DA Finally Clears Ramseys in JonBenet Murder

By Anastacia Mott Austin

A statement issued by Boulder, Colorado’s District Attorney Mary Lacy has cleared the Ramsey family of the murder of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey.

The case of the tiny beauty queen provided the source of endless national fascination after the little girl was brutally murdered on Christmas night in 1996.

The Colorado police department initially suspected both of JonBenet’s parents, John and Patsy, of her murder.

For years they remained under "an umbrella of suspicion," to use then-D.A. Alex Hunter words. But no concrete evidence was ever verified, and the couple was never indicted for any crime.

Further complicating the case, the original detectives assigned to investigate were later removed from the case because of faulty crime scene evidence collection, among other "errors" made.

The sensationalistic media outlets missed no opportunity to broadcast "new evidence" in the case, as well as theories about how either John Ramsey or his wife Patsy could have killed their own child.

The couple insisted on their innocence, and Patsy Ramsey was said to have fought to clear her name up until her death in 2006 of ovarian cancer.

But the statement issued this week by the current district attorney is meant to clear the Ramsey name once and for all.

Stating new evidence found through "touch DNA," in which minute skin samples left behind after even a mere touch, Lacy states that DNA found on JonBenet’s pajamas and underwear do not match any family members or any innocent members of the investigative team (who may have accidentally contaminated the clothing when handling it during the investigation).

In a letter to John Ramsey, D.A. Lacy writes, "This new scientific evidence convinces us that it is appropriate, given the circumstances of this case, to state that we do not consider your immediate family including you, your wife, Patsy, and your son, Burke, to be under any suspicion in the commission of this crime."

What is surprising about the letter is that Lacy also includes an apology to the family: "To the extent that we may have contributed in any way to the public perception that you might have been involved in this crime, I am deeply sorry: No innocent person should have to endure such an extensive trial in the court of public opinion, especially when public officials have not had sufficient evidence to initiate a trial in a court of law."

Added Lacy, "I have the greatest respect for the way you and your family have handled this adversity."

She also writes that she is aware of the fact that "…there will be those who will choose to continue to differ with our conclusion."

As for John Ramsey, he told reporters that he felt relief at the vindication. "I think the people that are in charge of the investigation are focused on that, and that gives me a lot of comfort," he told local reporters, adding, "Certainly we are grateful that they acknowledged that we, based on that, certainly could not have been involved."