Crime Scene Investigation Management Analysis: JonBenet Ramsey

The final project for this course is an analysis of a crime scene investigation that was conducted concerning the death of JonBenet Ramsey in Boulder, Colorado. The purpose of the Crime Scene Investigation Management Analysis is for you to apply and demonstrate the learning achieved in the course by analyzing the work done by crime scene investigators. Determine what could and/or should have been done better and acknowledge what was done well. For this assignment, you will take on the role of an experienced and highly regarded investigator who has been called upon to present a Crime Scene Management and Investigation class at the police academy.

The Scenario:

The body of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was found in the basement of the family home on December 26, 1996. The murder and subsequent investigation remain mired in controversy. One arrest was made in the case when a known pedophile confessed to the crime. All charges against him were subsequently dismissed. The case remains unsolved.

Case Summary:

On the morning of December 26, 1996, the mother of JonBenet Ramsey found a ransom note on a stairway in the family home in Boulder, Colorado. The handwritten note stated JonBenet had been kidnapped and demanded a ransom. After telephoning close friends, notification was made to the Boulder Police Department. Upon arrival, responding officers found the family and several family friends inside the home. The ransom note was reviewed and officers and family anticipated a telephone call from the kidnappers. A detective was summoned and arrived to oversee the investigation. When no call had been received from the kidnappers after a few hours, a police officer and JonBenet’s father began to search the home. JonBenet’s body was found in a locked storage room in the basement.

Assignment:

Prior to completing this assignment, review Chapter 6 (Dutelle, 2016), the required resources for this week, and any other resources that will aid you in conducting an analysis of the management and investigation of the crime scene of the death of JonBenet Ramsey. The following elements must be included:

• Explain how to process and retrieve trace evidence. Summarize what trace evidence was collected at the scene and what trace evidence might have been altered or destroyed due to crime scene management issues.
• Evaluate the accepted methodologies employed in contemporary crime scene management relative to how these methodologies were or were not adhered to in this case and the impact that they had on the investigation and make recommendations based on that evaluation that could have been applied to this case.
• Analyze how the management techniques utilized and not utilized at the crime scene impacted judicial expectations and requirements relative to the admittance of evidence collected by forensic crime scene investigators.
• Evaluate at least one specialized method used in the investigation and describe the methodology used and its impact on the investigation.
• Examine judicial expectations and requirements relative to the admittance of evidence collected by forensic crime scene investigators.
• Analyze how the management of the crime scene impacts the potential admissibility of forensic crime scene evidence in any potential criminal proceedings in this case.
• Analyze whether the methods used to retrieve and process the evidence would meet the standard for admissibility in court today.

The Crime Scene Investigation Management Analysis:

• Must be 10 double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style
• Must include a separate title page with the following
• Must use at least eight scholarly sources in addition to the course text.
• Must document all sources in APA style
• Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style
• Please attached annotated bibliography which will help

  Running head: JONBENET RAMSEY MURDER CASE 1

  JONBENET RAMSEY MURDER CASE 4

  JonBenet Ramsey Murder Case

  Janelle Dean

  CRJ 632: Crime Scene Investigation & Management

  Professor Marquice Robinson

  March 26th, 2018

  JonBenet Ramsey Murder Case and Crime Scene Management Analysis Annotated Bibliography

  “What Is Touch DNA?” 2018. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/experts-touch-dna-jonbenet-ramsey/.

  This particular article has been able to vividly show how trace evidence can be obtained from this particular murder case. To start with, the police used the ‘touch DNA’ technique. The use of this aspect can lead to a number of unanswered question pertaining this particular death. For instance, the use of this technique did not require the use of any blood sample or any semen sample. The main concerns of this methodology focus on the aspect of whether there is the existence of seven to eight layers of the cell skin on the victim. Putting into consideration the existence of layers of skin on the victim was a big blow to the investigation since there is important evidence that could have been left out due to this aspect (“What Is Touch DNA?” 2018).

  “The Investigation”. 2018. Crime + Investigation. http://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/jonbenet-ramsey/investigation.

  This article points out that there were a number of clues that were found to in her autopsy that suggested otherwise about the death of JonBenet. To start with the fact that the house was not treated as a crime scene after the death of a JonBenet interfered with the investigation procedures. It is evident that family members were allowed to walk into and outside the house despite that the fact that the disappearance of JonBenet had occurred inside the house. Therefore the movement of people inside and outside the house interfered with the evidence that could have been used to handle this case. Moreover, the aspect that John Ramsey was the one who found the body of her daughter was also suspicious because after long hours of search he was the one who found her daughter in the basement. Additionally, the fact that the ransom note demanded a ransom of $118000 also raises questions since this the same amount of money that John Ramsey had gotten from work as his bonus. Moreover, the fact that he stomach was found to contain undigested pineapples shows that she had eaten shortly before her death. Both parents denied feeding her anything before she slept. This shows that she was lured into eating before her death. Furthermore, the fingerprints of her brother were found in the bowl and this also led to more questions when it came to the concerns surrounding this mysterious death (“The Investigation” 2018).

  “Four Pieces Of Evidence In The Jonbenét Ramsey Case That Just Don’t Fit | The Forensic Outreach Library”. 2018. Forensicoutreach.Com. http://forensicoutreach.com/library/four-pieces-of-evidence-in-the-jonbenet-ramsey-case-that-just-dont-fit/.

  There are a number of accepted forensic techniques that were relative to this death. It is evident that JonBenet’s mother could have been the one who wrote the ransom note, this is because the investigations show that she may have tried to adjust her handwriting during the collection of evidence. Moreover, the forensics also show that the murderer could have been a person from outside because the stain found in JonBenet’s panties did not match any of her family members DNA. Therefore the existence of this DNA material that could not be accounted for raises the idea that the murder could have been committed by an individual who was not a family member (“Four Pieces Of Evidence In The Jonbenét Ramsey Case That Just Don’t Fit | The Forensic Outreach Library” 2018).

  “Experts: Conviction A Long Shot In JonBenet Ramsey Case – The Denver Post”. 2018. Denverpost.Com. https://www.denverpost.com/1999/10/17/jonbenet-ramsey-case-experts-conviction-long-shot/.

  There are a number expectations and requirements relative to the admittance of evidence collected by the forensic crime scene investigators that related to this case that were required by the judiciary in order to make a ruling on this case. For instance, it is evident that Patsy tried to change her handwriting during the handwriting test. This can be seen by the fact that she chose to write the ransom demanded in words rather than in figures as it had appeared before. Moreover, the judiciary also wanted an explanation on this ransom note was different from other ransom notes. Additionally, the judiciary also wanted also to know the motives behind this murder. There were a number of aspects that needed to be proved, for instance, the case had to be determined whether the motive behind the killing was a sexual assault or whether there were other motives (“Experts: Conviction A Long Shot In JonBenet Ramsey Case – The Denver Post” 2018).

  “Jonbenét Ramsey Series Questions Key DNA Evidence | New York Post”. 2018. Nypost.Com. https://nypost.com/2016/09/12/jonbenet-ramsey-series-questions-key-dna-evidence/.

  This article has been able to highlight the possible murders in this case. From the article, it is evident that the murder could have been conducted by either the parents or a former teacher to the victim. From the article, there are a number of reasons that have made this case remain unsolved for a number of years. For instance, there were a number of missteps by the police that affected the investigation process. Moreover, the pressure from the media also led to a quick assessment of the case leading to poor outcomes from the case. In conclusion, it was evident that there were a number of irreversible actions that interfered with this case and thus leading to a point where no one was prosecuted for this murder (“Jonbenét Ramsey Series Questions Key DNA Evidence | New York Post” 2018).

  References

  “Experts: Conviction A Long Shot In Jonbenet Ramsey Case – The Denver Post”. 2018. Denverpost.Com. https://www.denverpost.com/1999/10/17/jonbenet-ramsey-case-experts-conviction-long-shot/.

  “Four Pieces Of Evidence In The Jonbenét Ramsey Case That Just Don’t Fit | The Forensic Outreach Library”. 2018. Forensicoutreach.Com. http://forensicoutreach.com/library/four-pieces-of-evidence-in-the-jonbenet-ramsey-case-that-just-dont-fit/.

  “Jonbenét Ramsey Series Questions Key DNA Evidence | New York Post”. 2018. Nypost.Com. https://nypost.com/2016/09/12/jonbenet-ramsey-series-questions-key-dna-evidence/.

  “The Investigation”. 2018. Crime + Investigation. http://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/jonbenet-ramsey/investigation

  “What Is Touch DNA?” 2018. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/experts-touch-dna-jonbenet-ramsey/.

  Four Pieces Of Evidence In The Jonbenét Ramsey Case That Just Don’t Fit | The Forensic Outreach Library”. 2018. Forensicoutreach.Com. http://forensicoutreach.com/library/four-pieces-of-evidence-in-the-jonbenet-ramsey-case-that-just-dont-fit/.