“Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey” is a true crime documentary miniseries directed by Joe Berlinger.
The murder of JonBenét Ramsey was not only shocking but also a series of missteps by all involved, including the police, her parents, the investigators, and the media. The horrific incident grabbed the nation’s attention, leading the media to make accusations, conduct interviews, and create an entire media circus to exploit the grim event. Now, Netflix revisits this unsolved case, re-examining all the controversies with the testimonies of some family members and, most notably, the child’s father, John Bennett Ramsey, who was widely accused of his own daughter’s murder.
About the murder
During Christmas of 1996, the Ramseys made a frantic call: they had found a ransom note and their daughter was missing. The note demanded exactly $118,000, or else their daughter would be beheaded. The house was filled with friends and acquaintances, and the police conducted a preliminary search but found nothing. It was only later that John, the father, discovered his daughter’s lifeless body in the basement. The child had been gagged, sexually assaulted, and struck on the head. Suspicion immediately fell on the family, who quickly sought legal counsel and refused to speak with the police. The media seized the case, turning it into what the public craved: a murder case that directly implicated the father. Major networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN covered the incident extensively. The child’s photos, as a participant in beauty pageants, and the parents’ behavior were harshly criticized nationwide.
DNA tests were conducted: there was no evidence that any family member had committed the murder. Instead, DNA from an unidentified male was found. Evidence was hidden. This is just the beginning of a case that remains unsolved and has been the subject of much speculation due to its grotesque and horrifying nature.
About the Documentary
As is now customary, Netflix includes the testimony of an individual accused of a horrific crime who provides evidence of their innocence: DNA tests, unfounded media harassment, and more. In “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey,” we see all the investigative errors and, most importantly, how the press exploited the event to create pure controversy for ratings. “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey” serves as an excellent documentary to ponder this point: media manipulation. Interestingly, it’s a documentary that echoes the murder and a genre (true crime) that has been one of Netflix’s major successes. It’s clear: murders sell, and the media’s job, whether we like it or not, is to deliver news that captivates the audience. Is it right to give the public what they want at any cost? A complex question indeed.
The documentary is a classic three-episode format: narrated like a thriller, with eerie and suspenseful music, emphasizing the most gruesome aspects of the crime to achieve maximum impact and keep the viewer glued to their seat with a grisly, heinous, and brutal crime. The formula undeniably works.
Our Opinion
We return once more to the same question: is it ethical to exploit the pain of families and turn deaths into a media spectacle? Television networks defend themselves: it’s what the audience demands. It’s absolutely unquestionable. The numbers support this stance: viewers devour this genre. It’s not a new phenomenon; it happened with Jack the Ripper, the first media sensation of the industrialized world.
While “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey” presents an opportunity to reflect on media practices, it also underscores the perpetual appetite for true crime stories. It leaves us pondering the moral implications of such portrayals while acknowledging the undeniable fact that, for better or worse, these narratives are an enduring part of our cultural fabric.
Where to Watch “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey”
Extra: The Unsolved Mystery of JonBenét Ramsey
The case of JonBenét Ramsey, a young beauty queen found lifeless in her family home, remains one of the most perplexing and scrutinized criminal investigations in American history. This tragic event occurred in Boulder, Colorado, captivating the nation’s attention and leaving many questions unanswered. Read more
