Boulder Police Test New DNA Method to Solve 30-Year-Old Murder

Detectives in Boulder, Colorado, are turning to advanced genetic tools to identify the killer of JonBenét Ramsey, a case that has remained unsolved for three decades. The police department is currently in discussions with laboratories regarding the use of forensic genetic genealogy to process DNA collected from the crime scene and the victim's body.

Stephen Redfearn, the current Boulder Police Chief, spoke publicly for the first time about the ongoing investigation in a new ABC News segment airing today. He stated that his team is re-interviewing suspects and testing new evidence. The primary goal is to match biological material to distant relatives in online genetic databases.

Redfearn acknowledged that the samples present a technical challenge. He noted that the DNA strands are mixed and the quantities are minuscule. If the sample is too small, the testing process could consume the entire amount, leaving no material for future analysis.

"We might get lucky because we may only, in some circumstances, with what we have, have one shot at getting it tested," Redfearn said. The department is waiting for confirmation that the technology is advanced enough to yield reliable results before sending any samples for analysis.

JonBenét Ramsey was found dead in the basement of her family home in the early morning hours of December 26, 1996. Her mother, Patsy Ramsey, discovered a two-and-a-half-page ransom note addressed to John Ramsey. The note demanded $118,000 for the girl's safe return and warned her father of the consequences of outsmarting the kidnappers.

Police arrived at the scene within three minutes of the 911 call. An autopsy determined that JonBenét had been sexually assaulted and killed by blunt force trauma and strangulation using a garrote. For years, public scrutiny fell heavily on the Ramsey family. Skeptics suggested the ransom note was staged by a family member to cover up the death.

Handwriting comparisons of the note found similarities to Patsy Ramsey's writing, though the family denied involvement. Patsy Ramsey died from ovarian cancer in 2006. In 2008, Boulder County District Attorney Mary Lacy wrote to John Ramsey stating that the immediate family was no longer under suspicion based on new DNA evidence found on the victim's clothing.

However, some officials later criticized Lacy for clearing the family while the investigation was still active. The case remains open as investigators work with forensic scientists to interpret the complex genetic data.

Burke Ramsey, JonBenét's brother, commented on the public reaction to the tragedy. "This awful thing happened to this family, and the world turns against you. And it's cruel," he said. He praised his parents for their strength in the years following the murder.

John Andrew Ramsey, JonBenét's older half-brother, expressed confidence that the case will be solved. He said the family has the DNA testing in their favor. "I know we're going to find this person," he said. "This is a case that can be solved. There's a mountain of evidence out there. It's not a question of if, but when."