People in the community who tell the police, Give them room. John and other family members were cleared of suspicion through a handwriting test, but police couldnt conclusively determine if Patsy wrote the letter. He celebrated the holiday with the doomed 6-year-old beauty queen just two days before her battered body was found at her parents' mansion. There were months and months of negotiations, things about whether they could be videotaped, what are the questions going to be should the Boulder police be a part of it, said Carol McKinley, an investigative journalist. There were some reasons to suspect this. Janet McReynolds said in the same interview that her 1970s play sounded "quaint" in light of the Ramsey murder and only made her family more empathetic to the Ramseys' loss. Bill McReynolds was found dead in his Mashpee, Mass., home Monday by his wife, Janet, when she returned from a weekend trip. How could they think that? He was 72. The South Carolina native got engaged over the weekend to Kendall McReynolds, daughter of two-time Daytona 500 winning-crew chief and NASCAR on FOX analyst Larry McReynolds. For more information, please see our Bill McReynolds had been enjoying life as a retired journalism professor in Boulder, Colo. Then his life suddenly changed after volunteering to play Santa at an annual Christmas party attended by JonBenet. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. In his video diaries, Smit pointed out that whoever wrote the ransom note included language that was drawn from several movies. Tom Haney, a detective with the Denver Police Department, interrogated Patsy Ramsey, while Smit interrogated John Ramsey. "Wolf denies a report that he was a friend of another onetime suspect, longtime CU journalism professor Bill McReynolds, who played Santa Claus at the Ramseys' Christmas party two nights before the murder. John Ramseys son, JonBents half-brother John Andrew Ramsey, said that the family gave blood and fingerprints to the police as part of their investigation. The three-page ransom note, for example, was written on Patsy Ramseys notepad with a pen that had come from the house. Following the success of shows recounting murder cases and trials like, The People v. O.J Simpson, and Making A Murderer, both CBS and Lifetime are bringing JonBent's story to TV this year. She had dressed up as Mrs. Claus at the Christmas party and way back in 1976, Janet McReynolds wrote a play about a young girl who was abducted, molested, and found dead in a basement. The idea that a parents first thought upon finding their child murdered is to start a coverup out of pure survival instinct is fantastical. ", Janet McReynolds said Wednesday that her husband's involvement in the infamous case was "the greatest trial of his life.". The now late Bill McReynolds was also a suspect in the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. If these types of things usually point to a family member, how closely was Bill investigated? Police had also found a shoe print from a Hi-Tec brand boot near JonBents body -- no one in the family-owned shoes from this brand -- as well as two marks on her face and back, which he deduced had been made by a stun gun. It seems there are only a few realistic possibilities, the most likely, some would say, being that the grand jurors could have been referring to Burke as being the killer, a controversial theory proposed by a recent CBS program about the case. Watch the full story on "20/20" Friday at 9 p.m. The police are faced with lawyers and wealthy friends. His latest book, "Larry McReynolds: The Constant Pursuit of Perfection," was released in 2016. What we do know is that both Bill and Janet themselves had presumably been traumatized by the abduction of their own daughter and her sexually tinged traumatization more than 20 years prior to JonBenet's abduction, molestation, and death. For many years, JonBents parents and brother, Burke, who was 9-years-old at the time of her death, were considered the main suspects until they were cleared of suspicion. So in this theory, did John lie about the chairs in the basement, or did the killer magically slip out among all the family and LE there? He retired in 2019 to spend more time with his children and . Lawrence Brandon McReynolds is an American professional stock car racing driver and the No. In a June 1997 Denver Post article, a number of people who knew JonBent spoke to the outlet about what she was like as a person because the 6-year-old murder victim was far more than the pageant star whose glamour shots had been splashed across nearly every print and media outlet in the country. They returned for another one in June 1998, but this time, the investigators recorded it on video. McReynolds and her husband, a journalism professor at the University of Colorado at the time of JonBent's murder, were at the Ramsey home on December 23, 1996, playing Mr. and Mrs. Claus for the kids. To be clear, neither Bill, now deceased, nor Janet McReynolds was ever charged in this case, having been excluded as suspects by the Boulder police shortly after the crime. She was found with duct tape over her mouth and a smooth cord around her . The first non-family suspect in the case was a friend, Bill McReynolds who was at the house two days before her death and liked to dress up as Santa Clause. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. JonBent Patricia Ramsey was a six-year-old girl found dead in the basement of her Boulder, Colorado home on December 26, 1996. But [the police] are trying to say Patsy did it. The story of the girls brutal murder is a hot topic of discussion as her killer was never brought to justice. physicians health association of illinois provider portal. However, physical evidence suggested that those details were part of a set-up. Advertisement. He loved that little girl. McReynolds planned the murder in advance and he told JonBenet that Santa would visit her after Christmas to get her to go downstairs that night and wait for him. Besides Bill McReynolds, another man was deemed suspicious of being JonBent's killer. The Guardian reported that McReynolds had allegedly given JonBent a Christmas card which reportedly stated that the 6-year-old would be receiving a "special present" after Christmas. Now, twenty-five years after the shocking discovering, there are still many unanswered questions about the case as experts and amateurs alike try to uncover what happened that night. "He loved being Santa, he loved little children, and then the Ramsey case destroyed that career and just devastated him. If they were so anxious about it anyway, why not just remove the pineapple and avoid saying that Burke had a snack with her & getting the police to actually look for their daughter's killer? Or, in this case, an evil Santa? McReynolds claimed he was innocent and died in 2002. Were not interrogating possible suspects. Here is the exact wording of the recently released grand jury's recommended indictment of both John and Patsy Ramsey, which concluded that they each "unlawfully, knowingly, recklessly and feloniously permit[ted] a child to be unreasonably placed in a situation which posed a threat of injury to the child's life or health, resulting in her death." The three-page long note said in part that if JonBents parents called the authorities, she would die, and asked for $118,000. Pedophiles are highly skilled at finding ways to gain access to attractive children, and cultivating a close and trusting affectionate relationship with the intended victim in hopes that this will prevent him or her from reporting inappropriate sexual behavior to other adults. I found my daughter, John Ramsey told Walters in 2000. Nonetheless, in retrospect, we must take into consideration these strange recommendations rendered by this grand jury and their possible significance. It said that she would receive a "special present" after Christmas, and the note was found in the trash at the Ramsey home during the initial investigation. This seems absurd, and, therefore, ridiculous. All because they thought Burke might be arrested for eating pineapple with JonBenet? While the Ramsey's were at the party, the killer staged the kidnapping, he wrote the ransom note so he could throw off the investigation as long as possible.. He had been living in the area on and off and when police allegedly found a magazine with pictures of the girl in his backpack. I thought this was [going to] be a fairly easy case. They were never charged as suspects in the murder. Now, in the house, the ransom note is written on a pad that belongs to Patsy., He said police began to suspect that maybe the Ramseys had harmed their child in some way, then panicked and tried to create basically a kidnapping scenario.. After a stint in the Army, McReynolds returned to his alma mater and taught for five years before moving to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota. It wasnt until 2008 when the Boulder County District Attorneys office ruled that the Ramseys were no longer considered suspects thanks to newly developed DNA sampling and testing techniques. Nope. Think he was old and not a well man .Dont think he did it. However, the McReynolds were officially cleared (again, via DNA analysis, which is certainly not infallible) of any involvement in the crime, with these startling aforementioned "facts" deemed purely coincidental by both themselves and, presumably, the Boulder police department. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. We were shocked, added John Ramsey. Burke denies any wrongdoing and they believe him, but they also realize the situation makes Burke look really guilty and he will be blamed and taken from them. As we looked at each other, I remember -- and I wore a shoulder holster -- tucking my gun right next to me and consciously counting [that] Ive got 18 bullets, Arndt said, adding, I didnt know if wed all be alive when people showed up.. Gary Oliva was a known sex offender in Colorado when JonBent was murdered. What about chronic sexual abuse of JonBenet? They further reported that McReynolds' wife, Janet, who, with her husband also attended the 1996 Christmas party at the Ramsey mansion dressed as "Mrs. Claus," had, two decades prior to JonBenet's death, written a play, which briefly made it to the off-Broadway stage in NYC, in which a teenaged girl was molested and murdered in her own home's basement. A federal court ruled that it was unlikely that Patsy wrote the note and cited six certified handwriting experts. No one was ever arrested for the crime. Yet, when the case was reopened in 2009, the intruder theory was brought once again as a possible option. People were streaming through that house. An Associated Press report from March 1997 stated that McReynolds and his wife, Janet, were initially questioned less than six weeks after the murder. The 26-year-old committed suicide two days after a 1997 press conference where the Boulder DA announced that they were looking at a new suspect. The family friend, who died in 2002, was considered in JonBent's murder. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. A NEW documentary aims to shed fresh light on the murder of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsay by investigating some long-forgotten suspects -- including the mysterious figure dubbed 'Santa Claus'.. She had dressed up as Mrs. Claus at the Christmas party and way back in 1976, Janet McReynolds wrote a play about a young girl who was abducted, molested, and found dead in a basement. Other connections between McReynolds and the Ramsey family have apparently been a cause for concern for investigators. Which means you constructed this primarily with your own imagination. Nonetheless, all this provided these jurors with a unique perspective on the complex facts comprising the case, one which I believe merits our attention and serious consideration right alongside the actual evidence itself. 8.4K views, 22 likes, 0 loves, 37 comments, 17 shares. Can Good Relationship Experiences Change Attachment Styles? His wife's book, what happened to their own daughter etc. Though at one time JonBent's parents were questioned, they have maintained their innocence and in 2008 were officially cleared of any involvement in the murder, and were never the only people investigated. He attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1982 to 1989 and was Sorted into Gryffindor House. While JonBents half-brother, John Andrew Ramsey, said his father has remarried and is focusing on life, he also said their fight for justice on behalf of his half-sister is not over. The tragic incident changed everything. Smit also spoke about the DNA evidence that police had found underneath JonBents fingernails and in her underwear in the video diaries. Catherine Willows Eddie Willows CSI Wiki Katie Stevens Morgan Brody Warrick Brown Immortality Gil Grissom Theres no reason at all for the Ramseys to use a stun gun and the Ramseys dont have a stun gun, Smit recorded himself saying at the time. Cookie Notice He went through the Ramsey's mail and saw Johns pay-stubs. The Colorado detective who died from cancer in 2010 had investigated over 200 cases over the course of his career and every one of them had led to a conviction, according to his granddaughter Jessa van der Woerd. When he got sick with cancer he knew that his time was limited and so, during that time, he just talked to others about not letting this case die, said Cindy Marra, Smits daughter. Waltrip joined the broadcast booth for FOX Sports in 2001, a year after he retired from NASCAR. Keep in mind that just after JonBent's death, there were rumors that sexual assault was a factor in the murder, but those claims are under dispute in light of recent interviews like A&E's The Killing of JonBent: The Truth Uncovered, which aired on Labor Day weekend. Yet Burke and both his parents have been officially exonerated (see Part 1), based mainly on the most recent DNA evidence. Karr eventually came out as a transgender woman in 2010. And Burke. He told the Denver Post that when he first met JonBent in 1995 he was struck by her smile, her "pensive, almost retiring" demeanor, and her angelic glow. were officially cleared of any involvement in the murder, JonBenet Ramsey's murder, including Bill McReynolds, the man hired by Patsy to play Santa Claus at the Ramsey family's Christmas parties, McReynolds and his wife, Janet, were initially questioned, police sources never considered he or Janet "serious" suspects. The real Killer doesn't know the Ramsey's personally so he is never questioned or identified. A service in Boulder will take place later this month, and his ashes will be scattered in one of his favorite Colorado mountain getaways, his wife said. This seems really strange and coincidental. ET on ABC. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. Lifetime will present a TV movie called Who Killed JonBent? The murder of JonBent Ramsey Mysterious Death. On December 26, 1996, Patsy Ramsey woke up around 5:45 a.m. and found a three-page handwritten note. What did they know? KEVIN E. SCHMIDT. Or perhaps the Ramseys felt that, with poor JonBenet already dead, they did not want to see their friend, Bill, who was already in poor health, die in prison. Why not write a confession letter by Patsy and mail it to the police. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Indeed, they were reportedly made privy to evidence that those of us in the general public have never seen nor even known about, though they admittedly never had the latest though, for many, still inconclusive DNA evidence back then. Since they didn't, any DNA was mixed and contaminated. It was Christmas 1996 when a panicked phone call was made from the residence of Patsy and John Ramsey to 911 emergency services, stating their daughter . Cindy Mara is one of the daughters of Lou Smit, who investigated JonBenet Ramsey's case and whose dying wish was for his family and friends to find her killer. He takes pictures of her dying and possibly records it. Starting with the 2018 Election, four (4) Councilmembers were elected by Districts with the remaining three (3) Councilmembers elected by Districts in 2020. The day after Christmas in 1996, the body of 6-year-old beauty pageant queen JonBent Ramsey was found in the basement of her parents Boulder, Colorado home. Part of Karrs twisted confession involved diary entries written about crime in which Karr describes strangling JonBent as a love game gone wrong. We also should have separated John and Patsy and gotten full statements from them that day. Kolar scoured through lab and police reports, witness statements and other information when he took over the case. The specific wording and charges of this indictment were remarkable because the jurors did not recommend that either Patsy or John be indicted for killing their daughter, JonBenet, either accidentally or intentionally. This First Look At BBC Crime Thriller 'Wolf' Is Tense AF, Sophie Turners Joan Charts The Rise Of A Famous British Jewel Thief, Alex Murdaugh Faces Life In Prison For Allegedly Killing His Wife & Son, Curtis Cousin Eddie Smith Claims Alex Murdaugh Made Him A Fall Guy, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. He grew his long natural white beard when cast as a tavern owner in the play, "Les Miserables" for Unity of Boulder Church. It was later revealed that the note was written on stationery found in the familys home. But they also know that he couldn't have written the note and they know that neither one of them wrote it or did anything wrong because they were together the entire time. Not a well man.Dont think he did it Pursuit of Perfection, & quot ; McReynolds... In this case, an evil Santa with his children and Smit interrogated Ramsey... From several movies to 1989 and was Sorted into Gryffindor house movie called who Killed JonBent must take into these... 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