The Colorado Bureau of Investigation will take a fresh look at the unsolved murder of JonBenet Ramsey next year. The CBI's Cold Case Review Team—a group of "investigative, analytical, and forensic experts from across the state" who meet two to four times a year—will take up the case sometime in 2023, authorities announced Wednesday, per KDVR. The 6-year-old was found bludgeoned and strangled in the basement of her family's Boulder home on Dec. 26, 1996, hours after the family had reported that she was missing and they'd found a ransom note.
Her parents—including mother Patsy, who died of cancer in 2006—were cleared in 2008 when DNA from an unknown third party was found on JonBenet's clothing. Despite more than 21,000 tips, testing of nearly 1,000 DNA samples, and more than 1,000 interviews in 19 states, the girl's killer has never been identified. "This crime has left a hole in the hearts of many, and we will never stop investigating until we find JonBenet's killer," Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said, per KDVR. "That includes following up on every lead and working with our policing partners and DNA experts around the country to solve this tragic case."
"Whether it is DNA or other evidence, more is needed to solve this murder," added Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty. JonBenet's father, John Ramsey, has been pushing for new DNA testing. Earlier this year, he claimed police had declined his offer to pay for private DNA testing in the case, per Global News. Police say "the amount of DNA evidence available for analysis is extremely small and complex" and samples could be destroyed by testing, per a release, which adds: "Whenever there is a proven technology that can reliably test forensic samples consistent with the samples available in this case, additional analysis will be conducted." (More JonBenet Ramsey stories.)
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