Here's Why JonBenét Ramsey's Dad Is Hopeful Her Murder Will Be Solved Soon By KC Baker and Christine Pelisek

John Ramsey may be closer to finding out the truth about JonBenét’s murder than ever before now that Boulder police say they have “new evidence” in the high-profile case.

“It’s encouraging,” John recently said on NewsNation’s Banfield. “The key really in progress has been the addition of new leadership there. It was not very good for 25 to 26 years. And now, knowing Chief (Stephen) Redfearn…I’ve met with him three or four times. I’m impressed with him. I think he’s sincere and honest.”

JonBenét was 6 years old when her family reported her missing from their home in Boulder, Colo., on Dec. 26, 1996. To the family’s horror, John found her dead in the basement. An autopsy revealed the cause of her death as strangulation.

In the Boulder Police Department’s annual report, Redfearn provided an update on the ongoing investigation into JonBenét’s murder — which has given her father hope.

“Last year, we gave you an update about a lot of the work that has been done to solve this crime, and those efforts have continued,” Redfearn said in a video statement. 

“This case remains a top priority for our department,” he said, noting that over the past year, “detectives have conducted several new interviews as well as re-interviewed individuals based on tips we’ve received.” 

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“We have also collected new evidence and tested and re-tested other pieces of evidence to generate new leads. Techniques and technology constantly evolve. This is especially true with technology related to DNA testing,” Redfearn said.

Back in January, John met with Redfearn and other officials in Boulder to discuss the case.

“The important thing is that I think they are just certainly committed to getting the case solved,” John told PEOPLE in January 2025. “And I think they’re very interested in using the latest technology that’s out there, this genealogy research, which I think is the key that needs to be employed.”

“I am encouraged and I am hopeful,” he added. “I believe that this case will be solved using the latest DNA technology.”

Shortly after the murder of the little girl who had competed in many beauty pageants in her young life, John, his late wife Patsy, and their son Burke, were considered suspects, but steadfastly maintained their innocence, urging police to look for her actual killer.

Authorities have since apologized for casting suspicion on them.

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Redfearn joined the Boulder Police Department in 2021 as deputy chief of operations before being named interim police chief in January 2024. In September 2024, he was named the permanent police chief.

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In the annual report, Redfearn encouraged anyone with any piece of information to speak up.

“It is never too late for people with knowledge of this terrible crime to come forward, and I urge those responsible for this murder to contact us,” he said.

The Boulder Police Department encourages anyone with any information to contact detectives at [email protected] or by calling the Boulder Police tip line at 303-441-1974.