)(Woodward), When his own daughter was ten years old, she and another girl were kidnapped, and the friend was molested before both girls were released. However, it was revealed two weeks later that his DNA did not match the evidence found on JonBents clothing and he was released. Another was Michael Helgoth, an electrician who worked at a nearby auto salvage yard. Additionally, the McReynolds' 9-year-old daughter was reportedly abducted on Dec. 26, the same day JonBent was found dead, only years prior in the 1970s. McReynolds is questioned and ruled out, he didn't commit the actual killing so his DNA is not a match. Would love to hear others thoughts.. Bill McReynolds: Retired CU Journalism Professor 1968-1992. Family and friends were of the Ramseys were also allowed in and out of the house before the initial investigation was completed. He was recovering from heart surgery and needed his wife to help so he could even do the Santa gig. were officially cleared of any involvement in the murder, JonBenet Ramsey's murder, including Bill McReynolds, the man hired by Patsy to play Santa Claus at the Ramsey family's Christmas parties, McReynolds and his wife, Janet, were initially questioned, police sources never considered he or Janet "serious" suspects. Burke doesn't really believe in Santa and thinks this whole thing is dumb, so he goes back to bed. She had dressed up as Mrs. Claus at the Christmas party and way back in 1976, Janet McReynolds wrote a play about a young girl who was abducted, molested, and found dead in a basement. Since it was Christmas, the department was short-staffed and was not prepared for the scene they were faced with at the Ramsey House. -Why, when the money was just sitting in the bank anyway?? It feels like you came up with a narrative first and then tried to adjust it to some of the evidence. from the 1998 interview: JOHN RAMSEY: . We have some letters from him. Since it was Christmas, the department was short-staffed and was not prepared for the scene they were faced with at the Ramsey House. If these types of things usually point to a family member, how closely was Bill investigated? McReynolds played Santa Claus at a Christmas party at the Ramsey house a few nights before JonBent was killed. Ready for our forever and always. ), Janets daughter and a friend were taken to an unknown location, where Janets daughter was forced to watch her friend being sexually molested. Wait, I meant, this is complete bullshit. She made a profound change in me. Helgoth was tied to a supposed property dispute with the Ramsey family, which many theorize could have been a motive for possibly kidnapping JonBent. Apparently they're supposed to use separate clippers for each nail. What about chronic sexual abuse of JonBenet? I don't really have other children that I have this special relationship with not even my own children or my own grandchildren". Bill and Janet McReynolds say the only significance of their daughter's abduction to the Ramsey case, regardless of the dates, is that it underscores the compassion they feel for John and Patsy Ramsey. Karrs confession made international headlines but he was later dismissed as a pedophile who was after fame. NASCAR and its marks are trademarks of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC. Olivas high school friend, Michael Vail claimed that Oliva had call him on the phone to confess that he had hurt a little girl. "And because I'd been told by cyber-crime specialists that JonBent was precisely the kind of child, because of her beauty pageant experience, who could be sucked into the world of child porn. I don't recall even seeing a photo of one that was actually put up in public in Colorado. Hired by Marilyn Haus to play Santa at the mall. See Page 1. In his book Presumed Guilty: An Investigation Into the JonBent Ramsey Case, the Media, and the Culture of Pornography, journalist Stephen Singular argues that the police were so focused on pinning the murder to the Ramseysthat they neglected to consider the possibility that JonBent was abducted for child pornography. . very weird. The woman said that on Christmas Eve day in 1996, JonBent said Santa had told her he was going to make a secret visit to her after Christmas. McReynoldss own daughter had been kidnapped 22 years before. Jon Benet had bits of the Ramsey's own sparkly stairway Christmas garland in her hair. I believe the killer was someone McReynolds knew and was possibly a relative of his. According to The Daily Camera, the McReynolds' middle daughter, 9-years-old at the time, was abducted on December 26, 1974, and witnessed the sexual molestation of her friend. The day after Christmas in 1996, the body of 6-year-old beauty pageant queen JonBent Ramsey was found in the basement of her parents Boulder, Colorado home. He carried it to the hospital as a lucky charm during the surgery. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Police collect DNA samples from Bill McReynolds Bill McReynolds dressed up as Santa Claus at the Ramseys' Christmas party on December 23. Multiple attempts to reach out to Janet McReynolds for comment on the play and CBS docu-series were unsuccessful. And they didn't just lie that morning. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. They filmed him on the 21st and 22nd of December and left before the party on the night of the 23rd. What parents would engage in this sick game out of irrational desire to protect their innocent child? They search the house and find JonBenet murdered. They thought his standing up to DeMuth proved that the elderly man was not weak and frail after all, just as John Ramsey had said. @mkmcreynolds1 I never knew I could feel so much love for someone until I met you. Promise. I was in my final semester in college at the time and my professor the head of the criminal justice department was absolutely sure the Ramsey did it. All because they thought Burke might be arrested for eating pineapple with JonBenet? McReynolds also stated that JonBent had given him a vial of gold glitter at both the 1995 and 1996 Christmas parties. But to this day, the case still remains cold. JonBent Patricia Ramsey was a six-year-old girl found dead in the basement of her Boulder, Colorado home on December 26, 1996. However, John and Patsy Ramsey referred to him as a suspect in their book The Death of Innocence, and Janet stated that her husband was deeply affected by the suspicion: "He was scarred. Was it her parents? The only play the public has been made aware of was Hey Rube which was based on the true story of Sylvia Likens, a young girl who was held captive in an Indiana basement in 1965. His DNA under JonBenets fingernails is the only trace of him left behind. While there, CNN reports that he allegedly gave JonBent a card that read, "You will receive a special gift after Christmas.". Mattie Moore McReynolds Knoxville - Mattie Moore McReynolds, age 103, long time resident of the Bluegrass Community, passed away October 18, 2021. (BPD Report # 1-645. Email us at exclusive@the-sun.com or call 212 416 4552. An Associated Press report from March 1997 stated that McReynolds and his wife, Janet, were initially questioned less than six weeks after the murder. Santa was apparently coming to visit JB. Another eerie-sounding connection theory, is that Janet McReynolds had allegedly written a play about a young girl who had molested, tortured and killed in a basement in 1976. I thought there was no dna found under her fingertips? I was in my 20s when she was murdered and am strongly IDI. They know someone outside the family has murdered their daughter, but they know no one will believe they're all innocent, so in order to protect Burke and themselves they call the police and report the kidnapping in the hopes that if they play along, the real killer will be caught eventually. The play, Hey Rube, was about the 1965 torture and murder of Sylvia Likens in Indiana. (Thomas), McReynolds said what was truly terrible was that this wasnt the first child to die during his Santa years. Her case remains unsolved. There is no reason to leave JBR in the house once you have her. In 1977, Janet gave a local paper an interview and said "I've always been interested in the way victims frequently seem to seek their own death, or to deliberately choose their own murderer. Because almost none of it is supported by anything - there is nothing to imply that McReynolds was interested in snuff movies, could have hired a killer, that the killer recorded anything, etc. Even more suspicious, McReynolds's middle daughter and her friend had been abducted 22 years prior to JonBent's death to the day. CBS will air a six-hour, three-part documentary series called The Case of: JonBent Ramsey in September, The New York Times reported. (BPD Report #1-1149. Olivas high school friend, Michael Vail claimed that Oliva had call him on the phone to confess that he had hurt a little girl. Letting them go was a big mistake, as they soon layered up and did not get to formally interview them again until May of 1997, five months after their daughter was murdered., The case was then passed to the DAs office in 2002 after the Ramseys said they had no confidence in the police.. He wrote me a letter saying that he carved JonBenet's name in a harp, it had the name of three other little girls that died early. How about Jesse though? When I die, I'm going to be cremated. He has been cleared and my humble opinion is that he was a fall guy. However, it was revealed two weeks later that his DNA did not match the evidence found on JonBents clothing and he was released. (BPD Reports #1-1874, #26-144, #1-41, #1-162, #1-204, #1-304, #1-2622, #5-297, #5-371, #5-2202) Could that Secret Santa have been the killer and someone JonBent knew? I'm Gina, the night editor here at Cosmopolitan.com! JonBenet is not in her room. Blood sample? The South Carolina native got engaged over the weekend to Kendall McReynolds, daughter of two-time Daytona 500 winning-crew chief and NASCAR on FOX analyst Larry McReynolds. Karr eventually came out as a transgender woman in 2010. So who is Bill McReynolds? In A Mother Gone Bad: The Hidden Confession of JonBent's Killer, psychologist Andrew G. Hodgesargues that one possibility in the murder is that Patsy Ramsey caught her husband molesting JonBenet, and hit her in a fit of rage. (BPD Reports #1-1874, #26-144, #1-41, #1-162, #1-204, #1-304, #1-2622, #5-297, #5-371, #5-2202) Could that Secret Santa have been the killer and someone JonBent knew? JonBenet is alone when the killer emerges from his hiding place and strikes her with a heavy object (likely the flashlight) He takes her down to the basement where he ducktapes her mouth, sexually assaults her and strangles her with the garrote, snuff movie style. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I felt very close to that little girl. Keep in mind that just after JonBent's death, there were rumors that sexual assault was a factor in the murder, but those claims are under dispute in light of recent interviews like A&E's The Killing of JonBent: The Truth Uncovered, which aired on Labor Day weekend. Any additional thoughts or insight would be appreciated. Her friend was sexually assaulted and Jill escaped unharmed. She did as she was told. Bill McReynolds dressed as Father Christmas to attend a party just days before the little girl was found murdered on Boxing Day 1996. The Ramsey family has also been cleared of all suspicion on multiple occasions due to DNA evidence. There's a reason people who don't really know the details of this case will 90% of the time say they think the parents are guilty of 'something'. Police chief Mark Beckner has also said that the crime scene wasnt properly sealed off after police arrived. (BPD Report # 1-645. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. We have a tape from him . . it was a tribute to JonBenet or something like that. The Craziest Theories in the JonBent Ramsey Case, Know a Pisces? It was unusually long and there were no fingerprints found on it except for Patsys and the authorities who handled it. Blood sample? However, the connections turned out to be purely coincidental, as both Bill and Janet submitted hair, handwriting, and blood samples and were cleared of any involvement in the crime. Thus the kidnapping charge. And apparently it starts out nice and then it gets up into this you left Santa Claus and, you know, went to all those fancy things and you came back to Santa Claus. Other suspects included neighbor Bill McReynolds, a local Santa Claus who visited the Ramseys a few days before the girls death. I felt very close to that little girl. In a June 1997 Denver Post article, a number of people who knew JonBent spoke to the outlet about what she was like as a person because the 6-year-old murder victim was far more than the pageant star whose glamour shots had been splashed across nearly every print and media outlet in the country. It's certainly a mysterious, and heart-breaking case that has long raised many questions about the young girl's death. (Thomas). No suspects were ever found in the case, but both children were found. Why did he want in the Ramsey house? (Thomas), Jesse McReynolds, now thirty-eight, had botched a $ 113 gas station robbery in Arizona during which he forced the clerk to move from Point A to Point B. I hurt a little girl.. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. She won 5 major contests before her tragic murder at the age of 6. (Bill McReynolds), Good idea, I may take my ashes somewhere when I die too. For years, JonBent's parents, John and Patsy Ramsey were blamed for possibly having some involvement in their daughters murder. He died unexpectedly in 2002, after being cleared of all suspicion. I have read it was either an independent producer working on "spec" or McReynolds himself that hired the film crew. Helgoth was tied to I don't recall ever seeing a poster or billboard about catching JonBenet's killer that was put up anywhere. I was in my early twenties when this all unfolded. And 20 years later, the conversation will likely continue on a mainstream level. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Tracey reported Karr to the police who arrested him in Bangkok. McReynolds got angry, and that only fed the paranoia of the DAs people. Someone is out there!". The outlet reported that on Dec. 26, I did. He's quoted as saying: It seems likely that McReynolds was questioned because, like many others, he had been in the Ramsey home and interacted with JonBent in the days leading up to her death. I know the BPD claims the family gave them blood samples but, were they tested? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Bill McReynolds visited the house two days before JonBenets murder. (Thomas), McReynolds said what was truly terrible was that this wasnt the first child to die during his Santa years. The Ramsey familys private investigator, Ollie Gray blasted the Boulder Police Department for not considering Oliva a credible suspect. web pages Patsy finds the ransom note hours later. Though at one time JonBent's parents were questioned, they have maintained their innocence and in 2008 were officially cleared of any involvement in the murder, and were never the only people investigated. Karr had reached out to University of Colorado Boulder professor, Michael Tracey through email. Helgoth was tied to Helgothand his accomplices committed the crime. Was Jesse ever looked at as a serious suspect? Depends who you ask. A lot like OJ. Maybe that family member enlists a friend to do it instead so that police wouldn't quickly make the connection and unbeknonst to them, that friend is a creep, so things go horribly wrong and turn from kidnapping to murder. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSunUS and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunUS, Shock first photos inside Serena Williams' crumbling childhood home, Ana Walshe's pals reveal what 'delayed her fate' after husband charged, Child's body found in search for missing girl, 4, who was 'beaten to death', Missing woman's husband charged with murder after blood found in basement, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, JonBent Ramsey was strangled to death twenty-five years ago and her killer has never been brought to justice, John and Patsy Ramsey were prime suspects for years but were later exonerated when DNA testing had cleared them of any involvement, Investigators could not prove whether or not Patsy wrote the ransom note but she was later cleared by a federal court, Gary Oliva, a sex offender, was found with magazine photos of JonBent in his backpack when police arrested him on drug charges, John Mark Karr falsely confessed to killing JonBent in a 'love game' gone wrong but DNA had cleared him, Many people believe that an intruder killed JonBent but it has never been proven by police. Think he was old and not a well man .Dont think he did it. According to The Guardian, Bill McReynolds had written a note to JonBent, as Santa, days before her body was discovered. Many sleuths believe that Helgoth had heard he was a suspect in the case, with a popular theory believing that it was his footprint at the crime scene. However, physical evidence suggested that those details were part of a set-up. On the very same day in 1974 - Boxing Day - McReynolds's nine-year-old daughter had been abducted with a friend, and had witnessed the sexual molestation of her friend. For many years, JonBents parents and brother, Burke, who was 9-years-old at the time of her death, were considered the main suspects until they were cleared of suspicion. And another creepy coincidence that One of the major twists in the investigation of the murder of JonBent Ramsey is that detectives interviewed Bill McReynolds, a friend of the family, because he had played Santa Claus at a Ramsey Christmas celebration two days before the 6-year-old's body was found. She calls the police and a missing child investigation begins. ), Janets daughter and a friend were taken to an unknown location, where Janets daughter was forced to watch her friend being sexually molested. Gosage took the good news back to the house, but Janet McReynolds told him, Stay out of our lives. The embarrassed cops got into their cars, and the official convoy slunk back down the mountain. The world also blames the Ramsey's for the murder, Santa Bill has been cleared so many time and youre still dragging his name through the mud. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. They then staged the kidnapping and murder scene together to cover the whole thing up. While the Ramsey's were at the party, the killer staged the kidnapping, he wrote the ransom note so he could throw off the investigation as long as possible.. ", While at first, Singular's theory might seem a little far-fetched, it's not completely out of the realm of possibility: One of the former suspects in the case, Gary Howard Oliva, was arrested last June after he uploaded several sexually explicit photographs of children to his email account. September 5, 2002. Where is this info coming from? Her murder was harder on me than my operation. Charles Kuralt retired from CBS in 1994. No suspects were ever found in the case, but both children were found. Unless Burke had a behavior disorder, why would they even think that anyone would consider him a suspect? (Thomas), DeMuth was on the trail of Bill McReynolds, even using undercover cops to tail him. The McReynolds supposedly refused a search of their house and the police never pursued a search warrant. A. James Kolar, who led the case investigation for the Boulder DAs office for nine months, believes its unlikely the girl was killed by an intruder. This "theory" Is fucking stupid. (BPD Report #1-568. She discusses her father's legacy of goodness while talking about how the JonBenet Its also believed that because of the initial belief that the Ramseys had something to do with JonBents murder, other leads were neglected by authorities. You are putting a lot of stock in what may be a throw away line by a 6 year old. Perhaps the oddest conspiracy theory out there is thatnot only is JonBent still alive, but she's also secretly pop superstar Katy Perry. Regardless, the dude is creepy! He was very strange, in the way that when he went into heart surgery he brought a vile of glitter JonBenet had given to him when he played Santa Clause. By Christine Reid, Camera Staff Writer. .. John reveals stranger stayed in daughters room Do you think JonBenet was in the wine cellar when Fleet JDI folks - where do we land on the ransom note? He was just so devastated by the mere idea anyone would suspect him of a crime," she said, according to Bill's obituary in The Daily Camera. It was his wife. Thankful that God blessed me with such an amazing woman in my life that not only loves the Lord, but challenges me to be a better man. OK. Whatever we wanted, he gave, and Jesses handwriting eliminated him as the author of the ransom note. By itself, it's not a crime. Another mother also stated to BPD investigators that JonBent had told a playmate about a Secret Santa. To perhaps no one's surprise, this has been debunked multiple times, and prior to Katy Perry, the theory was that JonBent was actually Lady Gaga. All rights reserved. Lengthy interview? His best chance was to work with us, so he became a picture of cooperation. (Thomas), Jesse McReynolds, now thirty-eight, had botched a $113 gas station robbery in Arizona during which he forced the clerk to move from Point A to Point B. I lived through the he saga as an adult and I know several people that believe the Intruder theory. I actually tend to believe its the other way around. He had been living in the area on and off and when police allegedly found a magazine with pictures of the girl in his backpack. When did that happen? Another mother also stated to BPD investigators that JonBent had told a playmate about a Secret Santa. Why? DeMuth confronted Santa Bill, convinced that the cord being used to lash down a tarpaulin was like the cord used in the murder garrote. I hurt a little girl.. "Alibi- home in bed, On December 26, 1974, twenty-two years before JonBent was reported kidnapped on December 26, 1996, the nine-year-old daughter of Janet McReynolds, the wife of Bill McReynolds, was kidnapped. This was in Kolar's book. According to a CNN report in 2006, Trip DeMuth, an original prosecutor on the case, said that McReynolds' alleged Christmas card to JonBent was particularly concerning: The McReynolds were reportedly cleared of charges after submitting DNA samples, CNN reported. Thats who interests me a little more than his father. Two I would love to know why his red Santa suit was never taken in and fibers from it never compared to the red fibers found on JonBenets shirt and on the garotte. And another creepy coincidence that raised investigators' suspicions was a play written by McReynolds's wife Janet about a girl who was sexually assaulted, then murdered in her basement. The day is December 26, 1996, in Boulder Colorado where the Ramsey family lives. Ramsey Home Walkthrough - 3D Computer Model. The only play the public has been made aware of was Hey Rube which was based on the true story ofSylvia Likens, a young girl who was held captive in an Indiana basement in 1965. And while living in Nederland, near Boulder, he had some other scrapes with the law. It's really blurry even when it's enlarged. Nope. Charles Kuralt's program or segment that Bill promised would be filming his Santa romps was with CBS TV. It is ridiculous! (Thomas), When I die, I'm going to be cremated. Two days prior to JonBent's murder, former University of Colorado professor Bill McReynolds dressed up as Santa Claus at the Ramsey household for the third year in a row. Patsy Ramsey places a 911 call to the Boulder Police Department explaining that her daughter, JonBenet, is not in her room and that a ransom note was left behind. JonBent's mother, Patsy, called police initially believing that her daughter was missing after a ransom note was found on the staircase. JonBent Ramsey was 6 years old when she was murdered in her Boulder, CO home on Christmas night 1996. Apart from it, how come the killer left no traces behind? The longer he stayed in the house and the more things he touched, the more danger he would be in. The Ramseys finally went on CNN or some news show with a small poster offering a $100,000 Reward if JonBenet's killer was caught. Your theory is a very specific and detailed scenario - most of it isn't supported by evidence. The murder of JonBent Ramsey remains one of the most peculiar and heartbreaking unsolved mysteries of modern times and the flurry of TV projects and documentaries coming out this month speaks to the world's enduring fascination with what happened the night of Dec. 26, 2006. Helgoth was found dead shortly after JonBent's murder, and his death was ruled a suicide. "In late November, Helgoth had told me that he and a partner were going to make a great deal and they each will bring in around $50,000 or $60,000," he told theDaily Mail. The amount demanded was identical to Johns Christmas bonus the year before, which suggested that whoever had that information might have been involved in the crime. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Many sleuths believe that Helgoth had heard he was a suspect in the case, with a popular theory believing that it was his footprint at the crime scene. And while living in Nederland, near Boulder, he had some other scrapes with the law. The amount demanded was identical to Johns Christmas bonus the year before, which suggested that whoever had that information might have been involved in the crime. Red flags everywhere, as far as the eye can see. CBS did not work on the filming of Bill McReynolds. The Dynamic Duo of DeMuth and his new investigator, Dan Schuller, pulled the trigger when they saw McReynolds loading his pickup truck at a storage locker. DNA has since cleared Helgoth of any involvement. Yet, when the case was reopened in 2009, the intruder theory was brought once again as a possible option. John Mark Karr confessed to murdering JonBent in 2006. JonBent was a 6-year-old beauty queen who was found dead in her family's home in Boulder, Colorado in December of 1996.