Members' Theories

[martimus12]

Parents say ransom note left but child found dead in house. They refuse to give interviews until eventually they give interviews only with lawyers present. Also get given information by a private investigator before interviews. Due to my future career as a writer I have read and researched many serial killers, famous murders etc looking for good stories. Its true that police made mistakes. It doesn't change the fact that these parents got away with murder of their child. No murderer leaves a ransom note and leaves body at the house. Throughout history of murderers as far back as Jack the ripper, H.H Holmes until now no murderer or killer works this way. Years later they are interviewed, well dressed, no tears, no husband holding wife... if your child is killed even 10 years later, if it comes up you still cry! They don't even look upset. Due to police stupidity these parents got away with murder and hell will await them

 

[Ithink]

My theory is based and built on what I believe without doubt to be fact: Patsy Ramsey wrote the Ransom Note.

Patsy Ramsey wrote the RN with her left hand.

Patsy wrote the RN as a cover up.

It was an accident … at first.

JonBenet got frequent yeast infections.

JonBenet was a bed wetter.

JonBenet was a bed wetter because she was sexually molested.

JonBenet got frequent yeast infections because she was a bed wetter and because she was sexually molested.

Patsy found John molesting JonBenet.

Patsy swung at John with a bat and hit JonBenet by accident. She was in a rage; she may have suspected the molestation for some time, and it may have been the first time she actually caught John in the act.

John proposed the cover up and convinced Patsy they had to do it. John told Patsy he would be arrested for molestation and Patsy for child abuse. Their rich and successful lives would be ruined. They could both go to prison, and Burke would be left without parents. If JonBenet even lived, she would be brain damaged … a vegetable. Patsy couldn’t accept that possibility for her beauty queen, nor the thought of their ruined lives. There was no point in trying to save her. They thought she was going to die anyway.

They had to work together to cover the molestation, accident and embarrassment. John had to hide what he did, Patsy had to hide what she did.

For a wealthy family, the kidnapping and ransom cover up is something they would think of.

A mother couldn’t have finished JonBenet in that manner. A man could ... a desperate father would.

John would’ve known how to make the murder weapon. Patsy helped at least with gathering some supplies, specifically the pocket knife and white blanket.
John took unconscious JonBenet into the basement by himself and finished the job in a manner that would appear as an intruder. John purposely made it look like she had been sexually molested with the paint brush at the time of murder to cover up the previous molestation.

Patsy was elected to write the RN because she was ambidextrous.

Patsy wrote the RN with her left hand.

Burke slept through the night.


This is what I think.

 

[joeskidbeck]

Very well said and I believe it is very probably accurate.

 

[Betty P]

Very well said and I believe it is very probably accurate.

That's been one of my 2 theories from the beginning, when I first read the details of the case. As they say, when you hear hoofbeats, look for horses, not zebras.

It was either the father or older son caught molesting the child. Someone (perp or angered parent) kills the child (accident or murder). Everyone participates in the coverup because they are people who are very wealthy, living a very nice lifestyle they don't want to give up, even if it means covering up the cause of death of their own child. They knew they would have enough money to hire help to protect themselves. Its been done many times before.

I've read Schiller's book and tried to look at the case from different angles, but I always end up back with one of the two theories above.

 

[Cinnamon Girl]

I believe Rod Westmoreland should be looked at. LE should at least check his DNA and also give him a lie detector test. He was John Ramsey's financial ad visor and knew what his bonus was, a member of Fat Cat's and was from Georgia. Since they have reopened the case I believe they should at least rule him out. I think the ransom note and he have to many connections. IMO

 

[Linda7NJ]

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/crime/man-sues-over-jonbenet-murder-claim

"In his complaint, a copy of which you'll find below, Westmoreland contends that he has been maligned by posts on message boards hosted by Topix.net and the Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community. He intends to learn the real identity of 'undrtheradar' via discovery in the case, which was filed by attorney Lin Wood, who has previously represented John Ramsey and his late wife Patsy in several libel actions"

 

[7forever]

Patsy definitely wrote the ransom note and practice note. That has always been obvious and maybe the reason the case had any legs at all.

 

[joeskidbeck]

Welcome to Websleuths, 7forever!

 

[Plenum7]

This is an elaborate and admittedly conspiratorial theory based on taking the ransom note at face value and trying to join together as many dots as possible. It is an attempt to think "outside the box" and offer an entirely new possibility...

Our story starts in South Korea. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the Korean economy is in a process of tumultuous change driven by corporate America. In corporate-speak the upheaval is dismissed as “Skills-Based Technological Change’. By 1996 it has created a violent backlash among Korean nationalists and radical (and militaristic) unionists. A general strike is called for December 26th 1996 – the biggest strike in Korean history.

A particularly odious element in the Korean upheaval is American corporate sponsorship of corruption. Specifically, Lockheed Martin are accused of securing Korean military contracts through bribery and a system of sexual favors, including procuring the sexual use of minors for corrupt Korean officials. Lockheed are taken to court over suspect contracts for aeronautic photography and imagining contracts in late 1996.

Korea - a land where beheading is the traditional mode of execution and where, notoriously, the meat of stray dogs is considered an aphrodisiac – is rife with such corporate corruption involving an illicit sex trade. It is an element in the Korean rage culminating in the strike. To the anti-US union movement the Lockheed case is emblematic of the way “Skills-Based Technological Change” is poisoning Korean society.

The Ramsey murder, then, is part of this Korean scenario. Ramsey becomes a target for retribution because he sells Access Graphics to Lockheed, thus being linked to the aeronautic imaging technology contracts in dispute in Korea. Why Ramsey in Boulder Colorado? Because his recent sale of AG made him a target. And he becomes a conspicuous target when he wins the Entrepreneur of the Year on the basis of that sale.

The ransom note gives us the clues. He is a despised “fat cat” who has been targeted by someone employed by a “foreign faction”. The date of the murder was chosen to coincide with the uprising in Korea. The so-called staging that accompanied the murder was deliberate sexualizing of the body to draw attention to the type of sexual corruption being sponsored by Lockheed to win contracts from south Korean officials. The term “beheading” signals Koreans. The term “stray dog” signals Koreans. The letters “SBTC” with the word “Victory” is revolutionary in intent. The peculiarities of the handwriting are from the author having Korean as their first language. (And the word “bussiness” is a typical misspelling among Koreans. Google the Korean English language Yellow Pages – you’ll find the “Bussiness Section!)

The perp (who left unidentified male DNA) is a local agent of the disaffected Korean interests. Moreover, the perp leaves another message - just to make it clear to those in Lockheed who understand - by breaking off the word “Korea” in the paint brush left at the crime scene.

Plenum7

 

[Plenum7]

I submit this 'Korean Connection Theory' because, after all these years, there needs to be some fresh thinking about this case, imo. The old RDI vs IDI battles aren't going anywhere.

Credit must go to holdontoyourhat for the observation that the peculiarities of the handwriting might be explained by the author having Korean at his first language. Some FBi analysis, as holdontoyourhat points out, suggests the author has ESL (English as a second language). So what is the first?

If you care to chase up the points in this theory you will find that there is more substance to them than might first appear. Chase up the use of the abbreviation SBTC in political/sociological and computer literature in Korea (and throughout Asia) in the mid 1990s for example. You will find it prevalent. Then chase up the background to the general strike on 26th December 1996. Then chase up the accusations of sexual favors sponsored by Lockheed to win Korean contracts. Then chase up the use of "stray dogs" in Korean cuisine. Spend a few hours googling. You'll see.

Obviously, this theory construes the crime as a political/symbolic murder. It requires taking the political signals in the ransom note seriously. The targeting of the Ramseys is, therefore, just incidental. The crime would be meaningful to people within Lockheed - probably not to John Ramsey.

I admit it is a long bow, but why not? Why not consider new possibilities here? If the IDI camp are right then the DNA (and other) evidence points away from the Ramsays. But the ransom note doesn't suggest a random perp. So what intruder, motivated by what? Why not consider the possibility of an unsuspected political background to this crime?

 

[DeeDee249]

One reason why I wouldn't consider it is because there was absolutely NO public admission of the murder. Not a specific person, but a specific political faction. What would be the point? No one knows who they are or what they want to say. Just kill a little girl and leave her in her home, don't collect ransom- indeed- NEVER say another word. Not a peep from the Koreans. So what was their problem exactly? Not enough nail salons in Boulder?

For this to be a politically motivated crime there had to be a reason for the crime that would actually be identified. I can't believe Lockheed would know who it was and not make that known to JR or the FBI.

The family knows who committed this crime, and it wasn't Koreans.

 

[joeskidbeck]

I might would consider it if you could explain to me why the Ramseys have covered for these people all these years. Lies, Lies, and more Lies. That's all you ever get from a Ramsey. Oh no I forgot one: "I don't remember".
So, it would seem to me that if any foreign faction (Korean or otherwise) killed this little girl, the Ramseys would have stopped covering for them a long time ago and started actually investigating to find out who it was. There will never be a "fresh" way to theorize on this case until one of two things happen. 1) LE gives up more of the evidence, or 2) The Ramseys start talking and don't stop till they tell everything that happened that night.
Other than these two things, nada!

 

[Plenum7]

DeeDee249 writes:

I can't believe Lockheed would know who it was and not make that known to JR or the FBI.

The reason for this would be that the crime was intended as a warning/payback to Lockheed for criminal misdeeds in Korea, misdeeds to which Lockheed were certainly not going to confess. As it happens, the legal case in which Lockheed were accused of running a sexual favors racket for South Korean officials dragged on for years (1996-2004, I think) and was then settled out of court. All the way along Lockheed do *not* want their South Korea activities disclosed. So if anyone knew the Ramsey case was related to those activities they were certainly not going to say so, either to Ramsey, the FBI or anyone else.

joeskidbeck writes:

"why the Ramseys have covered for these people all these years."

The answer, under the 'Korean Connection Theory' would be that the Ramseys were unwitting targets to a political crime. They weren't covering for the perps. As for their apparent lies and changes of story, that can be explained just as squirming and wriggling under *intense* public pressure. I agree that some of their behavior would appear incriminating, but it is not beyond understanding when there is a mass of circumstantial evidence pointing at them. Anyone (who had that sort of money) might use those sort of means in those circumstances. They felt persecuted. But in fact - under this theory - they were clueless, caught up in a crime that actually had nothing to do with them. RDI folks won't agree, of course.

 

[DeeDee249]

You're right. We don't agree. This is one of the more preposterous theories I have heard. It makes me sad, actually, to think of the absolutely inane hoops that some people will jump through JUST to avoid even considering that this family have known about, or have had something to do with, the death of JB.
It really isn't that complicated to be RDI. It is MUCH harder to be IDI for reasons exactly like this "Korean conspiracy". To blame the killing on Koreans because a PAINTBRUSH had the word "Korea" printed on it defies all logic. I challenge anyone here to go to an art supply store and find a brush that says "Korea" I bet you all will. And if you use that brush marked "Korea" to paint a portrait, pick your nose, or stab someone in the eye, that doesn't mean the Koreans were behind it.
As RDI, I don't look at this crime as premeditated. I look at it from various angles, but the one that is simplest to me and makes the most sense as far as what was done to cover up this death and make it look like a kidnapping/murder are two things- someone was abusing JB and that needed to be kept secret from public knowledge. AND something caused JB to scream that night, and her scream prompted that horrible head bash, meant to shut her up FAST. After that bash, there could be no more screams. Actually, after that bash, there could be no more JB. That's the easy part. The hard part is deciding who did what- because figuring out who did what may also help us figure out WHY. And LE had the same problem; even the DA's office was aware of that. That's why the BPD wanted to separate the parents, to see if their stories differed or if one would rat the other out.
I personally believe that AH and his office DID believe the parents knew what happened and/or were involved. But they also were aware of the ramifications of prosecuting a family with such powerful political clout. In retrospect, given what he probably knew and what he was "advised" to do, AH made the only decision someone in his position and that close to retirement could make. Do nothing. Not even a plea bargain. Just prevent the proper investigation from happening, and the case will never take form.
This does not absolve the BPD from THEIR mistakes, however. They set the stage from the beginning and made the DA's actions possible, even inevitable.

 

[joeskidbeck]

You're right. We don't agree. This is one of the more preposterous theories I have heard. It makes me sad, actually, to think of the absolutely inane hoops that some people will jump through JUST to avoid even considering that this family have known about, or have had something to do with, the death of JB.
It really isn't that complicated to be RDI. It is MUCH harder to be IDI for reasons exactly like this "Korean conspiracy". To blame the killing on Koreans because a PAINTBRUSH had the word "Korea" printed on it defies all logic. I challenge anyone here to go to an art supply store and find a brush that says "Korea" I bet you all will. And if you use that brush marked "Korea" to paint a portrait, pick your nose, or stab someone in the eye, that doesn't mean the Koreans were behind it.
As RDI, I don't look at this crime as premeditated. I look at it from various angles, but the one that is simplest to me and makes the most sense as far as what was done to cover up this death and make it look like a kidnapping/murder are two things- someone was abusing JB and that needed to be kept secret from public knowledge. AND something caused JB to scream that night, and her scream prompted that horrible head bash, meant to shut her up FAST. After that bash, there could be no more screams. Actually, after that bash, there could be no more JB. That's the easy part. The hard part is deciding who did what- because figuring out who did what may also help us figure out WHY. And LE had the same problem; even the DA's office was aware of that. That's why the BPD wanted to separate the parents, to see if their stories differed or if one would rat the other out.
I personally believe that AH and his office DID believe the parents knew what happened and/or were involved. But they also were aware of the ramifications of prosecuting a family with such powerful political clout. In retrospect, given what he probably knew and what he was "advised" to do, AH made the only decision someone in his position and that close to retirement could make. Do nothing. Not even a plea bargain. Just prevent the proper investigation from happening, and the case will never take form.
This does not absolve the BPD from THEIR mistakes, however. They set the stage from the beginning and made the DA's actions possible, even inevitable.

:clap::clap::clap:
Take a bow, DeeDee. Very well stated and absolutely true!

 

[Peepers]

It really is a fascinating case. I go back and forth in my mind and cant really decide if I believe the Ramseys could have killed their daughter. The ransom note is odd though..I wish we knew what really happened to JonBonet. I could see them covering up for Burke, maybe something happened there..

 

[joeskidbeck]

It really is a fascinating case. I go back and forth in my mind and cant really decide if I believe the Ramseys could have killed their daughter. The ransom note is odd though..I wish we knew what really happened to JonBonet. I could see them covering up for Burke, maybe something happened there..

Welcome to Websleuths, Peepers! :wave:

 

[Peepers]

Thank you!

 

[claudicici]

This is my theory at the moment,and it's just that a theory.It's based on what I read so far and what I could imagine actually happened.
IMO PR had deep underlying psychological problems.I can very much imagine that indeed she was abused as a child,most likely by her father,I base this on statements her mother made,such as "JB was only a little bit molested" or JR did not molest JB only because she Nedra,was sleeping in the same room.IMO that sounds like a lady that would not be opposed to covering up her husbands abuse of their own children.Sounds like she wouldn't have thought it would be that big of a deal.
Of course it's well known that PR was raised to believe that the value of a woman lies in her beauty and I believe PR early on escaped into the world of liberal arts.Drama,plays,books,art and later the symbolism of christianity I believe were constantly on her mind.She had her head in the clouds while she showed her painted face.She lived in her own world.
IMO JR was sort of PR's tool.His success was based on her father and I believe he was a pawn in her fantasy world.I think he sort of gave up living when Beth died and became a money making robot.IMO PR used this marriage for show and tell but despised the physical closeness a couple should have,I believe JR kept Beths' pictures in his bathroom because it was the only private place he still had.Everything else was controlled by PR and her family.
PR' s fantasy worked for awhile and JB was one with her while BR was just sort of there.
She did not set any boundaries between herself and JB.JB would be PR perfected.Perfected and untouched.She would never have to suffer what PR had to go through.
PR's cancer I believe was incredibly hard for PR and JB .PR became increasingly religious and IMO she saw herself being punished for being tainted.The one who tainted her was JR everytime he tried to touch her.IMO PR was emotionally immature and disgusted by intimacy.
She believed God healed her but she knew he would want something in return and he would let her know what that was.
Meanwhile I think BR was having strange thoughts about his "sexualised" sister.He began to explore his sexuality with her.
I think it's possible that PR noticed something was going on and saw that as a clear sign that JB was the ultimate sacrifice God wanted from her.She fought these thoughts and it was killing her and she tried in vain to make herself believe that it was not so.She kept taking JB to the pediatrician just to try to convince herself that it was not what she thought it was.
IMO the world for the R's came tumbling down during the christmas party on December 23rd.
Maybe BR involved Doug Stine in his sexual explorations with his sister (which would explain the Stine's loyalty later on) and maybe the 911 call was because they got caught.Maybe the White's and the Fernie's knew about it.Maybe the R's and the Stine's talked them into not revealing to LE what happened that night which would explain the way the White's acted later on.Maybe that's why JB did not feel pretty that day.
IMO PR now knew what God wanted.She told JB that Santa would make another visit Christmas night and that everything would be fine.
.Chritsmas morning was ruined.There was no movie made,JR was just trying to cope and a few pictures were taken .PR got more signs from above that morning when PR hated the mytwinn doll that was given to her and PR clearly saw that a sacrificed JB would be what God wanted and her perfect angel and would not have to suffer anymore.She knew what she had to do.
When they were getting ready for the White's party maybe JB subconcsiously knew she needed to remove herself from her mother.She did not want to wear the red turtle neck sweater and balled it up and threw it into the wet sink.IMO maybe JB dressed herself that day,she put on the size 12 underwear that her mother told her not to wear,the long johns,black pants on top and the gap shirt.
During the party maybe one of the guests helped JB go to the bathroom and that's how the unknown DNA was deposited on the waistband of the longjohn's and the same DNA inside of her panties.
Maybe JR helped her to the bathroom a second time and that's how the black fibers got on her underwear.
After returning home that night BR and JR went to sleep.
JB and PR were up.PR knew it had to be done.She had seen all the signs and she was drinking wine and taking medication to dull her mind.She put on gloves and started writing a note that would explain to others and especially to JR what happened.She knew they would not understand so she had to pretend.She thought of the bible of psalm 118,of victory,of sacrifice,of resurrection.She thought of BR and the movies he watched and the games he played.She had to make the rest of the world understand.While writing she became increasingly angry at John,at her dad,at Burke.It was their fault.They were all one.Because of them there was only one way out.
S.B.T.C. Saved by the cross.
JB was hungry and PR thought of her favorioute novel "The prime of Miss Brodie" and how pineapple,the golden scquares represented a special happiness.The perfect snack to go to heaven.
"Is Santa going to be here soon?"JB asked.
IMO PR did what she thought she had to do.She took JR's flashlight out of the drawer ,closed her eyes,prayed and bashed JB's head as hard as she could.
JB screamed and lost consciousness.PR took her to the basement ,along with her favorite doll and started thinking of herself again as part of JB.What was done to them.How they both had to suffer.She took the white blanket out of the dryer in the basement and JB's nightgown was stuck to it.
She laid JB onto the blanket in the wine cellar and started tying knots with a rope she took from a painting in the basement.She thought of how the knots would tie her and her daughter together for eternity,how they both had to suffer just like Jesus Christ and how happy they would be together.She broke one of her paint brushes and fastened the rope around JB's neck and the part of the paint brush.Garroting was reserved for the priviledged.
She took a piece of tape from the back of one of JB's american dolls that was in the basement and placed it on her mouth.JB did not need to scream any longer.The pain of this world was gone.PR lowered JB's longjohn's and relived that pain one last time.She placed the tip of the paint brush inside of JB's most private part because she knew God needed blood during the sacrifice.Now noone could hurt her or JB any longer.She put JB's clothes back on and wrapped the blanket around her.She laid with her for awhile longing to join her but she knew she would have to wait until her time would come.
She saw JB had opened the package of the underwear she was not supposed to wear and PR placed the rest of the package inside of JR's golf bag along with the american doll.
PR went back upstairs to clean the flashlight .she cleaned it inside and out.Like Pilatus washing his hands.
She placed the note she wrote on the bottom of the staircase,the same place her housekeeper would leave notes for her.
She woke JR and told him about the note."Don't touch it" she screamed and he obliged.
JR subcosciously knew what happened but could not understand."Call 911" and she did.
BR woke up and JR told PR to hang up.
PR called the White's ,the Fernie's,the pastor and the pediatrician to validate what she had done.Somehow she wanted someone to tell her ,we know you did the right thing.
JR found JB at 11AM but left her laying in denial.He knew what his wife did but could not comprehend.When LE still did not find her by 1PM he took her upstairs.
He knew he would have to cover for his son and he was a slave to his wife.
He just wanted to get away.As far away from it all and as soon as possible.

 

[Trocaria]

Back in the late '90's, I had thought it was an accidental killing by the brother and 14 years on in this case, I still vote it was the brother.

In both Ramsey parents, especially Patsy,there is this sense of them fiercely protecting their one remaining child lest they lose him too.

Had this been the case of Dad molests/murders JBR, at some point I would think that Patsy would have cracked from anger over the taking of her daughter and pointed the finger of blame.

If this was the case of Mom being nuts, losing it over JBR not wanting to play dress-up doll anymore, I would think that Dad would one fine day up and lose it and tell the truth.

But both stand strong, aligned with one another and detirmined to stonewall all attempts to get to the truth. Indeed, John Karr must have seemed like manna from heaven in the summer of 2006, a convenient scapegoat on which all their sins could be laid.

Now it's back to the cops wanting to speak to Burke. And Dad is doing his best to contain that.

Burke may not even remember all the events of that night except for disturbing dreams he can't quite recall when he wakes up.