EXCLUSIVE: Justice for JonBenét Ramsey 'Fading Away' as Key Suspects Die and DNA Obtained Avoids Additional Testing — as the Toddler's Father Still Fights for Answers
Justice for JonBenet Ramsey has been dimming as suspects die and DNA testing stalls.
Sept. 29 2025, Published 6:30 a.m. ET
Justice for tragic child beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey is "fading away" after the legendary homicide investigator who pursued her killer since her shocking 1996 death case died last month – making him the latest in a line of people involved in the still-unsolved mystery to perish, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Tom Haney Jr., the hard-boiled Denver Police Department detective brought in to interrogate and unsuccessfully elicit a confession from grieving mom Patsy Ramsey, suddenly died on August 19 at 77 while playing golf with pals.
Justice Is Fading For JonBenét Ramsey
Tom Haney Jr. died at 77, adding to the list of figures tied to the JonBenet Ramsey case.
Haney joined a growing list of witnesses, investigators and persons of interest who have succumbed since the 6-year-old pageant princess was snatched from her Boulder, Colorado, bed, sexually abused, then bludgeoned and garroted on Christmas Day 1996 in a crime that shook the country.
"These people are dying and justice is just fading away," an expert JonBenet investigator told RadarOnline.com.
"With all these witnesses dying, they are going to have a tough time prosecuting this case if and when they make an arrest."
Among the dead are JonBenet's mom, Patsy, who died of ovarian cancer in 2006; retired detective Lou Smit, who was hired by the tragic child's dad, John Ramsey, to investigate the case and died in 2010; and Bill McReynolds, a close family friend and person of interest, who died in 2002.
Justice for JonBenet is said to be 'fading away' as the longtime investigator died.
And last year, a neighbor who heard JonBenet's bloodcurdling death scream died at 77.
John, 81, lauded Haney for his integrity – especially since the Boulder Police Department had been hell-bent on pinning the murder on Patsy.
"Thankfully, there were a few outside professionals like Haney who wouldn't go along with the groupthink," John told RadarOnline.com.
Child Beauty Queen's Father Remains Hopeful For Closure
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John Ramsey praised Haney's integrity after the detective's death.
The still-hopeful dad is asking RadarOnline.com readers to donate to the GoFundMe account — JonBenet: Lou Smit's Family Searches for Justice – that was set up by Smit's daughter and his investigator pals trying to crack the case through DNA.
"To my knowledge, the police have not released the crime scene evidence to any outside lab for additional DNA testing," John told RadarOnline.com. "I believe a forensic genealogy effort is the best hope for solving the murder of our daughter."
