John Ramsey Breaks His Silence After 28 Years: Was a Masked Intruder Behind JonBenét’s Murder?

Nearly 30 years after the tragic death of six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey, her father, John Ramsey, has come forward with a bold new claim that could breathe new life into one of America’s most haunting unsolved cases.

In a recent interview with People magazine, John said he believes JonBenét’s 1996 murder may be linked to a strikingly similar crime that happened just nine months later in Boulder, Colorado. That case involved a 12-year-old girl who, like JonBenét, was attacked in her home by a masked intruder.

John Ramsey now believes the two cases could be connected—and possibly the work of the same predator. “To me, it could easily have been the same person,” he said, expressing deep frustration that investigators dismissed this theory at the time.

His remarks represent a major shift in the narrative and underscore what he sees as critical missteps in the early investigation. He’s now urging police to reexamine the evidence using today’s cutting-edge DNA technology. “We have tools now that didn’t exist back then,” he said. “There’s no excuse not to look again.”

A Case That Captivated—and Divided—a Nation

JonBenét, a child beauty queen, was found dead in the basement of her family’s home on December 26, 1996. She had been brutally beaten and strangled. A cryptic ransom note found in the house added to the mystery—and the media frenzy that followed was relentless.

Suspicion quickly turned toward the Ramsey family. The lack of forced entry, the bizarre tone of the ransom note, and JonBenét’s high-profile pageant life fueled intense speculation. John, his wife Patsy (who died of cancer in 2006), and their son Burke were all thrust under an unforgiving spotlight.

Despite denying any involvement, the Ramseys remained entangled in a storm of conspiracy theories and media accusations. No one was ever charged with JonBenét’s murder.

Chilling Similarities Ignored?

John Ramsey’s latest claim points to a separate crime that occurred less than a year after JonBenét’s death—just blocks away in Boulder. A 12-year-old girl was reportedly attacked in her home by a masked intruder. What’s more, both girls attended the same dance studio and moved in similar social circles.

“This wasn’t some random coincidence,” John said. “These girls had overlapping lives. The attacks were disturbingly alike. Why wasn’t this investigated further?”

He believes authorities made a huge mistake by dismissing the similarities and failing to consider that a serial predator might have been at large. “They blew it off,” he said. “And that may have let a dangerous person slip through the cracks.”

Now, nearly three decades later, he’s calling on law enforcement to reopen both cases with fresh eyes—and modern DNA testing.

A Father’s Fight for Justice

John Ramsey has spent 28 years living with unanswered questions. But he’s also spent those years speaking out, pushing for new investigations and keeping his daughter’s story alive.

“For too long, the focus has been in the wrong place,” he said. “It’s time to move forward, not backward.”

He’s urging the Boulder Police Department to be more transparent and to release evidence so that independent experts and private labs can assist in the investigation. Several forensics experts and cold case professionals have already expressed interest—but legal barriers have slowed progress.

A Glimmer of Hope

JonBenét’s murder has been the subject of documentaries, books, podcasts, and endless speculation. But John Ramsey hopes his latest revelation can shift the conversation back to the facts—and maybe, finally, to justice.

Thanks to major advancements in DNA science, there’s still a chance—however slim—that the person responsible could be identified. For John, that hope is what keeps him going.

“JonBenét deserves justice,” he said. “And so does every child taken from this world without answers.”