Netflix Docuseries on JonBenét Ramsey Murder Promises to 'Investigate the Mishandling of the Case'

On Dec. 26, 1996, John and Patsy Ramsey woke up the morning after a family Christmas to discover their youngest child, 6-year-old JonBenét, was missing. Patsy called police that morning, frantically revealing that she discovered a chilling ransom note asking for $118,000 for JonBenét’s safe return.

Later that day, John discovered his daughter’s body in the basement, revealing the shocking truth that JonBenét had not been kidnapped, but was instead sexually assaulted and strangled in their Colorado home. The child beauty pageant queen had duct tape over her mouth and a garrote twisted around her neck. 

Her death was ruled a homicide and the ripples of shock quickly spread from Boulder, Colo., across the nation. Despite nearly 30 years of investigation, many theories — but few answers — have been found.

A new Netflix three-part docuseries, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey, begins streaming on Monday, Nov. 25, An exclusive trailer is shown below.

From Academy Award nominated director Joe Berlinger, the docuseries “investigates the mishandling of the case by law enforcement and the media, ultimately revealing the relatively simple steps that can be taken to finally solve perhaps the most infamous cold case of all time,” reads a statement from the network shared with PEOPLE.

The Ramsey family was under intense scrutiny from the start. Speculation in the media arose that someone close to JonBenet, perhaps a family member, was involved, citing the peculiar circumstances of the crime. The Ramseys have long denied any involvement in the murder of their daughter or speculation that the now-deceased Patsy was the writer of the ransom note. No family member has ever been charged.

Another theory centered around a potential intruder, Michael Helgoth, who owned a pair of boots that appeared to match a print found at the scene. Helgoth was initially looked at by police, but he died by suicide in 1997 and investigators started looking elsewhere. 

Then, in 2006 a potential suspect confessed to the murder, though investigators later deemed the confession to be false. Another potential intruder had worked as Santa Claus and had visited the Ramsey home days before. The man’s daughter had been abducted decades before. However, he was never formally considered a suspect.

In the trailer, viewers can see archival clips from the investigation and interviews with key people in the case, including JonBenét’s father John.

“Do you mind taking us through the day,” a producer asks John from behind the camera.

John responds, “It was just unbelievable.”

Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey, a three-part docuseries, premieres on Nov. 25 on Netflix.