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Cops Claim Possible Break In JonBenet Ramsey Cold Case

BOULDER, CO – An expert on the JonBenet murder case says his sources confirm reports that investigators in Boulder, Colo. would like to speak again to her older brother, Burke Ramsey, in case he saw something at the time that could help them connect some newly-surfaced dots now.

Burke was nine when his little sister, a 6-year-old beauty pageant contestant, was slain in December 1996, in what went on to become one of the most famous unsolved killings in recent times.

He’s now 23.

Lawrence Schiller, a contributor to The Daily Beast, founder of the Norman Mailer Writers Colony and author of one of the definitive books on the Ramsey case, “Perfect Murder, Perfect Town,” told “Early Show” co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez Tuesday he called some sources in Boulder on Monday.

“They said the police had sent on their business cards and asked Burke, if his time permitted, if he could get in touch with them,” Schiller said.

Rodriguez noted that the Ramsey family attorney tells “The Early Show” Burke hasn’t been questioned yet.

Burke “was questioned and exonerated” in the aftermath of his sister’s death, Rodriguez pointed out. Why would they be trying to question him again 14 years later?

“You have to remember,” Schiller explained, "number one, he was 9 years old, a frail kid. Not very large in size. His sister was younger. There’s a lot of evidence that has still been unexplained over the years. Footprints have been identified, but some have not. Handprints and palm prints have been identified in the room where her body was found. Some still not. In essence, the body was placed there. It wasn’t dragged in. And then it was wrapped in a blanket.

“Now, if he was a witness to some event that night, something that may, in essence, now connect with something else, you have to remember, this murder took place in a community that was embarrassed by it. Wasn’t prepared for it. Did not have a history of violence. The police are never going to give up on this case. There’s no statute of limitation on murder.”

“In other words,” Rodriguez asked, “(probers) may have discovered some new evidence that wouldn’t necessarily make (Burke) a suspect, but to which he could possibly speak?”

“That’s correct,” Schiller responded. “He was exonerated by DNA, by many, many methods that the police used at that point. But the question is, in his own mind now, this many years away, has he locked away the facts of this murder? Has he, in essence, put it in a room, closed the door, and doesn’t want to think about it? So how helpful can he be? You know, just because questions are unanswered doesn’t mean somebody is withholding the answer.”

Schiller says it’s not surprising that Boulder police are staying mum on the new reports and that the Ramsey family lawyer says Burke hasn’t met with them again yet.

“If there is a real lead, nobody’s gonna tell you about it!” Schiller exclaimed.