Investigator says officials babied parents and other cops made errors
By Kevin McCullenDenver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
BOULDER -- "Several people are going to have to beg their way into heaven" after botching the JonBenet Ramsey case, former detective Steve Thomas says in his new book. Thomas fingers Patsy Ramsey as the likely killer, contending she probably murdered her 6-year-old daughter in a rage after a bed-wetting incident Christmas night 1996. Her husband, John, is covering up for her, he says. But Thomas says prosecutors who sided with the Ramseys and mistakes made by fellow officers in processing the crime scene at the Ramsey home Dec. 26, 1996, have made it impossible to prosecute the mother. "It was institutional idiocy, and in my opinion, there are several people in Boulder who are going to have to beg their way into heaven after this one," writes Thomas, who was one of five main detectives on the case. JonBenet: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation, which goes on sale today, doesn't name who will have to plead for forgiveness, but Thomas rips several people throughout the 352-page book for hindering the investigation. Among those criticized are Boulder District Attorney Alex Hunter, veteran prosecutors Peter Hofstrom and Trip DeMuth, former Boulder Police Chief Tom Koby and current Chief Mark Beckner. None of them would comment about the book. Thomas writes that he and other detectives were frustrated at what he perceived as the Boulder DA's office's deferential treatment of the Ramseys and insistence that police actively look at a large pool of potential suspects. He says most of the evidence, particularly the handwriting on a ransom note, points to Patsy Ramsey. Patsy Ramsey's husband, John Ramsey, on Monday called Thomas "a very tragic figure who singlehandedly has destroyed my family's reputation through leaks and lies." The Ramseys have denied any involvement in their daughter's killing and in their own book singled out Thomas, a narcotics detective with no homicide experience, for criticism. They blasted Thomas for focusing on them and ignoring evidence pointing to an intruder as the killer. Thomas, who resigned from the police department in protest in August 1998 and now owns a construction company, reveals several details about some of the evidence he saw while investigating the case: Patsy Ramsey was the only person from among 73 people whose writing samples were analyzed that could not be excluded as the author of the ransom note. The handwritten note was supposedly found by Patsy hours before her daughter's battered and strangled body was found in the basement. Boulder County Coroner John Meyer discussed his autopsy findings with Henry Lee, the famed criminologist brought into the case by Hunter. Thomas wrote that Meyer told Lee that "chronic vaginal abuse" of the child was a possibility, although he could not pinpoint the source. Four red acrylic fibers found on the duct tape that covered the child's mouth were consistent with fibers from a blazer worn by Patsy Ramsey on Christmas, Thomas wrote. Detectives also wanted a search warrant for a pair of fur boots Patsy Ramsey was seen wearing that night because the FBI lab identified a possible beaver hair on the tape, but prosecutors never approved the warrant. Investigators did not determine the source of an unidentified boot print in the basement, but detectives later learned not all of the police officers or sheriff's deputies in the home that day were told to bring in their boots for comparisons. Beckner, who is criticized by Thomas for siding with prosecutors in the investigation, said he's worried that Thomas' discussion of evidence could hinder an arrest and trial of a suspect. "It does not help the case," Beckner said. April 11, 2000
BOULDER -- "Several people are going to have to beg their way into heaven" after botching the JonBenet Ramsey case, former detective Steve Thomas says in his new book.
Thomas fingers Patsy Ramsey as the likely killer, contending she probably murdered her 6-year-old daughter in a rage after a bed-wetting incident Christmas night 1996.
Her husband, John, is covering up for her, he says.
But Thomas says prosecutors who sided with the Ramseys and mistakes made by fellow officers in processing the crime scene at the Ramsey home Dec. 26, 1996, have made it impossible to prosecute the mother.
"It was institutional idiocy, and in my opinion, there are several people in Boulder who are going to have to beg their way into heaven after this one," writes Thomas, who was one of five main detectives on the case.
JonBenet: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation, which goes on sale today, doesn't name who will have to plead for forgiveness, but Thomas rips several people throughout the 352-page book for hindering the investigation.
Among those criticized are Boulder District Attorney Alex Hunter, veteran prosecutors Peter Hofstrom and Trip DeMuth, former Boulder Police Chief Tom Koby and current Chief Mark Beckner. None of them would comment about the book.
Thomas writes that he and other detectives were frustrated at what he perceived as the Boulder DA's office's deferential treatment of the Ramseys and insistence that police actively look at a large pool of potential suspects.
He says most of the evidence, particularly the handwriting on a ransom note, points to Patsy Ramsey.
Patsy Ramsey's husband, John Ramsey, on Monday called Thomas "a very tragic figure who singlehandedly has destroyed my family's reputation through leaks and lies."
The Ramseys have denied any involvement in their daughter's killing and in their own book singled out Thomas, a narcotics detective with no homicide experience, for criticism.
They blasted Thomas for focusing on them and ignoring evidence pointing to an intruder as the killer.
Thomas, who resigned from the police department in protest in August 1998 and now owns a construction company, reveals several details about some of the evidence he saw while investigating the case:
Beckner, who is criticized by Thomas for siding with prosecutors in the investigation, said he's worried that Thomas' discussion of evidence could hinder an arrest and trial of a suspect.
"It does not help the case," Beckner said.
April 11, 2000
