JonBenet Ramsey M.rder: Who Were The Main Suspects?

On Christmas 1995, an unknown individual entered the prestigious Boulder home of John and Patsy Ramsey during a Christmas party, left a ransom note demanding cash from the family, and killed their 6-year-old daughter, JonBenet. Her body was found the next morning. The murder remains unsolved, although plenty of theories and speculations about who could be the killer have swirled In the 28 years since. Suspects have ranged from the brother, Burke, to her parents, to Santa Claus.

Some people strongly suspect the Ramseys of killing their daughter, others think Brother Burke somehow managed the catastrophic ordeal, and others think the guilty party is a family friend who attended the party earlier in the evening. Some even say that a kidnapper - a convicted child molester- broke into the home and committed the horrific act.

So, who are the suspects investigated or questioned by police during the nearly three decades since the murder of the beautiful beauty pageant queen? Although the world may never know who killed JonBenet, the speculations will likely never cease.

John Ramsey

The patriarch of the family, John, discovered JonBenet's body immediately when he walked into the basement. After fruitlessly searching the home, Off. Linda Andndt asked John to check the house for any signs of his daughter. He walked directly to her body, according to detectives.

John picked his daughter's lifeless body up, carried it upstairs, removed tape from her mouth, and laid her on the floor. He then covered her up with a blanket. This destroyed potential evidence, information an intelligent man like John should know.

One detective heard John making a flight to Atlanta during the search for his daughter. John admitted as much, saying the police informed the family to leave the home.) John nor Patsy mentioned the 10 a.m. deadline written in the ransom note to detectives.

DNA exonerated John as a suspect in the crime in 2008, although its' possible that it was contaminated, leaving many still suspicious of Mr. Ramsey.

Patsy Ramsey

JonBenet’s mother passed away from ovarian cancer that had spread to her brain., but not before clearing her name of wrongdoing in 2008. DNA cleared Ms. Ramsey, although many remain suspicious of her involvement. If she didn't kill JonBenet, she knows who did.

After John discovered JonBenet’s body in the basement, many suspected Patsy killed her daughter after a bedwetting accident. Others have convinced themselves Patsy was actually jealous of her daughter and killed her out of jealousy.

According to Rolling Stone Magazine, mounds of evidence in the case support the possibility that Patsy knew more than she told police. The garrote found around JonBenet’s neck was from Patsy’s paint kit.

Investigators were also puzzled by the ransom note. Patsy claimed she found a two-and-one-half-page ransom note on a rug on the spiral suitcase leading downstairs to the basement where her husband later found JonBenet’s body. The note demanded that $118,000 be given to the “foreign faction” by the next day. This amount of money was the exact amount John had received from his bonus at his job. The note had been written on Patsy’s stationery using her pen.

A handwriting analysis conducted on the ransom note proved to be inclusive.

Many still wonder if Patsy killed JonBenet and wrote the ransom note to take suspicions away from her.

Linda Hoffman-Pugh, the Ramsay housekeeper, suspected Patsy of wrongdoing in her daughter’s murder.

Burke Ramsey

Burke Ramsey was 9 years old when his sister was brutally murdered, much too young to carry out a murder as detailed and complex as JonBenet's. This does not stop theories suggesting he was involved in the murder.

One theory was that Burke murdered his sister by striking her with a flashlight because she took some of his pineapple from dinner. Pineapple was found in JonBenet's stomach during the autopsy.

A wound on JonBenet’s back was consistent with one of Burke’s toy train tracks, leading to speculations suggesting Burke poked JonBenet with the toy after killing her.

DNA exonerated Burke from the murder at the same time as his parents in 2008. After his appearance on Dr. Phil, people once again believed Burke had killed his sister.

Some viewers say Burke appeared nervous and acted bizarrely during the interview with Dr. Phil.

Michael Helgoth

Michael Helgoth caught investigators' eye after Private Investigator Ollie Gray learned about a property dispute between him and the Ramseys.

Helgoth worked as an electrician at a salvage yard located near the Ramsey property when JonBenet was killed. He was known for his violent tendencies and quick temper.

Helgoth committed suicide two days after Boulder police announced a new suspect during a press conference.

DNA later cleared him of the crime.

Gary Oliva

Gary Oliva lived off and on in Boulder, including in 1995 at the time of JonBenet’s murder. The 32-year-old sex offender came into the picture after he was picked up on drug charges in 2000. Police found a magazine cut out of JonBenet in his belongings and police immediately suspected he was involved.

Oliva’s friend, Michael Vail, came forward claiming Oliva confessed to him that he “hurt a little girl. I hurt a little girl.”

The rope used to tie the garrote around JonBenet’s neck also happened to be the same type Oliva used when he attempted to choke his mother.

He was released from jail, but the accusations and suspicions that he murdered JonBenet remained, at least until DNA cleared him of wrongdoing.

John Mark Kerr

John Mark Kerr interjected himself into the JonBenet Ramsey case in 2006 when he confessed to strangling and sexually assaulting the 6-year-old.

Kerr, a school teacher in Thailand, was extradited to the U.S. to face child pornography charges when he confessed via email to Michael Tracey, a University of Colorado-Boulder professor creating a documentary about the case.

Kerr wrote a series of diary entries allegedly from the crime scene.

Unknown male DNA found on JonBenet’s underwear did not match Kerr’s DNA. He was cleared as a suspect. Police then realized that while Kerr was a pedophile, he did not hurt JonBenet; he only wanted his five minutes of fame.

Bill McReynolds

Bill McReynolds was never officially named as a suspect in JonBenet's murder by police, although John and Patsy made the allegations in their book.

McReynolds, a jolly man beloved in the community and friend of John, played Santa Claus for the Ramsey family at their annual holiday parties. Three years in a row, McReynolds donned a jolly red suit to play Santa.

The event on December 24 went as planned, although, after JonBenet's murder, rumors spread like warm butter. It was said that McReynolds became infatuated with JonBenet at the party and asked her to be his “special friend.” It was even rumored that he asked JonBenet to come to a special party the next day.

Nothing ever came of the rumors. Police never officially named McReynolds as a suspect, although the Ramseys did name him in their book.

McReynolds passed away in September 2002. He was 72 years old.

Who do you suspect of killing JonBenet Ramsey?