JonBenét Ramsey’s father writes to Colorado governor, asks for release of DNA to private lab

DENVER (KDVR) — The father of JonBenét Ramsey has sent a letter to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis with a plea to let a private company test decades-old DNA evidence.

It’s been nearly 26 years since Ramsey was killed in her home in Boulder, and police appear no closer to solving it now than they were back in 1996. Now, the girl’s father, John Ramsey, told Gov. Polis that time for answers is running out, and he wants justice.

At the heart of John Ramsey’s letter is the ongoing DNA testing debate. There’s a limited amount of DNA evidence in the case, and investigators have been reluctant to let a private lab test it.

But John Ramsey and many experts say the labs have technology and resources the state does not, which can likely analyze and sequence the DNA. The goal would be to test is against both government and private DNA databases.

On top of that, John Ramsey appealed to the governor on a personal level.

“Solving the murder of my daughter will not fill the void in my heart but it will identify and remove a demented and dangerous person from our midst and, in doing so, potentially protect the lives of other children,” Ramsey wrote in part. “There is no higher responsibility of a governor than that. As an elected leader, but more importantly, as a father, I respectfully ask you to do the right thing.”

John Ramsey and his family had previously petitioned for the release of the DNA to a private lab, citing advancements in DNA technology.

“We want to do whatever can be done technically and resource-wise to find the killer of our daughter and if we do that and we can’t, then we will have to live with it. But to not do it is criminal and negligent and lazy,” he said in an interview with “60 Minutes Australia” in July.

On Wednesday, the governor’s office confirmed that it received John Ramsey’s letter. The governor did not say if the DNA would be released, but said investigators are talking with private labs themselves.

The governor’s office added that Boulder Police “will be consulting with the Colorado Cold Case Review Team” in 2023.

“The Cold Case Review Team is comprised of professional investigative, analytical, and forensic experts from across the state,” the governor’s office said.

JonBenét Ramsey was 6 years old when her father found her body in the home’s basement.
It was determined she had been strangled and beaten, shortly after her mother found a ransom note demanding $118,000 to get the girl back.