Boulder investigators are revisiting and retesting evidence collected nearly three decades ago in the murder of JonBenet Ramsey, as the anniversary of the unsolved killing approaches.
“Chief [Steve] Redfearn and I are more hopeful now than we have been in the past because of the advances in the investigation and the advances in technology,” Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty told reporters during a briefing this week. “And I say that based on just how DNA has progressed over time.”
JonBenet’s father, John Ramsey, has spent years urging authorities to use investigative genetic genealogy, a developing method that combines DNA analysis with genealogical research to generate leads and identify possible persons of interest. The technique continues to advance alongside improvements in forensic DNA testing.
JonBenet Patricia Ramsey, 4, poses against a white seamless backdrop in white lace gloves during a studio session for a commercial advertisement and acting portfolio in Boulder, Colorado, on May 1, 1994. (ZUMAPRESS.com)
Boulder assembled a cold case review panel as local, state and federal investigators continue examining the events of Dec. 26, 1996. JonBenet was found strangled and suffering from head trauma in the basement of her family’s home. Authorities have investigated numerous suspects, persons of interest and theories over the years, but no one has been convicted. Her death remains one of the most closely watched unsolved cases in the United States.
“It’s no secret,” Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said in an interview with reporters earlier this week. “We’re also going back, based on that cold case review, and retesting things that were tested 30 years ago with newer technology.”
MICHAEL RUIZ: JONBENÉT RAMSEY’S FATHER PRESSES DA AFTER REPORT SAYS FAMILY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CLEARED
Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn and District Attorney Michael Dougherty address reporters during a November 2026 briefing on the JonBenet Ramsey investigation. The 6-year-old Colorado girl was murdered in 1996, and the case remains unsolved. (City of Boulder)
Redfearn appeared to corroborate a recent disclosure by JonBenet’s half-brother, John Andrew Ramsey, who previously told News Media that the family learned this year that new testing had started in fall 2025.
“Maybe something comes of that,” Redfearn said. “Not that it was missed, but maybe the technology just improved enough that we look at, hey, this item was tested in ’97, we’re testing it again, and hey, look, we found something that was missed in ’97.”
Dougherty pointed to a recent trial in which four DNA experts testified, saying the evidence had been tested multiple times as forensic technology advanced.
One major advantage of those advances, Dougherty said, is the growing ability to separate and interpret DNA profiles found in mixed samples.
“To me, it’s quantity, quality, and location of the DNA,” he said.
He explained that analyzing a sample from a single contributor is generally more straightforward.
“When it’s a single source in DNA, just generally speaking, it’s much easier assuming you have enough to test, particularly if it’s blood or semen,” he said. “But if it’s touch, and it’s a single source, that’s different than if it’s touch or saliva, and it is a mixture.”
JonBenet Ramsey appears in an undated portrait. The 6-year-old was found dead in her home on Dec. 26, 1996, in one of the nation’s most prominent unsolved homicide cases. (Splash News)
When DNA from two or more people is found on the same surface, laboratory analysts must first separate the combined profiles.
That work can consume or damage some of the evidence, particularly when only a small amount remains, Dougherty said. It also creates additional challenges because the testing methods must be properly validated and capable of withstanding scrutiny in court.
“We’re not gonna do it recklessly, to use Chief Redfearn’s word,” Dougherty said. “We’re also not gonna hesitate. We recognize the clock’s ticking. None of us are gonna be here forever. We wanna see this case solved for everyone involved and everyone impacted by it. And we’re absolutely committed to doing that.”
John Ramsey speaks with News Media in Las Vegas in April 2022. His daughter, JonBenet Ramsey, was 6 when she was murdered on Dec. 26, 1996. The case remains unsolved nearly 30 years later. (Michael Ruiz/News Media)
Redfearn also said investigators have additional evidence that has not been publicly released and could be disclosed if the latest DNA testing produces no breakthrough. Authorities hope the information might prompt someone with knowledge of the case to contact them.
“There’s still plenty of things that are not out there that we have,” he told reporters.
Tips continue to reach investigators nearly three decades after JonBenet’s death, but authorities are again urging anyone with potentially relevant information to come forward.
“There is more than one someone out there that knows something,” Redfearn said.