Members' Theories

[cutter russ]

OK..here's my latest theory...over the years I've had several...the Ramseys come home from the Christmas party at 10pm. JonBenet wants a snack Patsy gives her the pineapple. Then Blake has some energy to burn off and he and JB start running around through the house. Patsy tells them to stop...but they don't and up the stairs they dash then Blake goes downstairs and JB does a quick turn and looses her balance and down she goes....she dies. John and Patsy decide they must protect Blake. They don't want him known as the kid who " killed his little sister ". Of course he didn't kill her but he started the game of chase which led to the accident. So John and Patsy come up with the intruder idea, Patsy writes the goofy ransom letter and here we are .... all these years later case not solved....they made up the story to protect their only living child.

 

[DeeDee249]

I can't see the staging getting to the point of garroting and vaginal assault to cover up what truly was an accident. I just can't see parents doing that. If that had happened, there would be no criminal investigation...it would be ruled an accident and that would have been the end of it. Besides, they could simply have said that she fell down the spiral stairs.
What was done to JBR went WAY beyond protecting BR.

That being said- every theory is a good addition to the thread. Gives us all more ways to look at the case. And after all- one of us is bound to be right!

 

[Meyahna]

After reflexion, I think one theory like this makes a much sense. Rather good theory I'd say:

http://www.crimemagazine.com/jonbenet.htm

 

[JMO8778]

I can't see the staging getting to the point of garroting and vaginal assault to cover up what truly was an accident. I just can't see parents doing that. If that had happened, there would be no criminal investigation...it would be ruled an accident and that would have been the end of it. Besides, they could simply have said that she fell down the spiral stairs.
What was done to JBR went WAY beyond protecting BR.

I agree,and although Dr Baden said Burke should be looked at,IMO,to me that gives all the more reason to think the DNA may be his after all.(which I suspect JB picked up from sharing the same toilet or other transfer).

 

[rashomon]

After reflexion, I think one theory like this makes a much sense. Rather good theory I'd say:

http://www.crimemagazine.com/jonbenet.htm

That is Steve Thomas' theory. Indeed it would explain a lot but does not explain how John's shirt fibers ended up in JonBenet's crotch area and in her underwear.
For additional fiber evidence was tested after ST left the case, which is the reason why the info is not in his book.

 

[JMO8778]

IMO I think Thomas did know JR was involved at the get-go,for one proper protocol wasn't followed for JR's co. in the event of a KN;other things are JR yelling at BR on the tape and obviously sending him back to bed,the phone records disappearing,etc.I think there were just things he couldn't reveal,so he had to leave JR out of the scenario until after 10 am when he went to the basement alone.
Also keep in mind that in his book,he is telling Smit his own personal theory.He's not going to hand over all the cards to his opponent.I suspect there might be a lot of evidence on JR being concealed.
It's also interesting that molestation was an underlying theme throughout the entire book,right from the beginning.So I don't think it's impossible to think Thomas was using the the LE trick of laying all the blame on Patsy,while letting JR go home-free on all but the cover-up from 10am onwards,hoping that would put the pressure on Patsy.

 

[DeeDee249]

Do you think ST thought that JBR was being molested by PR, JR or both?

 

[JMO8778]

Do you think ST thought that JBR was being molested by PR, JR or both?

I gather that he thought Patsy was corporally cleaning JB,and from things like the word incest being looked up,JB seeing the school nurse 3x in Dec.,(and always on a Mon.),her crying at the party and saying she didn't feel pretty..I think he thought JR was;perhaps he may have thought JAR did as well.
Curiously DP isn't mentioned at all,which makes me wonder if Thomas thought he was a candidate for that as well.

 

[DeeDee249]

I gather that he thought Patsy was corporally cleaning JB,and from things like the word incest being looked up,JB seeing the school nurse 3x in Dec.,(and always on a Mon.),her crying at the party and saying she didn't feel pretty..I think he thought JR was;perhaps he may have thought JAR did as well.
Curiously DP isn't mentioned at all,which makes me wonder if Thomas thought he was a candidate for that as well.

And let's not forget BR- that would be incest as well.
Isn't it a shame that sweet child had so many people who could have been considered as abusing her? There were 5 just in her immediate family- mother father, grandfather, brother, half-brother.

 

[Solace]

That is Steve Thomas' theory. Indeed it would explain a lot but does not explain how John's shirt fibers ended up in JonBenet's crotch area and in her underwear.
For additional fiber evidence was tested after ST left the case, which is the reason why the info is not in his book.

Rashomon,

Is it possible that John could have been the one doing the cleaning, etc. and his fibers got on her then. But why was she cleaned up. Why do you think. Anyone?????

 

[JMO8778]

..I've always wondered if the potty theory was just a public story for what detectives knew had really happened that they couldn't reveal,from being pieced together from the evidence(I really think we're not seeing the whole story due to evidence that can't be revealed);the real story being Patsy caught someone in the act of molesting JB,and that is what triggered her explosive rage.Sure,I know she would have been tired by then,but would the toileting issues be enough to trigger that kind of rage? I don't know,but I also think it's possible JB was killed on purpose,starting with the head injury, that possibly not being an accident at all.(Especially if an object was used for the head injury).
Although I don't rule out JR,it's Patsy's behavior that is far more suspect as far as being the one who actually killed JB.

 

[Heart]

After hearing of so much violence commited by children under the age of 13 it is not hard for me to believe that the curiousity and jealosy over his little sister got to JB's big bro. This is why there was a gizmo made to tie her down, the perp didn't have the strength to do it himself. And why else would she have been found in a tiny little hiding place in the basement. Big bro needed the privacy and knew of the perfect place. Nothing else really makes sense. Imagine the attention she recieved during the festivities that night, enough to make big bro go crazy. As horrible as it is to percieve, nothing else makes sense to me....

 

[DeeDee249]

After hearing of so much violence commited by children under the age of 13 it is not hard for me to believe that the curiousity and jealosy over his little sister got to JB's big bro. This is why there was a gizmo made to tie her down, the perp didn't have the strength to do it himself. And why else would she have been found in a tiny little hiding place in the basement. Big bro needed the privacy and knew of the perfect place. Nothing else really makes sense. Imagine the attention she recieved during the festivities that night, enough to make big bro go crazy. As horrible as it is to percieve, nothing else makes sense to me....

Big Bro wasn't really all that big. I am not sure he'd be able to reach that wood latch high up at the top of the wineceller door- so high up that Officer French (the first police to arrive that morning) didn't see it himself and so was unable to open the door. If you read the autopsy and look at the pictures, that "restraining device" would not have restrained her at all, as it was too loosely tied around one wrist and not tied at all around the other wrist. The only place it was tight was around her neck.
Now, I am not ruling BR out completely- he could have struck her head with something -causing the fracture- and then his parent(s) covered up the crime with the garrote. Yes, I am sure BR was jealous of his more famous and "important" sister. But I just cannot see big bro making the garrote, wiping her down (remember there was evidence of blood wiped from her thighs/pubic area) opening the basement gift boxes to find a pair of panties (when he could have run back upstairs to get a pair of her old ones)- dragging her body and wrapping her her own blanket (which had likely been in the basement dryer- and how would he know that?)
The head bash? Yes, could have been big bro. The rest of it? No way- not without help.

 

[Medea]

I thought it has been fairly well established that the restraints would not have been enough to really restrain her and they were most likely put on her after she was either dead or unconscious?

I can't see a 10 year old being able to bash his sister in the head, come up with the restraints, drag her to the basement and then use the garrott on her, all without anyone in the family waking up.

And since we know Patsy was wearing the same clothes the next morning as she was the night before...it doesn't look like she went to bed.

I've never believed Burke was involved at all. I'm on board with the bedwetting/abuse/rage Patsy did it all theory.

 

[JMO8778]

I thought it has been fairly well established that the restraints would not have been enough to really restrain her and they were most likely put on her after she was either dead or unconscious?

yes,and that's interesting,too,because she had already entered rigor after they were applied.so someone or someones came back to her and did that later.(I don't know how much later that could have been..does anyone know how long it would have taken for her arms to go into rigor?)perhaps it was to use up the rest of the rope,or they thought more staging was needed.

 

[DeeDee249]

yes,and that's interesting,too,because she had already entered rigor after they were applied.so someone or someones came back to her and did that later.(I don't know how much later that could have been..does anyone know how long it would have taken for her arms to go into rigor?)perhaps it was to use up the rest of the rope,or they thought more staging was needed.

In average indoor temperatures (on which the standard curve is based) it takes about 12 hours to reach full rigor. So using that, I'd figure her arms would be in +5 sometime between 6am and 10am with death having occurred between midnight and 1am. Rigor forms in very predictable ways, although the timeline is affected by ambient temperature, the health and physical activity of the decedent just before death (a fever or strenuous exercise will change the time, for example). The small muscles of the face (eyelids, mouth) form first, followed by the wrists, elbows, shoulders, then the legs (ankles, knees, hips) She was in full rigor when brought up- if her arms were tied closer together before rigor set in, they would have remained that way, even if the cord was removed. I think her arms had to be in rigor when the cord was put on- maybe when JR "went to get the mail". I think maybe they felt more staging was needed to make the kidnapping seem more plausible. I am not so sure they were thinking about whether they were using all the cord. After all, the a piece of the broken paintbrush used to make the garrote was still in the paint tray, so what difference would it make if there was cord also found?
Rigor is measured in degrees (+ or -) indicating whether it is forming or passing off. At autopsy, the coroner noted rigor was already lessening in the arms and the legs were still in a more advanced state.

 

[Seahorse]

I have been a visitor to this post often but have rarely posted. I have never believed the Ramseys were guilty of this heinous crime.
I believe the perpetrator(s) of this crime was some narcissistic male, a "friend" of the Ramseys that was seriously jealous of their success. It is obvious they wanted the crime to look as if the Ramseys had done it and covered it up.
I believe this person is someone that had easy access to the Ramsey family, who knew them all personally, and someone with a key.
I do not think this person did it himself. I think he "hired" someone to do it. With access to the house and the close relationship to the family this person could have been in and out of the house anytime.
I think this crime was planned very carefully and methodically. The ransom note could have been written days before on paper that had been taken say from the party on the 23? Think about it...how hard would this be to fabricate if you knew them and had access to their home????? Also if you were going to go to the trouble of kidnapping a child wouldn't you want more than 118k!!!!
Also, the 911 call during the party makes me think the person responsible for her death was at this party and made this call. Maybe to further suggest suspicion on the part of the family. The family is always the first suspect so it is easy to make them appear even more suspicious. As I said before, I think this crime was well planned and I think the whole motive was that someone was jealous of the Ramseys and wanted to absoutely ruin their lives and unfortunately they succeeded.
I think it is ridiculous that people would judge the Ramseys actions after something of this magnitude,,,how do you know how you would react unless it happened to you. People behave differently and I am sure they were in shock! Yet I also think they had a gut feeling the whole time about who may have done this but were so shocked they didn't quite know what to do...except get out of Boulder!
Also, from a psychological perspective...no-one likes a wealthy woman. She is often the subject of scorn and ridicule from others. Also, there are plenty of children that participate in pageants every year...that doesn't make PR and evil person. Had I been active in pageants and been successful, I am sure I would have wanted my child to have that same opportunity.
I have an idea of who I think this person is but I just hate to name someone based on pure speculation........This is just my two-cents worth.
God be with the Ramseys, grant them peace and let us solve this case definitively!

 

[Chrishope]

BR was just a little kid. Let's say, for discussion's sake, that BR hit JBR on the head, causing her death. It's not like BR would have gone to prison. JR and PR couldn't take the risk of making it look like they did it just to keep BR out of trouble - after all, if one or both of them went to prison BR would be much worse off.

It would have been simpler just to say that the kids were roughhousing in the basement and things got out of hand before the parents could put a stop to it.

 

[Jane Osa]

About JBR being subdued after death - she had apparently clawed at her throat while being strangled - therefore, not subdued or restrained prior to death...so what happened: stungun wears off? Or a 'game' that she participated in became deadly?

 

[BBB167893]

No, she didn't claw at her throat. That's a myth.

There was no stungun, but even if there were, the effect doesn't last very long. It's not a weapon that would be practical in a case like this. One, they're very loud and attract a lot of attention; two, the intruder would need to zap her multiple times. I know this because i own one.