On Dec. 26, 1996, John and Patsy Ramsey awoke to a nightmare. Their younger child, 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey, was missing, with a chilling ransom note left behind. The day took a devastating turn when John Ramsey discovered JonBenét’s lifeless body in the basement, revealing the horrifying truth that she had been sexually assaulted and brutally murdered within the supposed safety of her own home. The Boulder police, inexperienced in handling homicide investigations, quickly turned their suspicions toward the Ramsey family, igniting a media frenzy that painted them as the prime suspects. This one-sided reporting fueled a national obsession, casting a long shadow over the case that remains unsolved 28 years later.
Now, Academy Award–nominated director Joe Berlinger is reexamining the infamous cold case in a compelling three-part docuseries, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey.
“There is nothing more horrific than an innocent child being murdered,” Berlinger tells Netflix, “But combine that with the false narrative that she was murdered by her own parents, or her 9-year-old brother, and that’s a horrifying tale.”
The series delves deeply into what John Ramsey perceives as errors made by authorities during the investigation of JonBenét’s murder, scrutinizes the missteps of law enforcement and the media, and highlights the relatively straightforward measures that could potentially solve this haunting mystery.
“Here’s a guy who’s 80 years old now, has been through hell, and yet is still pounding the table after all these decades to solve this case and demanding that the Boulder Police Department do more advanced DNA testing,” Berlinger says of John Ramsey’s involvement in the series and his ongoing quest for the truth. As the series unfolds, it poses a critical question: Will Colorado authorities finally take the necessary actions to bring JonBenét’s killer to justice and offer her family the peace they’ve long sought?
The series includes a significant amount of never-before-seen material, including pieces of the audio diaries belonging to Colorado Springs detective Lou Smit.
“The Lou Smit audio diaries are compelling,” Berlinger says. “Especially when you see how this revered law enforcement official was brought in from Colorado Springs to provide additional insight into the case and everyone was happy with him until he started coming up with the inconvenient conclusion that the Ramseys may actually be innocent.”
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét also includes a new interview with former Boulder district attorney Alex Hunter.
“[He] was very careful in news interviews and never said who he thought was responsible for the crime at the time,” Berlinger says, “However, we tracked down a video that Hunter thought would never be seen in which he reveals his true feelings.”
Ultimately, Berlinger hopes the series will put some of the long-standing theories to rest and implore law enforcement to reexamine the case.
“I know this will disappoint the armchair sleuths and many people on Reddit, but I think there is zero chance that the family had anything to do with this horrendous crime,” Berlinger says.
Episode 1, “Keep Your Babies Close”
The shocking Christmas murder of 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey becomes a national obsession as the media casts suspicion on her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey. But after mishandling evidence at the crime scene, police struggle to make an arrest.
Episode 2, “Umbrella of Suspicion”
Without evidence tying John and Patsy Ramsey to the murder of JonBenét, the police try to pressure the parents into confessing. Meanwhile, a legendary detective joins the investigation and finds stunning new evidence that points the case in a new direction.
Episode 3, “The Truth Is Going to Prevail”
A prosecutor’s controversial decision sends the case against John and Patsy Ramsey into a tailspin. At the same time, private investigators and journalists uncover new suspects, and a professor’s chance encounter leads to an arrest that shocks the world.
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey is executive produced by Joe Berlinger, Craig D’Entrone, Jon Kamen, and Jen Isaacson.
