lousmit.htm

This is an archive historical web site on the JonBenet Ramsey Murder case

AND A WEBSITE DEDICATED TO VICTIMS AND THE SEARCH FOR JUSTICE

Never Forget
September 11, 2001

Detective Lou Smit Media Circuit

"If it's not the Ramseys, then it's an intruder.
If there is no intruder, then it has to be the Ramseys."

October 25, 1999
Vol. 154 No. 17
Time Magazine

October 25, 1999 - Time Magazine, "Did an Intruder Kill JonBenet Ramsey?"
(By Richard Woodbury and Jeffrey Shapiro)

Time Magazine: "Around midnight, after the family's return, he slipped upstairs to JonBenet's room and, using a stun gun, temporarily immobilized her. He carried the youngster to the basement and sexually assaulted her while simultaneously choking her, apparently for the thrill, with a garrote--a favored tool of pedophiles, Smit says--fashioned from the handle of one of Patsy Ramsey's paintbrushes."

"When JonBenet woke, tore the duct tape from her mouth and began screaming, Smit theorizes that the killer panicked and struck her, perhaps with a heavy flashlight. With no time to retrieve his note from upstairs, the killer broke a window and fled. Later, police found a scuff mark from what appeared to be a boot on the nearby wall as well as unidentified boot and palm prints."

"From his experience with more than 200 murder and fantasy-stalker cases, Smit believes the killer intended to go to Mexico--that is why he demanded the odd sum of $118,000, which at the time was close to a million pesos, and some of it in $20 bills, for easy exchanging. "I believe the Ramseys are innocent," says Smit. "If it's an intruder, it's not the parents, and I think it's that simple."

October 25, 1999 Time Magazine "Did an Intruder Kill JonBenet Ramsey?"

'Evidence man:' Retired Colorado detective Lou Smit (David Strick)
Newsweek
March 20, 2000

March 20, 2000 Newsweek Interview (by Daniel Glick)

Newsweek: "A homicide detective says the evidence suggests an outsider, not John or Patsy Ramsey, killed JonBenet. For the first time, he publicly makes his controversial case."

"Loyal to the cop's code never to talk about an ongoing investigation, Smit refused to publicly share the evidence that led him to his "intruder theory." But now Smit is breaking his silence. In an extensive interview with NEWSWEEK, the 64-year-old investigator laid out his theory, which raises questions about the police's handling of the case—and points away from the parents. Even so, Smit's theory doesn't solve the case. He still can't answer the key question: who killed JonBenet? And his theory can't disprove the police case against the Ramseys, who officially remain under an "umbrella of suspicion."

Mar 20, 2000 Newsweek Interview "The Intruder Theory" by Daniel Glick

Mar 20, 2000 Newsweek Interview Transcript

NBC Today Show: "IN A SPECIAL six-part series of exclusive interviews on “Today,” Detective Smit and others who worked the Ramsey case, will be speaking out to explain their theories and talk about evidence they say the on-going investigation has ignored. For the first time, “Today” will show this evidence, including many never-before-seen crime scene and autopsy photos, as Smit explains his case."

"We should note John and Patsy Ramsey have never seen many of the photographs “Today” will show and discuss over the course of this series, but they are aware we’ll be showing them."

[Crime Scene]

Crime Scene Photos

[Lou Smit in basement window]

Lou Smit climbing
in basement window

[Crime Scene Photos]

Crime Scene Photos

[Stun Gun Pigs]

Stun Gun Pigs

April 30, 2001 NBC Today Show Interview (by Katie Couric)

Apr 30, 2001 thru May 4, 2001 Screen captures

Apr 30, 2001 NBC Today Show (Part 1) - Smit: An intruder killed JonBenet

Smit: “You know Katie it was the second day I was on the case. The very first photograph that I’d seen of that basement window - the window was wide open. And I said ‘Wait a minute take a look at that.’ That was one of the light bulbs that went off, and one of the red flags that I seen.”

May 01, 2001 NBC Today Show (Part 2) - Smit: The killer used a stun gun

“This is what it sounds like (demonstrates stun gun noise). There’s an arc between the two contacts. If you look very closely at the photographs of the injuries on JonBenet, there’s a similar blue line that appears between the two contact marks on JonBenet.”

May 02, 2001 NBC Today Show (Part 3) - Smit: JonBenet was strangled

“Just the way that the ligature on her hands was constructed, again is a fantasy in the mind of this killer. This wasn’t just tied on her wrist, with little granny knots on both sides, and a rope tied to her. The way that this was constructed was to make two loops with a tether about 15 inches in between. The loops were then placed over the hands of JonBenet, with a slipknot, and tightened to give the appearance of bondage.”

Couric: “There were reports that there were red fibers found on JonBenet that matched a sweater Patsy Ramsey was wearing.”

Smit: “Patsy Ramsey was sitting on the same blanket, probably, that night, when she changed JonBenet’s clothing."

May 03, 2001 NBC Today Show (Part 4) - Smit: Ransom note points to intruder

“Smit: “Well, there’s a couple of good reasons for not taking a ransom note into the house. If you’re caught, for instance, taking in a ransom note, you have it in your pocket when you come into the house, for instance, and there’s an alarm that goes in or the police check the house or somebody sees you, it’s pretty obvious what your plan would have been.”

Smit: “That’s a very important part of this too. And that, I think, shows that the person who was writing this note had plenty of time to do it. And it starts off with “Dear Mr. And - ” and it starts the word M on Mrs. Then it stopped. Between that practice note and the ransom note, by looking at the torn out pieces of the - of the ransom note, I believe there was close to six pages that are missing. Those pages are not found in the house either, Katie.”

Smit: “No, Patsy Ramsey cannot be completely ruled out. The handwriting examiners - there was at least six of them that looked at all of the handwriting exemplars, and all of the handwriting of Patsy Ramsey. She does have certain characteristics, which are close in nature to that on the note, but what some of the examiners have said, and the majority of them - is that there are many more differences. In other words, it’s not a positive at all that Patsy Ramsey wrote that note.”

May 04, 2001 NBC Today Show (Part 5) - Smit: 'For JonBenet, and for the case

Smit: “The main thing you learn as a detective when you go into a crime scene, is you always try to get an interview with the people that are there. If you find a body, and you realize that there’s a homicide that occurred, you always bring them into the station. If you find evidence that they’d been involved in a violent death and they have marks or bruises on them, that goes to their guilt. But if you find that they don’t have these things, it also goes to their innocence.”

Couric: “And you do it separately? You separate them?”

Smit: “Yes. And you take all their clothing. And you interview them separately. That’s the time to do it.”

Couric: “Why wasn’t that done?”

Smit: “I don’t know. Somebody made a decision not to do that.”

Couric: “In fairness to the Boulder Police Department though, they did try on several occasions reportedly to get the Ramseys to be interviewed down at the police station, and the Ramseys reportedly refused. I mean if I were a parent and I want to find out who murdered my child, God forbid, I would do everything in my power to help the police solve the case.”

Smit: “Yes Katie. But you would also go by what your lawyers advised you to do.”

Couric: “Do you think their lawyers did them a disservice in some ways by protecting them too much, at least in the court of public opinion?”

Smit: “Yes, in the court of public opinion that is the perception. But from the lawyers’ perception is that they were trying to keep their clients out of jail. That was their main focus was to protect their clients. Their main focus was not public perception.”

Entertainment Tonight
April 30, 2001

April 30, 2001 Entertainment Tonight

Entertainment Tonight: JonBenet: New Crime Scene Photos

"A former investigator in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case says he will release photos of the crime, despite objections from the district attorney. These photos, which were presented to the grand jury trying the case, will be introduced to the public for the first time on NBC's "Today" show -- and tonight ET will have the full story!"

"Smit informed D.A. MARY KEENAN of his intention to release the 1996 pictures, but she discouraged him, saying that continued media publicity would only complicate the investigation. "I am opposed to anyone talking to the media about the Ramsey case," she said."

Entertainment Tonight - April 30, 2001

Clues in the Case
Crime Scene Photos
May 5, 2001

May 5, 2001 Rocky Mountain News "Clues in the Case"

RMN: "Here are the key points of evidence that retired detective Lou Smit presents in making his case that an intruder killed JonBenet Ramsey. Neither Boulder police nor the district attorney's office would respond to Smit's points. Where possible, the Rocky Mountain News has summarized past public statements that dispute Smit's contentions. In some instances, Smit himself presented counter-arguments. The accompanying photos are crime-scene and autopsy pictures taken as part of the police investigation. Some are appearing in print for the first time."

May 5, 2001 Crime Scene Photos - Rocky Mountain News

Fox News Interview
May 21, 2001
May 22, 2001
May 23, 2001
May 24, 2001

May 23, 2001:
Carol McKinley: Boulder police believe this fracture on JonBenet's skull was caused by an accident and the strangulation came second to fool them into believing an intruder's elaborate plot. Autopsy consultant Tom Henry said JonBenet may have even survived unconscious for 15 min before she was strangled.

Tom Henry: The fact that she's got this extensive of described of a blood, essentially blood clot in the scalp, to me indicates a little longer period of time that she had to survive a little more blood pumping under pressure for a longer period of time.

May 21, 2001 Fox News (Lou Smit, Michael Dobersen, Henry Lee)

May 21, 2001 Fox News Report (Part 1) - McKinley, Lou Smit, Henry Lee
May 22, 2001 Fox News Report (Part 2) - McKinley, Lou Smit, Doberson, Ritter

Carol McKinley: These are pictures Lou Smit wants the world to see. They are early crime scene and autopsy photographs taken by the Boulder police and the Boulder County coroner's office in late Dec 1996, right after JonBenét's body was found. JonBenet's empty bed and bedroom, a footprint on the basement floor, a cord embedded in her neck.

Lou Smit: I've been very reluctant to show these photographs.

Carol McKinley: But Smit says he's releasing them now because they point to JonBenet's killer. He took the pictures without permission when he resigned from the investigation 2.5 yrs ago. Boulder authorities sued to get them back but Smit won the right to keep them. His decision to go public angers case investigators who want to keep these images sealed.

Bill Ritter: This is an investigation that you could still pick up tomorrow and work and the less the public knows about intimate details more likely you are to apprehend the killer or killers.

Lou Smit: I don't blame them a bit Carol. I think that if somebody interfered in my case I think that I'd probably be angry too.

May 23, 2001 Fox News Report (Part 3) - McKinley, Lou Smit, Doberson, Henry, Lee

Lou Smit: If a stun gun was used on JonBenet it's very likely it's not the parents.

Michael Dobersen: Everything is consistent with a stun gun

Carol McKinley: Forensic scientist Michael Dobersen never saw the body but worked from these autopsy photos and experiments with anesthetized pigs. But coroner John Meyer's autopsy reports says the marks are abrasions not electrical burns.

Henry Lee: The best person to make such an interpretation is the medical examiner. Dr Meyer

Carol McKinley: The one who saw the body

Henry Lee: Who saw the body. We only sees a picture

Carol McKinley: We have to believe him?

Henry Lee: We, it Dr Meyer I have to believe him

May 24, 2001 Fox News Report (Part 4) - McKinley, Lou Smit, Henry Lee

Larry King LIve Interview
May 28, 2001

Larry King: "Where do we go from here?"

Lou Smit: "I believe that what should be done, even at this time, they have worn the Ramsey path out, I believe that perhaps they should get in fresh minds and fresh eyes, experienced people that can take a look at this case with an unbiased view point. That means getting rid of perhaps even the detectives that are working on it now. Getting rid of Lou Smit. Let somebody else in there that can objectively take a look at that case"

May 28, 2001 Larry King Live Interview Lou Smit

Larry King: A window. Was that window open when they investigated it?

Lou Smit: Yes. When John Ramsey had first seen the window...

Larry King: There we see a window. That's the window, right?

Lou Smit: That's the window. Now, again, that picture that you see is the first photograph taken of that window after the crime scene technicians got back into the house. Now, later on, I believe that it was noted that this window may have been opened even by John Ramsey and Fleet White. But what that window did show us, when we first seen it, was that entry could have been made there. There was a scuff mark down the wall. There was leaves and debris on the floor, directly below that open window.

And when we looked at photographs of the window well that leads into that window, we've also seen evidence of recent disturbance. There is also foliage under the grate that covers this window well, which would indicate that someone may have opened and shut the grate. There is also disturbance on the windowsill of the middle window only, not the other two windows.

SMIT: Perhaps, the kidnapper is also a sadistic pedophile, perhaps that was his intent all along. I don't know what was in the mind of the killer. All I know is that the killer fantasied making this garrote in his mind. He fantasized putting this around JonBenet's neck.

He had to put a handle on this garrote. He had to put a noose on this garrote. He had to put it around JonBenet's neck, probably while she was still bound and had duct tape on her mouth, this is a fantasy in the mind of the killer. Why he did this, inside the house, I don't know.

Perhaps he don't have a place to take JonBenet. Perhaps he couldn't get her out of the house. I believe that the suitcase has another function in that window. I think perhaps he tried to stick her in that suitcase. I believe that there is...

May 28, 2001 Larry King Live interviews Lou Smit
Screen Captures: Larry King Live - May 28, 2001

July 11, 2001 - Who Killed
the Pageant Queen?

Mills Production for ITV.
David Mills/Michael Tracey
Executive Producer : Ray Fitzwalter

July 11, 2001 UK Documentary "Who Killed the Pageant Queen?"

Real Crime: Who Killed the Pageant Queen?

"In "Real Crime: Who Killed the Pageant Queen?" ITV reveals exactly what happened in the Ramsey home that night, using secret police evidence."

Lou Smit, the most experienced murder detective to investigate the crime, admits that revealing secret police evidence is the hardest thing he has ever done, but justice for JonBenét demands it.

Real Crime: Who Killed the Pageant Queen? - July 11, 2001

Transcript: "Who Killed the Pageant Queen?" - July 11, 2001
Screen Captures: "Who Killed the Pageant Queen?" - July 11, 2001

CBS 48 Hours
October 4, 2002

Erin Moriarty: "But why would an intruder kill JonBenet and leave the bazaar two and half page ransom note with paper and pen that belonged to Patsy? Boulder Police believe that Patsy used it to make it look like an intruder killed JonBenet."

Erin Moriarty: "But if someone had been targeting JonBenet Ramsey wouldn't he at least bring the paper and pencil to write this ransom note, I mean....?"

Lou Smit: "They probably wouldn't bring it in. Why bring something in that can be traced back to your house where you have actual the pen and the ink and you have the paper right there that it was written on."

Erin Moriarty: "But you can't count on finding that in the house"

Lou Smit: "Can't count on it. Most houses have that."

Erin Moriarty: "Wouldn't that have been or the best way to know or coming the closest to knowing is if you could have exhumed the body and line up a stun gun and see if it matches those injuries?"

Lou Smit: "Sure, I believe that would have been the most accurate way to do it."

October 4, 2002 - CBS 48 Hours Investigates - Searching for a Killer

Erin Moriarty: "But what about the fibers from Patsy Ramsey's jacket that police say were in the paint tray and on the sticky side of duct tape covering JonBenet's mouth"

Erin Moriarty: "Is there a fact that there were fibers consistent with Patsy Ramsey's jacket incrementing?"

Lou Smit: "Sure."

Erin Moriarty: "But does that shake your faith that the Ramsey's were not involved?"

Lou Smit: "No, you just can't rely on fiber evidence because fibers could come off the jacket or something similar to the jacket."

Lou Smit: "There are three windows there. The center one that was open, look real closely to the one on the left. Your going to see leaves and debris pressed right up against the window. And the one again in the center.. No leaves or debris."

Erin Moriarty: "Which says?"

Lou Smit: "That window was open. Directly below that open window you have a suitcase, directly around that suitcase you have leaves and debris from that window well around that suitcase. Also you'll see if you look very closely, you'll see a mark goes right down the wall."

Erin Moriarty: "No expert could eliminate Patsy Ramsey as the ransom note writer. That's damning isn't it?"

Lou Smit: "No not at all. You're always going to have similarities in handwriting. To sit down and write a note like that, with all of those details in there after brutally killing your daughter, you never done that before, come on, give me a break."

Erin Moriarty: "How sure are you that it's not a stun gun?"

Dr. Werner Spitz: "Well I'm a hundred percent sure because stun gun injuries don't look that way."

Erin Moriarty: (Voice Over) "Dr. Werner Spitz, a nationally known pathologist who has worked on major cases including the assassination of J.F. Kennedy."

Dr. Werner Spitz: "Are you telling me that this looks to you like the other one, the one that JonBenet has? They don't look like that to me at all. A stun gun injury is an electrical burn, it's a burn essentially. And these don't look like burns."

Erin Moriarty: (Voice Over) "Instead, Spitz believes the large dark mark on JonBenet's face was left by a snap on a piece of clothing"

Dr. Werner Spitz: "You know like the snaps they have on blue jeans for instance. If you look at this one below the ear, this thing here. If you look at it closely with a magnify glass you will see within this brownish mark is a boat shaped structure which is missing with any of the other injuries."

October 4, 2002 - CBS 48 Hours Investigates - Searching for a Killer
October 4, 2002 - Screen Captures - CBS 48 Hours Investigates

Entertainment Tonight
November 6, 2002

November 6, 2002 Entertainment Tonight

Entertainment Tonight: Inside JonBenet's House!

"Now for the first time on TV, Court TV cameras go inside the Ramsey's former home in a search of new clues about the killer: Up the stairs... Outside the window... And where the ransom note was found! Tonight on ET, get your first look at this incredible footage."

"In "The Elite -- JonBenet: A Second Look," premiering Thursday night, November 7 at 8 EST/PST on Court TV, Smit tours the murder scene and reveals troubling new evidence he has collected. Using forensic evidence, the former detective paints a compelling picture of how he believes events unfolded the night of the baby beauty queen's death -- which is quite different from the theories developed by police and the media. The one-hour special also features newly released footage of an interrogation of JonBenet's parents."

Entertainment Tonight - November 6, 2002

Court TV
The Elite
"JonBenet: A Second Look"
November 7, 2002

November 7, 2002 - Court TV - The Elite -- "JonBenet: A Second Look"

The one-hour documentary, The Elite -- Jon Benet: A Second Look, premieres on November 8th at 8 PM ET/PT and features newly released footage of the interrogation of Jon Benet's parents, John and Patsy Ramsey. When the lead investigators are unable to make headway on the Jon Benet case, the District Attorney calls in the investigator many think is second-to-none: the legendary Lou Smit.

"In Jon Benet: A Second Look, Court TV profiles Smit and his independent investigation to determine John and Patsy Ramsey's involvement in Jon Benet's death. The compelling one-hour documentary reveals troubling new evidence collected by Smit that strongly suggests the Ramsey's were not involved and that an intruder was in the house the night of the murder. Using forensic evidence, Smit paints a vivid and compelling picture of how he believes events unfolded the night of Jon Benet's death, which is quite different from the theories developed by police and the media."

November 7, 2002 - Court TV - The Elite -- "JonBenet: A Second Look"
November 7, 2002 - Transcript - Court TV - The Elite -- "JonBenet: A Second Look"
November 7, 2002 - Screen Captures - Court TV - The Elite -- "JonBenet: A Second Look"

Lou Smit and John Ramsey
1998 Interrogation Videos

[Lou Smit climbing out basement window]

Lou Smit
Basement Window

Larry King Live
November 12, 2002

November 12, 2002 - Larry King Live interview with Lin Wood

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Lou Smit: "I know you're a Christian, John. Would you swear to God you didn't do this?"

John Ramsey: "I swear to God I didn't do it. I swear to God."

Lou Smit: The position of that suitcase when it was first observed there, by Fleet White, was that it was directly against the wall directly underneath that open window. There is evidence on top of that suit case, a very small, tiny pea sized piece of glass which could have come off the shoe of the intruder. There's also what appears to be a disturbance on the top of that suitcase, as if someone may have stood on it at some particular point. The intruder had to come in through the window.

Larry King: Used the suitcase to get out.

Lou Smit: Yes. It would make it much easier to get out of that basement.

November 12, 2002 - Larry King Live interview with Lin Wood
November 12, 2002 - Screen Capture - Black duct tape on pageant floor

Court TV
The System
"A Second Look"
May 11, 2003

May 11, 2003 - Court TV - The System - "A Second Look"

LOU SMIT - When you're not on a crime scene, you do miss out on quite a bit of the feelings that you get during the initial investigation. That's where photographs really do come in. Boulder Police Department did take great photographs. I did spend a great deal of time inspecting each and every one of those photographs and they did tell me a story.

LOU SMIT - Now this is a photograph that really caught my eye because the window was wide open. But what also caught my attention was a mark on the wall leading right directly from the window down the wall going down to the floor. When I first seen that photograph I thought, "Uh oh, looks like somebody could have got in here."

NARRATOR: Early in Detective Lou Smit's investigation, he had found evidence of a break-in through a window at the Ramsey home. Now more evidence started to emerge.

LOU SMIT - The open window itself really wouldn't mean too much. But if an intruder came in here he would have left other clues behind him. This is the way he would have come. And it's only a short distance to the staircase that leads upstairs. And up these stairs we found one of the most important clues in this case.

May 11, 2003 - Transcipt - Court TV - The System - "A Second Look"
May 11, 2003 - Screen Captures - Court TV - The System - "A Second Look" May 11, 2003

Internet Subculture and the JonBenet Ramsey Murder Case

Depositions, Transcripts, Screen Captures, Exemplers, Analysis, Court Orders, Lawsuits, Whistle Blowers, Interrogation Transcripts, Testimony, Timeline, Forums, News Articles, Archives, House Photos, Grave Photos, Side Shows, Audio, Vigils, Victims, Parody, Links, Harassment, Memories, Hacking, Get Togethers, Forum Wars, Poster Wars, Live Chats, Radio Shows, Egos, Hoaxes, Secrets, Flaming, Deaths, Dedications, Transcripts, Books, Hats, Truth, Lies, Virtual Tours, Pro-Rams, Anti-Rams, Fence Sitters

For questions regarding this web site, contact the webmaster


.	Home	First Amendment		Send E-mail	Disclaimer	Sister Site	.