It is been 25 years since the 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey’s murder captivated the nation, and now Boulder, Colorado, police say they have tested almost 1,000 DNA samples in the hopes of catching the culprit.
It is the latest in a long line of figures revealing their continued efforts:
- Over 21,000 tips, letters, and emails have been received, evaluated, and investigated by police.
- Detectives have visited 19 different states.
- They have spoken with over 1,000 people.
- They have gone over almost 1500 pieces of evidence.
The case has yet to be solved. It sparked widespread attention, possibly as a result of a combination of reasons, including her participation in young girl beauty pageants, her family’s affluence, and suspicions surrounding her parents, who were never convicted and eventually exonerated by police through DNA testing.
JonBenet was reported missing from the family’s Boulder home on December 26, 1996. Patsy, the girl’s mother, informed police she discovered a ransom note seeking $118,000 for her release.
That day, her body was discovered in a basement area of the house.
Patsy Ramsey died in 2006 from ovarian cancer.
Boulder police said in a statement commemorating the murder’s 25th anniversary that they actively “employ modern technologies to assist the investigation” and look for DNA matches on a daily basis in effort to solve the case.
“Multiple suspects have been sent through the system to search for matches, thanks to enormous breakthroughs in DNA technology. Over 750 reference samples have been updated with the newest DNA technology by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). On future DNA developments, the Boulder Police Department collaborates closely with CBI.”
