Where is John Ramsey now? All about JonBenet Ramsey's father from Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey

John Ramsey, father of JonBenét Ramsey, is one of the most recognizable figures connected to the 1996 murder of his six-year-old daughter. The crime took place inside the family's home in Boulder, Colorado, and its international publicity subjected John and his late wife, Patsy Ramsey, to sensational public attention and media trials.

He was never charged, yet for years speculation shadowed his life. Now 80 years old, John Ramsey has kept a private life with their wife Jan Rousseaux in Michigan. His continued fight for justice in the murder of JonBenét Ramsey is covered in the Netflix series Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey.

The show revisits the notorious case and looks into John's perspective of the events. The three-part documentary is to be released on Netflix on November 25, 2024.

John Ramsey's life before the tragedy

John Bennett Ramsey was born on December 7, 1943, in Michigan to Mary Jane and James Dudley Ramsey. After graduating in electrical engineering from Michigan State University, he joined the US Navy in 1966 in the Civil Engineer Corps. He earned an MBA from Michigan State University in 1971, and this was followed by a successful business career.

In 1989, John co-founded a computer services firm that rapidly became successful after Lockheed Martin made it a subsidiary in 1991. His firm expanded to reach over $1 billion in revenue. The Boulder Chamber of Commerce named him "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 1996.

John had three children from his first marriage to Lucinda Pasch: Elizabeth, John Andrew, and Melinda. In 1978, John divorced Lucinda. He then got married to Patsy Ramsey in 1980. The couple had two children: Burke Ramsey, who was born in 1987, and JonBenét Ramsey, who was born in 1990. The family shifted to Boulder, Colorado, in the early 1990s.

How JonBenét's murder transformed John Ramsey's life

December 26, 1996, was one of the darkest days in John Ramsey's life. JonBenét, his daughter, was found dead in the basement of the house hours after his wife, Patsy, had discovered a ransom note. The police did a thorough investigation but could not solve the case.

John suffered strong professional and personal repercussions. He was stripped of his CEO position within days of the tragedy and endured widespread accusations. Although DNA samples taken from the crime scene did not match John or any member of the family, he and Patsy remained under suspicion for years.

The couple released their version of the events through a 2001 book, The Death of Innocence, detailing their perspective on the case. The publicity hurt John's life so much that he could not get a job easily, and the family ended up moving to Michigan. Then, in 2008, the District Attorney officially cleared John and Patsy of any involvement in the murder of JonBenét, citing advancements in DNA technology.

In 2013 new revelations from previously sealed court documents showed that there was a grand jury vote in 1999 to indict the Ramseys on charges of child abuse resulting in death and accessories to a crime. The DA had declined to pursue these charges by citing a lack of evidence.

Where is John Ramsey now?

John Ramsey now lives in Michigan with his wife, Jan Rousseaux, whom he wedded in 2011. The couple lives quietly, which is mostly without public attention. In a rare 2016 interview, John lamented his inability to protect his daughter and accused the investigation of mishandling things.

He believes forensic technology in DNA tracing can help solve the case. Featured this season on Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey, John is still fighting for answers.

Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey will be available on Netflix from November 25, 2024.

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