How Did JonBenét Ramsey’s Mom Patsy Die? Here’s if She Was Still a Murder Suspect When She Passed Away
The story of JonBenét Ramsey’s murder is not just the type true crime enthusiasts are familiar with. No, the murder of the 6-year-old on Christmas Day in 1996 is general knowledge for most people who were alive when it happened. Netflix’s new documentary Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey reexamines the case all these years later just to reaffirm the same conclusion: there’s still no indication of who killed the young beauty queen or why.
JonBenét Ramsey’s body was found by her father John Ramsay in the basement of the house the family lived in on December 26, 1996. Just hours before, her mother, Patsy Ramsey, called the police to report a ransom note discovered at the bottom of a staircase. Police arrived at the house, and after initially not discovering the body, JonBenét was found, kicking off an investigation that for many years, would focus on the girl’s family, Patsy, John, and particularly her brother Burke.
Related: Who killed JonBenét Ramsey?
Today, her father, who is featured heavily in the documentary, is aggressively advocating for further investigation into the murder. JonBenét Ramsey’s brother Burke, meanwhile, has chosen to stay away from the cameras. He’s had to deal with accusations he’s responsible for his sister’s murder for most of his life, despite being cleared by DNA evidence in 2008. In 2016 Burke Ramsey sued CBS for airing a two-part special that presented a theory that he murdered his sister because she ate part of his snack. The suit was settled out of court.
John Ramsey, JonBenét Ramsey’s father, is present in the new Netflix documentary, and her brother Burke has chosen to effectively stay out of the spotlight, but her mother Patsy passed away in 2006. What happened to her? How did Patsy Ramsey die?
How Did Patsy Ramsy Die?
Patsy Ramsey died in 2006 of ovarian cancer. She was first diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer in 1993 when she was 36. After treatment, she was in remission for 9 years until the cancer returned in 2002. Four years after that, she lost the battle with cancer and passed away on June 24. Patsy was at her father’s house when she passed away, with her husband John by her side. She is buried at St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia, next to her daughter JonBenét.
Her death came two years before her family was officially cleared of the murder of JonBenét thanks to DNA evidence. In an interview with 9News, Patsy opened up about her theories regarding her daughter’s death. The family had originally left the house on Christmas Day to visit friends for dinner. According to Patsy, an intruder could have then entered the house, adding “Possibly this person watched our house, watched us leave and came into the house at that time.”
“There were several hours of time where he could’ve familiarized himself with the house, where JonBenét’s bedroom was, where our bedroom was, where the basement was, before we returned home. I believe the ransom note was written at that time, and I believe the person was still there when we returned home that night,” she also said in the interview.
