JonBenét Ramsey‘s father, John Ramsey, is begging for police to test DNA evidence that could potentially help solve the nearly 30-year-long mystery of who murdered his then six-year-old daughter.
Ahead of the new Netflix docuseries Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey, which premieres on Monday, November 25, John spoke with People about the case and how he believes cutting-edge DNA testing could shed light on who killed his daughter in 1996.
“We’re begging the police to engage,” Ramsey told the outlet. “There are cutting-edge DNA labs that want to help and who believe they can move the case forward.”
John revealed it is up to the police in Boulder, Colorado, to give the go-ahead on testing the potentially game-changing evidence, which includes genetic material left on the handmade garrote used to strangle JonBenét and other items found at the crime scene.
“The chief of police is in charge. Nobody can come in and help him with solving a crime unless he asks for help,” John continued. “We’re not asking them to do anything weird. Just do your job. Test the DNA.”
Netflix’s upcoming three-part docuseries delves into the story of JonBenét, who was sexually assaulted and brutally murdered in the Ramseys’ home in December 1996. At the time, the Ramsey family quickly fell under suspicion. The series investigates the mishandling of the case by law enforcement and the media.
“We assumed that the police would show some level of discernment and wisdom and say, ‘Yeah, well this is crazy, to think [we] murdered our child,’” John told People. “Well, they never did. They made that decision on day one, and tried desperately to prove it.”
Expanding on what he believes are the police’s missteps, John said, “Of the items sent to labs in the beginning, six or seven of them were returned untested. We don’t know why they were not tested, but they were not tested. The garrote used to strangle JonBenét and a number of items just were sent back.”
Related‘Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey’: What to Know About Netflix’s New Docuseries
John is hoping to use genealogy research to help crack the case, but to do that, he says they need “a different format of the sample.”
“And that’s why we’ve been advocating more testing be done by one or two of these very cutting edge labs, to retrieve a sample in the right format, which they can use to do genealogy research and searching, basically,” he added.
John said he believes the case can be solved, but it will require the Boulder Police to accept help.
“If it stays in the hands of the Boulder Police, it will not be solved, period,” he shared. “If they accept help, all the help that’s out there, that’s available and offered, it will be solved. Yes, I believe it will be solved.”
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey, Premiere, Monday, November 25, Netflix
If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault, contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network‘s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
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