Warning: contains graphic content and discussion of child sexual assault
Netflix's new documentary Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey? has put the tragic murder of JonBenét Ramsey back into the spotlight once again, but viewers were quick to notice her brother Burke is notably absent from the doc.
With his still-grieving father John appearing heavily as well as JonBenét's half brother, the lack of Burke’s appearance didn't go unnoticed by viewers.
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The murder of JonBenét Ramsey
JonBenét Ramsey was just six years old when she died, having been found in the basement of the Ramsey’s family home on Boxing Day 1996.
He parents had dialled 911 after finding a ransom note demanding $118,000 for her safe return and realising the little girl was missing from her bed.
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Her body was found that same day in the home by her father, John.
JonBenét’s murder was graphic, as she was sexually assaulted, her cranium was fractured, and she was then killed via garrotting.
This awful crime was laid at the feet of the Ramsey family by the media, with some suggesting that parents John and Patsy were responsible.
These claims were backed up by the local Boulder PD, who treated the parents as the main suspects in the case.
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DNA evidence takes Ramseys out of the spotlight
The Ramsey family received a public apology from the local District Attourney in 2008 after it was revealed that DNA evidence had proven them innocent, having shown the presence of DNA from an unknown male.
Despite this apology, Burke - who was just nine years old at the time of his sister's murder - has remained out of the spotlight for years.
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According to US Magazine, a family source said: “Burke doesn’t talk about the case. Ever. He doesn’t talk about JonBenét at all.
“It’s not a topic of conversation among the family, and he never volunteers anything about her”.
They went on to say: “When he was younger, even her name would make him upset, because it was really painful and he didn’t know what to do with it. And then when he was in high school, he knew all the whispers.
"He doesn’t read anything about the case, doesn’t watch anything about it. If he sees a show about it, he changes the channel.
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“He’s not the least bit interested in watching any of the documentaries”.
They finally added: “He’s not going to watch [the Netflix] one. Absolutely not. It’s triggering to him, and there’s no benefit for him.”
In addition to this, the Netflix documentary ends with an update card saying: “Citing his treatment by the media and online websleuths, Burke Ramsey denied our request for an interview”.
In 2016, Burke sued CBS News for defamation after they aired a two-part special purporting that he could have killed his sister because she ‘ate some of his snack’.
Suing for $750 million, he later settled out of court.
Burke Ramsey's only TV interview
The sole time Burke has spoken out was in a sit-down interview with Dr. Phil in which he said he wanted ‘to honour [JonBenét’s] memory by doing this interview.’
He went on to say: “It blows my mind. What more evidence do you need that we didn’t do it?
“You won’t find any evidence because that’s not what happened.”
The family member who spoke to US Magazine also accused the Boulder Police Department of ‘destroying’ a ‘vulnerable little boy’s life’.
They said: “He spent his formative years under investigation and, all the while, the cops knew the DNA wasn’t his, but wouldn’t release that.
“What the Boulder police department did to [John and Patsy] was reprehensible, but what they did to Burke is unforgivable.”
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey is available to stream on Netflix now.
Topics: Netflix, Documentaries, True Crime, TV, TV and Film
Michael Slavin