Boulder investigators are retesting evidence from the 1996 murder of JonBenet Ramsey as the case approaches its 30th anniversary. The young girl was found strangled and suffering from head injuries in the basement of her family’s Colorado home on Dec. 26, 1996. No one has been convicted.
Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said he and Police Chief Steve Redfearn are more hopeful than in previous years, in part because DNA testing has advanced. Ramsey’s father, John, has repeatedly urged authorities to use investigative genetic genealogy, which combines DNA analysis with family-history research to help identify possible suspects.
A cold-case review panel has been assembled as local, state and federal investigators continue examining the case. Redfearn said the team is retesting some evidence using newer methods, including items that were tested decades ago.
John Andrew Ramsey, JonBenet’s half-brother, previously said the family learned that new testing had begun in fall 2025. Redfearn said newer methods could potentially reveal something that earlier testing did not, even if investigators had examined the same item before.
Dougherty pointed to a recent trial in which four DNA experts testified after evidence had been tested multiple times as technology improved. He said the amount, quality and location of DNA all matter. Samples containing DNA from several people can be especially difficult to analyze, and testing may consume some of the material. Any results also need to meet standards for evidence and hold up in court.
Investigators say they are trying to balance care with urgency. Dougherty said the team would not take reckless steps, but recognized that time is passing and remains committed to solving the case for those affected.
Redfearn said that if the latest DNA work produces no answers, investigators may release other evidence that has not previously been made public, in the hope that someone will come forward. Tips still arrive regularly, he said, and investigators believe more than one person may know something relevant.
