As the 26th anniversary of JonBenet Ramsey’s murder draws closer, Boulder Police have announced they will be exploring new avenues of investigation in the hope of solving the highly publicised case.

JonBenet was 6 years old when on December 26, 1996, she was reported missing after her family alleged that they found a ransom note inside their home. Her body was found in the basement, and a later autopsy revealed that the cause of her death was strangulation.

The Major Crimes Unit has received and reviewed over 21,000 tips, letters, and emails and detectives have visited 19 states to interview or speak with more than 1,000 individuals in connection to the crime.

Although police have processed more than 1,500 pieces of evidence and analysed nearly 1,000 DNA samples, nobody has been charged in relation to the case.

The long-running investigation has provided few answers as to who is responsible for JonBenet’s tragic fate, but now Boulder Police will be joining forces with the Colorado Cold Case Review Team in 2023 to assist further in the cold case investigation.

While announcing the new partnership, Police Chief Maris Herold said the murder of Jon Benet had “left a hole in the hearts of many” while assuring the public that the Boulder Police Department “will never stop investigating” until JonBenet’s killer is found.

“That includes following up on every lead and working with our policing partners and DNA experts around the country to solve this tragic case. This investigation has always been and will continue to be a priority for the Boulder Police Department,” Herold said in a statement.

District Attorney Michael Dougherty shared similar sentiments, calling the murder of JonBenet “a terrible tragedy” that has “sparked years of unanswered questions and theories”.

“Our office has successfully prosecuted other cold case homicides and many murder cases,” Dougherty said.

“In every one of those cases, it was the evidence that proved the defendant(s) guilty. Whether it is DNA or other evidence, more is needed to solve this murder. I appreciate the collaboration with CBI, the FBI, and the Boulder Police Department.”

JonBenet’s half-brother, John Andrew Ramsey, who has recently been quite vocal in his criticism of the handling of the investigation by the Boulder Police Department, labelled the announcement “interesting” in a tweet on Thursday, November 10.

John recently criticised the investigation while calling for more action from the police.

“We’re not the only family like this who face challenges where police are unwilling to share information,” he told The U.S Sun.

“It’s been 25 years. It’s time for Boulder police to talk.”