Profiling JonBenét Ramsey's Murder

Patsy & John Ramsey

John Ramsey was a successful and wealthy CEO, running a computer distribution company. A pilot and former military man, he was controlled and stoic throughout the investigation. He did not make much effort that officers observed to hold and reassure his wife. In fact, they made little eye contact and often remained in separate rooms. He retained a lawyer, at his attorney's suggestion, as soon as the police asked for an interview at the station. He'd already experienced the loss of a twenty-two-year-old daughter in an auto accident in 1992, and was the father of two other adult children, who'd been away from the house at the time.

The neighborhood and town where the Ramseys lived was an affluent, low-crime area, populated by luxury homes and estates. John Ramsey had not even bothered to fix the window he'd broken to get into the house when he'd forgotten his key.

During Christmas day, before the murder occurred, the family spent the morning opening gifts. They were also packing in preparation to fly to their vacation home in Michigan before going to Florida. They went to a friend's house for dinner, leaving there around 8:30 in the evening. They made two stops along the way home, to drop off gifts at other friends' homes, arriving in their own home around 9:00. JonBenét fell asleep in the car and was carried to bed. Patsy prepared her and tucked her in, and at no time did JonBenét awaken. The parents went to bed and reportedly heard nothing during the night. They retired late and were going to rise early to leave on a private plane.