Boulder DA says he would not have cleared Ramseys in 1996 murder
Michael Dougherty told reporters Tuesday that the 2008 exoneration of JonBenet Ramsey’s family was not legally binding, as the case enters its 30th year.
By Martin Reynolds ·
Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said Tuesday that he would not have cleared the Ramsey family of suspicion in the 1996 murder of JonBenet Ramsey. The statement came the day before the 30th anniversary of the child’s death, marking a major milestone in the long-running investigation.
Dougherty and Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn spoke to reporters to discuss the current status of the case. JonBenet, a 6-year-old pageant winner, was found dead in the basement of her family home in the 700 block of 15th Street in Boulder on December 26, 1996. Her mother, Patsy Ramsey, had called police earlier that morning after finding a ransom note demanding $118,000. A coroner later determined JonBenet suffered a fractured skull, was asphyxiated with a garrote, and was sexually assaulted.
In 2008, then-District Attorney Mary Lacy publicly exonerated the family. Dougherty noted that Lacy’s decision likely did not harm the long-term investigation. He explained that a former DA’s public statement is not legally binding on current prosecutors. “I’ve never ruled out people in a case that’s unsolved,” Dougherty said. “Doing right by the victim demands that I remain open-minded and committed to following the evidence wherever it leads. … I would not have done it.”
John Andrew Ramsey, JonBenet’s half-brother, said he does not mind that his family is still technically under investigation. He told the Daily Camera that the tone of the DA and police chief has shifted recently. Ramsey said investigators expressed optimism after testing evidence at the end of 2025 in Jefferson County. “I don’t think Steve Redfearn and Michael Dougherty are dumb enough to blurt that out without having something to back it up,” Ramsey said.
Boulder police spokesperson Dionne Waugh said she could not confirm the specific testing because the investigation is ongoing. Waugh noted that the department usually releases an online update near the anniversary, but the officials held a news conference this year to add weight to the milestone. Neither Dougherty nor Redfearn shared new suspects, leads, or results on Tuesday.
Redfearn said detectives have interviewed people in at least 17 states and received hundreds of thousands of tips over the years. “I still get emails almost daily,” Redfearn said. He acknowledged that the initial investigation had flaws, including a failure to properly lock down the scene. “There are things that I read and heard about that I was like, ‘Wow, that is not how that was supposed to happen,’” Redfearn said. He added that investigators are in contact with forensic labs nationwide, waiting for technology that allows for reliable testing of aged evidence.
Dougherty said the goal is to bring the killer to justice and provide relief to the family. “If it was just going to remain unsolved for the rest of our lives, we would tell you that,” Dougherty said. “We will not stop. … As long as there’s progress to be made, we’ll keep working it. I’ll promise you that.”
