JonBenét Ramsey Tragedy Getting Prestige Series
The story of JonBenét Ramsey, one of the most infamous unsolved murders in the U.S., is getting its own limited true-crime series. Produced by MTV Entertainment and 101 Studios, the new show has yet to be officially titled, and there is little word on what platform might pick it up once it is completed. Paramount+ has been rumored to be a distinct possibility.
Pitched To MTV
The new JonBenét Ramsey series was created and written by Harrison Query and Tommy Wallach. The pair sold it as a pitch to MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios. They’ll serve as executive producers on the show alongside Richard LaGravenese, who will also serve as showrunner.
Adapting The Infamous Murder
Having Richard LaGravenese on set is an interesting factor, as he is a man who has done most of his work in film. He worked on the screenplays for such movies as Water for Elephants, Freedom Writers, and The Horse Whisperer. He wrote and directed P.S. I Love You and Beautiful Creatures. If you’re familiar with any of these titles (which you likely are), you’ll understand the level of talent the man brings to the table.
An Open Case
The JonBenét Ramsey case has been the subject of scrutiny and many a documentary over the past 28 years, and the story still strikes people today. The case remains officially open to this day, and no one has yet to be convicted of killing the little girl.
If you’re unfamiliar with the case, JonBenét Ramsey was a 6-year-old little girl who was first reported missing from her home in Boulder, Colorado in December of 1996. Hours later, her body was found lifeless in the basement of her home, accompanied by a ransom note.
After an autopsy was done on her body, the cause of death was revealed to be strangulation, and the case was then ruled a homicide. Police immediately began investigating the family.
Her Mother Was A Suspect
Initially, they believed that JonBenét Ramsey’s mother, Patsy, was responsible for writing the ransom note and that the kid’s body had been intentionally placed in a staging position to try and cover up for the murderer. JonBenét Ramsey’s brother (who was nine at the time of the murder) was cleared of any involvement in the case, but not until two years later.
A Grand Jury Was Involved
Police tried for years to gather together enough evidence to proceed with charges against JonBenét Ramsey’s parents (John and Patsy), but they could never get what felt like enough hard evidence to assure a conviction. In 2013, newly unsealed court documents showed that in 1999 a grand jury did recommend filing charges against JonBenét Ramsey’s parents, but the District Attorney felt like there wasn’t enough evidence and didn’t pursue it.
New Series Will Go Deep Into The Case
The new JonBenét Ramsey limited series will explore details of the case in depth and dig into specifics regarding every suspect police have investigated along the way. The official logline for the series says that it “details the mysterious death and the surrounding media frenzy in the murder of JonBenét Ramsey, a case that captivated an entire nation and left us with more questions than answers.”
