Report surfaces that Patsy Ramsey has hired a second attorney, Patrick Furman. March 2, 1997 A report surfaced that McReynolds was recovering from double bypass heart surgery at Christmastime. Also his wife accompanied him to the party to help carry gifts due to his medical condition. He was reportedly "wobbly" still by that point in time. March 3, 1997 Boulder police are re-checking information McReynolds, the man who played Santa.
Police are interested in the McReynolds because of two strange parallels to the Ramsey case: Another parallel is a play written by Janet McReynolds in 1976 -- titled "Hey Rube" -- which is about the sexual assault, torture and murder of a girl whose body was found in a basement. Her play is a fictionalized account of the 1965 torture and murder of Sylvia Likens in Indiana. The 16yo was brutalized by a gang of teenagers and a woman who had agreed to board Likens in her home. Janet McReynolds won a Western States Art Foundation regional prize and a $7,500 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for the play in 1976 but it was never published Recap on McReynolds: (1) Janet McReynolds went with her husband to the Ramsey house on the night of Dec. 23, when he portrayed Santa at a Christmas party for the third consecutive year. (2)Bill McReynolds was given a tour of the Ramsey's home in 1995. (3)The McReynoldses told police their alibi for the night of JonBenet's murder was that they went to bed at 8 p.m Kelvin McNeill refused to confirm that police had talked with the McReynoldses and declined comment about the couple's status in the investigation. March 4, 1997 CBI completes some of its examinations of the evidence, and other evidence is sent to Cellmark. March 6, 1997 John Andrew Ramsey and Melinda Ramsey were publicly cleared by Boulder authorities. The statement was that they were cleared "to relieve them of stress caused by inappropriate speculation." March 8, 1997 Was reported that police obtained a handwriting sample from Janet McReynolds March 10, 1997 Report surfaces that no footprints surrounding the house were found in the snow. Report surfaces that there was a light snow several times from Dec 23 - Dec 25. March 12, 1997 Melanie Lomax states she believes this case will be placed in "inactive status." She further cites ineptness of the Boulder officials in not aggressively seeking an interview with Burke Ramsey. March 13, 1997 ABC News broke a story that analysis of a spot of fluid recovered from the body, originally thought to be semen, failed to yield any DNA. March 14, 1997 It is reported that Lou Smit has joined the investigative team, for a salary of $5,000.00 per month."He has an impeccable reputation and is highly respected" per Kelvin McNeill. Sources confirm that no semen was found on or near the body. Patsy Ramsey still has not been eliminated as the author of the Ransom Note, per Pete Mang of CBI. Investigators reportedly want examples of Patsy's handwriting before the murder. Report of medication she has been taking since the murder has altered her handwriting. A University of Colorado student's (Paul Hidalgo) mural depicting JonBenet as "Daddy's Little Hooker" was partially dismantled by him. Three pictures --- which were color copies of photographs published in the Jan. 20 issue of Newsweek magazinewhich --- were mounted below the title were removed because of possible copyright infringement.Hidalgo says: "My message got out, and I'm happy with the result" when asked about the mural's intent and the fact he is leaving the title behind. March 17, 1997 Patsy Ramsey makes a trip to D.C. to consult with her oncology doctors. She was accompanied by Patrick Burke, her lawyer. Joe Digenova states he believes the parents are involved in the murder somehow. Lou Smit signs a contract agreement with Hunter.
March 18, 1997 Several features on some of the characters in handwriting samples provided by Patsy Ramsey resemble those in the ransom note, it is now reported. Korten states that the Ramsey handwriting experts have concluded that Patsy did not write the note. Andrew Bradley states that comparison of the note to samples is complicated by the fact that the writer of the note was attempting to disguise his/her handwriting. March 21, 1997 CBI director denies Ramseys' attorneys to observe testing at the lab of the samples taken into evidence. Whiteside states this opportunity is only afforded to defendants in cases. March 22, 1997 Kelvin McNeill stated in his weekly press conference that Cellmark was ready to begin testing with implications that the Ramseys were holding the testing up. Representatives of John and Patsy Ramsey disputed his claims that the family is impeding DNA testing. But McNeill stated the family is holding the testing up because they cannot decide whether to send a representative or not.
RECAP: Kelvin McNeill confirmed authorities have subpoenaed videotapes from CNN of a Jan. 1 interview with John and Patsy Ramsey. Prosecutors disputed a media report their office plans to treat Jay Elowsky favorably by dropping a concealed-weapon charge as well as reducing a felony menacing charge to misdemeanor status. March 24, 1997 Moses Schanfield states he's been asked to go to Cellmark to view the testing. He also states that there is a "mixed sample" which has been found on JonBenet. It has been sent to Cellmark to identify what the minor component is. Schanfield says he has to await further info from Cellmark so that he can determine the nature of the testing. This will decide if he actually needs to go or not. Vicki Bane states she believes the police know who did the murder. March 28, 1997 Attorneys for the Ramseys decided against monitoring additional DNA testing of the samples sent to Cellmark. The Ramsey attorneys determined that the presence of an observer was unnecessary according to Korten. CNN turned over to the authorities the uncut version of the CNN interview with the Ramseys. Pat Korten is fired, and Rachelle Zimmer is hired to replace him; she will begin work on Monday. Reasons for the switch were numerous, ranging from money to the fact Korten was from Wash and not readily available. Korten stated it was supposed to be "only a couple of months" at the most when he was first hired. March 29, 1997 Korten was dismissed as the family spokesman. Report surfaces that investigators are looking into Patsy Ramsey's conduct as a juror from a case from the previous year. March 30, 1997 Geraldo predicts that there will be some significant developments in the case within 48 - 72 hrs. Lefcourt states that he would not be surprised if the parents aren't charged within the next week or so. He believes the cops will "go with what they have." April 4, 1997 A photographer for the Natl Enquirer reports being assaulted by John Andrew in Denver Airport. Report is that John Andrew swung at the reporter and knocked his camera to the floor, breaking the lens and exposing the film April 7, 1997 Detectives go to Charlotte NC to interview John Eustace. April 8, 1997 Detectives arrive in Georgia for their third visit to obtain information from people. Detectives rule out John Eustace as a possible suspect in the murder. April 11, 1997 Police authorities agree to hold audio taped interrogations with John and Patsy Ramsey. Patsy Ramsey agrees to provide investigators with a 4th handwriting sample using her right and left hands April 14, 1997 Authorities request a 5th handwriting sample from Patsy Ramsey April 15, 1997 Boulder Police submit a press release about the 5th handwriting sample requested from Patsy.
April 16, 1997 Koby announces that Mr and Mrs White are "not in the picture as suspects" but are "key witnesses who have cooperated with us fully from day one of this investigation."
Attorneys for Patsy Ramsey are still considering the investigator request for a fifth handwriting sample from her. Hal Haddon issues a statement pertaining to the clearing of Fleet White. A copy of that statement can be found here:
April 18, 1997 Zimmer puts out a statement to the press that states the family is pleased that the Whites have been eliminated as suspects in the murder. She states in reading "we are gratified to know that the Boulder Police Department has officially cleared them as suspects in the murder of our daughter." Hunter makes the first official statement that the parents are the "focus of the investigation." It is reported that in a rare move of cooperation, Hunter and Haddon agreed on the statement to be made about the request for a fifth handwriting sample. April 21, 1997 Ramsey lawyers receive copies of police documents on the Ramseys' statements made to police on Dec 26 1996. April 22, 1997 Norm Early states there is a good chance for indictments of the parents in this case. Wendy Murphy states the need for a "Ken Starr" in Boulder. Interview set up with parents was cancelled by Boulder officials. The FBI concluded that the circumstances would not facilitate an effective interview. April 23, 1997 Reports surface that investigators are possibly looking at palm prints for identification of the writer of the ransom note. Ramsey attorneys send a letter to the DA's office in reference to the interviews with the parents that were to begin on this date but were cancelled. Letter indicates that the body was held as a "bargaining chip" for an interview. April 24, 1997 Boulder authorities sent the Ramsey legal team a letter outlining new conditions for an interview April 27, 1997 Ramseys place an ad in the Boulder Daily Camera restating their $100,000 reward for information on the murder. April 29, 1997 Report surfaces that the Ramsey attorneys were provided a copy of the Dec 26 1996 police reports as part of the conditions to get them in for an interview. April 30, 1997 Ramsey parents are finally interviewed by police. Patsy was interviewed for about 6hours and John was interviewed for about 2 hours. This questioning was done by Detectives Trujillo and Thomas. Conditions requested and agreed upon for this interview, beyond the exchange of the police documents from Dec 26 to the Ramsey attorneys, were as follows:
Detectives, selected after consultation with Hunter
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