JonBenét Ramsey’s father said he is still pushing for Colorado police to retest DNA evidence in his 6-year-old daughter’s 1996 murder.
John Ramsey, 80, told Fox News that the family did not celebrate Christmas for years after his daughter’s unsolved slaying. JonBenét Ramsey was found bludgeoned and strangled in the basement of her Boulder home hours after she was reported missing and a ransom note was discovered at the residence.
“Now, we have grandchildren, and we have to enjoy those in our life. We will be with my daughter and her children and [my son’s] children this Christmas…You’ve got to remember what Christmas is all about, and that helps solidify our view of life and what life’s all about,” he explained to Fox.
JonBenét Ramsey’s mother, Patsy Ramsey, died of ovarian cancer in 2006. John Ramsey said he wants Boulder police to retest evidence with updated genetic technology to obtain new leads in their daughter’s unsolved murder.
Last year, Boulder police said it would be working with private DNA laboratories and the Colorado Cold Case Review Team.
“Since JonBenet’s murder, detectives have investigated leads stemming from more than 21,000 tips, letters, and emails. We have traveled to 19 states to interview or speak with more than 1,000 individuals. This investigation continues to receive assistance from federal, state, and local partners,” the police department said at the time.
However, John Ramsey told Fox that he is “cautiously hopeful” that police will follow through with his request. He also acknowledged that a suspect could be arrested tomorrow and some still will remain incredulous.
He said, “All the horrible things that were said about us in the media and so forth, at that stage, it didn’t matter. We’d lost our child. And couldn’t hurt us any more than that.”
Fox reported that John Ramsey recently urged the FBI to make child murder a federal crime — which would allow the agency to immediately intervene in cases involving children younger than 12.
He commented, “It’s insane to leave it up to the local police department to decide what should be done.”
Anyone with information regarding JonBenét Ramsey’s murder should call or email the Boulder Police Department at 303-441-1974, [email protected].
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[Featured image: JonBenet Ramsey/Handout]
