This is my theory on what happened that night/period leading up to that night. I know we all still have so many questions, but it seems like too much makes sense. EVERYTHING BELOW IS MY THEORY BASED ON EVIDENCE I HAVE SEEN AND IS IN NO WAY AN ACCUSATION OR STATEMENT OF FACT AGAINST ANY PARTIES RELATED TO THE CASE. I AM I STATING THE BELOW AS FACT. Happy to have a friendly debate in the comments to let me know where I may be missing something.
I think what people forget to address when stating that the family couldn't have been involved in this is the evidence of SA. More than likely (according to autopsy and experts,) she was being abused before that night, and (in my opinion) would more than likely have been done by either John or by Burke. I'm a firm believer in BDI (the impact to the head at the very least) and that there was a cover up not because the initial hit was an accident, but because they knew calling the police would show that she had been being abused prior to the nights event.
This is where we all have to guess about the extent of the cover up and who committed which act. If it was John that was abusing her, he would have had motive to help stage the cover up to hide the fact that he had been doing that previously. This also can be why the family continuously denies the findings of SA, even though most experts agree that it was taking place. Patsy may not have even known, but again, this is theory and debatable.
The other option is what I believe is the most likely scenario, so stay with me. (Again, this is just my theory based on all the evidence I have seen over the years!) I theorize that Burke was a troubled child and was responsible for the previous SA's, though he may not have even known the extent of his actions or had any criminal intent behind them. He was (reportedly) known to have a temper; and (reportedly) had smeared feces on her Christmas gifts that year. I theorize that the parents knew this was taking place and were trying to get him help through ongoing psychiatric visits while keeping it quiet to avoid tarnishing their image in the community. We can all speculate on what lead to the head blow (pineapple, half unwrapped Christmas gifts in the wine cellar, etc) as well as who committed the SA that night, but I theorize that it occurred while the family was packing for MI after the party. I do not believe they went to sleep as Patsy had her hair and makeup done, as well as the same clothing from the night before. When they realized what Burke had done, you can imagine the predicament they would be placed in. If it were merely an accident, they probably would have just called 9-11. But because of the SA's, questions about its origins would undoubtably be brought up and the family would be reduced to nothing, regardless of who was responsible. If Burke was responsible for the head blow and the SA that night, what's the first thing they would do after staging the kidnapping? Thats right, call their lawyers to seal his medical and psychiatric records from ever becoming public or even seen by police during the investigation. After all, the family deserves some "island of privacy." Why? Well, his records would obviously tell the story, as well as show the parent's knowledge of what may have been going on.
Now here is where it all ties together. In 1998, a Grand Jury issued true bills to indict the Ramsey's for crimes related to the staging of the scene and putting Jonbenet in an unsafe environment resulting in death... This implies that the GJ had enough probable cause to charge the family not for the murder, but for covering up for someone and knowing that she may not have been entirely safe in the home. Could Burke's medical records have been subpoenaed and presented as evidence to the GJ, and is that the evidence that still remains sealed to the public?
Then, why would the GJ vote to indict, but the DA decide not to move forward? Well, I theorize for two reasons. The first, they may not have had enough evidence to get a conviction without unarguable proof on who committed which act that night. After all, the Ramsey's attorneys were absolute STUDS. Secondly, I theorize that the DA/BPD were aware of what likely had happened. However, given Burke's age, he could not have been criminally prosecuted. They could, however, prosecute the family for the above indictments by the GJ and in their eyes, ruin the lives of two outstanding (and rich/influential) Boulder citizens who were forced to make an impossible decision in the moment.
Again, this is all theory, but it seems to tie everything together almost too perfectly. (I even left out a lot more, but happy to have a friendly debate in the comments!)
As I have heard from many other in the past and have now begun to steal - and use as my own... "I don't believe in coincidences."
I think what people forget to address when stating that the family couldn't have been involved in this is the evidence of SA. More than likely (according to autopsy and experts,) she was being abused before that night, and (in my opinion) would more than likely have been done by either John or by Burke. I'm a firm believer in BDI (the impact to the head at the very least) and that there was a cover up not because the initial hit was an accident, but because they knew calling the police would show that she had been being abused prior to the nights event.
This is where we all have to guess about the extent of the cover up and who committed which act. If it was John that was abusing her, he would have had motive to help stage the cover up to hide the fact that he had been doing that previously. This also can be why the family continuously denies the findings of SA, even though most experts agree that it was taking place. Patsy may not have even known, but again, this is theory and debatable.
The other option is what I believe is the most likely scenario, so stay with me. (Again, this is just my theory based on all the evidence I have seen over the years!) I theorize that Burke was a troubled child and was responsible for the previous SA's, though he may not have even known the extent of his actions or had any criminal intent behind them. He was (reportedly) known to have a temper; and (reportedly) had smeared feces on her Christmas gifts that year. I theorize that the parents knew this was taking place and were trying to get him help through ongoing psychiatric visits while keeping it quiet to avoid tarnishing their image in the community. We can all speculate on what lead to the head blow (pineapple, half unwrapped Christmas gifts in the wine cellar, etc) as well as who committed the SA that night, but I theorize that it occurred while the family was packing for MI after the party. I do not believe they went to sleep as Patsy had her hair and makeup done, as well as the same clothing from the night before. When they realized what Burke had done, you can imagine the predicament they would be placed in. If it were merely an accident, they probably would have just called 9-11. But because of the SA's, questions about its origins would undoubtably be brought up and the family would be reduced to nothing, regardless of who was responsible. If Burke was responsible for the head blow and the SA that night, what's the first thing they would do after staging the kidnapping? Thats right, call their lawyers to seal his medical and psychiatric records from ever becoming public or even seen by police during the investigation. After all, the family deserves some "island of privacy." Why? Well, his records would obviously tell the story, as well as show the parent's knowledge of what may have been going on.
Now here is where it all ties together. In 1998, a Grand Jury issued true bills to indict the Ramsey's for crimes related to the staging of the scene and putting Jonbenet in an unsafe environment resulting in death... This implies that the GJ had enough probable cause to charge the family not for the murder, but for covering up for someone and knowing that she may not have been entirely safe in the home. Could Burke's medical records have been subpoenaed and presented as evidence to the GJ, and is that the evidence that still remains sealed to the public?
Then, why would the GJ vote to indict, but the DA decide not to move forward? Well, I theorize for two reasons. The first, they may not have had enough evidence to get a conviction without unarguable proof on who committed which act that night. After all, the Ramsey's attorneys were absolute STUDS. Secondly, I theorize that the DA/BPD were aware of what likely had happened. However, given Burke's age, he could not have been criminally prosecuted. They could, however, prosecute the family for the above indictments by the GJ and in their eyes, ruin the lives of two outstanding (and rich/influential) Boulder citizens who were forced to make an impossible decision in the moment.
Again, this is all theory, but it seems to tie everything together almost too perfectly. (I even left out a lot more, but happy to have a friendly debate in the comments!)
As I have heard from many other in the past and have now begun to steal - and use as my own... "I don't believe in coincidences."
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Thank you for sharing!
