The initial hours of the investigation were marked by a series of critical errors that would haunt the case for decades to come.2 When Patsy Ramsey called 911 to report a ransom note and her daughter’s disappearance, the subsequent response by the Boulder Police Department became a textbook example of how a crime scene should not be managed. Friends and family members were permitted to roam the house, effectively contaminating potential DNA evidence and destroying the integrity of the scene. The discovery of JonBenét’s body by her father, John Ramsey, several hours later only added to the forensic chaos. This early mismanagement created a vacuum of certainty that was quickly filled by the sensationalism of the 24-hour news cycle, turning a somber police matter into a national obsession. Continue reading…