When JonBenét Ramsey was reported missing on the day after Christmas in 1996, the case immediately exhibited all the characteristics of a sensational story often found in tabloids. This was true even before the discovery of the six-year-old's body in the basement and before the case would go on to remain unsolved for over 25 years.

The Ramsey family's residence in Boulder was grand, her parents were affluent and attractive, and JonBenét was not only a kindergartner but also a child beauty queen. Striking glamour photographs of the young victim became deeply ingrained in the collective consciousness of the public and continue to be instantly recognizable even today.

However, after 26 years, no arrests have been made and the identity of the perpetrator remains elusive.

26 December 1996 - JonBenét is found murdered

Patsy, the mother of JonBenét, dialed 911 at 5.52am to inform the authorities about her daughter's disappearance from their residence on 15th Street. JonBenét's father, John, and her nine-year-old brother, Burke, also resided in the same house.

Patsy, a former beauty queen herself, informed the authorities that she had discovered a handwritten ransom note on the staircase, demanding a precise sum of $118,000, which happened to be the exact amount of her husband's bonus.

Despite conducting an initial search of the residence, JonBenét's lifeless body was not discovered until after 1pm by her father, who was requested by the police to thoroughly search the house once again. It was revealed that she had suffered both physical assault and strangulation.