Netflix's JonBenét Ramsey series spotlights local missteps
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John and Patsy Ramsey, the parents of JonBenét Ramsey, in Boulder on May 1, 1997. Photo: Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images
A new Netflix docuseries on the unsolved killing of JonBenét Ramsey is drawing renewed attention to the Boulder Police Department's handling of the decades-old case.
The big picture: Since the Nov. 25 premiere of "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey," local officials reaffirmed their commitment to finding her killer but declined to disclose recent progress, citing concerns about compromising the investigation and any future prosecution.
- The three-part series, directed by Oscar-nominated Joe Berlinger, sheds light on the mishandling of the case by authorities and the media through interviews with Ramsey's father and brother, law enforcement and reporters on the ground at the time.
Catch up quick: JonBenét Ramsey was found dead at age 6 in the basement of her family's Boulder home the morning after Christmas 1996. Concerns from her family and legal experts about the crime scene's integrity and the investigation sparked widespread criticism of the Boulder Police Department's approach to the case.
- "Boulder Police did not have a track record of handling many homicides for the simple reason that there were not many homicides to investigate," Charlie Brennan, a Colorado-based journalist, says in the documentary.
- Law enforcement quickly turned their suspicions toward her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, naming them primary suspects and prompting an onslaught of media attention.
- In 2008, the Boulder County district attorney used DNA testing to clear the family of wrongdoing. No one has been charged in connection with her death.
The latest: "We are continuing to work with DNA experts and our law enforcement partners around the country until this tragic case is solved," Boulder police chief Stephen Redfearn said in a statement.
- Last year, the Boulder Police Department gathered a panel of outside experts to review the homicide investigation and make recommendations to determine whether new technology or forensic testing could provide additional leads or intelligence.
- In an annual update released at the end of November, Redfearn said the review had been concluded and that police were evaluating a "lengthy list of recommendations," which have not been made public.
The intrigue: In the Netflix series finale, John Ramsey says five to six items were removed from the crime scene and sent to a lab for DNA testing but never sampled.
The other side: Both the BPD and the FBI's Denver office declined Axios' interview requests, citing the ongoing investigation. According to Berlinger, BPD also refused to be interviewed for the documentary.
- In its recent statement, the department called the implication that there is any evidence or leads it's ignoring "completely false."
- Yes, but: "There are a number of things people have pointed to throughout the years that could have been done better," Redfearn conceded in a video statement.
What we're watching: "We (the filmmaking team) and the Ramsey family believe that new DNA testing can solve this crime due to the incredible advancements in DNA technology since 1997," Berlinger said in an exclusive statement to The Hollywood Reporter earlier this week.