Warning: This article contains mentions of disturbing content such as abuse/death of a child.
In Netflix’s new true crime docuseries,Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?, investigators reopenthe murder of JonBenét Ramsey, and discuss one of the notable suspects in the case, John Mark Karr.JonBenét Ramsey was a 6-year-old girl from Colorado who was murdered on Christmas nightin 1996. Ramsey was a beauty queen and the youngest child of Patsy and John Ramsey. The murder of Ramsey was not only upsetting, but the crime scene itself raised many questions about what actually happened to the child. Though many suspects have been named, the culprit has yet to be found.
Following the death of Ramsey, a number of individuals became suspects. Namely,JonBenét Ramsey’s parents were under suspiciondue to the fact that elements of the crime scene looked staged. Some even believe that the Ramseys' 9-year-old son committed the crime. However,the Ramsey’s were eventually canceled out as suspects due to DNA evidence. That left an unidentified male as the killer, and to this day, authorities still do not know who carried out the brutal murder. However, inCold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?,one suspect in particular is explored: John Mark Karr.
John Mark Karr Confessed To Killing JonBenét Ramsey In 2006
Who Is John Mark Karr
Among the many suspects in the JonBenét Ramsey case, there is John Mark Karr. In 2006,Karr was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand after confessing to the murder of Ramsey.Karr claimed that he drugged, sexually assaulted, then accidentally murdered Ramsey. Apparently, Karr wrote a number of diary entries about the crime wherein he claimed to love Ramsey and watched “[her] eyes slowly closing,” (Yahoo.) However, there were a number of discrepancies between Karr’s story and the actual crime.
Karr eventually left the area after being charged with five counts of possessing child pornography.
At the time of his arrest, Karr was a 41-year-old former schoolteacher. Before living in Thailand, he resided in California with his wife. Karr eventually left the area after being charged with five counts of possessing child pornography. In this way, Karr was not a completely innocent individual, regardless of whether he murdered Ramsey or not. Ultimately, Karr’s real crimes offer an explanation for why he would confess tothe unsolved JonBenét Ramsey murder, though he did not actually do it.
How John Mark Karr Was Ruled Out As A Suspect In The JonBenét Ramsey Case
Why Karr Gave A False Confession
Despite his confession, it was soon discovered that Karr was not Ramsey’s killer. The most notable piece of evidence that canceled out Karr was the fact that his DNA was not the same DNA found at the crime scene. Furthermore,Karr could not provide any new details about the crime, and instead, just reiterated what had already been released to the public. Thus, his diary entries and his confession were both fabricated, and Karr was ultimately exonerated.
What Happened To JonBenét Ramsey’s Brother, Burke
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey shows how JonBenét’s death impacted her family. This is what happened to her brother Burke, after her murder.
It seems as though Karr gave a false confession in order to get attention. Considering his past with child pornography, the case of Ramsey’s murder could have intrigued him, and he may have become attached to the case. All in all, Karr likely wanted to take responsibility for a crime that he admired, though he did not commit. Unfortunately, as shown byCold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?,the case of JonBenét Ramsey is still unsolved.
