Before Netflix’s latest true crime doc, ‘Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey,’ which premiered on November 25, 2024, A&E’s special ‘Hunting JonBenét’s Killer: The Untold Story’ took a closer look at the heartbreaking 1996 murder of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey, and the aftermath involving her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and her brother, Burke Ramsey.
The series, which aired on April 11, 2019, shared some exclusive details, including never-before-seen photos of JonBenét, including her last picture taken on Christmas Eve before she died. They even used advanced age-progression technology to show what she might have looked like at 28 years old.
JonBenét Ramsey’s Age Progression Was Revealed in A&E’s ‘Hunting JonBenét’s Killer’
Back in 2019, A&E teamed up with Phojoe.com to create an age progression of JonBenét Ramsey, imagining what she might have looked like at 28. The image was featured in their 2019 special ‘Hunting JonBenét’s Killer: The Untold Story.’ Using their skills in age progression, Phojoe combined forensic artistry and advanced photo-editing software to create a realistic portrayal. The goal was to offer viewers a powerful look at what JonBenét might have grown up to be, showcasing the profound loss her family and the public have felt since her tragic death.
In case you’re unfamiliar, Phojoe.com specializes in photo editing and manipulation, using techniques like age progression and regression. They’re big on forensic photo analysis, notably creating age-progressed images of missing people to help with investigations or fixing up old, damaged photos. Their work has been used by law enforcement, the media, and even regular individuals. The age progression tech is especially useful for cases with missing kids, where they predict how someone might look years later.
The special might have imagined JonBenét as an adult, but her father, John Ramsey, opened up during the episode, sharing how he still thinks of her as the sweet little girl she was. Even after more than 20 years, he said it’s hard for him to picture her growing up. He also talked about his family’s journey since that tragic day, mentioning how grateful he is for the health and happiness of his other kids and grandkids, despite the deep loss they’ve all faced.
JonBenét’s murder is still a mystery, with investigators trying to piece all the evidence together. On the morning of December 26, 1996, her body was found in the basement of her family’s home in Boulder, Colorado. She had been strangled and hit on the head, with her wrists tied and her mouth taped. A ransom note asking for $118,000 added even more questions to the case.
After JonBenét’s death, the family went through an unfair amount of public scrutiny. Both John and his late wife, Patsy Ramsey, were considered suspects until DNA evidence officially cleared them in 2008. Her brother, Burke, also got caught up in media theories, which led to a massive legal battle with CBS that he eventually settled.
Hunting JonBenet’s Killer: The Documentary Reddit Can’t Take Seriously
A Reddit thread on r/JonBenetRamsey tore apart the wild documentary ‘Hunting JonBenet’s Killer: The Untold Story,’ calling it everything from hilarious to completely ridiculous. Instead of diving deep into the unsolved 1996 murder of JonBenet Ramsey, the doc throws out some pretty out-there theories—think cults, aliens, and even cats as a way to communicate. One commenter summed it up perfectly, calling it “an hour and thirty-five minutes long comedy.” Safe to say, the community isn’t buying it.
The thread touches on all the absurd theories from the documentary. Some, such as the intruder theory backed by evidence like window marks and fibers, are pretty standard. But things get really weird with Bernice Johnson, a prison informant, claiming it was all part of a botched kidnapping-for-hire involving criminal associates, including Michael Helgoth. And then it gets even crazier—she ties it to Scott Caruthers, an alien cult leader who supposedly talked to extraterrestrials through cats. A ransom letter, allegedly written by Caruthers, is brought up as “proof,” with phrases like “small foreign faction” somehow being code for aliens. And the cherry on top? The cryptic “SBTC” sign-off is hilariously decoded as “Scott Brook Truth Caruthers.”
As shared in the thread, people watching the documentary seemed to lose interest when it veered away from plausible suspects and dove into bizarre stories. The mention of Caruthers’ so-called “Beta Dominion Xenophilia” cult, his claims about an alien hierarchy, and a diary that put him in Maryland during Christmas 1996 just got laughs instead of curiosity. One commenter joked, “At this point, I’m really considering changing the channel and making some empanadas,” capturing the mix of frustration and amusement many felt as the documentary went off the rails.
The documentary’s attempts to interview suspects turned into comedy gold. When asked about the murder, Caruthers supposedly said, “Good lord, no. Oh, and I don’t believe in aliens anymore either,” which was so absurd it wiped out any remaining suspense. Other suspects, like Todd Fuss, didn’t hold up either—DNA cleared them, or their alibis did the job. One user joked that even John Ramsey, JonBenet’s father, looked visibly confused by the whole mess, supporting just about any theory as long as it didn’t point to his family.
The new doc and one would argue a much better one, ‘Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey,’ is currently streaming on Netflix.
