More than 20 years have passed since the mysterious death of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey and we're still mesmerized. There has been so much coverage of the case that it can be hard to separate the truth from the tabloid, the explanations from the exploitation. We gathered a variety of coverage that provides an overview of the case, but it's worth noting that perspectives, evaluation of evidence, and forensic analysis have evolved over the years. Check out the A&E syllabus for JonBenet Ramsey 101:
What happened when...
This CNN timeline sets out the major events.
A&E's examination of the case
The Killing of JonBenet: Her Father Speaks is a two-hour A&E documentary special, including a sit-down with John Ramsey, that aired in the fall and marked the 20th anniversary of the case. It brought forth information that cast a new light on the investigation — for example, that the body bore marks possibly from a stun gun and that it was easy enough for an adult to enter the house through the cellar window.
A deep dive of a book...
Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: The Uncensored Story of the JonBenet Murder and the Grand Jury's Search for the Final Truth by Lawrence Schiller
The author of American Tragedy: The Uncensored Story of the Simpson Defense casts a wide net in this sprawling book (published in 2000), discussing everything including media misbehavior, police procedures, TV interview transcripts, bits of evidence, and the victim's medical history.
Lifetime's look...
The telepic Who Killed JonBenet?, which aired on Lifetime last November, sets the mood by beginning with a chilling voiceover from the actress playing the murdered girl. Another Lifetime offering last fall, JonBenet's Mother: Victim or Killer?, was a two-hour look at the woman who was beauty queen, socialite, wife, mother...and suspect.
