Police in the US are starting a new investigation into the murder of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey who died over 25 years ago.
JonBenet was found dead on 26 December 1996 in her Boulder, Colorado home - with an autopsy revealing that she died from asphyxiation due to strangulation.
As we approach the 26th anniversary of her tragic death, The Colorado Cold Case Review Team, with the support of Boulder Police, is looking into the case once more.
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"Since JonBenet’s murder, detectives have investigated leads stemming from more than 21,000 tips, letters, and emails. We have travelled to 19 states to interview or speak with more than 1,000 individuals," a statement released by the force on Wednesday (9 November) read.
"This investigation continues to receive assistance from federal, state, and local partners. Boulder Police work with multiple agencies, including the FBI, the District Attorney’s Office, Colorado’s Department of Public Safety, Colorado’s Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and several private DNA laboratories across the country."
Since JonBenet's death, more than 160 people have been under investigation, including members of her own family.
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According to The Daily Beast, several people have admitted to sexually assaulting JonBenet and to have also strangled her.
However, police later revealed that DNA did not match any of those possible suspects and also the family, who had received many claims against them since JonBenet's death.
Now, police have said they will employ new technology to test the small amount of DNA evidence that was found in the case in an attempt to find the killer.
Boulder Police said: "The amount of DNA evidence available for analysis is extremely small and complex. The sample could, in whole or in part, be consumed by DNA testing.
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"In collaboration with the CBI and the FBI, there have been several discussions with private DNA labs about the viability of continued testing of DNA recovered from the crime scene and genetic genealogy analysis."
Police Chief Maris Herold affirmed JonBenet's family that the case remains a priority: "This crime has left a hole in the hearts of many, and we will never stop investigating until we find JonBenet’s killer.
"That includes following up on every lead and working with our policing partners and DNA experts around the country to solve this tragic case. This investigation has always been and will continue to be a priority for the Boulder Police Department. "
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Michael Dougherty, District Attorney, agreed but reiterated that more was needed to solve this long-running murder case.
Callum Jones