(NewsNation) — It’s been almost 30 years since the killing of 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey, and police are still searching for answers.
Ramsey was found dead in the basement of her parents’ Colorado home, strangled and with her skull fractured, after she was reported missing from her home on Dec. 26, 1996.
Boulder, Colorado, police last week said they have new evidence in the case. The department acknowledged that, over the past year, detectives have conducted several new interviews based on tips received, and officers have reinterviewed people and retested other pieces of evidence using evolving DNA technology.
The father of JonBenet, John Ramsey, tells “Banfield” the new developments have him feeling optimistic that the case may be resolved soon because of the police’s new leadership and commitment to the case.
“It’s encouraging,” Ramsey said. “The key really in progress has been the addition of new leadership there. It was not very good for 25 to 26 years. And now, knowing Chief (Stephen) Redfern from the outside, I’ve met with him three or four times. I’m impressed with him. I think he’s sincere and honest.”
“The problem with the old leadership was the old guard. These people that were in that police department had never investigated a murder.”
Using Othram labs can help get answer quicker: John Ramsey
Ramsey says he’s been advocating for Boulder police to use Othram Labs to help solve the case.
Othram, which became famous for helping solve the Bryan Kohberger murders, is one of the few cutting-edge labs that can do investigative genetic genealogy.
“I think if they do, we’ve got probably a 70, 80% chance of getting an answer,” Ramsey said. “It’s been very successful in solving the old cold cases. It’s kind of the latest and greatest use of technology and DNA to solve crimes.”
Ramsey acknowledged that police have not told him anything about the new evidence or interviews they’ve conducted.