In 1996, six-year-old pageant star JonBenét Ramsey was found unresponsive in her family’s basement in Boulder, Colorado. On the morning of December 26, her parents called 911 to report their daughter missing. Her mother made the call after discovering a ransom note written by “a small foreign faction” on the kitchen stairs that demanded $118,000 for the child’s safe return. Police would soon determine the note to be falsified. The note was found to be inauthentic for many reasons, including it being much longer than most ransom notes, the lack of any fingerprints, and the strange dramatic wording that was reminiscent of many movies. After an all-day search through the home, a detective instructed JonBenét’s father, John, to do another thorough sweep of the house and make sure nothing was missed. That was when John discovered his daughter behind a basement door that had been overlooked. But the discovery of JonBenét has led to more questions over the next few decades that police, the media, and independent investigators have tried to crack. JonBenét’s mother, Patsy, father, John, and brother Burke, were the only ones home that night. Did Burke Ramsey kill his sister JonBenét? Some criminal experts have pushed the theory.

The Latest Theories On Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey

Was JonBenét Ramsey killed by her brother Burke?

JonBenet Ramsey's parents john patsy — Image Credit: Getty Images

A panel of experts across forensics, criminal psychology, and pathology believe it is possible Burke was JonBenét’s killer. The group including former FBI agents alleged their theory in a CBS documentary called The Case Of: JonBenét Ramsey which aired in 2016. They believe the death was accidentally caused on Christmas Day. Police records informed the investigative panel that JonBenét was put to bed before her brother, who was nine years old at the time. They claim that JonBenét woke up from bed and took some of Burke’s after-dinner treat (pineapple) which sent the child into a violent rage where hit his sister with a flashlight. Pineapple was cited in the coroner’s report as found in JonBenét’s stomach, despite her parents’ claims she immediately went to sleep after dinner.

The experts alleged their theory is backed up by the fact that the window leading into the room where JonBenét was found had “undisturbed cobwebs,” meaning it was unlikely someone had climbed through it. They also characterized Burke’s behavior as strange during the original police search. The panel believes the Ramsey parents covered up the attack to protect their son.