JonBenet Ramsey murder documentary maker now has 'more questions than answers'

The director behind a new Netflix documentary examining the murder of child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey, claims the investigation has left her with more questions than ever about the unsolved case.

The six-year-old girl was found dead at her family home on Boxing Day 1996, with a nylon cord around her neck and her wrists tied above her head.

Two decades on from the tragic case in Boulder, Colorado, detectives are still no closer to catching the killer.

It is the impact of this lack of closure upon the community that strikes at the heart of Kitty Green's new film.

Titled Casting JonBenet, the feature sought local actors to star in fictional re-enactments of intertwining moments surrounding the case — some real, others imagined — to try and grasp a fuller understanding of the incident.

"I was 11 or 12 when I saw it on TV, I had an idealised view of American family and this crime punctured that, I was immediately fascinated," she told the Press Association.

The horrifying details of the case leave it etched in the US public consciousness.

Ramsey's lifeless body was found with her mouth covered by duct tape.

The official cause of death was asphyxiation due to strangulation associated with craniocerebral trauma – and there was no evidence of conventional rape.

Her parents John and Patsy, and brother Burke, were cleared of her murder in 2008 following new DNA evidence from the victim's underwear.

The three members of the family were the only ones at the home on the day of JonBenet's disappearance.

Numerous conspiracy theories have grown as the years have passed, including unproven claims by former FBI agent Jim Clemente that pointed to alleged the involvement of her brother Burke.

In 2016, the now 29-year-old spoke publicly for the first time about the murder in a three-part series on The Doctor Phil Show.

His alleged awkward behaviour during the appearance, included constant smiling, sparked debate, but a body language expert offered a more considered explanation to IBTimes UK, citing probable stress and nerves to explain his behaviour.

Differing perspectives

Burke went on to sue a number of those who accused him of involvement in the murder, aged 9.

However, it acted as an example of the varied perspectives Green wished to portray.

"I was looking for a way to explore multiple points of view and not land on a particular theory. I wanted to see how a community reacts when it has no closure," she said.

In an effort to reflect the multiple viewpoints, a host of local actors and actresses are shown on screen vying for the numerous roles, including JonBenet's mother Patsy, lead detective Mark Beckner, and the youngster herself.

The characters then offer their own assessments of the case.

'No closer to the truth'

And despite speaking to 200 people in researching for the project, the Australian film-maker admits "I'm no closer to the truth. I can't see us getting a conviction, it will remain unsolved. It left me with more questions than answers."

Looking at the case in broader perspective, Green concludes: "This community has lived in the shadow of this for 20 years, they can't escape it, it's a different experience when you're dealing with it every day. So how do you find your way through?

"It's not ghoulish to be intrigued, to look within yourself, to understand."

The case remains unsolved to this day.