Monday, December 2, 2019

The Last Christmas: JonBenet Ramsey Conspiracy Theories by Madison Ramirez


The Last Christmas: JonBenet Ramsey Conspiracy Theories

Christmas is supposed to be a special time that is celebrated around the world when many families come together to celebrate the birth of Christ, spread love and laughter, and share many traditions with each other, but not for the Ramsey family. On December 25, 1996, Christmas was a gory horror scene when six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was murdered in her Boulder, Colorado, home. Over the years many theories have developed about the mysteries of what happened to the blonde, innocent, beauty queen:
1.      Did her older brother kill her accidentally?
2.      Were her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, involved in her death?
3.      Was she murdered by local sex offender Gary Howard Oliva?
Let’s get a deeper insight to what happened on this bloody Christmas morning and examine the different conspiracy theories, with Gary Howard Olivia as the suspect.
At only six years old, JonBenet Ramsey upheld the ideal standards of a beauty pageant queen and had successfully won five titles. She dominated every stage and was loved by the judges, her fellow aspiring contestants, and the public. According to Meredith Worthen in a 2017 article, JonBenet had a “sparkling smile” and “glowing blonde hair.” Her blue-eyed image was graceful, and she was adored and admired by many. JonBenet was a light in the pageant world and made friends with her competitors. Breanne Griego, her Little Miss Colorado sister queen, described JonBenet in an interview with Inside Edition reported by DailyMail as “a really nice fun-loving kid” (“JonBenet Ramsey’s Pageant Friends Remember”). Undeniably, JonBenet left a dazzling mark behind. People from all over, even those outside of pageantry knew of JonBenet Ramsey and what a special soul she was.
            JonBenet was born into the glitz and glam and she wished to follow her mother Patsy’s footsteps, who was crowned the 1977 Miss West Virginia (JonBenet Ramsey Biography). Her father John Ramsey claims that “JonBenet very much wanted to take part in pageants,” which is a decision that John regrets ever allowing her to do because he believes that “possibly might have drawn attention” to his family, which could have led to the death and discovery of his daughter’s 4’7 body (Chang). John reflects on the exposure he and Patsy allowed of JonBenet as he reports being “naïve” and putting her on “public display” (1).
Though her life abruptly ended all too soon, the short life lived by JonBenet was full of rainbows and sunshine; life was seemingly pleasant for this little girl. Not only did she shine on every stage, but she dominated in her academics as well. JonBenet attended High Peaks Martin Park Elementary School and was awarded for her academics and good behavior (Evans and Krupski). She also had a bright future planned for herself as “she had told people she wanted to become a professional ice skater or maybe even an artist” (1). Despite pageantry, JonBenet was like any ordinary kid with aspirations and dreams. Her father John described her as a tomboy, who loved to hike and play with her older brother, Burke (JonBenet Ramsey Biography).
JonBenet was born in Atlanta, Georgia into a wealthy, successful family who appeared to many as being picture perfect (JonBenet Ramsey Biography). Her father was an excellent businessman and her mother was very involved in both her and her brother Burke’s lives (Evans and Krupski). They were members of their local Episcopal church and lived in a luxurious Colorado home (1). Clay Evans and Alli Krupski wrote:
She lived in a 15-room manse – worth at least $760,000 – in the upscale, bucolic quietude near Chautauqua Park in Boulder with her brother Burke, 9, and her well-respected parents, who are the portrait of all-American success. John Bennet Ramsey, 53, is chief executive officer of a billion-dollar company and moves in powerful circles. He has a jet pilot’s license. Patricia “Patsy” Ramsey, 40, is a former Miss West Virginia who won plaudits for volunteering at her son’s school even as she recovered from a bout with ovarian cancer in 1994 (1).
The Ramsey family had it all.
Image result for jonbenet ramsey
Several conspiracy theories have developed revolving around the death of JonBenet Ramsey. The first of these conspiracies is that Burke Ramsey, JonBenet’s older brother murdered her accidentally. In the docuseries regarding the mystery behind JonBenet’s death, “retired FBI profiler Jim Clemente” and “world-renowned forensic scientist Dr. Henry Lee,” along with many other high-profile experts, unveiled that nine-year-old Burke Ramsey unintentionally killed his sister (Willis and Brown). Discovered in her autopsy, pineapple was consumed by JonBenet in the late hours of Christmas night in 1996. Though some believe this evidence was considered insignificant, a broader aspect was looked upon that rose concern when it was revealed that “latent prints” of Burke and Patsy were found on the bowl of pineapples left on the kitchen table (Rahman). Patsy served her son “a bowl of pineapple and some tea” as a snack, but investigators bring light to the fact that Burke was aggressive and “had struck his little sister with a golf club after 'losing his temper'” in the past, so if  “JonBenet had attempted to sneak some of the fruit later, it prompted Burke to lash out and strike her with a flashlight, killing her” (1). Not only was JonBenet strangled, but she also had trauma straight to her head prior.
            The second conspiracy theory is the highlight of her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey’s involvement in her death. There are several accusations targeting the couple, but the primary focus is that they covered for their son Burke. John and Patsy conducted odd behavior following the death of their six-year-old daughter. FBI profiler Jim Clemente claims that “the lack of the Ramsey’s getting involved with the case was 'atypical' as most families in such situations are desperate to resolve the case” (Rahman). One of the most important elements to the theory is a peculiar phone call to the police made by Patsy that was revealed by the investigators. Khaleda Rahman wrote:
            Using modern technology, they said they uncovered the voices of three people having a conversation after Mrs. Ramsey thought she had hung up after calling police 20 years ago. Three phrases can allegedly be heard during the extra six seconds of 911 audio, which are believed to have come from JonBenet's parents John and Patsy and her older brother Burke. Investigators believe they can hear Mr. Ramsey's voice saying, 'we're not speaking to you', before Mrs. Ramsey allegedly asks: 'What did you do? Help me, Jesus'. They claim JonBenet's brother Burke can then be heard asking 'what did you find?' - even though his parents have always claimed he was asleep at the time (1).
Raising concerns, the 911 operator “felt the call was rehearsed” (1). Suspicions of JonBenet’s parents caused fingers to be pointed towards them, but the phone call wasn’t the only reason why. There were also many speculations regarding the “three-page ransom note” found (1).
            The third conspiracy theory lies among a completely different line with local sex offender Gary Howard Oliva as her murderer. Known as a “longtime suspect” in JonBenet’s death, Gary revealed this in written letters that he sent to a longtime friend by the name of Michael Vail (Butterfield).  According to Vail, he “has suspected Oliva's involvement in JonBenét's murder for 22 years” (1). Oliva carries a past of crimes with him including “trying to strangle his mother,” and was “arrested in 2016 for possessing child pornography on his phone” (1). Prior to this, he was also arrested in 2000, for “criminal trespass, marijuana possession, and possession of a weapon by a previous offender” (1). The weapon found was a stun gun which became “significant because several investigators,” including a homicide detective named Lou Smit, “believed one was used on JonBenet” (1).  Oliva was already a registered sex offender and it was revealed that he lived close to the Ramsey’s household around the date of her murder. Though police and other sources discovered that Oliva’s DNA was not detected in the crime scene, “in 2015 former Boulder police chief Mark Beckner admitted crime scene evidence may have been mishandled” (1). The abundance of evidence that points to Gary Oliva has not been finalized with a result, but Alan Butterfield wrote:
            Vail told DailyMailTV: 'Gary is a danger to everyone. Since that phone call to me where he said he had hurt a little girl, I've always known he had something to do with JonBenét's death. 'I hope Boulder police will finally charge him. I think they have been placing too much emphasis on DNA matches. We now know the crime scene and evidence in the case was compromised. 'I am begging Gary to do the right thing and reveal everything he knows. He may also be able to name people he was possibly involved with when he broke into JonBenét's home. They need to face justice as well.'
Image result for jonbenet ramsey
On December 25th, 1996, six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was mysteriously murdered in her Boulder, Colorado, home. Over the years, several accusations and suspicions about what happened to the blue-eyed beauty queen have developed:
1.      Did her older brother accidentally kill her?
2.      Were her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, involved in her death?
3.      Was she murdered by local sex offender Gary Howard Oliva?
Almost twenty-three years later, this case remains unsolved with significant evidence shining a spotlight on Gary Oliva as the primary suspect.



Works Cited
Butterfield, Alan. “Exclusive: ‘I Killed JonBenet Ramsey!’ Convicted Pedophile Gary Oliva has
Confessed to the Murder of Six-Year-Old Pageant Princess in Prison Letters to his Friend- Claiming it was ‘an Accident.’” Daily Mail, 10 Jan. 2019, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6555009/Pedophile-Gary-Oliva-confesses-killing-JonBen-t-Ramsey-accident.html.
Chang, Juju. “JonBenet Ramsey’s Father Regrets Letting her in Pageants, Says ‘Toddlers and
Evans, Clay and Krupski, Clay. “JonBenet Ramsey’s Storybook Life Ends Suddenly and
“JonBenet Ramsey Biography.” Biography, Biography.com Editors, A&E Television Networks,
JonBenet Ramsey's Pageant Friends Remember the Slain Beauty Queen 20 Years on as a 'Fun-
Loving' Girl Who Had a Bright Future and Would Have Thrived at College.” DailyMail,
Rahman, Khaleda. “’Burke did it’: Crime Show Claims JonBenet Ramsey was Killed by her
‘Violent’ Older Brother and her Parents Covered it up After the Siblings ‘Clashed Over a
Willis, Charlotte and Brown, Vanessa. “Investigators Reveal who they think Killed JonBenet
Worthen, Meredith. “JonBenet Ramsey: A Beauty Queen Whose Death Immortalized her Life.”

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