Netflix Revisits JonBenét Ramsey's Unsolved Case

True crime documentaries continue to captivate audiences, offering opportunities to revisit infamous cases with fresh perspectives. Netflix’s latest docuseries, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey, delves deep into one of America’s most haunting unsolved cases—the tragic murder of six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey in 1996. This series stands out not for offering closure but for shedding light on overlooked details and challenging long-held assumptions.

The Story: A Murder That Stopped a Nation

The series sets the stage with a desk strewn with tabloid newspapers, a symbolic representation of the relentless media coverage the case attracted. Flickering televisions play archived footage from the late 1990s, recalling a time when the nation was glued to every update. From the outset, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey promises more than just a rehash—it aims to offer clarity on a case clouded by controversy and speculation.

Directed by Joe Berlinger, this three-part docuseries chronicles the murder of JonBenét Ramsey, whose lifeless body was discovered in the basement of her Boulder, Colorado home hours after she was reported missing. The tragic event, occurring on December 26, 1996, became a cultural flashpoint due to JonBenét’s involvement in child beauty pageants. Photographs and videos of her dressed in elaborate costumes and makeup only fueled the media frenzy.

What followed was an intense and often misleading public narrative. Suspicion quickly fell on her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and even her then-9-year-old brother Burke. Despite the passage of nearly three decades, the case remains unsolved, a chilling reminder of investigative failures and media sensationalism.

The Investigation: A Trail of Missteps

One of the series' most compelling aspects is its exploration of the investigative failures that marred the case from the beginning. Boulder Police Department’s inexperience with major homicides played a significant role. JonBenét’s death was the city’s first homicide in 1996, a stark indicator of the department’s lack of preparation. The most glaring oversight was the failure to thoroughly search the Ramsey home. Hours after investigators arrived, it was John Ramsey, not the police, who discovered JonBenét’s body in the basement, compromising a crime scene that should have been meticulously preserved.

Through interviews with former members of the Boulder Police Department and journalists who covered the case, the series highlights these procedural errors. The mishandling of evidence, failure to secure the scene, and premature conclusions severely impacted the investigation’s credibility. These missteps are not just historical footnotes—they underscore the systemic failures that still hinder the pursuit of justice.

The DNA Revelation: A Missed Opportunity

A pivotal moment in the first episode reveals that DNA evidence collected from JonBenét’s body did not match any members of her family. Yet, this crucial information was withheld from the media and even the district attorney at the time. This raises troubling questions: Did law enforcement deliberately withhold this evidence to maintain the narrative implicating the Ramsey family? Or was it another example of the case’s mishandling?