Where Is JonBenet Ramsey's Brother Burke After His Murder? (External)

Burke Ramsey he was thrown in public behind his sister. JonBenét Ramseyhe was killed in 1996 — but where is he now?

Before Netflix Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey, premiering on Monday, November 25, a member of the Ramsey family was told exclusively Us Weekly about where Burke is these days.

“Burke had a tough and lonely upbringing,” the insider said. “The family tried hard to protect her, but you can't avoid the fact that her sister was killed and everyone thinks that her family did it. Or he did that.”

Burke's loved ones have tried their best to protect her during the high-profile investigation into JonBenét's death.

“We tried very hard to give him a normal childhood, and to some extent the family succeeded. But on one level, it was an impossible task,” the family member continued. “How do you protect someone from that? So Burke was often alone, he didn't have many friends. He was very intelligent and a good student, but he struggled in society.”

JonBenét was found dead at the age of 6 in the basement of his home hours after he was reported missing. He had a fractured skull and a garrote around his neck. The official cause of JonBenét's death was asphyxia by strangulation related to craniocerebral trauma and his death was ruled a homicide.

In the years since JonBenét's murder, Boulder police have looked into multiple suspects and leads. JonBenét and Burke's parents, Patsy again John Ramseywere suspected of complicity in his death and a grand jury voted to indict the pair in 1999. The case was not signed by the Boulder district attorney, however, because there was no evidence. The couple were exonerated in 2008 when DNA testing helped investigators determine that DNA found on JonBenét's body came from an unrelated man.

Despite authorities no longer considering JonBenét's family as suspects, internet pundits continued to spread speculation that Patsy, John or Burke were responsible for her death. The entire family has denied any involvement or knowledge of JonBenét's murder.

John and Patsy continue to talk about the open case in hopes of finding the person responsible for JonBenét's death. (Patsy died of ovarian cancer at age 49 in 2006.) Burke, meanwhile, has largely stayed out of the spotlight except for a rare interview with Dr. Phil in 2016.

After CBS released the documents This case who accused Burke of killing his sister, sued the network for $750 million. The defamation case was settled in 2019 and Burke has not spoken publicly since.

“Is Burke happy? He is happy with the way he can look at situations,” said a family member Us. “He is productive. She goes through all the trauma and lives the best way she can. That's all you can expect.”

Keep scrolling for more detailed – and exclusive – glimpses into Burke's life after JonBenét's murder:

Is Burke talking about his sister and her murder?

“Burke doesn't talk about crime. Always. He doesn't talk about JonBenét at all. It's not a family story, and he's never volunteered anything about it,” said the insider. Us. “When he was young, even his name annoyed him because it was really painful and he didn't know what to do about it. Then when he was in high school, he knew all the whispers.”

Burke was 9 years old when JonBenét's body was found in their home. He is now 37 years old and a software engineer in Michigan. After graduating from Purdue in 2010, Burke found a series of domestic jobs in the tech industry and was out of the public eye.

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How Does Burke Cope With Public Speculation?

Three years after JonBenét's death, police and the Boulder district attorney said publicly that Burke was not a suspect. The long delay in deciding Burke in the court of public opinion dogged him throughout the years.

“He spent his formative years being interrogated, and all this time, the police knew that the DNA was not his, but they couldn't rule that out,” a family member commented on the evidence found on JonBenét's body. “What the Boulder Police Department did [John and Patsy] there was guilt, but what they did to Burke is unforgivable. They played a role in destroying the life of a vulnerable little boy.”

An insider questioned theories linking Burke to the garrote found around JonBenét's neck.

“He was 9 years old. He couldn't do something complicated, and he didn't have the skills and the power. “He wasn't an organized little kid, but even one who was very cooperative wouldn't have done that,” the unnamed Ramsey family member continued. “And the garrote was made when JonBenét was alive. So Burke didn't do it, no one with knowledge of the case ever thought he did. So imagine that he was suspected for so many years, when there is concrete evidence that he did not do it.”

As JonBenét's case has been turned over to various DA successors and Boulder PD detectives, his family has questioned the lack of answers. A Boulder PD spokesperson said Us in a November 2024 statement that they are “vigorously investigating the case and pursuing all avenues.”

Where Is Burke Now?

Burke gave his only interview in 2016 Dr. Phil. He later sued CBS and the producers of the Case of: JonBenét Ramsey after the allegations that he killed JonBenét. The case settled out of court for an undisclosed amount in 2019 and Burke bought a home in Michigan for $265,000 later that year.

“He settled with CBS for a fraction of $750 million, but it was enough for him to start a quiet, private life. His whereabouts are unknown. He is left alone,” a family member shared with us. “And that's what he needed.”

The insider continued: “He doesn't read anything about the case, he doesn't watch anything about it. If he sees a show on it, he changes the channel. He has no interest in watching any documentaries. He won't watch you [the Netflix] one. Not at all. It is a trap for him, and there is no benefit to him. “

Although JonBenét's case is one of the most notorious unsolved murders, Burke chose to ignore her or her sister.

“He has a good job, he makes good money and he loves it. You are a software engineer for a mid-sized company. He is very focused on computers. He has 10 of them in his home office,” said a family member. You meet him [his dad John Ramsey] sometimes, and they talk about things.”

JonBenét is the only topic Burke won't talk about, with the insider adding, “That's off the table. If we brought it up, he would just shut down. He doesn't want to talk about that. Always.”

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Who Is Burke Dating?

“Burke has dated and has had girlfriends. She is dating someone now, but she is keeping him quiet,” said a family member Us. “He lives alone. He likes to be alone, he likes quiet things. He's a beginner, he'd rather have a small group of friends than a big crowd.”

After growing up with the public speculating about his life, Burke has developed “trust issues.”

“He doesn't like to open up to people, because he gets burned over and over again,” concluded the insider. “People are talking about all his secrets. They asked him painful questions out of curiosity.”