The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey: New Evidence: The Case of JonBenét Ramsey
A thorough review of new DNA evidence and unresolved leads in the Boulder murder
What is the book about?
The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey: New Evidence published by St. Martin's Press in 2025 is a comprehensive documentation of the ongoing investigation into the murder of six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey. The book starts with the tragic events of December 26, 1996, when the little girl was reported missing from her home in Boulder, Colorado, and later found dead in the family's basement. This publication differs from previous literature on the subject by emphasizing the latest investigative steps, including modern DNA analyses and forensic techniques that were not available in the early decades following the crime.
The authors behind the book examine the complex evidence, including the unusual ransom note of two and a half pages found in the Ramsey home. The amount of $118,000 matched exactly with the Christmas bonus of father John Ramsey, which early in the investigation raised suspicions that the perpetrator might have knowledge of the family's private affairs. The book highlights how the case has evolved from initial theories of family members' involvement to the later focus on an unknown intruder, supported by the discovery of unknown male DNA on the victim's clothing.
The real case
The case of JonBenét Ramsey is one of the most debated criminal cases in American history. On December 26, 1996, Patsy Ramsey found a long, handwritten letter on the kitchen stairs claiming that her daughter had been kidnapped by a 'foreign faction.' But eight hours after the initial police report, John Ramsey found his daughter's body in a storage room in the basement. The autopsy revealed that she died from asphyxiation and skull fracture caused by blunt force trauma.
The investigation in Boulder was quickly criticized for being inadequate, as the crime scene was not properly secured, leading to contamination of potential evidence. Over the years, several theories have circulated, including suspicion against the parents and brother Burke Ramsey, all of whom were officially cleared in 2008 based on touch-DNA evidence. Read more about the investigation of JonBenét Ramsey here . In the 2020s, the Boulder police have resumed work on the case in collaboration with cold case experts to utilize the latest genetic genealogy, which is the central focus of this new book.