Patsy Ramsey, mother of JonBenet

* ROBERT WELLER DENVER – Patsy Ramsey (49), who was thrust into the media spotlight by the unsolved 1996 slaying of her daughter, six-year-old beauty pageant contestant JonBenet, died on Saturday following a long battle with ovarian cancer.

JonBenet was found beaten and strangled in the basement of the family’s home in Boulder, Colorado, on December 26 1996. A grand jury investigation ended with no indictments, and no arrests have been made.The Ramseys said an intruder killed their daughter but a cloud of suspicion hung over the couple.The district attorney and a federal judge in Colorado have said it is likelier that an intruder was responsible.JonBenet’s death became fodder for tabloids and the subject of books.Patsy Ramsey said she found a ransom note on the back staircase demanding US$118 000 for the safe return of JonBenet.John Ramsey said he found his daughter’s body, wrapped in a white blanket, in a basement room eight hours later.A white rope was wrapped around her neck and a wrist and tied to a stick.A red-ink heart was drawn on her left palm, and Ramsey told police he removed duct tape from the child’s mouth before carrying her body upstairs.An autopsy concluded JonBenet suffered a skull fracture, and was strangled and beaten.Scott Robinson, a Denver defence lawyer who has followed the case from the start, said JonBenet’s killing is unlikely to ever be solved.- Nampa-APA grand jury investigation ended with no indictments, and no arrests have been made.The Ramseys said an intruder killed their daughter but a cloud of suspicion hung over the couple.The district attorney and a federal judge in Colorado have said it is likelier that an intruder was responsible.JonBenet’s death became fodder for tabloids and the subject of books.Patsy Ramsey said she found a ransom note on the back staircase demanding US$118 000 for the safe return of JonBenet.John Ramsey said he found his daughter’s body, wrapped in a white blanket, in a basement room eight hours later.A white rope was wrapped around her neck and a wrist and tied to a stick.A red-ink heart was drawn on her left palm, and Ramsey told police he removed duct tape from the child’s mouth before carrying her body upstairs.An autopsy concluded JonBenet suffered a skull fracture, and was strangled and beaten.Scott Robinson, a Denver defence lawyer who has followed the case from the start, said JonBenet’s killing is unlikely to ever be solved.- Nampa-AP

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