Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey, a documentary series on Netflix that investigates the murder of JonBenét Ramsey, who was only six years old at the time, remains unsolved. However, there is one person who is clearly absent from the series. Burke Ramsey, Jon Benét’s older brother, has chosen to stay out of the public eye almost 30 years after the tragedy that shocked the country.
Who Is Burke Ramsey?
Burke Ramsey is the only sibling of JonBenét Ramsey, born to parents John and Patricia (Patsy) Ramsey. Burke was only nine years old when his sister died on December 26, 1996. The crime happened in their Boulder, Colorado, family home and caused a media frenzy. Everyone in the Ramsey family was the subject of speculation and close attention.
Even though the case has gotten a lot of attention, Burke has mostly avoided public appearances over the years. He said no to being on the Netflix show at the end of the third and final episode, which explained his choice: “Burke Ramsey declined our request for an interview, citing his treatment by the media and online websleuths.”
Why Burke Ramsey Declined to Speak
The show’s director, Joe Berlinger, talked about what led Burke to make his choice. Berlinger told TODAY.com, “We tried to get in through our connection with John Ramsey and through [his] son, John Andrew Ramsey.” John Ramsey and John Andrew Ramsey, Burke’s half-brother, both took part in the show, but Burke chose not to. Berlinger said, “We didn’t want to put all that stress on Burke, and he didn’t want to talk to us either.” “That was okay with us.”
Burke Ramsey Was Cleared as a Suspect
In 2008, the Boulder District Attorney’s Office said that Burke Ramsey and his parents had nothing to do with the murder of Jon Benét. DNA testing on Jon Benét’s clothes found traces of an unknown male, which ruled out any family members.
In a letter to John Ramsey, the district attorney at the time, Mary Lacy, said, “The match of male DNA on two separate items of clothing worn by the victim at the time of the murder makes it clear to us that an unknown male handled these items.” Lacy also said she was sorry for any way the public thought she were connected to the family.
After the news came out, Burke talked to Denver’s NBC affiliate KUSA-TV and said he hoped the DNA evidence would help find the real killer. “We are thankful that they admitted that, based on that, we could not have been involved,” Burke said.
Burke’s First Public Interview
Burke spoke out for the first time in 20 years in a three-part interview with Dr. Phil McGraw in 2016. He said that the reason he spoke out was to honor the memory of his sister. “By giving this interview, I want to honor her memory.” He said, “I don’t want anyone to forget.”
During the interview, Burke talked about rumors that his family was involved that had been going around for a long time. “It blows my mind.” “Do you need any more proof that we didn’t do it?” he asked. When asked about the famous ransom note that was found in their home, Burke said that it was too upsetting for him to look at it closely. He said, “I’ll see it and kind of be shocked.”
Burke Ramsey’s Legal Battle with CBS
In the same year as his interview with Dr. Phil, CBS aired a two-part special that suggested Burke may have killed JonBenét by accident and that his parents hid the fact. The special said that Jon Benét’s death might have been caused by a fight over a late-night snack.
He sued CBS, the special’s producers, and its hosts for defamation and asked for $750 million in damages. His lawyers said that the accusations were based on “a collection of lies, half-truths, manufactured information, and the deliberate leaving out and avoidance of truthful information.”
In 2019, the lawsuit was settled for an amount that was not made public. This ended the legal battle.
Where Is Burke Ramsey Now?
Burke Ramsey is now 37 years old and reportedly lives a quiet life in Michigan, where he works as a technology manager. Joe Berlinger, the director, said that Burke was “doing fine.” People are once again interested in the Ramsey case because of the Netflix show, but Burke is still determined to stay out of the public eye.
Burke wasn’t on Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey’s refusal to talk about the traumatic events in his childhood says a lot about how he feels. Even though he doesn’t talk to the media, the tragic death of his sister still follows him around because true-crime fans and investigators keep the case in the public’s mind.
The murder of JonBenét Ramsey is still a mystery, and Burke Ramsey’s quiet life is very different from the media frenzy that once surrounded his family. Some people may want to hear his side of the story, but Burke’s decision to protect his privacy shows how one of America’s most famous unsolved crimes has affected people for a long time.
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