ryan Murphy also had no interest in talking to the Menendez brothers [for ‘Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendez’], from what I’ve read. If you’re going to take over someone’s life and not talk to them, how do they know the nuances of so many situations?” he asked.

The JonBenét Ramsey series stars Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen and explores the tragic unsolved murder and “follows the Ramsey family, before and after the tragedy, as they grapple with the heartbreaking loss of a child while facing intense public scrutiny caused by a media frenzy that has captivated an entire nation. At the heart of the series is the story of Patsy (McCarthy) and John Ramsey (Owen) – exploring the unbreakable partnership of these two complex people – as husband and wife, as mother and father – who committed themselves and their children to building the narrative of a perfect, privileged life only to have it shattered on Christmas Eve in 1996.”

Will we ever have the answer?

The case has become complex precisely because of the many “outside detectives” and judgments based on prejudice. Personally, I have a theory, but with so many, I’ll keep it to myself. That’s because JonBenét’s brief life deserves a path of peace. She continues to be the subject of popular interest, documentaries, and analysis, and one of the most discussed mysteries of the 20th century. That doesn’t change.

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