I admit it...I read Cracked

[2 percent]

One of the biggest problems I have with Cracked is that I can't seem to stop reading it once I start.
(of course I know that's ludicrous...if I didn't stop reading, I wouldn't be here)

Anyhoo
I came across one of their lists "6 Famous People Whose Identities We Still Don't Know". I wasn't really surprised to find 3 of the people on the list were murderers but I was a little surprised JonBenet Ramsey's killer was not on the list. Surely the mystery of her murderer is fully as mysterious as the other 3.

http://www.cracked.com/article_19307_6-famous-people-whose-identities-we-still-dont-know.html

 

[eileenhawkeye]

I understand why her case wasn't on the list. It's kind of hard for me to type out how I'm thinking in my head, but it's basically because in the other cases mentioned, except for the Prime Minister, the killer has a ~scary nickname, and people try to figure out who they were. They are a complete blank. Now, in JonBenet's case, it's more like...the exact circumstances of what happened to her is the mystery. Cases like Jack the Ripper and Zodiac are based more on who the killer was: "Who was the Zodiac?". People don't say "Who was (nickname given to unknown JBR killer)?" They say "Who killed JonBenet?". If it was a list of unsolved murders than I would be more surprised if she wasn't on the list, but that would depend on who else made the list instead.

Since I think it was either her mother or brother who killed her, I don't think of JonBenet's killer as being a "famous person whose identity we still don't know".

 

[2 percent]

I understand why her case wasn't on the list. It's kind of hard for me to type out how I'm thinking in my head, but it's basically because in the other cases mentioned, except for the Prime Minister, the killer has a ~scary nickname, and people try to figure out who they were. They are a complete blank. Now, in JonBenet's case, it's more like...the exact circumstances of what happened to her is the mystery. Cases like Jack the Ripper and Zodiac are based more on who the killer was: "Who was the Zodiac?". People don't say "Who was (nickname given to unknown JBR killer)?" They say "Who killed JonBenet?". If it was a list of unsolved murders than I would be more surprised if she wasn't on the list, but that would depend on who else made the list instead.

Since I think it was either her mother or brother who killed her, I don't think of JonBenet's killer as being a "famous person whose identity we still don't know".

Two things Zodiac and Jack share too...public panic. No one knew who was next or where they'd strike.
The JonBenet Ramsey case is about her and the danger never passed her doorstep (except initially).
JonBenet's case is a Cozy, not a Procedural (to use mystery genre language)

 

[Marie]

I read Cracked too, and have since I was 12yo LOL. I don't agree that JonBenet should be on that list, but maybe in a top 20 list. She is just one little girl from one town in one state in one country, one among many who have been mysteriously murdered (sadly).

It's not a well known (any more) or special case and her death certainly isn't known about or discussed worldwide like the two world leader assassinations on the list are debated. Jack the Ripper is probably the most widely (un)known murderer in all of history. But I don't think most people would recognize the name JonBenet or remember her murder unless you reminded them of what it was all about. Kind of like the Tylenol murderers, so famous for quite a while and even changed how we package OTC meds but not even talked about today.

Who would be on your top 3 list?

For America I'd include 'The Boy in the Box' murderer, The Black Dahlia/Elizabeth Short murderer and the Zodiac killer because I think just about everyone of every age has heard of them. Maybe the Borden family murders, DB Cooper and Dr. Shepard's wife. Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman murders perhaps? Everyone knows about them, but I don't think there's a lot of debate about who did it Younger people might put Tupac on their list.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

I read Cracked too, and have since I was 12yo LOL. I don't agree that JonBenet should be on that list, but maybe in a top 20 list. She is just one little girl from one town in one state in one country, one among many who have been mysteriously murdered (sadly).

It's not a well known (any more) or special case and her death certainly isn't known about or discussed worldwide like the two world leader assassinations on the list are debated. Jack the Ripper is probably the most widely (un)known murderer in all of history. But I don't think most people would recognize the name JonBenet or remember her murder unless you reminded them of what it was all about. Kind of like the Tylenol murderers, so famous for quite a while and even changed how we package OTC meds but not even talked about today.

Who would be on your top 3 list?

For America I'd include 'The Boy in the Box' murderer, The Black Dahlia/Elizabeth Short murderer and the Zodiac killer because I think just about everyone of every age has heard of them. Maybe the Borden family murders, DB Cooper and Dr. Shepard's wife. Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman murders perhaps? Everyone knows about them, but I don't think there's a lot of debate about who did it Younger people might put Tupac on their list.

JonBenet's case is still very well-known. Her case was on the cover of People Magazine in January. When John did his book tour in 2012, he got interviews on Nightline, Anderson, Good Morning America, The View, Time Magazine, CNN, People Magazine, CBS, Huckabee, etc...None of those shows would interview him if his daughter's case was obscure since she died 15 years ago. Her case is always called one of the most famous/notorious/well-known cases of all-time. There were 3-4 new books written about her case in the past 2 years. Lastly, the national media would not report on developments in any case 15+ years later if their viewers weren't familiar with it.

I am just very confused by this idea that JonBenet is some obscure murder case that no one remembers, yet supposedly people of any age know who the Boy in the Box or Dr. Shepherd are.

 

[Darlene733510]

Nancy Grace was supposed to discuss the JBR case recently. I didn't catch when she would do this, so maybe the program has already been done. Did any of you happen to catch her show, or is it an upcoming program? Wish I had paid attention, but then I really care for her "Drama Queen" tactics.

 

[DeeDee249]

Nancy Grace was supposed to discuss the JBR case recently. I didn't catch when she would do this, so maybe the program has already been done. Did any of you happen to catch her show, or is it an upcoming program? Wish I had paid attention, but then I really care for her "Drama Queen" tactics.

Nancy Grace has had shows on JB before. It was disgraceful- her lack of research was appalling. She is unaware of some of the most basic facts in the case.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

Nancy Grace was supposed to discuss the JBR case recently. I didn't catch when she would do this, so maybe the program has already been done. Did any of you happen to catch her show, or is it an upcoming program? Wish I had paid attention, but then I really care for her "Drama Queen" tactics.

It was bumped due to the Trayvon Martin case which was 24/7 on HLN so it hasn't aired yet. It's part of Nancy Grace Mysteries show that airs every Friday at 8 PM.

I watched the one about Hailey Dunn. It's basically just Nancy Grace discussing the basics of the case for the hour. There was no one directly connected to Hailey's case on her show, so it will probably be the same for JonBenet's case. Nancy must have mentioned that Hailey was a cheerleader about 100x, so just imagine how it's going to be for "child beauty queen" during JBR's episode.

 

[prd2bokie]

Cracked reader too. Got there by way of most mysterious murders.

 

[Marie]

JonBenet's case is still very well-known. Her case was on the cover of People Magazine in January. When John did his book tour in 2012, he got interviews on Nightline, Anderson, Good Morning America, The View, Time Magazine, CNN, People Magazine, CBS, Huckabee, etc...None of those shows would interview him if his daughter's case was obscure since she died 15 years ago. Her case is always called one of the most famous/notorious/well-known cases of all-time. There were 3-4 new books written about her case in the past 2 years. Lastly, the national media would not report on developments in any case 15+ years later if their viewers weren't familiar with it.

I am just very confused by this idea that JonBenet is some obscure murder case that no one remembers, yet supposedly people of any age know who the Boy in the Box or Dr. Shepherd are.

You misunderstood or misread my post. JonBenet's case is obscure *worldwide*. The Cracked article list is a *worldwide* list. Not just America. - Also my suggestions (Dr Shepard, etc.) were for an American list. I didn't exclude JonBenet, I actually said she'd be in the top 20 for America. But not worldwide. No one outside of America would know about her case, but most would know about the others on the Cracked list.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

You misunderstood or misread my post. JonBenet's case is obscure *worldwide*. The Cracked article list is a *worldwide* list. Not just America. - Also my suggestions (Dr Shepard, etc.) were for an American list. I didn't exclude JonBenet, I actually said she'd be in the top 20 for America. But not worldwide. No one outside of America would know about her case, but most would know about the others on the Cracked list.

Okay, now I understand what you were saying. I completely misread your post. I agree that JonBenet's case is only well-known in the United States. Personally, I would love to see a list with mysterious and weird cases that most people have never heard of. I would definitely include the Girl Scout Murders on that sort of list. That case is the type that someone tells as a scary story, and no one thinks that it actually happened. I think lists of notorious cases can get redundant since it's the same cases over and once.

 

[Darlene733510]

When I posted about Nancy Grace, I meant to say I do NOT care for her. My fingers got ahead of my brain.

 

[BBB167893]

Nancy Grace has had shows on JB before. It was disgraceful- her lack of research was appalling. She is unaware of some of the most basic facts in the case.

So are the guests she brings on, or most of them anyway.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

Nancy Grace was supposed to discuss the JBR case recently. I didn't catch when she would do this, so maybe the program has already been done. Did any of you happen to catch her show, or is it an upcoming program? Wish I had paid attention, but then I really care for her "Drama Queen" tactics.

Nancy Grace Mysteries will air an episode about JonBenet tomorrow at 8 PM EST.