I know a lot of my trial watchers are very into the flood of Jon Benet Ramsey shows hitting the airwaves this fall. I probably will not be covering them but I will try to cover Dr. Phil’s three part interview with the brother, Burke Ramsey who was nine at the time of the murder. I have an odd personal connection because Jon Benet’s mother, Patsy and my father died around the same time and Patsy was at the same funeral home at the same time as my father.
I hit record on this show because Dr. Phil was on The View this morning and they showed a clip of the interview. The brother has a super creepy affect during the entire interview.
Dr. Phil really should not have stood in front of the house talking about how it has a new address and a large fence surrounding it. Let the new owners alone for Christsake!
Speaking of my poor memory. I’ve forgotten most of the details of this crime. I’m pretty sure y’all do. I do know I never believed that Patsy did it. I am not going to go into all the details and just focus on the interview. Burke set nothing as out of bounds, and had no attorney at the interview.
Right away, Burke’s affect is totally discordant with his speech. Dr Phil intersperses the interview with a previous interview with Jon Benet’s father. He tells the story of Jon Benet getting a doll that Patsy had specifically made to look like her. He says that when Patsy opened the box, she was creeped out by the doll in the box because it was like looking like Jon Benet in a coffin.
Burke never stops grinning. No matter how morbid the question, he answers with a grin. It could be nerves. But it is still very strange.
I remember some of the ransom note now. It was so weird the ransom was $118,000 and not an even sum. It was instead the exact amount of John’s Christmas bonus. The Ramseys called their pastor and a bunch of their friends who immediately came over, disrupting the crime scene.
They show an interview of Burke as a kid and he has the same affect and demeanor.
I don’t find it odd that a nine-year old boy would go right back to sleep after his mother wakes him up freaking out in the dark. It seems he was used to his mother, “going psycho.” But Dr. Phil does find it odd. He didn’t even get up when a cop with a flashlight came in. He says he didn’t know it a was a cop. I want to know why the cop didn’t just turn on the light. He says he has always just tried to avoid conflict. He says he is not the worrying type, partly because he just doesn’t want to know what is going on.
The female lead detective said that John was too calm and cordial at the time. Sounds like father like son. Just a personality. The father seems to have a smiling demeanor in his interview. Not as pronounced as Burke, but enough to notice.
Dr Phil asks, when he finds out for the first time that Jon Benet was missing (from a police officer!) if he was afraid for his sister. He says, “I think I was just trying to be positive.” He told the detective she was probably just hiding somewhere. Another detective told John to take his friend who was there and search the house looking for anything unusual. This was a major police blunder. One of many, many such blunders. That same detective is the one who later tells the media John was too calm and cordial. Why was he still allowed in the crime scene?
John discovered an open window in the basement. He assumed it was the point of entry. Then he finds Jon Benet in the basement. He picked her up and carried her upstairs. He didn’t realize she was dead at first. Her hands were tied and she had tape over her mouth.
The female detective said she just knew by looking at John that he was the killer. She said she mentally counted how many bullets she had in case she had to shoot her way out of the house.
WTF? The cops didn’t go in the basement? I remember watching a show about how the Denver police were simply not prepared to deal with the case. But come on, not searching the house for the missing child?
OMG, trial watchers! Remember Kyron the boy who disappeared from school? We called him “Frog Boy” because it was Science Fair day and he had a frog exhibit? Dr. Phil is interviewing the step mom this week. She admits that she lied to the media “because she was told to!” I am going to have to watch that!
Despite the idiot female cop being sure just by looking at John that he was the killer, the ransom note was tied to Patsy.
If you missed this at work today, you really didn’t miss anything. The photo says it all. Burke grinned through the entire episode. Tomorrow there is a never before seen tape of Burk 14 days after the murder describing what he thinks happened to Jon Benet that looks incriminating. But I don’t think he did it.
I thought the arrested a handyman for the murders. Am I thinking of another case? The interview continues tomorrow.
The handyman was the man who abducted Elizabeth Smart, the sister had recognized him as Ezekial, a handyman hired by the family to do odd jobs.
I’ve always thought the Ramsey’s were a really strange family, too many strange affects and responses. Law enforcement handled the case terribly, allowing that many people into a “should have been secured” crime scene, was absolute malpractice.
I think that Burke has been through so much that he just smiles. I laugh when I am nervous and I have not been through anything like he has.
I felt so bad for Patsy, she went through hell. TT, I think they did arrest the handyman but they ended up letting him go?? He looked like Santa. Then there was the crazy man who admitted he did it and they could not find enough evidence to convict him.
Poor Kyron! His step mother scares me. I can not imagine.
Nooo, that’s not going through too much, that’s simply childhood jealously of his younger sister and hatred he had toward the attention he felt she may have been getting. This child is a demon!
Hatred and jealousy? A demon? Give me a break. See-I hate that ignorant shit. It’s shit like that….
Agreed. He was a callous, jealous monster and this is why he was so nonchalant in his childhood interviews and so ready to “move on” with his life. That guy is nothing but a sociopath.
I remember the weirdo who admitted he was the killer , but I don’t even think he was in the same state at the time of murder. I found Burke demeanor extremely awkward, I think when Dr. Phil was on the View this morning , he said he actually asks Burke , why are you smiling ?? That will air in part 2. My feeling is, maybe Burke accidentally killed hurt & the parents both went into a frenzy to cover it all up. ( maybe)??? I can’t believe it’s already 20 years .
Tell me why i came up with the exact same possible conclusion!!! I thought the exact thing! That maybe he did it accidentally and the parents covered it up trying to protect their son seeing as how he wasn’t at “fault” so they plotted everything up. Perfectly. That awkward smile he shows when talking about his sisters death seems something more then just nerves in my opinion. But I sure hope they finally solve the case.
I feel for the young man. He lost his sister in a horrible way, his mom was sick for many years before passing away add to that that so many people still think that he may know more than he says. I sometimes have a nervous smile too. I saw an old Modern Family episode last week where the mom freaks the family out for smiling while delivering sad news. As for the new owners of the house the woman is the daughter of televangelist Robert Schuller.
I understand he has social issues and tends to sort of smile at the wrong times, I feel bad for him. It’s like the MTM episode at Chuckles the Clowns funeral, I totally relate.
BUT if their are any SNL Chris Kattan fans out there tell me he couldn’t do an amazing spoof!!! Remember Kippi Strug when Kerri Strug appeared on the show after the Olympics?
That episode of MTM still stands stand up. Thanks for the memory. I just watched the one where she went to jail for not revealing her source for a news story. Very funny still. Not to take away from the topic. You hit a sentimental nerve.
The family was cursed. Lovely daughter killed at home, then society shunned them, Patsy dies of cancer, John R goes bankrupt. A truly tragic story.
The family and John R impaticular certainly did have more than their share of tragedy, John had a daughter from a previous marriage that died as well. I just saw an interview that he and his new wife did. His calm demeanor I think comes from a deep faith that he relies on for obvious reasons.
I’ll bet this “never before seen” interview was on a documentary that I watched about two weeks ago. It didn’t reveal anything. They also touted that exclusive. Which is why I watched it. Disappointment soon set in.
There is a rush of news about jonbenet, but I am particularly interested in Burke. I recall a lot of suspicion surrounded him, like he killed her and the parents covered. I never believed it. I will try to tune in for the next two parts. Thanks, TT, for the scoop.
I felt so bad for the family when this happened. I’m sure Patty died not only of cancer, but also of a broken heart. What I don’t understand is why is this case in the media again. Did I miss something? Is there new evidence that identifies the killer?
Yes TT, thanks for the scoop and the recap!
There is no new evidence. The evidence had several DNA samples that didn’t match – female and male – which is why they said the family didn’t do it, but most of the detectives didn’t agree that the family should be cleared because most of them agree that Patsy lost her temper in the middle of the night and was the killer. She staged the scene and wrote the ransom note with her own stationary, pen and then put both back where it went. No one is going to break in and do that. There was no sign of a break in, and all signs of a child waking up in the middle of the night with wet underwear and a sick, depressed mother losing it.
Well thank god you’re in the world so we can do away with the concept of guilt proven in court beyond a resonable doubt… By actual evidence.
The ransom note was a stupid mistake by Patsy.
Don’t forget though that she was cleared because they were finally able to find trace amounts of unknown male DNA post mortem and in her clothing…
That was NOT a reason to clear her but another issue with the handling of the case.
I think it’s just because it’s the 20th anniversary of her death.
I hope I’m not breaking any rules by throwing this out there, but did anyone else think his odd behavior might be mild Aspergers? He seems “off” in that way. Smiling when one is nervous or scared is different than what he exhibited. I wonder if that’s why his family kept him hidden. Of course, I also believe they just wanted him to live a normal life, but it’s all just a little suspicious. Something is pinging my “he just ain’t right” radar.
Heidi, Dr. Phil did say he was socially awkward on The View this morning. My nephew has mild Asbergers and suffers from social awkwardness and also smiles at inappropriate times when he’s anxious or nervous. You could be onto something…
I think in the interview as a child it is obvious that he falls somewhere on the Autism Spectrum. He sits oddly in the chair hugging himself and his demeanor is much the same.
He is very much like my nephew who has Asperger’s Syndrome.
I don’t think that makes Burke suspicious…he was just a little boy
Sitting oddly in the chair and hugging himself during a police investigation puts him on the spectrum? THey are going to need to rewrite the DSM-V and dammit, it was just updated before your diagnostic insight could be included. Sitting oddly in a chair and self comforting under duress is going to include every child everywhere.
I saw a small clip – and immediately thought “He’s an aspie!” TT? Thoughts? did you ever have a kid with Aspergers?
Lots and none of them had that affect. It’s actually quite unusual. He doesn’t just smile when he is nervous. He smiles nonstop and it’s not a nervous smile, it’s a Tyra Banks full on smize. I don’t see Aspergers here. I don’t see any stemming and just minor fidgeting.
I read a lot of comments yesterday about Aspergers. I have a 12 yo son who has mild aspergers. I know it is different in all kids, but I did not get that feel from Burke either. Definitely odd though. I had just moved from Boulder after college up to the mountains of colorado before this happened. Boulder was a pretty mellow town of hippies and college students 😉
Nothing like this happened there, which was why the detectives botched it so bad, and why it was so shocking. I think the chances it was random intruder are slim. I always thought Burke may have accidently hurt her, but now, who knows. A very odd mystery to be sure.
He’s a good friend of mine. Always thought he had aspergers or was on the spectrum. His smiling is not indicative of guilt.
I was asking myself the same sort of questions. But, more than anything, I don’t think he exuded deception. To me, he seems much younger than his years and somewhat effeminate. A non-physical, gentle-type person. When he demonstrates to the psychologist the knifing action that a killer might have done to Jon Benet, his coordination seemed like a much younger boy, maybe 6 yrs old. The action wasn’t stabbing, as much as childlike arm swinging.
I appreciate that your tossing it out there – but I don’t know that two hours minus time for commercials is enough time to diagnosis Asbergers. I find people throw that word around a lot lately. Almost anyone who is socially awkward or just plain weird is thought to be on the spectrum.
There’s no doubt that his affect was very unusual considering the seriousness of the discussion. I noticed in a brief clip they showed of the family leaving the funeral service, he was also smiling. Everybody was weeping and in pain and he looked like he was on the way to Nintendo World.
As a viewer, I found the constant smile extremely creepy and it made me feel uncomfortable.
Exactly what I was thinking. In fact I got to this site by asking that same question about Burke on Google. We have a teen grandson with aspergers and this is a very common look, coupled with his father and mother probably telling him to smile when people are speaking to him, or with him, he lacks the ability to know when the smile is inappropriate. His father even seems to have a little bit of a problem turning off the successful “businessman” smile. I feel for Burke, I don’t think he had a thing to do with his sister’s death.
Absolutely my thoughts, Heidi! This poor boy is asked to recall details of a crime against his sister, and then against he and his family, and smiled back then at 9 freaking years old! Of course he is on the autism spectrum. I had a friend who got in a lot of trouble with me as the “victim”, and the whole time my mom was screaming horrible things at her she faced the refrigerator, popped her knuckles and LAUGHED. And SHE was about 14. She ended up a few years later having a diagnosis of mental illness, which is what they called it before they had ever heard of autism. My grandson has Asperger’s, and his emotional affectations are similar to Burke’s. I’m a little angry at Dr Phil for his lack of empathy for this boy! Isn’t he supposed to be a PSYCHOLOGIST?? GOD, I was angry watching the dog and pony show as only Dr Phil can present. I will most likely catch the remaining episodes with Burke just to see how much MORE hell he’s put through, but other than that, I will not spend another moment with Phil. What a mess!
If your “grandson” has a creepy smile on his face all the time, he does not have Aspergers. Maybe he has whatever you have. You seem to have lots of mood swings.
First I’d like to say that work is a man at almost 30 years old, not a boy. However, as far as the dear doctor’s dog and pony show, Phil reminded me of Geraldo Rivera standing next to Al Capone’s empty vault. He wasn’t obtaining any new information and looked foolish . He treated Burke terribly and then had another show stating that Burke is socially uncomfortable and incapable of JB’s murder simply because he was 9 years old. Please do not get me wrong. I am not stating that Burke did this. But you cannot claim a nine-year-old is incapable of hitting another child in the head.
Yes I watched some of this show and Burke reminded me of someone I know with asbergers syndrome. Not that he has it, but he seems some what socially awkward with inappropriate responses yet very intelligent. I thought also he could have accidentally killed his sister and the parents covered it up. Who knows. That family has suffered terribly with the loss of that beautiful girl and I’m sure that suffering contributed to Patsy’s illness. Very very sad.
If you can find time, there was a special on AREtwo weeks ago. I thought it was really good. It focused on physical evidence and interviews with people who were forced out of the investigation.
A and E. Sorry I can’t fix my stupid autocorrect.
That show was AMAZING!!!
Why is he doing the interview? Cannot figure that out. He’s seems the anti-social type, the family has money…why would he want attention after all this time?
Btw, I followed Kyron’s story for a long time. I hope there is justice some day for these children, for them, and protection for other potential victims. I am a guardian ad litem (8 yrs.). I don’t broadcast my work, but if you live in a state with a guardian ad litem program (GALP), you can make a big difference in a child’s life.
I’m very curious about the work of being a guardian ad litem. Do you have to be a lawyer? Also are you state appointed? I’m a CJ student, graduating next year, and I want a govt job.
eastjames, all respect to you for your interest in the GAL program. I was a social worker for Child Protective Services and the foster system in Florida, so I can only speak to the program there. All members of the GALP are volunteers and there are no requirements to be a Guardian-ad-Litem apart from a clean federal & state background check, mandated training, and a real desire to help kids in need. Florida also has pro bono attorneys working in the GALP, they accept both law students and lawyers. Don’t know if there are further requirements for the attorney side, but I’m sure you can find info & applications for your state online. Kids and the various professionals in the system really need help so I am sure your interest would be very welcome! Of course these are not paying jobs in many states.
If you want a federal job, canvas USAjobs online. Current students and recent grads get priority for jobs under the federal “Pathways” program. Each state has it’s own platform for hiring. Often there are incentives for students or recent grads there as well. Good luck.
I followed that too! At that time, Kyron had something about him that reminded me of my son-I was very upset about that little boy for a long time – I still feel upset thinking about it. The step mother’s story made no sense.
Well it looks like Kyron’s stepmother is going to be on dr Phil as well. Should be interesting.
eastjames – I just noticed your question. Robin covered things very well. In Florida (and many other states with a GAL program) it is a volunteer position. Good luck in your career and your interest in helping children 🙂
I agree he seemed awkward and uncomfortable, that’s probably just him. There was a clip of an interview of him in the days after the murder where he says he stayed in his room because he was “scared” which I totally believe. You’re 9, your mom is freaking, your sister is missing-I’d stay in my room too. Police said he had an “appropriate reaction” when told she was dead.
I believe there had to have been an intruder. The window was open and it was proven someone could have lifted the unlocked grate and slipped in the window, and there’s a smudge on the wall under the window like someone used it for leverage. The rest of the paintbrush was never found, a metal bat that didn’t belong to Burke or anyone in the family was found outside and the roll of duct tape wasn’t found. The Boulder police were not equipped for a case of this magnitude and tried to save face.
This family was destroyed, and tragedy never left them. I feel for John and Burke Ramsey and don’t think any of them, including patsy had anything to do with jonbenet’s death. They had an open house a few days before with a ton of strangers traipsing thru-the killer could have learned the layout then.
Also, I’m sure from that day on Burke had far from a normal and peaceful childhood-all the things he’s saying are new info for us but he’s been living with it every day for 20 yrs. yes, the smiling is off-but I think there are a bunch of factors, none of them being guilt.
I wanted to smack Phil saying that it was odd he didn’t get out of bed. So what. He was 9. He was scared. Dislocation of expectation and all that. Back off Phil.
And detective Arnt-oh, the drama. Gimme a break lady. Counting her bullets and sharing a “look”. Great police work. Shame on her.
I could never get past the ransom note. It is so strange and contrived, a “foreign faction” etc. the fact that the police found a practice note and that it was on Patsy’s writing pad and written with a pen from the house is too strange. How can you explain the bowl of pineapple with Patsy and Burke’s prints and the fact that there was undigested pineapple in Jonbenet’s stomach after Patsy denied that Jonbenet’s had pineapple. Also, Patsy had on the same clothes from the night before and after everyone said she was so particular she would not have put on the same outfit, particularly as she getting on their private plane to go on vacation that morning. Why didn’t they find Jonbenet when she first went missing? Once, when I thought my dog was lost (he wasn’t) I tore my house apart, I looked under every bed, in every closet, every corner of the basement and attic, even though there was no way he could have gotten to some of those places, I was just crazed with fear. I can’t imagine what I would have done for a child.
I think there was some kind of accidental injury and then a coverup of her death.
The Grand Jury believed John and Patsy had something to do with it and issued an indictment. This new information is out, now. That’s why we are seeing all of these shows.
The police did go to the basement but the room that Jonbenet was in was latched from the outside by a weird piece of wood at the top of the door frame. Since they were investigating a kidnapping and a kidnapper couldn’t have latched that door behind him they moved on. The A&E documentary was very pro-parents and failed to discuss much of the actual evidence in this case. The whole family acted very very strangely in the immediate hours after discovering the 3 page ransom note and JB missing. One of many examples: They were told in the ransom note that they were being watched and that if they went to the cops JB would be killed. So they instantly called the cops who show up in a marked car and they fill the house with friends, their priest and more cops.
I just don’t think it’s fair to judge their reactions-you think you know what you’d do in a certain situation until it happens. Many people react a whole lot differently than they thought they would. Patsy Ramsey was in hysterics. She didn’t have the wherewithal to tell dispatch “oh, send an unmarked car please” and if she had, she’d be judged for that.
True, however, you’d best believe that if a note in my house said my kid would be killed if I called the police, I’d have to assume the kidnapper was watching, and I’d be whispering in the phone doing exactly what the note said.
I’ve got children as well, I’d like to think I’d have some control but I can’t promise I wouldn’t be a hysterical mess. I pray I never find out.
I agree with you Allison – As trite as it sounds, until you’ve walked in another persons shoes it’s so easy to judge. All bets are off when it’s your kid – especially when they’re young like that.
I”m sure I would be hysterical.
The mother, father and brother were all cleared by DNA evidence a few years ago. What is the normal way to behave when you have spent 20 plus years being suspected of killing your daughter/ sister by the entire world when you didn’t do it? These people can only be screwed up at this point. I don’t know why he would give an interview. He had to realize this kind of speculation would start up again.
DNA evidence doesn’t clear anyone. It implicates someone. The family was never cleared.And never will be unless someone else is implicated and convicted.
If Burke had anything to do with it theres no way he would insert himself back into the spotlight like this though his doing this interview did him no favors in ending further speculation whatsoever. (Especially in choosing Dr Phil to speak it for the first time, wth?) His vibe is way off (maybe the strangest demeanor I have ever seen) but he might have been a weird kid in the first place and after the murder and insane media attention he most likely developed a plethora of other issues.
There are no witnesses to this crime, so, in the absence of a confession, we will never know with any certainty who murdered the child. Kids hit each other all the time — especially when emotions are running high (at Christmas) and when they are tired. My guess is that Burke hit Jonbenet over the head with a heavy Maglite or something similar and the parents covered it up. I think this is what the grand jury thought, too, when they voted to indict Patsy and John on child abuse and assisting with actions or circumstances that lead to her death. Patsy and John would have turned against one another if either of them had killed her. The one and only person they would unite to protect in that regard is their surviving child, Burke. There was no one else in the house at the time and other evidence like the dissertation-level ransom note and the fact that the family was not frantic when the note’s deadline came and went, along with the fact that its requirements were left unmet, leads me to this conclusion. It’s actually a very simple explanation but one that can not be conclusively proven — and hence the DA’s decision not to indict.
So the parents committed the sexual assault before redressing her and then strangling her?
If Burke or anyone in the family had anything to do with it I don’t believe they would be speaking out now 20 years later and bringing attention back onto themselves.
Um, no one with any sense would do this interview either way. Clearly Burke has no one lookng out for him and he is making some bad decisions.
Burke Ramsey, as odd of a duck as he may be, didn’t smash his sister over the head with a flashlight. A 9 year old child couldn’t keep that secret for 20 years, it’s ludicrous. Pasty didn’t write the damn note-one of the worst things about all of this coming back up (the worst being a child is murdered and her killer walks) is that the family has to suffer thru ridiculous hypothesis and false accusations AGAIN. Losing their daughter wasn’t enough-
You get that it is a family member bringing this all up again, right?
Beyond the interview, there are jonbenet specials galore that would have happened with or without dr Phil and the family. Maybe they figured with the 20th anniversary coming they could be harassed more or just talk about it. Trying to put myself in their shoes, motivation-wise.
@eecummings, Just because the Grand Jury wanted to indict doesn’t prove anything. In the past, I served on a Grand Jury for six months; one day a week, every other week. The Grand Jury is presented evidence from the DA’s office and also hears sworn testimony from witnesses, police, videotape, etc. The DA’s office can slant things in one direction or the other to get the Grand Jury to go along with their recommendations quite easily since the Grand Jury is made up of lay people in the community who typically have no expertise in law or evidence. The Grand Jury I served on was made up of mostly retired people, business owners with flexible schedules, and those of us that volunteer in our community or schools. Our names were submitted by a group of leaders in the community (a nominating committee), that happen to know a lot of people to recommend to serve in this capacity. The Grand Jury is not a deal breaker in this case.
Um, it was the DA who did not want to indict. The Grand Jury did indict. The DA refused to prosecute.
I have never heard of a grand jury being “a group of leaders nominated by community leaders. Where on earth do you live where that is legal? Grand juries come from the same jury pool as petit juries.
Again. Let’s try to stick to the facts of this case rather than unrelated personal stories.
That’s what I was told as to who served on the Grand Jury. One would obviously have to be qualified to be on a petit jury to be allowed on a Grand Jury. My comment was directed to the comment from @eecummings about the Grand Jury’s involvement and not an attempt to share a personal story for whatever reason. Have you personally served on a Grand Jury to understand the dynamics? It’s quite interesting as you are hearing many, many cases per day typically.
@tamaratattles, I’m in Texas and apparently the laws have been changed to reflect a Grand Jury selection process that lines up with the one you are describing (as of May 2015):
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20150523-texas-house-oks-changes-to-how-grand-juries-are-selected.ece
Thanks for the link, Mia. That is so unbelievably odd I would never have believed it without the link!
Burke gave me the creeps and his perpetual, weird grin was off-putting. I don’t see any new evidence no matter who’s doing a program on the case. I doubt that we will get an answer anytime soon. The police bungled the scene and evidence was lost forever. It’s all very tragic but nothing new has come to light. I wish that Burke had not agreed to that interview…it made him look strange and unattached. I have no idea if he did anything or not but I doubt it. If he was a 7 year old sociopath or troubled youth there would have been evidence of that and it would have come out. There was nothing of the kind. R.I.P. JonBenet………you will obviously never be forgotten.
Wow, Thanks for recapping this. I’m going to have to see if I can find it on Hulu today.
One officer said Burkes reaction to the news that JonBenet was dead was ” normal” for a nine year old. What is a normal reaction by a child?
The female officer said she knew immediately after looking at him that Burke had done it and checked her firearm to be certain it was loaded.
It was also reported that JonBenet had been sexually assaulted. I’m not if it was by objects or otherwise. Her wrists were bound.
I haven’t yet seen any of the new specials but I have been reading. Now I can keep up here.
I can’t see Patsy doing it, maybe because as a mother it’s beyond my comprehension.
As for Burke, he’s always made me uncomfortable. I can’t put my finger on it. Could her 9 year old brother be capable of assault? Make a garrote? Know to duck tape her to ensure silence? Is it possible to determine if she was duct taped before or after death?
I have way to many questions and no answers
Been awhile since I’ve commented.
I see many new names and I’m happy that Tamara has picked up new followers.
hey deco! Good to see you back!
. THanks TT. It’s nice to be slowly resurfacing.and testing friendly waters.
I believe the female officer said she knew immediately that the, “Father” had done it and counted her bullets (such bullshit).
So many questions – As you said, would a 9 yr old boy have the know how to make such an intricate garrote and then to use it so forcefully that it was embedded in JonBenets skin? It takes strength and determination to strangle someone – I believe a few minutes. I can’t even go into the sexual abuse.
I just have trouble picturing this particular kid committing such a heinous act.
I would be very interested in a recap of the Teri Horman interview if at all possible, I remember Kyron’s disappearance well.
I haven’t seen the A&E documentary but I do recall hearing that a Grand Jury indictment was handed down that accused the Ramseys of JonBenet’s death due to child abuse. Does anyone know any specific reasons why the state declined to prosecute?
The district attorney had the final say and she didn’t feel there was sufficient evidence to bring a guilty verdict.
Yes! TT thanks for this recap and the heads up. I never forgot this case or JonBenet, bless her heart. I am going to have to reacquaint myself with the details again as well, been a while. I do recall having the distinct and lasting impression that the crime was an “inside” job. I don’t know what part of it was intentional vs. accidental but I’ve always believed the family knew exactly what happened, including little Burke. His affect is disconcerting as hell, even given the terrible history.
FWIW my 8-year-old son is on the spectrum, with mild Aspie’s and the attendant learning delays. He stims, fidgets, can be socially awkward, and smiles at inappropriate times. Burke’s behavior looks like something else to me. With 3 older sibs and a doggie my boy is used to a fair amount of bedroom doors bursting open, Mommy or Daddy sometimes raising a voice, and occasional chaos at home (of the normal, positive, big, loud family kind). But there is no way in hell that he’d stay calmly in bed if I charged in or was crazy upset, that’s different. He’d never stay put if a strange policeman with a flashlight came into his room unexpectedly and unaccompanied. He’d immediately call for and attempt to get to us with everything he has, no matter what he was told to do. He’d stay wide awake until he saw us and was reassured all was well. He needs this routine when rolling out the garbage cans wakes him up, poor fella. I get that people are different but kids are kids – I’d have never just gone back to sleep in these circumstances as a child either, scared or not. IMHO this whole case stinks to high heaven and always has.
Burke’s affect is a bit disturbing; however, he has an odd smile in all the photos I’ve seen. I have no clue what that suggests. Shoot, I don’t even know what stemming means.
I doubt there will ever be a definitive solution to this mystery. How could there be after the slipshod investigation done by the BPD?
My personal opinion is that there was an intruder.
Okay, I changed the spelling and now know what stimming/self-stimulation means.
The biggest mistake that I saw in the investigation is that interviews with the parents were done together. The ex police chief said they should have been interviewed separately. The ex police chief, Buckner also said there was never a kidnapping case where the ransom note was written at the house or one that was ever 2 1/2 pages long. Additionally, someone who writes a ransom note doesn’t leave a dead child at the scene of the crime. I don’t believe it was a stranger or the son. I don’t think the case will ever be solved.
Sending John to search the house instead of doing it themselves is the action that leaves me smh. The crime scene was not even sort of preserved.
@Matzah60, I just saw an interview of Patsy on YouTube where she appeared to be alone or without her husband. It’s possible he was out of the frame but the title didn’t suggest that.
Both John and Patsy were interviewed separately after the murder. Then again years later after they moved to Atlanta.
Thanks mamamia and TT. Sorry, I read a transcript of an interview done with ex police chief Buckner and I thought it said they were interviewed separately, but I probably misread. I’d love to go look at the youtube. Thanks for the heads up to both of you.
Ooops, I thought it read that they were initially interviewed together. Sorry. I’ve lost my mind!
The house should have been cleared of people immediately and the detectives should have been on seen to search the house. I think it is the police departments fault for mishandling of the crime seen. Whoever was in charge should have been fired immediately when they did do DNA on the child leotards. All of their friends, family members and any workers that were hired by the Ramsey’s should have been checked. What a shame
CLICK HERE FOR PART TWO RECAP UP NOW
Does anyone have a 9 year old son? I do and do not think Burke’s reaction is ABNORMAL-CHILDREN at 9 are a bit self absorbed. I think he is nervous and smiles I do not think that his smile is sinister. A 9 year old is still innocent and thinking the best of people. Something like this would be completely sureal. It should never happen to anyone one. This event was pivotal in his childhood it is very sad.
I agree with you, Holly. Whoever killed JonBenet destroyed the entire family.
I wish someone would come forward, who knows something. I feel like it’s the only way this case will ever be solved.
After reading many of the comments, I’m amazed he agreed to be interviewed now–man, we can sure be a judgmental, hateful society!
@mary I totally agree. I admit, back when it happened I thought they were guilty too-I mean, hiring an attorney when they hadn’t been charged? Quelle horreur! Now I can’t blame them, after the way BPD handled the case. Now, after having my own children and the wisdom that hopefully comes with age, I don’t believe they had anything to do with it. But beyond that and what I feel gets lost is they lost their daughter/sister in a cruel, horrific way on Christmas, which is supposed to be one of the happiest day for kids. They couldn’t even blink without someone saying they blinked like they were guilty. They couldn’t mourn properly. They were guilty until proven innocent in many ways and that’s a shame.
I don’t think it was the family. The whole Burke killed her conspiracy doesn’t work for me. If he hit her on the head, and killed her – why were there (what looked liked) JonBenets nail marks on her neck trying to pull the noose away from her throat?! That has to prove she was alive and ABLE to fight back prior to her succumbing to her injuries.
The whole thing is strange, but I think it had to be some creepy male. The blood on her underwear was not all hers, or a family members.
The blood on the underwear was all hers. There was some touch DNA on the underwear that mixed with the blood . The touch dna was so minimal that there were not enough markers to identify a match. The touch DNA didnt not belong to a family member. The touch DNA could have been from a male factory worker who processed the garment.
There is no evidence that Jon Benet was conscious or struggled during the strangulation.
PLease be mindful and cross check your facts before commenting.
The Denver Post has a story online about a pedophile and one time person of interest in the case, that lived blocks from Ramseys whenever JB was murdered. Gary Oliva was arrested in June 2016 for uploading inappropriate photos of children under age 10. From the article: “JonBenet’s murder touched me very deeply,” Oliva told The Post. “I feel she was an exceptional girl whose death was an exceptional loss. I felt the need to build a monument, a shrine, to remember this little girl.”That, he said, is why he had a photo of JonBenet in his backpack when Boulder police arrested him on a drug charge in December 2000, he said.” Police also found a stun gun in the backpack. Some investigators believe a stun gun was used in the killing.
There is no way on Earth this is a random intruder. Furher Jon Benet was not sexually penetrated by anything and the sexual assault was poorly staged as a decoy.
Thanks. I missed part one. My sister and I did watch part 2, so I will move on to that link.
Sorry, I don’t mean to be insensitive, but I found his constant grin and eye shifting to be…creepy. Reminded me of a ventriloquist dummy, come to life.
I gotta say all the armchair diagnoses of asperger’s and other spectrum disorders is weird to me. How someone can get that from a television interview alone is beyond me and silly. Yes, his affect is waaaay off. But there could be a million different reasons for that absolutely none of which are autism spectrum disorders. Before anyone jumps on me, my stepson has been dx’d with Asperger’s since 1996. And Burke’s eye contact is awfully good, regular and consistent.
Again, I grew up with Burke and always suspected that he was on the spectrum.
How can you say eye contact is consistent? He’s looking away every 2 seconds. I have a special needs child & I believe Burke is on the spectrum.
he’s not.
So funny-it looks like I’m disagreeing with myself. You’re totally right, TT. He’s not. I agree. Now I’m sure you can rest easy 😉 Ha.
Well, I have a stepson who is as well and I say Burke is not on the spectrum. At all. My god, someone is a little different or nervous acting and automatically he MUST be on “the spectrum”. Not everyone different is effin autistic. Drop the labels.
None of us can be sure whether he is on the spectrum or not (we’re not doctors) Its not labeling, it’s an opinion.
Mm it comes across as labeling. No one can be different or “weird” without some aspie or spectrum expert lumping them in as “must have autism asperger’s spectrum because my son nephew grandson friend uncle has it”
For the record, I never mentioned Asperger’s in my comment. I just said it was creepy.
Do you know if Pasty was bullied by her husband?
There is zero evidence that John was anything other than a loving husband and father.
You have to remember that the police, while overlwhemed, were told from Patsy during the 911 call that there was a ransom and their child was kidnapped. The police had absolutely zero reason to believe the girl was dead in that house. You also have to remember that this like a 16 bedroom mansion. A HUGE house. The basement alone was massive with many small-nooked rooms and such. Which is why, even though a police man said he did in fact “look” inside the wine cellar where the little girl was alter found, he didn’t turn on the light (not knowing where the switch is) and so he didn’t even see her down there.
The police had said up the call system to record for the supposed incoming call at 10AM from the ransomers. It wasn’t until after they didn’t call, I believe, that lead det. asked John Ramsey, and an officer, to search for “clues” again. It is incompetent, but it also makes more sense in the grand scope that 1) this house is a massive mansion 2) John knows the layout of the house and would in fact recognize something “off”
I APOLOGIZE TO BURKE RAMSEY AND DR. PHIL! Just watched the second interview on Dr. Phil. I was ignorant of all the info. Learning new DNA testing only in last, what, six years? Cleared them all. Now I pray they find matching DNA on someone- whether dead or alive. Thank God they will continue searching….I’m sorry…
LOL. I just can’t. Clearly you don’t have much information at all. But I get it, Dr. Phil said it so it must be true.
NEW POST Dr Phil Part 3
NEW POST THAT MAY ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS
http://tamaratattles.com/2016/09/20/dr-phil-burke-ramsey-interview-part-3-the-conclusion/
Tamara, I have read your more recent blogs and going back to the earlier ones now. There is something that stands out to me and I haven’t heard anyone mention it. John claims he did not know his daughter was dead when he brought her upstairs. If I found a child with duct tape over their mouth and tied up the first thing I would do is take the tape off of their mouth. I understand that when people are in shock they react differently than a rational person watching the event unfold after the fact. But, every time I try to put myself in that scenario I think the first think I would do is take the tape off her mouth and try to get her to answer if she is ok. Was he even talking to her when he brought her upstairs? Stay with me JonBenet, are you ok, etc.
But, he didn’t do that and it makes me wonder if that he because he knew she wasn’t alive. Did he know it because it was obvious and he only said he thought she was alive because that is what he wanted to believe, or did he know it because he helped cover up the murder.
Has anyone addressed this?
No, because “anyone” that has any business talking about the case first makes themselves aware of the facts. Including the fact that the first thing he did was remove the duct take and talk to her and carry her up the stairs for medical help.
Dr. Phil is a cunning, calculating, exploiting, buissnessman making money out of a childs death. I think Burke is an undiagnosed psychopath. Unengaged, emotionally disconnected, distant, unempathetic, uninvolved, uninterested, not concerned…….his inappropriate reactions as a child correspond to his inappropriate reactions as an adult. He is a callous, calculating psychopath. Watching him is worse than watching Ted Bundy. In Burkes case the underlying agression is so subtle you hardly sense it. In Ted Bundy´s case the agression was apparent and unmasked. Burke hides his murdering psychopathy behind a misleading smile. Ted Bundy´s smile is just pure evil. But if you look very carefully at Burkes smiling face, playing the sequences slowly, its the same evil we are looking at. Yes I killed her but you cant do aynthing about it, I am smarter than you. I think that both Burke and John are psychopaths. One of them killed her. I think it was Burke. “We are not talking to you”. (John). “What did you do? Help me Jesus” (Patsy). “What DID you find? (Burke). But could this also be staged and the parrents are making Burke the Red Hering for Johns crime.