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Foreign Faction - Who Really Kidnapped JonBenét?
Over 15 years have elapsed since JonBenét's body was found in the basement of her Boulder, Colorado home. Diametrically opposing theories of her kidnap and murder were publicly espoused by Boulder Detective Steve Thomas and retired Colorado Springs investigator Lou Smit in 2000 after a grand jury failed to announce an indictment, or release an official report regarding their year-long inquiry into the matter. This was the last time that any authoritative law enforcement voice stepped forward to explore the innermost details of this unsolved murder investigation.
Foreign Faction blows the cover off the lone-intruder / sexual predator theory, and reveals startling new evidence that heretofore has only been seen by a select few. Kolar's work offers an entirely new perspective for the events leading up to JonBenet's murder on Christmas Day 1996, and it will ultimately redifine the public perception of one of the most unusual murder investigations this country has ever witnessed.
Foreign Faction blows the cover off the lone-intruder / sexual predator theory, and reveals startling new evidence that heretofore has only been seen by a select few. Kolar's work offers an entirely new perspective for the events leading up to JonBenet's murder on Christmas Day 1996, and it will ultimately redifine the public perception of one of the most unusual murder investigations this country has ever witnessed.
530 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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March 4, 2015
Spoiler Alert!!!!!!!
Reading through the book, I took a few notes along the way, so here is most of the evidence which Kolar presents as indicating an "inside job." Please don't read any further if you have not read the book:
1. Patsy Ramsey said that she took time to do her makeup (which the arriving officer observed), but proceeded to wear the same dress she had been wearing the previous evening at a party.
2. Patsy cried during the morning, and one of the times that Officer French looked at her when she had her hands over her eyes, he could see her looking directly at him, as if to gauge his reaction.
3. Patsy asked a policeman if he could take his gun off, which was weird if a foreign faction had just kidnapped their daughter and was threatening their family.
4. Police told John Ramsey to search the house from top to bottom. John immediately went to basement, where he found the body.
5. After the body was discovered, John was heard talking on the phone making arrangements to fly to Atlanta that afternoon or evening. He was told that he could not go out of town as he was need by police, as his daughter had just been discovered murdered in his home.
6. According to the FBI, only about 6% of child murders are committed by strangers. To date the FBI says this is the only case where a ransom note was found where the child was already dead inside the home.
7. Patsy initially told police that she had discovered the ransom note first, and then checked to find her daughter missing. Later she said that she had checked and saw her daughter missing and than found the note.
8. The ransom note pad was located in the Ramsey kitchen with only Patsy's fingerprints. A practice ransom note was found on the same pad.
9. Cobwebs over basement windows indicated that there was no intruder.
10. Ramsey's flashlight found on kitchen table without fingerprints. Family dispute it was theirs, but acknowledge owning a very similar model, which was unaccounted for. Experts could not rule out the flashlight as being responsible for the head injury on Jonbenet.
11. Tape placed on mouth of JB was placed after she was killed (indicating staged scene.)
12. Patsy had brought her to the doctors office 33 times in last 3 years, several for vaginities thought to be relate to Jonbenet's ongoing bed wetting problem.
13. Parents retained a lawyer and investigator hours after killing and refused to meet with police for formal interview for four months. Police submitted 16 written questions to their lawyer, and it took weeks for them to answer (eg. what was she wearing when she went to bed, what did she last eat?)
14. The identical Nylon cord to that used for strangling was found in a Hardware store frequented by Ramsey's. Patsy had purchased an item there on December 2, 1996 (3 weeks before) for the same exact price that the shop sold Nylon cord.
15. One neighbor saw kitchen lights on (dimmed) at midnight. (Ramsey's say they went to sleep at 10:30 pm.)
16. Another neighbor heard a child scream between 12 pm and 2 am.
17. Another neighbor said one of the lights which was typically on every night in the ground floor room was out between 2:30 - 3:00 am.
18. No fingerprints were found on the ransom note, not even those of the parents, although at different times they acknowledged touching it.
19. The pad upon which the ransom note was written was found to have only the fingerprints of Patsy Ramsey
20. The pen which was used to write the note was found in the Ramsey house (near the pad used to write the ransom note) neatly replaced by the ransom note writer.
21. The authorities said that there was indications that Patsy was altering her handwriting after the murder.
22. Five national handwriting experts were able to eliminate all suspects but one, Patsy Ramsey.
23. CSI observed that Jonbenet's sheets smelled of urine on the morning of the murder, and a bag of pullup nappies was hanging halfway out a closet.
24. Patsy Ramsey was wearing the same exact clothes on the morning of the murder, as she was wearing at the party the night before. Friends said she never wore the same clothes twice, and was always impeccably dressed.
25. John had just received a $118,000 bonus, the same exact amount demanded by the kidnappers.
26. When investigators returned to the home a couple months later, 4 hidden cameras had been installed that were actively recording the CSI Team, although the recording was not automatic, but someone had manually turned it on. No one has admitted to turning it on that morning approximately one hour before police arrived.
27. Ramsey's declined to take polygraphs administered by either Boulder Police or the FBI.
28. When calling 911, Patsy said that she had only read the first couple of lines which said her daughter had been taken, but when asked if she knew who took her daughter, she replied to the 911 operator with the group name at the end of the letter.
29. Ramsey's never asked their son if he knew of JonBenet's whereabouts or if he had heard anything during the night.
30. JB's wrists were tied so loosely, that they served no purpose, as they easily came off, with the examiner able to put a finger through the extra room.
31. JB was strangle from behind, which often indicates someone who does not want to look into the face and eyes of the victim.
32. JB's body was carefully wrapped with her favorite night dress.
33. When body was found, family friend ran up stairs and shouted for an ambulance. All through the commotion, Patsy never went to see what was happening.
34. Hours after JB was discovered, Patsy blurted out to police "I didnt' kill my baby" even though no one at that point has suggested that she was even suspected.
35. Pineapple was discovered in JB's digestion track, and autopsy results say she ate pineapple shortly before being killed. Patsy stated that she never fed pineapple to JB, but a bowl of pineapple pieces was found in kitchen with her fingerprints and those of her son on it.
36. When their son Burke was being taken to a friends house after police were called, the police asked to speak to Burke, but John Ramsey interceded and said "he was asleep and doesn't know anything" despite being adamant that he had never questioned Burke about what he knew.
37. Burke was questioned by police later in the afternoon, and they noted that he appeared to have little interest in where his sister was gone, but only that he was hungry and looking forward to an upcoming vacation.
38. Burke was also questioned by social services, and they noted that he had little emotional connection with his own family.
39. When asked to draw his family, he did not include JB, despite most children including siblings who passed away for years afterwards in similar pictures.
40. When Burke was being interviewed two weeks after murder, Patsy remarked "I would have nothing left to live for if I lost Burke."
41. Grandparents had purchased books for Ramsey's which included "The Hurried Child, Growing up too fast", "Children at Risk" and "Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong."
42. CSI reported finding Burke's pajama bottoms in JB's bedroom that contained fecal material, and that a box of chocolate in her room also had feces smeared on it.
43. Burke met with a psychologist for years after JB murder, despite the family saying they never discussed the details with him. Family refused to allow police access to family medical files, including Burke's.
44. Curious fact that simple words in the ransom note such as "business" were misspelled, while "attaché" was written with the correct accent mark (eg. Jonbenet's name also had an accent mark.)
45. The ransom note was one of the longest every seen by the FBI at three pages in length. The kidnapping appeared to have three motives, which the FBI found strange, as most kidnappings have one (eg. sexual, monetary or revenge.)
46. Fibers from Patsy's red sweater were found in the garrote used to kill Jonbenet, and also in the nylon rope used to tie her hands.
47. Patsy insisted that Jonbenet's door was shut when she checked on her the morning of the "kidnapping", but that would mean the kidnapper deliberately went to the trouble of shutting it, after either luring JB out or carrying her body.
48. Numerous family friends insisted that the 6000 square feet house was like a maze, and it would have been nearly impossible to even find the door for the basement (where JB was found), especially in the dark, never mind navigating the small rooms of the basement.
49. The Ramsey's (after rejecting an FBI polygraph) finally took their own polygraph tests (arranged by their lawyers), but the first one or two were "inconclusive", so they took it again. This test included questions they were given weeks ahead of time, and no requirement for a drug test.
50. The ransom note idea that a "foreign faction" composed of various individuals opposed to the United States government kidnapped Jonbenet for $118,000, when John Ramsey was worth approximately $5 million is very strange.
51. The ransom note warned the Ramsey's not to contact so much as a stray dog, or their daughter would die. Nevertheless, the Ramsey's contacted not only the police, but a half dozen of their friends and church minister who all came to the house.
52. The ransom note said the kidnappers would call the house between 8 am and 10 am, and yet when the deadline passed, the Ramey's never uttered a word, or expressed any anxiety..
I'm sure there were many other points, but these were a few that I recorded along the way. Very sad story...
Reading through the book, I took a few notes along the way, so here is most of the evidence which Kolar presents as indicating an "inside job." Please don't read any further if you have not read the book:
1. Patsy Ramsey said that she took time to do her makeup (which the arriving officer observed), but proceeded to wear the same dress she had been wearing the previous evening at a party.
2. Patsy cried during the morning, and one of the times that Officer French looked at her when she had her hands over her eyes, he could see her looking directly at him, as if to gauge his reaction.
3. Patsy asked a policeman if he could take his gun off, which was weird if a foreign faction had just kidnapped their daughter and was threatening their family.
4. Police told John Ramsey to search the house from top to bottom. John immediately went to basement, where he found the body.
5. After the body was discovered, John was heard talking on the phone making arrangements to fly to Atlanta that afternoon or evening. He was told that he could not go out of town as he was need by police, as his daughter had just been discovered murdered in his home.
6. According to the FBI, only about 6% of child murders are committed by strangers. To date the FBI says this is the only case where a ransom note was found where the child was already dead inside the home.
7. Patsy initially told police that she had discovered the ransom note first, and then checked to find her daughter missing. Later she said that she had checked and saw her daughter missing and than found the note.
8. The ransom note pad was located in the Ramsey kitchen with only Patsy's fingerprints. A practice ransom note was found on the same pad.
9. Cobwebs over basement windows indicated that there was no intruder.
10. Ramsey's flashlight found on kitchen table without fingerprints. Family dispute it was theirs, but acknowledge owning a very similar model, which was unaccounted for. Experts could not rule out the flashlight as being responsible for the head injury on Jonbenet.
11. Tape placed on mouth of JB was placed after she was killed (indicating staged scene.)
12. Patsy had brought her to the doctors office 33 times in last 3 years, several for vaginities thought to be relate to Jonbenet's ongoing bed wetting problem.
13. Parents retained a lawyer and investigator hours after killing and refused to meet with police for formal interview for four months. Police submitted 16 written questions to their lawyer, and it took weeks for them to answer (eg. what was she wearing when she went to bed, what did she last eat?)
14. The identical Nylon cord to that used for strangling was found in a Hardware store frequented by Ramsey's. Patsy had purchased an item there on December 2, 1996 (3 weeks before) for the same exact price that the shop sold Nylon cord.
15. One neighbor saw kitchen lights on (dimmed) at midnight. (Ramsey's say they went to sleep at 10:30 pm.)
16. Another neighbor heard a child scream between 12 pm and 2 am.
17. Another neighbor said one of the lights which was typically on every night in the ground floor room was out between 2:30 - 3:00 am.
18. No fingerprints were found on the ransom note, not even those of the parents, although at different times they acknowledged touching it.
19. The pad upon which the ransom note was written was found to have only the fingerprints of Patsy Ramsey
20. The pen which was used to write the note was found in the Ramsey house (near the pad used to write the ransom note) neatly replaced by the ransom note writer.
21. The authorities said that there was indications that Patsy was altering her handwriting after the murder.
22. Five national handwriting experts were able to eliminate all suspects but one, Patsy Ramsey.
23. CSI observed that Jonbenet's sheets smelled of urine on the morning of the murder, and a bag of pullup nappies was hanging halfway out a closet.
24. Patsy Ramsey was wearing the same exact clothes on the morning of the murder, as she was wearing at the party the night before. Friends said she never wore the same clothes twice, and was always impeccably dressed.
25. John had just received a $118,000 bonus, the same exact amount demanded by the kidnappers.
26. When investigators returned to the home a couple months later, 4 hidden cameras had been installed that were actively recording the CSI Team, although the recording was not automatic, but someone had manually turned it on. No one has admitted to turning it on that morning approximately one hour before police arrived.
27. Ramsey's declined to take polygraphs administered by either Boulder Police or the FBI.
28. When calling 911, Patsy said that she had only read the first couple of lines which said her daughter had been taken, but when asked if she knew who took her daughter, she replied to the 911 operator with the group name at the end of the letter.
29. Ramsey's never asked their son if he knew of JonBenet's whereabouts or if he had heard anything during the night.
30. JB's wrists were tied so loosely, that they served no purpose, as they easily came off, with the examiner able to put a finger through the extra room.
31. JB was strangle from behind, which often indicates someone who does not want to look into the face and eyes of the victim.
32. JB's body was carefully wrapped with her favorite night dress.
33. When body was found, family friend ran up stairs and shouted for an ambulance. All through the commotion, Patsy never went to see what was happening.
34. Hours after JB was discovered, Patsy blurted out to police "I didnt' kill my baby" even though no one at that point has suggested that she was even suspected.
35. Pineapple was discovered in JB's digestion track, and autopsy results say she ate pineapple shortly before being killed. Patsy stated that she never fed pineapple to JB, but a bowl of pineapple pieces was found in kitchen with her fingerprints and those of her son on it.
36. When their son Burke was being taken to a friends house after police were called, the police asked to speak to Burke, but John Ramsey interceded and said "he was asleep and doesn't know anything" despite being adamant that he had never questioned Burke about what he knew.
37. Burke was questioned by police later in the afternoon, and they noted that he appeared to have little interest in where his sister was gone, but only that he was hungry and looking forward to an upcoming vacation.
38. Burke was also questioned by social services, and they noted that he had little emotional connection with his own family.
39. When asked to draw his family, he did not include JB, despite most children including siblings who passed away for years afterwards in similar pictures.
40. When Burke was being interviewed two weeks after murder, Patsy remarked "I would have nothing left to live for if I lost Burke."
41. Grandparents had purchased books for Ramsey's which included "The Hurried Child, Growing up too fast", "Children at Risk" and "Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong."
42. CSI reported finding Burke's pajama bottoms in JB's bedroom that contained fecal material, and that a box of chocolate in her room also had feces smeared on it.
43. Burke met with a psychologist for years after JB murder, despite the family saying they never discussed the details with him. Family refused to allow police access to family medical files, including Burke's.
44. Curious fact that simple words in the ransom note such as "business" were misspelled, while "attaché" was written with the correct accent mark (eg. Jonbenet's name also had an accent mark.)
45. The ransom note was one of the longest every seen by the FBI at three pages in length. The kidnapping appeared to have three motives, which the FBI found strange, as most kidnappings have one (eg. sexual, monetary or revenge.)
46. Fibers from Patsy's red sweater were found in the garrote used to kill Jonbenet, and also in the nylon rope used to tie her hands.
47. Patsy insisted that Jonbenet's door was shut when she checked on her the morning of the "kidnapping", but that would mean the kidnapper deliberately went to the trouble of shutting it, after either luring JB out or carrying her body.
48. Numerous family friends insisted that the 6000 square feet house was like a maze, and it would have been nearly impossible to even find the door for the basement (where JB was found), especially in the dark, never mind navigating the small rooms of the basement.
49. The Ramsey's (after rejecting an FBI polygraph) finally took their own polygraph tests (arranged by their lawyers), but the first one or two were "inconclusive", so they took it again. This test included questions they were given weeks ahead of time, and no requirement for a drug test.
50. The ransom note idea that a "foreign faction" composed of various individuals opposed to the United States government kidnapped Jonbenet for $118,000, when John Ramsey was worth approximately $5 million is very strange.
51. The ransom note warned the Ramsey's not to contact so much as a stray dog, or their daughter would die. Nevertheless, the Ramsey's contacted not only the police, but a half dozen of their friends and church minister who all came to the house.
52. The ransom note said the kidnappers would call the house between 8 am and 10 am, and yet when the deadline passed, the Ramey's never uttered a word, or expressed any anxiety..
I'm sure there were many other points, but these were a few that I recorded along the way. Very sad story...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2015
"In the faces of our children we are granted the opportunity to glimpse the future and the untimely death of one irrevocably changes us all. As criminal investigators, it is our chosen duty to go willingly into the breach in defense of the weak and the powerless: to stand tall in the face of adversity, and to seek the truth no matter where the course may lead. Justice deserves no lesser effort." - A. James Kolar
John and Patsy Ramsey at a press conference in May 1997 offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the killer of their daughter.
Foreign Faction is by far one of the best books I've read regarding the JonBenét Ramsey murder investigation. While the blurb for the book might sound horribly kitschy, the reality is that the author, former lead investigator A. James Kolar, handles the delicate subject matter with care. Never once does he forget that it was a six-year-old girl who was the victim of this heinous crime. However, his professional law enforcement background allows him to lay out all of the evidence clinically and methodically. He lays the case out piece by piece, and then discusses two of the predominate theories: the lone intruder theory, and the parents-as-perpetrators (whether by accident or with intent) theory. He then provides his own perspective, based on all of the compiled evidence, as to who he feels may have been responsible.
I have to say, Kolar pretty much decimates the lone intruder theory. He dissects the point of possible entry, as well as aspects related to the design of the Ramsey home. Kolar provides blueprints and photos of the Ramsey house, and stills from the crime scene video related to the point of entry. A word of warning that he also includes two photos of JonBenét's injuries. They are cropped so that only the injuries themselves are visible, but this does not make them any less upsetting and disturbing.
Kolar also provides an enormous amount of information that I was not aware of before, such as the fact that JonBenét had been sexually abused sometime during the days, weeks, or months prior to her murder, and that a large amount of fibers from the shirt JonBenét's mother, Patsy Ramsey, was wearing on the evening JonBenét was killed was found by forensic experts at the crime scene. Patsy Ramsey insisted she was nowhere near the area that evening.
Kolar does an incredible job of putting all of this together. And while he tries to keep his emotions out of the equation, you can tell that he was deeply affected by this case.
In the end, despite it all, what compounds this horrible tragedy is that there will probably never be justice for this little girl. In my opinion, this case exemplifies the fact that wealth allows some to manipulate the system to such an extent that they can get away with anything. Including the murder of a child.
If you are looking for a comprehensive and thoughtful look at the Ramsey homicide case, I highly recommend Foreign Faction. I also highly recommend JonBenét: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation by former lead Boulder Colorado Police Detective Steve Thomas.
Final Rating: 5 stars
March 1, 2013
Out of all the books on the case that Ive read, If your a believer in the intruder theory, read this, and you won't be anymore.
May 13, 2017
I find that often, I'm influenced by the latest book I read. I'll read a book by someone who thinks an intruder killed JonBenet. Everything will pretty much make sense, so I'll feel that that's what happened. Then I'll read another book by someone who feels JonBenet's parents were responsible. Hmmmm ... well, that seems to make sense too.
But what if JonBenet wasn't killed by intruder, or by her parents? Hmmmm ... that's the theory James Kolar lays out, and I've gotta say, I think it makes the most sense of any I've read so far (and I've read a lot).
Who is James Kolar, and what gives him the credentials to write such a book? Well, he was the chief investigator for the JonBenet case with the Boulder DA's office for nearly two years. He was fascinated by the case and spent hours poring over the voluminous amounts of evidence. I think his theory is hard to argue with, although some have.
I felt a lot of frustration while reading the book, because it seemed that so much of the case was bungled by unnecessary human error. The police and DA's office didn't work together well. Some authorities didn't want other authorities involved. Most, if not all, of the DA's during and since the Ramsey case originated have seemed to bristle at anything that would involve the Ramsey family in any way. One DA went so far as to write a public letter to the Ramseys, exonerating them and even apologizing to them for any suspicions that might have been cast their way.
I was shocked, too, at how the Ramseys seemed to run a lot of the investigation. If they didn't want to talk to police, they didn't. Really? I can't imagine! I would think that, if police wanted to talk to me, I wouldn't be able to refuse. But the Ramseys hired lawyers very quickly after JonBenet's murder (which strikes me as really odd, as well), and they have pretty much communicated through those attorneys ever since. Reading this book really did make me feel that money can buy protection, "justice," etc. It was maddening, really. I'd like to think that all attorneys and law enforcement people do what's right -- what's best. And yet, this book was full of instances where that was far from reality. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised; it's probably that way in every profession. As a former teacher, I know of several teachers who I certainly would not say were doing what was best for the kids in their classrooms. Sad, but true.
So that's the major feeling I got from reading Foreign Faction: Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet?. At one point, Kolar presented his theory to the DA serving at the time. She told him she didn't want to pursue his leads because she "didn't want to harm her relationship with the Ramsey family." Seriously? This is so disillusioning to me!
I don't want to tell many more details, because I'd get into "spoilers," and I think you'd enjoy reading this book yourself. When I saw the size of it (500 pages), I thought I'd be reading for weeks. But I finished it in just a few days -- and that during busy summertime with 4-H projects, piano lessons, etc. -- because I found myself picking it up in any spare moment. It was that compelling.
I had to knock off one star because the book needs some serious editing -- basic stuff, like commas and punctuation errors. They are a shame, because they detract from a really excellent book.
But what if JonBenet wasn't killed by intruder, or by her parents? Hmmmm ... that's the theory James Kolar lays out, and I've gotta say, I think it makes the most sense of any I've read so far (and I've read a lot).
Who is James Kolar, and what gives him the credentials to write such a book? Well, he was the chief investigator for the JonBenet case with the Boulder DA's office for nearly two years. He was fascinated by the case and spent hours poring over the voluminous amounts of evidence. I think his theory is hard to argue with, although some have.
I felt a lot of frustration while reading the book, because it seemed that so much of the case was bungled by unnecessary human error. The police and DA's office didn't work together well. Some authorities didn't want other authorities involved. Most, if not all, of the DA's during and since the Ramsey case originated have seemed to bristle at anything that would involve the Ramsey family in any way. One DA went so far as to write a public letter to the Ramseys, exonerating them and even apologizing to them for any suspicions that might have been cast their way.
I was shocked, too, at how the Ramseys seemed to run a lot of the investigation. If they didn't want to talk to police, they didn't. Really? I can't imagine! I would think that, if police wanted to talk to me, I wouldn't be able to refuse. But the Ramseys hired lawyers very quickly after JonBenet's murder (which strikes me as really odd, as well), and they have pretty much communicated through those attorneys ever since. Reading this book really did make me feel that money can buy protection, "justice," etc. It was maddening, really. I'd like to think that all attorneys and law enforcement people do what's right -- what's best. And yet, this book was full of instances where that was far from reality. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised; it's probably that way in every profession. As a former teacher, I know of several teachers who I certainly would not say were doing what was best for the kids in their classrooms. Sad, but true.
So that's the major feeling I got from reading Foreign Faction: Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet?. At one point, Kolar presented his theory to the DA serving at the time. She told him she didn't want to pursue his leads because she "didn't want to harm her relationship with the Ramsey family." Seriously? This is so disillusioning to me!
I don't want to tell many more details, because I'd get into "spoilers," and I think you'd enjoy reading this book yourself. When I saw the size of it (500 pages), I thought I'd be reading for weeks. But I finished it in just a few days -- and that during busy summertime with 4-H projects, piano lessons, etc. -- because I found myself picking it up in any spare moment. It was that compelling.
I had to knock off one star because the book needs some serious editing -- basic stuff, like commas and punctuation errors. They are a shame, because they detract from a really excellent book.
December 15, 2014
MY REVIEW: AMAZING! Clearly disproves the "intruder" theory and writes about evidence/facts uncovered since Thomas's book was released. I have no doubt in my mind that someone in the family (either Patsy or Burke) accidentally killed JonBenet and the parents staged a coverup. NO DOUBT. Thank you to A. James Kolar for writing this book about his work and making the facts known. Seems like Boulder County had one idiot after another as a DA who backed down to the Ramsey Defense Team.
Only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was the punctuation was HORRID. A. James Kolar, you need me to proofread your work. There was horrible comma usage throughout this book and a lot of grammatical mistakes.
DENNIS LITTRELL'S REVIEW (I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING WRITTEN AND WANTED TO SAVE THIS SOMEHOW.)
Like the excellent book written by Sgt. Steve Thomas ("JonBenét: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation" 2000) one-time lead investigator A. James Kolar demolishes the "intruder theory." I mean really demolishes it with evidence and information not contained in Thomas's eminently persuasive book. Consequently I am even more convinced than ever that the Ramsey family members, John, Patsy and son Burke--one or all--were involved in the tragedy.
However I no longer hold to the idea that Patsy lost her temper and accidently banged JonBenét's head against a porcelain toilet or hit her while playing wild with a golf club or some other instrument. I am still totally convinced that she wrote the "War and Peace" of all ransom notes. But what Kolar brings to the case that I wasn't aware of before is the very real possibility that older brother Burke (nine-years-old at the time) deliberately hit his six-year-old sister in the head with some blunt instrument hard enough to render her not just unconscious but hemorrhaging badly and on her way to death. (According to autopsy information not previously available to the public, JonBenét died of strangulation but without medical attention would have died from that blow to the head due to internal bleeding.)
So Patsy Ramsey's pathetic and rather stupid cover up was to protect her only surviving child. Kolar quotes Patsy as saying she could not go on living if she lost him.
Curiously Kolar does not lead with this scenario. Instead, beginning on page 8 "Chapter Two: Foreign Faction," he presents a fanciful and frankly ridiculous intruder scenario. I almost didn't read this book because I began reading on page 8 and after a few pages shook my head, saying to myself, "Another nutcase, crackpot theory." I put down the book. Something made me pick the book up again and I came to realize that Kolar was presenting this intruder scenario as a burlesque of what could have happened. Interesting enough before I finished the 454 pages of narrative (with appendices and notes the book runs to 508 pages) Kolar had presented ample evidence to show that the "foreign faction" theory was preposterous.
Another curious thing about this book is the fact that Kolar never actually presents his implied account of the crime in which Burke landed the first blow and Patsy applied the cord around the neck. Presumably she thought JonBenét was dead or at least brain dead. Or maybe she didn't realize she was tying the cord so tight that she was killing her not-quite-dead daughter. Or perhaps--another speculation--Burke did it all himself.
Instead of spelling out his theory Kolar writes that he "found the totality of the circumstances comprising the investigative theory to be rather disquieting, and too disturbing...to express in a public forum." He adds, "I realize that this situation is probably a little frustrating to the reader, but the foundation for this theory is interspersed throughout this manuscript and I will have to leave it to your imagination for the moment." (p.423)
Okay, let's imagine. But first here are some of the most important evidentiary highlights and logic insights presented by Kovar that were not known to me before reading this book.
First, as mentioned above Kolar gives us the result of the autopsy. Previously I had believed that the blow to the head was the cause of death. I got that from "Cracking More Cases: The Forensic Science of Solving Crimes" (2004) by Dr. Henry C. Lee with Thomas W. O'Neil. Apparently Dr. Lee was mistaken since Kolar reports that JonBenét was still alive when the cord was tighten around her neck. The significant point here is that the blow could have been accidental; the cord around her neck was not.
Second, Kolar makes it clear that the trace unidentified DNA found on JonBenét's clothing (from five different males and one female!) was there before JonBenét wore the clothes. A study showed that brand new clothing including underwear can test positive for DNA presumably placed there accidentally by people making the clothes. (pp.272 and 304)
Third, fibers from Patsy's sweater were found on the sticky side of the tape over JonBenét's mouth.
Fourth, there is some conversation not previous reported at the end of the 911 call made by Patsy Ramsey on the morning of the 26th. It turns out that Patsy didn't quite place the telephone receiver correctly and some further conversation was accidently heard. This is how Kolar reports what the "three distinct voices" said (p. 102):
Male (angry): "We're not speaking to you!"
Female: "Help me Jesus. Help me Jesus"
Young male: "Well what DID you find?"
The point of especial interest here (and a "red flag" according to Kolar) is that the Ramseys insisted that Burke slept until well past the time of Patsy's 911 call.
Fifth: Kolar completely discredits the idea that a stun gun was used on JonBenét (part of the intruder theory). The two abrasions found on JonBenét's back which Lou Smit claimed were caused by a stun gun were the wrong distance apart but fit exactly the prongs from a piece of Burke's "O" gauge train track. See pages 386-387. Additionally it is highly probable that the use of a stun gun on JonBenét would have resulted in some horrific screaming which would have awakened someone in the house.
Sixth: Neither John nor Patsy woke Burke that morning to ask him if he had heard or seen anything! Hard to imagine that they would just let him sleep when their daughter is missing especially since his bedroom was just a few feet away from JonBenét's bedroom. Additionally, one would expect the parents to search Burke's room, not just look in to see if he was sleeping.
Seventh: When JonBenét's body was found in the basement, "Fleet White charged up from the basement shouting for someone to call an ambulance..." But this did not cause Patsy to leave the solarium to see what was happening. It was not until John was directed "to retrieve his wife did she enter the living room to encounter the lifeless body of her daughter." (p. 329) Kolar considers this a red flag since it seems to imply that Patsy knew her daughter was dead and that no ambulance would be necessary.
Eighth: Burke apparently had psychological problems that the Ramsey's were able to keep hidden due to doctor-client privilege. Apparently Burke was mean to JonBenét including having hit her with a golf club sometime in the past. The abrasions from his train tracks on her back suggest that he may have hurt her on other occasions. Kolar hints that Burke may have sexually abused his sister. See Chapter Thirty-Three, "SBP and Beyond" for the speculations. By the way, "SBP" stands for Sexual Behavior Problems in children.
There's more, but these eight added to what had previously been reported make it overwhelmingly clear that the Ramseys were involved.
Okay, now let's imagine what happened according to the evidence that Kolar presents in this book (sans any gore or prurient interest). Sometime early in the morning of December 26 Burke hit JonBenét in the head with a blunt and heavy instrument. She lay lifeless. A frightened Burke woke his mother (or she was still awake). Failing to revive her daughter she panicked and devised a cover-up including writing the ransom note and putting a cord around JonBenét's neck and tightening it. At some later point she woke John (or he woke up) and found himself faced with a dead daughter and an in-progress cover up. Incidentally, this is a particularly horrific example of the adage that the cover up can be worse that the crime.
Okay, with all this very convincing evidence why were the Ramseys never charged with anything? Mostly, as others have reported, it had to do with politics. And of course the exact details including who actually tightened the cord could never be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law unless the Ramseys chose to confess. But readers might want to make their own discoveries by reading this book in which not only the facts about the case are made with unusual clarity but so too is the division between the Bolder Police Department investigative officers and the district attorney's office.
Don't miss this outstanding and amazingly thorough book written by a man with intimate knowledge of the case. He is fair and considerate almost to a fault in his effort to tell us what really happened as far as it can be known.
Only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was the punctuation was HORRID. A. James Kolar, you need me to proofread your work. There was horrible comma usage throughout this book and a lot of grammatical mistakes.
DENNIS LITTRELL'S REVIEW (I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING WRITTEN AND WANTED TO SAVE THIS SOMEHOW.)
Like the excellent book written by Sgt. Steve Thomas ("JonBenét: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation" 2000) one-time lead investigator A. James Kolar demolishes the "intruder theory." I mean really demolishes it with evidence and information not contained in Thomas's eminently persuasive book. Consequently I am even more convinced than ever that the Ramsey family members, John, Patsy and son Burke--one or all--were involved in the tragedy.
However I no longer hold to the idea that Patsy lost her temper and accidently banged JonBenét's head against a porcelain toilet or hit her while playing wild with a golf club or some other instrument. I am still totally convinced that she wrote the "War and Peace" of all ransom notes. But what Kolar brings to the case that I wasn't aware of before is the very real possibility that older brother Burke (nine-years-old at the time) deliberately hit his six-year-old sister in the head with some blunt instrument hard enough to render her not just unconscious but hemorrhaging badly and on her way to death. (According to autopsy information not previously available to the public, JonBenét died of strangulation but without medical attention would have died from that blow to the head due to internal bleeding.)
So Patsy Ramsey's pathetic and rather stupid cover up was to protect her only surviving child. Kolar quotes Patsy as saying she could not go on living if she lost him.
Curiously Kolar does not lead with this scenario. Instead, beginning on page 8 "Chapter Two: Foreign Faction," he presents a fanciful and frankly ridiculous intruder scenario. I almost didn't read this book because I began reading on page 8 and after a few pages shook my head, saying to myself, "Another nutcase, crackpot theory." I put down the book. Something made me pick the book up again and I came to realize that Kolar was presenting this intruder scenario as a burlesque of what could have happened. Interesting enough before I finished the 454 pages of narrative (with appendices and notes the book runs to 508 pages) Kolar had presented ample evidence to show that the "foreign faction" theory was preposterous.
Another curious thing about this book is the fact that Kolar never actually presents his implied account of the crime in which Burke landed the first blow and Patsy applied the cord around the neck. Presumably she thought JonBenét was dead or at least brain dead. Or maybe she didn't realize she was tying the cord so tight that she was killing her not-quite-dead daughter. Or perhaps--another speculation--Burke did it all himself.
Instead of spelling out his theory Kolar writes that he "found the totality of the circumstances comprising the investigative theory to be rather disquieting, and too disturbing...to express in a public forum." He adds, "I realize that this situation is probably a little frustrating to the reader, but the foundation for this theory is interspersed throughout this manuscript and I will have to leave it to your imagination for the moment." (p.423)
Okay, let's imagine. But first here are some of the most important evidentiary highlights and logic insights presented by Kovar that were not known to me before reading this book.
First, as mentioned above Kolar gives us the result of the autopsy. Previously I had believed that the blow to the head was the cause of death. I got that from "Cracking More Cases: The Forensic Science of Solving Crimes" (2004) by Dr. Henry C. Lee with Thomas W. O'Neil. Apparently Dr. Lee was mistaken since Kolar reports that JonBenét was still alive when the cord was tighten around her neck. The significant point here is that the blow could have been accidental; the cord around her neck was not.
Second, Kolar makes it clear that the trace unidentified DNA found on JonBenét's clothing (from five different males and one female!) was there before JonBenét wore the clothes. A study showed that brand new clothing including underwear can test positive for DNA presumably placed there accidentally by people making the clothes. (pp.272 and 304)
Third, fibers from Patsy's sweater were found on the sticky side of the tape over JonBenét's mouth.
Fourth, there is some conversation not previous reported at the end of the 911 call made by Patsy Ramsey on the morning of the 26th. It turns out that Patsy didn't quite place the telephone receiver correctly and some further conversation was accidently heard. This is how Kolar reports what the "three distinct voices" said (p. 102):
Male (angry): "We're not speaking to you!"
Female: "Help me Jesus. Help me Jesus"
Young male: "Well what DID you find?"
The point of especial interest here (and a "red flag" according to Kolar) is that the Ramseys insisted that Burke slept until well past the time of Patsy's 911 call.
Fifth: Kolar completely discredits the idea that a stun gun was used on JonBenét (part of the intruder theory). The two abrasions found on JonBenét's back which Lou Smit claimed were caused by a stun gun were the wrong distance apart but fit exactly the prongs from a piece of Burke's "O" gauge train track. See pages 386-387. Additionally it is highly probable that the use of a stun gun on JonBenét would have resulted in some horrific screaming which would have awakened someone in the house.
Sixth: Neither John nor Patsy woke Burke that morning to ask him if he had heard or seen anything! Hard to imagine that they would just let him sleep when their daughter is missing especially since his bedroom was just a few feet away from JonBenét's bedroom. Additionally, one would expect the parents to search Burke's room, not just look in to see if he was sleeping.
Seventh: When JonBenét's body was found in the basement, "Fleet White charged up from the basement shouting for someone to call an ambulance..." But this did not cause Patsy to leave the solarium to see what was happening. It was not until John was directed "to retrieve his wife did she enter the living room to encounter the lifeless body of her daughter." (p. 329) Kolar considers this a red flag since it seems to imply that Patsy knew her daughter was dead and that no ambulance would be necessary.
Eighth: Burke apparently had psychological problems that the Ramsey's were able to keep hidden due to doctor-client privilege. Apparently Burke was mean to JonBenét including having hit her with a golf club sometime in the past. The abrasions from his train tracks on her back suggest that he may have hurt her on other occasions. Kolar hints that Burke may have sexually abused his sister. See Chapter Thirty-Three, "SBP and Beyond" for the speculations. By the way, "SBP" stands for Sexual Behavior Problems in children.
There's more, but these eight added to what had previously been reported make it overwhelmingly clear that the Ramseys were involved.
Okay, now let's imagine what happened according to the evidence that Kolar presents in this book (sans any gore or prurient interest). Sometime early in the morning of December 26 Burke hit JonBenét in the head with a blunt and heavy instrument. She lay lifeless. A frightened Burke woke his mother (or she was still awake). Failing to revive her daughter she panicked and devised a cover-up including writing the ransom note and putting a cord around JonBenét's neck and tightening it. At some later point she woke John (or he woke up) and found himself faced with a dead daughter and an in-progress cover up. Incidentally, this is a particularly horrific example of the adage that the cover up can be worse that the crime.
Okay, with all this very convincing evidence why were the Ramseys never charged with anything? Mostly, as others have reported, it had to do with politics. And of course the exact details including who actually tightened the cord could never be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law unless the Ramseys chose to confess. But readers might want to make their own discoveries by reading this book in which not only the facts about the case are made with unusual clarity but so too is the division between the Bolder Police Department investigative officers and the district attorney's office.
Don't miss this outstanding and amazingly thorough book written by a man with intimate knowledge of the case. He is fair and considerate almost to a fault in his effort to tell us what really happened as far as it can be known.
April 12, 2013
Very good read. Drop the intruder theory and you'll see all signs point to an accidental murder and a cover-up by the Ramsey's. it seems Burke flew under the radar and the DA were timid in the face of high priced attorneys.
November 12, 2014
This is hands down the best book on the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. Det. Steve Thomas's book is also a must-read for anyone interested in the case. A. James Kolar brings the advantage of more recent important information and the ability to speak more freely than Det. Thomas could.
It is filled with concise reviews of well-known facts and new, well-documented information. It is written with intelligence and specificity by an insider -- a former police chief who was asked to examine all of the evidence in the case -- who had access to more documents and information than any previous author on this topic. It is laid out in a methodical way, and written with intelligence and professionalism. But even though the focus of the book is laying out the evidence, still it's clear Kolar cares deeply about the victim, JonBenet.
Even if you don't subscribe to his theory of who killed JonBenet (and I do, after reading this) there is a lot to learn in this book, with new photos and some never-before-published information, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the murder of JonBenet.
It is filled with concise reviews of well-known facts and new, well-documented information. It is written with intelligence and specificity by an insider -- a former police chief who was asked to examine all of the evidence in the case -- who had access to more documents and information than any previous author on this topic. It is laid out in a methodical way, and written with intelligence and professionalism. But even though the focus of the book is laying out the evidence, still it's clear Kolar cares deeply about the victim, JonBenet.
Even if you don't subscribe to his theory of who killed JonBenet (and I do, after reading this) there is a lot to learn in this book, with new photos and some never-before-published information, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the murder of JonBenet.
June 28, 2021
There are a handful of unsolved crimes and mysteries that I keep an eye on and the JonBenet Ramsey case is top of the list. I discovered this book existed while reading through comments on Reddit and decided to give it a go.
What I liked: The case details that I had not read/heard about before.
What I didn’t like: The author going on and on about his beef with people involved in the case and his constant self-aggrandizing. The book was poorly organized and contained entirely too much unnecessary content. An editor could have fixed a lot of the mess, but I have a strong feeling that the author would not accept constructive criticism.
I am a detail person when it comes to situations such as this. Present me with the facts and offer your theories separate from the fact sharing. This book has facts mixed with theories, mixed with pauses to take in the author’s amazingness, mixed with rants about how other people messed everything up, mixed with where did the rest of that train of thought go, mixed with oh wait there it is, why did it reappear two chapters later?
IF you are willing to spend the money and put in the work sifting through the author’s bullshit, the book is okay. Though honestly, you can probably find these same details by doing a deep internet dive into the case. It would be a cheaper venture but it would probably take more time and quite a few risky clicks.
What I liked: The case details that I had not read/heard about before.
What I didn’t like: The author going on and on about his beef with people involved in the case and his constant self-aggrandizing. The book was poorly organized and contained entirely too much unnecessary content. An editor could have fixed a lot of the mess, but I have a strong feeling that the author would not accept constructive criticism.
I am a detail person when it comes to situations such as this. Present me with the facts and offer your theories separate from the fact sharing. This book has facts mixed with theories, mixed with pauses to take in the author’s amazingness, mixed with rants about how other people messed everything up, mixed with where did the rest of that train of thought go, mixed with oh wait there it is, why did it reappear two chapters later?
IF you are willing to spend the money and put in the work sifting through the author’s bullshit, the book is okay. Though honestly, you can probably find these same details by doing a deep internet dive into the case. It would be a cheaper venture but it would probably take more time and quite a few risky clicks.
Read
August 26, 2012A must read if you you want the real facts and evidence in this case. If you really believe an intruder murdered JonBenet, you definitely need to read this. The attorney general who cleared the Ramseys is not telling you about all of the DNA evidence. The author lays out all the evidence and you can decide for yourself what really happened. Too bad the book not available on kindle, I splurged and bought the hard back but it was well worth the money to me.
November 10, 2013
Friends and family can attest to my addiction to this book. It was my first true crime and riveting to the very end. If you love a mystery full of surprises and have always had a fascination with the JonBenet case, this one is for you. For the longest time, I questioned the involvement of the family, and with the latest news of the indictment, I thought I would read up on the case. It is amazing how at every turn, the police were blocked. Every time some revelation came to light that discounted the idea of an intruder, the findings were silenced. It is unbelievable how much power this one family had in the community. If you think you knew what happened, believe me, you don't. Even though there wasn't an intruder, public opinion does not quite understand the whole situation. Kolar lays it on in a way that accessible to all and will have you enjoying many a sleepless night wanting to find out whodunnit.
October 20, 2013
The book explained every single evidence found in the house and it all comes down to one suspect - Burke. The older brother of JonBenet. This little boy had serious problems from the beginning and I could see why his parents would want to cover for him. This kid needed help but unfortunately , he committed the ultimate crime and obliged his parents to cover all his tracks.
It makes more sense now why they hired a sea of attorneys and refused to have Burke interviewed by the police. The parents knew they had the killer in the family...
I still cannot comprehend how Burke can live a normal life. I seriously think this kid was or is possessed. his actions that lead him to murder his sister will explain why I think he was possessed from the beginning (jealousy, no emotions, hatred, isolation etc). He must have formed some type of pact with the devil in order to maintain his "innocence" for the rest of his life . he is a free man.
It makes more sense now why they hired a sea of attorneys and refused to have Burke interviewed by the police. The parents knew they had the killer in the family...
I still cannot comprehend how Burke can live a normal life. I seriously think this kid was or is possessed. his actions that lead him to murder his sister will explain why I think he was possessed from the beginning (jealousy, no emotions, hatred, isolation etc). He must have formed some type of pact with the devil in order to maintain his "innocence" for the rest of his life . he is a free man.
April 2, 2014
SSAAAADDD!!! This sweet little girl was killed by her brother and the parents, in fear of losing him also, and feeling a need to protect their only remaining child, a mentally disturbed boy, covered it up. Poor Jonbenet, a beautiful, but exploited child, never received Justice.
February 15, 2013
Very informative view from the police side of the investigation...too bad this case will never be brought to justice.
January 31, 2014
Mr. Kolar begins his book with the version of the murder which was given by the Ramseys and endorsed by a lot of the prosecutors and police, where a foreign faction of several people entered the home and did the kidnapping-turned-murder. Mr. Kolar then goes through the evidence, showing pros and cons of each as it applies to the intruder theory. He ends with his own theory which says there was no intruder, only the family was involved. He leaves it that it was probably 9 yr old Burke. Gets you wondering.Excellently written, has photos and floor plans.
July 5, 2016
Finally I have peace about this case!
Finally an end to all the feelings of unrest about this case. This is the first 100% satisfying thing I've read about JonBenet's murder. It makes perfect sense, and I know the case is solved. Now I have peace.
It's alarming how easily the Ramsey's destroyed the lives of so many innocent people, falsely accusing friends and acquaintances, watching innocents fall under suspicion and suffer, in order to protect their image.
Finally an end to all the feelings of unrest about this case. This is the first 100% satisfying thing I've read about JonBenet's murder. It makes perfect sense, and I know the case is solved. Now I have peace.
It's alarming how easily the Ramsey's destroyed the lives of so many innocent people, falsely accusing friends and acquaintances, watching innocents fall under suspicion and suffer, in order to protect their image.
December 23, 2020
This was frustrating and heartbreaking. Frustrating that there were so many unwilling to look at this case with an open mind in order to find the truth. Heartbreaking that an innocent child suffered and senselessly lost her life. Kolar did a great job of laying out the arguments for both the intruder and cover-up theories and shows convicting evidence for his theory on what really happened. With all of the evidence laid out I don't see how it's possible to believe her family wasn't involved.
November 8, 2016
I remember the first time I became acquainted with this case. Geraldo Rivera, who had his own talk show at that time, devoted an entire show to the coverage. At that time, a number of things struck me as odd involving the entire scenario. But, I didn't have an extensive amount of knowledge regarding the case. I just knew something was just not right.
As time went on and most of us were at the mercy of media coverage, perhaps, like me, you only heard little bits about the case here & there. Seeing that beautiful little girl's picture was hard to forget. Many people believed the theory of an intruder. Otherwise, perhaps you had a feeling it was an immediate family member. All most of us really knew was that it was a gruesome crime and quite unsettling.
Throughout the news cycles, I was aware that the Boulder Police Department took a pounding from armchair detectives and media alike. Folks dissected their every move and believed the investigation was 'botched'. But, was it really? Or were we mislead but not having all the facts?
Personally, I had my own opinion on who I believed had killed JonBenet. I had felt it from day 1. Never before had I had actual basis for this opinion, but having read 'Foreign Faction', I felt validated that A. James Kolar agreed with me (so to speak). In his book, he gives readers a comprehensive, in-depth view of the case. Having been a hands-on investigator in the D.A.'s office, he is well equipped to inform us of all the ins & outs.
What I truly appreciated was that while he knew most of the facts, when he took over the case, he started from square one. Re-reading all the materials, he was completely unbiased and open to any possibility. For the purpose of not spoiling anything for future readers, I will refrain from including too many details about his conclusion. However, I will say that he left no stone unturned, proving himself to be a thorough & dedicated investigator.
If you are at all curious about the Ramsey case, or if you truly enjoy a true life crime drama, 'Foreign Faction' is perfect for you. It contains all the elements of a terrific fictional thriller, except it's all true. Details are not pretty, but the case was traumatic. The book is well-organized, well thought out and most of all, honest. Draw your own theory as the author suggests. But, give 'Foreign Faction' a read first. I give it a full 5 stars.
As time went on and most of us were at the mercy of media coverage, perhaps, like me, you only heard little bits about the case here & there. Seeing that beautiful little girl's picture was hard to forget. Many people believed the theory of an intruder. Otherwise, perhaps you had a feeling it was an immediate family member. All most of us really knew was that it was a gruesome crime and quite unsettling.
Throughout the news cycles, I was aware that the Boulder Police Department took a pounding from armchair detectives and media alike. Folks dissected their every move and believed the investigation was 'botched'. But, was it really? Or were we mislead but not having all the facts?
Personally, I had my own opinion on who I believed had killed JonBenet. I had felt it from day 1. Never before had I had actual basis for this opinion, but having read 'Foreign Faction', I felt validated that A. James Kolar agreed with me (so to speak). In his book, he gives readers a comprehensive, in-depth view of the case. Having been a hands-on investigator in the D.A.'s office, he is well equipped to inform us of all the ins & outs.
What I truly appreciated was that while he knew most of the facts, when he took over the case, he started from square one. Re-reading all the materials, he was completely unbiased and open to any possibility. For the purpose of not spoiling anything for future readers, I will refrain from including too many details about his conclusion. However, I will say that he left no stone unturned, proving himself to be a thorough & dedicated investigator.
If you are at all curious about the Ramsey case, or if you truly enjoy a true life crime drama, 'Foreign Faction' is perfect for you. It contains all the elements of a terrific fictional thriller, except it's all true. Details are not pretty, but the case was traumatic. The book is well-organized, well thought out and most of all, honest. Draw your own theory as the author suggests. But, give 'Foreign Faction' a read first. I give it a full 5 stars.
September 6, 2016
If you liked this book or are interested in reading it, this thread on Reddit is a must-read. A. James Kolar answers a bunch of submitted questions, and his answers are thoughtful and illuminating. I'm adding a star because of how impressed I am with him.
I admit I was very annoyed by how coy the author became at the end when discussing his real theory as to what happened. I completely understand his (no doubt legal) reasons for the ambiguity, but I'm still annoyed, heh.
After reading this, I absolutely believe that between the three of them, John Ramsey, Patsy Ramsey, and their son Burke know perfectly well exactly what transpired on December 25/26, 1996 and are alone responsible for what happened to JonBenét. Also, I wouldn't be surprised at all if large amounts of money changed hands between the Ramseys and certain individuals in the Boulder DA's and Colorado governor's offices (there's no evidence of this, I'm just saying it wouldn't surprise me). District Attorney Mary Lacy blatantly said she would never consider any theory that accused the family because she "didn't want to damage her relationship with the Ramseys". Disgusting.
I admit I was very annoyed by how coy the author became at the end when discussing his real theory as to what happened. I completely understand his (no doubt legal) reasons for the ambiguity, but I'm still annoyed, heh.
After reading this, I absolutely believe that between the three of them, John Ramsey, Patsy Ramsey, and their son Burke know perfectly well exactly what transpired on December 25/26, 1996 and are alone responsible for what happened to JonBenét. Also, I wouldn't be surprised at all if large amounts of money changed hands between the Ramseys and certain individuals in the Boulder DA's and Colorado governor's offices (there's no evidence of this, I'm just saying it wouldn't surprise me). District Attorney Mary Lacy blatantly said she would never consider any theory that accused the family because she "didn't want to damage her relationship with the Ramseys". Disgusting.
June 13, 2015
Very little doubt that this guy is right
when he explains what he believed transpired that night. He shares plenty of new info, and I felt like the book delivered when it came to solving the crime. It also left me absolutely enraged at the conduct of people trusted to pursue justice. Statute of limitations (and other legal restrictions) will prevent the killer and accomplices from ever being prosecuted, but hopefully the same can't be said for certain members of Boulder's judicial system, should the facts of the investigation related in this book be proven accurate.
when he explains what he believed transpired that night. He shares plenty of new info, and I felt like the book delivered when it came to solving the crime. It also left me absolutely enraged at the conduct of people trusted to pursue justice. Statute of limitations (and other legal restrictions) will prevent the killer and accomplices from ever being prosecuted, but hopefully the same can't be said for certain members of Boulder's judicial system, should the facts of the investigation related in this book be proven accurate.
October 15, 2012
A thought provoking book on who killed Jon Benet.
June 6, 2023
Wow this book left me stunned. It is such an in depth analysis of Jonbenet’s murder and all of the evidence, but also a look inside the investigation and the all of the internal collusion. There are so many confounding aspects of the case that this book does not provide clarity on. However that is to be expected as the murder has never been solved. This book will blow your mind in so many ways and make you so angry at the way the investigation was handled but it was so good.
April 15, 2015
My review here in light of my rating is really important. I rate on how good of a read it was rather than anything else, and 'good' is really subjective when you are reading anything about true crime. I'm a parent of three year old twins and this was probably not a really wise choice for my late night reading. But for a week or two I was out of books and ... funny I wanted to say 'thumbing through', and you usually think of paper, but I was going to say the kindle library...and I guess I probably was literally thumbing through it. But I'm sorry. I was seriously trying to review this. I picked this because it was free. I wouldn't buy this book... I would check it out from a library. I only really read at night and this was a painful night read. In the dark I wouldn't have a lot of warning when suddenly a picture would appear and I had to literally block the picture with my hand while reading. As a parent of young kids I just can't deal well with the peppering of after-death photos in this book.
The book is pretty well written given (I assume) the ex-detective-guy who wrote this has never really considered himself a writer. I haven't looked to see if he wrote about any other cases, or had a little series of mysteries, or whatever. Gosh I'm tired this evening, sorry. But the writing's not awful. It's dry at times, but not overly so. The author writes of his own conclusions and bases them on so much pure fact that you are definitely led to agree with his angle... I can't give a lot away, I guess. If his non-explicitly-stated conclusions (which you become aware of very gradually) are wrong, this is a horrible thing to be published and out in the world, because it would be a horrible wrong done to that individual. But it really sounds like he is probably correct, and it's as terrible, really. It's just terrible. But his dedication and research seem faultless. I picked this book because of my early memories, very visual memories, of all the media hype around this case. I remember standing in the line at the grocery store, always seeing pictures of her, til they were incredibly familiar to me. I heard her name all the time and had a vague concept of what was going on but I was only six or seven.
If you are interested in the case for any reason, I would tell you this is the book you should read, absolutely, positively. If goodreads didn't have the words next to the stars... 'liked it' 'liked it a lot' etc, it would have a better rating from me. But god, how can I say I liked it when everything about it is so horrifying, down to the pictures I had to look away from. Okay I am knocking it back up a star because for true crime, it is really good. I can't say I loved reading this, though. It was difficult to read. I was very drawn in and all, but damn.
The book is pretty well written given (I assume) the ex-detective-guy who wrote this has never really considered himself a writer. I haven't looked to see if he wrote about any other cases, or had a little series of mysteries, or whatever. Gosh I'm tired this evening, sorry. But the writing's not awful. It's dry at times, but not overly so. The author writes of his own conclusions and bases them on so much pure fact that you are definitely led to agree with his angle... I can't give a lot away, I guess. If his non-explicitly-stated conclusions (which you become aware of very gradually) are wrong, this is a horrible thing to be published and out in the world, because it would be a horrible wrong done to that individual. But it really sounds like he is probably correct, and it's as terrible, really. It's just terrible. But his dedication and research seem faultless. I picked this book because of my early memories, very visual memories, of all the media hype around this case. I remember standing in the line at the grocery store, always seeing pictures of her, til they were incredibly familiar to me. I heard her name all the time and had a vague concept of what was going on but I was only six or seven.
If you are interested in the case for any reason, I would tell you this is the book you should read, absolutely, positively. If goodreads didn't have the words next to the stars... 'liked it' 'liked it a lot' etc, it would have a better rating from me. But god, how can I say I liked it when everything about it is so horrifying, down to the pictures I had to look away from. Okay I am knocking it back up a star because for true crime, it is really good. I can't say I loved reading this, though. It was difficult to read. I was very drawn in and all, but damn.
October 1, 2013
I have long been intrigued by the murder of Jonbet Ramsey, and recently found this book which I hadn't read about the murder. Jonbenet was found in the basement of her home, several hours after she was found missing and a ransom note left for her father. Having read almost all the books about Jonbenet's murder I found this one. I almost gve up on it immediately because the opening chapter set out the most bizarre account of a kidnapping, but luckily realised the author was setting out this hypothesis to illustrate how foolish it would be to accept the kidnap theory. To my mind, and the argument of this book agrees, there is no doubt that Jonbebet was murdered by a family member, most probably her mother. The murder of Jonbenet made her the most written about female of the 20th century, with all and sundry speculating about how and why she was killed. Nobody has ever stood trial for her murder, and after nearly 20 years the chief suspect, her mother Patsy is dead from cancer. While I don't think this book surpasses Steve Thomas' or Lawrence Schiller's account of the murder, it is a useful addition to the story of who killed Jinbenet. I just hope in my lifetime that the truth is told about this one.
October 22, 2014
While it has been some time since I have read any of the other books about JonBenet, this has been my go-to reference on the case since I've read it. All the facts are clearly laid out. I haven't had any problem going back to find something. Kolar makes a good case for his argument, and the book is really only held back by needing a thorough editing for spelling, punctuation, and other typos.
May 13, 2013
the beginning started out good but by the middle it was a lot of repeating and way before the end you know who he thinks did the murder.. wait for it to come out on kindle for free.. not worth buying.
April 2, 2015
UNREAL! Apparently $ can buy anything!
Well presented work from an expert on the case who had access to evidence & knowledge that others did not. Most authoritative work on this case to date.
Well presented work from an expert on the case who had access to evidence & knowledge that others did not. Most authoritative work on this case to date.
June 4, 2016
a sensible conclusion
Like many other "unsolved mysteries," this one is actually solved -- and quite comprehensively. Ultimately, the mystery is how persons with money are able to continue to skirt the justice system.
This is THE book about the JonBenet Ramsey murder.
Like many other "unsolved mysteries," this one is actually solved -- and quite comprehensively. Ultimately, the mystery is how persons with money are able to continue to skirt the justice system.
This is THE book about the JonBenet Ramsey murder.
April 7, 2015
After reading this book I no longer have any doubts about what happened. The author spells it out for you quite clearly.
August 14, 2019
Mostly very convincing but...
(Spoiler alert)
Like the excellent book written by Sgt. Steve Thomas (“JonBenét: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation” 2000) one-time lead investigator A. James Kolar demolishes the “intruder theory.” I mean really demolishes it with evidence and information not contained in Thomas’s eminently persuasive book. Consequently I am even more convinced than ever that the Ramsey family members, John, Patsy and son Burke—one or all—were involved in the tragedy.
However I no longer hold to the idea that Patsy lost her temper and accidently banged JonBenét’s head against a porcelain toilet or hit her while playing wild with a golf club or some other instrument. I am still totally convinced that she wrote the “War and Peace” of all ransom notes. But what Kolar brings to the case that I wasn’t aware of before is the very real possibility that older brother Burke (nine-years-old at the time) deliberately hit his six-year-old sister in the head with some blunt instrument hard enough to render her not just unconscious but hemorrhaging badly and on her way to death. (According to autopsy information not previously available to the public, JonBenét died of strangulation but without medical attention would have died from that blow to the head due to internal bleeding.)
So Patsy Ramey’s pathetic and rather stupid cover up was to protect her only surviving child. Kolar quotes Patsy as saying she could not go on living if she lost him.
Curiously Kolar does not lead with this scenario. Instead, beginning on page 8 “Chapter Two: Foreign Faction,” he presents a fanciful and frankly ridiculous intruder scenario. I almost didn’t read this book because I began reading on page 8 and after a few pages shook my head, saying to myself, “Another nutcase, crackpot theory.” I put down the book. Something made me pick the book up again and I came to realize that Kolar was presenting this intruder scenario as a burlesque of what could have happened. Interesting enough before I finished the 454 pages of narrative (with appendices and notes the book runs to 508 pages) Kolar had presented ample evidence to show that the “foreign faction” theory was preposterous.
Another curious thing about this book is the fact that Kolar never actually presents his implied account of the crime in which Burke landed the first blow and Patsy applied the cord around the neck. Presumably she thought JonBenét was dead or at least brain dead. Or maybe she didn’t realize she was tying the cord so tight that she was killing her not-quite-dead daughter. Or perhaps—another speculation—Burke did it all himself.
Instead of spelling out his theory Kolar writes that he “found the totality of the circumstances comprising the investigative theory to be rather disquieting, and too disturbing...to express in a public forum.” He adds, “I realize that this situation is probably a little frustrating to the reader, but the foundation for this theory is interspersed throughout this manuscript and I will have to leave it to your imagination for the moment.” (p.423)
Okay, let’s imagine. But first here are some of the most important evidentiary highlights and logic insights presented by Kovar that were not known to me before reading this book.
First, as mentioned above Kolar gives us the result of the autopsy. Previously I had believed that the blow to the head was the cause of death. I got that from “Cracking More Cases: The Forensic Science of Solving Crimes” (2004) by Dr. Henry C. Lee with Thomas W. O’Neil. Apparently Dr. Lee was mistaken since Kolar reports that JonBenét was still alive when the cord was tighten around her neck. The significant point here is that the blow could have been accidental; the cord around her neck was not.
Second, Kolar makes it clear that the trace unidentified DNA found on JonBenét’s clothing (from five different males and one female!) was there before JonBenét wore the clothes. A study showed that brand new clothing including underwear can test positive for DNA presumably placed there accidentally by people making the clothes. (pp.272 and 304)
Third, fibers from Patsy’s sweater were found on the sticky side of the tape over JonBenét’s mouth.
Fourth, there is some conversation not previous reported at the end of the 911 call made by Patsy Ramsey on the morning of the 26th. It turns out that Patsy didn’t quite place the telephone receiver correctly and some further conversation was accidently heard. This is how Kolar reports what the “three distinct voices” said (p. 102):
Male (angry): “We’re not speaking to you!”
Female: “Help me Jesus. Help me Jesus”
Young male: “Well what DID you find?”
The point of especial interest here (and a “red flag” according to Kolar) is that the Ramseys insisted that Burke slept until well past the time of Patsy’s 911 call.
Fifth: Kolar completely discredits the idea that a stun gun was used on JonBenét (part of the intruder theory). The two abrasions found on JonBenét’s back which Lou Smit claimed were caused by a stun gun were the wrong distance apart but fit exactly the prongs from a piece of Burke’s “O” gauge train track. See pages 386-387. Additionally it is highly probable that the use of a stun gun on JonBenét would have resulted in some horrific screaming which would have awakened someone in the house.
Sixth: Neither John nor Patsy woke Burke that morning to ask him if he had heard or seen anything! Hard to imagine that they would just let him sleep when their daughter is missing especially since his bedroom was just a few feet away from JonBenét’s bedroom. Additionally, one would expect the parents to search Burke’s room, not just look in to see if he was sleeping.
Seventh: When JonBenét’s body was found in the basement, “Fleet White charged up from the basement shouting for someone to call an ambulance...” But this did not cause Patsy to leave the solarium to see what was happening. It was not until John was directed “to retrieve his wife did she enter the living room to encounter the lifeless body of her daughter.” (p. 329) Kolar considers this a red flag since it seems to imply that Patsy knew her daughter was dead and that no ambulance would be necessary.
Eighth: Burke apparently had psychological problems that the Ramsey’s were able to keep hidden due to doctor-client privilege. Apparently Burke was mean to JonBenét including having hit her with a golf club sometime in the past. The abrasions from his train tracks on her back suggest that he may have hurt her on other occasions. Kolar hints that Burke may have sexually abused his sister. See Chapter Thirty-Three, “SBP and Beyond” for the speculations. By the way, “SBP” stands for Sexual Behavior Problems in children.
There’s more, but these eight added to what had previously been reported make it overwhelmingly clear that the Ramseys were involved.
Okay, now let’s imagine what happened according to the evidence that Kolar presents in this book (sans any gore or prurient interest). Sometime early in the morning of December 26 Burke hit JonBenét in the head with a blunt and heavy instrument. She lay lifeless. A frightened Burke woke his mother (or she was still awake). Failing to revive her daughter she panicked and devised a cover-up including writing the ransom note and putting a cord around JonBenét’s neck and tightening it. At some later point she woke John (or he woke up) and found himself faced with a dead daughter and an in-progress cover up. Incidentally, this is a particularly horrific example of the adage that the cover up can be worse that the crime.
Okay, with all this very convincing evidence why were the Ramseys never charged with anything? Mostly, as others have reported, it had to do with politics. And of course the exact details including who actually tightened the cord could never be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law unless the Ramseys chose to confess. But readers might want to make their own discoveries by reading this book in which not only the facts about the case are made with unusual clarity but so too is the division between the Bolder Police Department investigative officers and the district attorney’s office.
Don’t miss this outstanding and amazingly thorough book written by a man with intimate knowledge of the case. He is fair and considerate almost to a fault in his effort to tell us what really happened as far as it can be known.
—Dennis Littrell, author of “Dennis Littrell’s True Crime Companion” and other works
(Spoiler alert)
Like the excellent book written by Sgt. Steve Thomas (“JonBenét: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation” 2000) one-time lead investigator A. James Kolar demolishes the “intruder theory.” I mean really demolishes it with evidence and information not contained in Thomas’s eminently persuasive book. Consequently I am even more convinced than ever that the Ramsey family members, John, Patsy and son Burke—one or all—were involved in the tragedy.
However I no longer hold to the idea that Patsy lost her temper and accidently banged JonBenét’s head against a porcelain toilet or hit her while playing wild with a golf club or some other instrument. I am still totally convinced that she wrote the “War and Peace” of all ransom notes. But what Kolar brings to the case that I wasn’t aware of before is the very real possibility that older brother Burke (nine-years-old at the time) deliberately hit his six-year-old sister in the head with some blunt instrument hard enough to render her not just unconscious but hemorrhaging badly and on her way to death. (According to autopsy information not previously available to the public, JonBenét died of strangulation but without medical attention would have died from that blow to the head due to internal bleeding.)
So Patsy Ramey’s pathetic and rather stupid cover up was to protect her only surviving child. Kolar quotes Patsy as saying she could not go on living if she lost him.
Curiously Kolar does not lead with this scenario. Instead, beginning on page 8 “Chapter Two: Foreign Faction,” he presents a fanciful and frankly ridiculous intruder scenario. I almost didn’t read this book because I began reading on page 8 and after a few pages shook my head, saying to myself, “Another nutcase, crackpot theory.” I put down the book. Something made me pick the book up again and I came to realize that Kolar was presenting this intruder scenario as a burlesque of what could have happened. Interesting enough before I finished the 454 pages of narrative (with appendices and notes the book runs to 508 pages) Kolar had presented ample evidence to show that the “foreign faction” theory was preposterous.
Another curious thing about this book is the fact that Kolar never actually presents his implied account of the crime in which Burke landed the first blow and Patsy applied the cord around the neck. Presumably she thought JonBenét was dead or at least brain dead. Or maybe she didn’t realize she was tying the cord so tight that she was killing her not-quite-dead daughter. Or perhaps—another speculation—Burke did it all himself.
Instead of spelling out his theory Kolar writes that he “found the totality of the circumstances comprising the investigative theory to be rather disquieting, and too disturbing...to express in a public forum.” He adds, “I realize that this situation is probably a little frustrating to the reader, but the foundation for this theory is interspersed throughout this manuscript and I will have to leave it to your imagination for the moment.” (p.423)
Okay, let’s imagine. But first here are some of the most important evidentiary highlights and logic insights presented by Kovar that were not known to me before reading this book.
First, as mentioned above Kolar gives us the result of the autopsy. Previously I had believed that the blow to the head was the cause of death. I got that from “Cracking More Cases: The Forensic Science of Solving Crimes” (2004) by Dr. Henry C. Lee with Thomas W. O’Neil. Apparently Dr. Lee was mistaken since Kolar reports that JonBenét was still alive when the cord was tighten around her neck. The significant point here is that the blow could have been accidental; the cord around her neck was not.
Second, Kolar makes it clear that the trace unidentified DNA found on JonBenét’s clothing (from five different males and one female!) was there before JonBenét wore the clothes. A study showed that brand new clothing including underwear can test positive for DNA presumably placed there accidentally by people making the clothes. (pp.272 and 304)
Third, fibers from Patsy’s sweater were found on the sticky side of the tape over JonBenét’s mouth.
Fourth, there is some conversation not previous reported at the end of the 911 call made by Patsy Ramsey on the morning of the 26th. It turns out that Patsy didn’t quite place the telephone receiver correctly and some further conversation was accidently heard. This is how Kolar reports what the “three distinct voices” said (p. 102):
Male (angry): “We’re not speaking to you!”
Female: “Help me Jesus. Help me Jesus”
Young male: “Well what DID you find?”
The point of especial interest here (and a “red flag” according to Kolar) is that the Ramseys insisted that Burke slept until well past the time of Patsy’s 911 call.
Fifth: Kolar completely discredits the idea that a stun gun was used on JonBenét (part of the intruder theory). The two abrasions found on JonBenét’s back which Lou Smit claimed were caused by a stun gun were the wrong distance apart but fit exactly the prongs from a piece of Burke’s “O” gauge train track. See pages 386-387. Additionally it is highly probable that the use of a stun gun on JonBenét would have resulted in some horrific screaming which would have awakened someone in the house.
Sixth: Neither John nor Patsy woke Burke that morning to ask him if he had heard or seen anything! Hard to imagine that they would just let him sleep when their daughter is missing especially since his bedroom was just a few feet away from JonBenét’s bedroom. Additionally, one would expect the parents to search Burke’s room, not just look in to see if he was sleeping.
Seventh: When JonBenét’s body was found in the basement, “Fleet White charged up from the basement shouting for someone to call an ambulance...” But this did not cause Patsy to leave the solarium to see what was happening. It was not until John was directed “to retrieve his wife did she enter the living room to encounter the lifeless body of her daughter.” (p. 329) Kolar considers this a red flag since it seems to imply that Patsy knew her daughter was dead and that no ambulance would be necessary.
Eighth: Burke apparently had psychological problems that the Ramsey’s were able to keep hidden due to doctor-client privilege. Apparently Burke was mean to JonBenét including having hit her with a golf club sometime in the past. The abrasions from his train tracks on her back suggest that he may have hurt her on other occasions. Kolar hints that Burke may have sexually abused his sister. See Chapter Thirty-Three, “SBP and Beyond” for the speculations. By the way, “SBP” stands for Sexual Behavior Problems in children.
There’s more, but these eight added to what had previously been reported make it overwhelmingly clear that the Ramseys were involved.
Okay, now let’s imagine what happened according to the evidence that Kolar presents in this book (sans any gore or prurient interest). Sometime early in the morning of December 26 Burke hit JonBenét in the head with a blunt and heavy instrument. She lay lifeless. A frightened Burke woke his mother (or she was still awake). Failing to revive her daughter she panicked and devised a cover-up including writing the ransom note and putting a cord around JonBenét’s neck and tightening it. At some later point she woke John (or he woke up) and found himself faced with a dead daughter and an in-progress cover up. Incidentally, this is a particularly horrific example of the adage that the cover up can be worse that the crime.
Okay, with all this very convincing evidence why were the Ramseys never charged with anything? Mostly, as others have reported, it had to do with politics. And of course the exact details including who actually tightened the cord could never be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law unless the Ramseys chose to confess. But readers might want to make their own discoveries by reading this book in which not only the facts about the case are made with unusual clarity but so too is the division between the Bolder Police Department investigative officers and the district attorney’s office.
Don’t miss this outstanding and amazingly thorough book written by a man with intimate knowledge of the case. He is fair and considerate almost to a fault in his effort to tell us what really happened as far as it can be known.
—Dennis Littrell, author of “Dennis Littrell’s True Crime Companion” and other works
October 13, 2021
Readers who have previously questioned whether an intruder murdered JonBenet Ramsey will have their questions answered in this book. Kolar's book is incredibly thorough when presenting the straight-forward facts and chronological events of the investigation. He also discloses information that was previously unknown to the public. I found this information the most interesting of the entire book.
A. James Kolar is the former lead investigator for the District Attorney's office for Boulder County. He didn't step into the role until 2005 when he was hired by the new District Attorney Mary Lacy. As he stepped into his new role he reviewed all of the Ramsey case in order to get himself up to speed with everything that had been previously collected.
The investigation is presented in a very easily understood fashion. He covers the investigation from the start of the 911 call all the way through events in 2012. He covers both sides of the investigation including law enforcement officers who believed that JonBenet was killed by someone in her family to Lou Smit's theory that there was an intruder. He looks at both sides of the coin and presents possibilities that prove or disprove both scenarios.
The book also includes letters in the back which I found incredibly helpful. This included floor plans to the Ramsey residence, Professor Foster's letter to Patsy Ramsey, Detective Steve Thomas' letter of resignation to the Boulder Police Department, Fleet and Priscilla White's 1998 letter to the public, former District Attorney Alex Hunter's Affidavit Clearing Burke Ramsey (which was actually prepared by Ramsey Attorney Lin Wood and provided to DA Hunter for him to use).
The entire book is a strong, evidence based collection in one source. I highly recommend this for anyone who has interest in this case and skeptics to various theories.
A. James Kolar is the former lead investigator for the District Attorney's office for Boulder County. He didn't step into the role until 2005 when he was hired by the new District Attorney Mary Lacy. As he stepped into his new role he reviewed all of the Ramsey case in order to get himself up to speed with everything that had been previously collected.
The investigation is presented in a very easily understood fashion. He covers the investigation from the start of the 911 call all the way through events in 2012. He covers both sides of the investigation including law enforcement officers who believed that JonBenet was killed by someone in her family to Lou Smit's theory that there was an intruder. He looks at both sides of the coin and presents possibilities that prove or disprove both scenarios.
The book also includes letters in the back which I found incredibly helpful. This included floor plans to the Ramsey residence, Professor Foster's letter to Patsy Ramsey, Detective Steve Thomas' letter of resignation to the Boulder Police Department, Fleet and Priscilla White's 1998 letter to the public, former District Attorney Alex Hunter's Affidavit Clearing Burke Ramsey (which was actually prepared by Ramsey Attorney Lin Wood and provided to DA Hunter for him to use).
The entire book is a strong, evidence based collection in one source. I highly recommend this for anyone who has interest in this case and skeptics to various theories.
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