James Kolar's AMA

[dogperson]

I've been reading the transcript of the AMA. Kolar says, "I believe John found JBRs body around 11am, when Det. Arndt lost track of his whereabouts for around an hour." This is after the police arrived but before JR and FW go downstairs together and find her. So if Kolar believes BR is the perpetrator, does he not believe JR knew until 11am? If so, that means BR and PR were in on this alone: BR who did the crime and PR who wrote the letter. Was JR getting himself together during that hour, planning how to handle the discovery? And why, if he did not know until 11am, does he automatically realize what must have happened? What did he already know that led to his conclusion of what had happened? If he didn't know something, why not rush upstairs immediately with the body, thinking an intruder did it?

 

[andreww]

I've been reading the transcript of the AMA. Kolar says, "I believe John found JBRs body around 11am, when Det. Arndt lost track of his whereabouts for around an hour." This is after the police arrived but before JR and FW go downstairs together and find her. So if Kolar believes BR is the perpetrator, does he not believe JR knew until 11am? If so, that means BR and PR were in on this alone: BR who did the crime and PR who wrote the letter. Was JR getting himself together during that hour, planning how to handle the discovery? And why, if he did not know until 11am, does he automatically realize what must have happened? What did he already know that led to his conclusion of what had happened? If he didn't know something, why not rush upstairs immediately with the body, thinking an intruder did it?

Good point, how could he find it if he already knew it was there? Always wondered why John wouldn't have searched the room first thing that morning? Fleet looked in. The cops tried to look in. I guess John was too bust closing windows.

 

[dogperson]

The "finding" of the body with FW looks staged. JR is told to search the house "from top to bottom" but begins with the very room she is in. I'm not, by the way insinuating FW is involved. I think when you are finding a body you already know is there, taking someone along to witness you finding it might seem like a good idea.

But if Kolar is correct, the events of the night involve only BR and PR. Now, in a normal family, if you find your daughter's body in the basement, why do you pretend for a period of time that you have not found it? You don't in a normal family. John knew or suspected something immediately when he saw the body. He needed time to get himself under control for an hour, to think about what to say and do next. This is all in alignment with Kolar's theory.

However, having seen the letter earlier in the day, did he not realize yet PR wrote it? Or did it all come together in the basement for him? Did he suspect something all day but not realize JBR was dead?

 

[Tawny]

There's also the theory that she was placed too far into the wine cellar, as evidenced when nobody found her the first time. Theory says that when he disappeared, he went and moved her closer to the door so she would be found when another search is conducted. Then, lo and behold, he's told to search the house, so he takes FW along and there she is.

 

[andreww]

The "finding" of the body with FW looks staged. JR is told to search the house "from top to bottom" but begins with the very room she is in. I'm not, by the way insinuating FW is involved. I think when you are finding a body you already know is there, taking someone along to witness you finding it might seem like a good idea.

Not quite true. They were told not to go upstairs as it was perceived to be the crime scene. As they'd been on the main floor all day, it only makes sense that they would go downstairs. That is where it gets dodgy. They go in to the train room and are examining the window. Fleet begins looking for broken glass on the floor. While Fleet is bent down, John makes a beeline for the WC and begins screaming. So in truth Fleet wasn't with him, and rather than search every room thoroughly, John goes from the first room to the last in the blink of an eye.

 

[andreww]

There's also the theory that she was placed too far into the wine cellar, as evidenced when nobody found her the first time. Theory says that when he disappeared, he went and moved her closer to the door so she would be found when another search is conducted. Then, lo and behold, he's told to search the house, so he takes FW along and there she is.

Did John ever offer a reasonable explanation where he was for that hour? Seems odd that LE wouldn't have looked for him? Who was gonna answer the phone when the kidnapp.... oh, never mind :thinking:

 

[Tawny]

Did John ever offer a reasonable explanation where he was for that hour? Seems odd that LE wouldn't have looked for him? Who was gonna answer the phone when the kidnapp.... oh, never mind :thinking:

IIRC, he said he was checking the mail. I'm trying to find where it was I read that though

 

[UKGuy]

ITA, although I see PR as doing the manual strangulation, then the head blow, also her writing the RN. But then I am BDI as well so I dont know which way to go. No way BR would have wrote that note, dressed her in the size 12's, etc. but if he bashed her and one (or both) of the parents covered, thats where the note comes in. Imo, JB went upstairs to ready for bed, maybe the arguing started there and continued into the kitchen. JB and PR could have went to the kitchen, snacking on pineapple(JB), and maybe PR was hurrying her(had to be up early, could explain the poorly chewed pineapple). Maybe JB lashed out, PR grabbed her shirt by the collar too rough, maybe the fl was handy and she bashed her(not really thinking about hurting, killing her, but out of anger).

elannia,
It could be PDI, but more likely is BDI with Patsy doing some staging, what JR's role is open to question, yet he is backing up, lets say Patsy's version of events, i.e. JonBenet redressed, no pineapple snack etc, so I reckon JR is in on the staging, possibly revising Patsy's, telling her to author the RN, and removing some forensic evidence, e.g. placing the pink barbie nightgown in the wine-cellar?

.

 

[OliviaG1996]

Good point, how could he find it if he already knew it was there? Always wondered why John wouldn't have searched the room first thing that morning? Fleet looked in. The cops tried to look in. I guess John was too bust closing windows.

I'll tell ya one thing, JR got extremely lucky that the police officer gave up trying to open that latched door because if he didn't, things would've been much different. I've often wondered if it's protocol for police to check someone's house thoroughly even though it is claimed to be a kidnapping. I assume they should've checked every nook and cranny to make sure that there's no sign of foul play even if there is a ransom note and the Ramseys claimed it was a kidnapping.

I also wonder if the Rs prepared what they were going to say if the police did find JB's body before JR did, or they just assumed no one would check the wine cellar since it was supposedly so hidden (which, by the way, I don't understand why everyone says that room was so mysterious. They make it seem as if it was a secret room hidden by a bookshelf). This is all if RDI, of course, and that is the side of the fence where I reside.

 

[dogperson]

I think it's possible the Ramseys didn't notice or didn't realize the significance of the pineapple on the table or how it would come back to haunt them because it doesn't match their story. The story of: we went directly home, carried sleeping JBR upstairs and she never woke up while being changed or put into bed. (Odd that the mom of a child prone to wetting the bed did not wake her for a final potty break for the night.) PR says she didn't see BR anymore that night. JR says he helped BR put something together, then sent him to bed. JR takes a melatonin and practically falls unconscious. Nobody wakes up all night. In fact BR never wakes up until they send him home with FW, never mind all the screaming, the police presence, etc. Once the pineapple on the table and in JBRs digestive tract is discovered, nothing fits.

 

[Tadpole12]

I've been reading the transcript of the AMA. Kolar says, "I believe John found JBRs body around 11am, when Det. Arndt lost track of his whereabouts for around an hour." This is after the police arrived but before JR and FW go downstairs together and find her. So if Kolar believes BR is the perpetrator, does he not believe JR knew until 11am? If so, that means BR and PR were in on this alone: BR who did the crime and PR who wrote the letter. Was JR getting himself together during that hour, planning how to handle the discovery? And why, if he did not know until 11am, does he automatically realize what must have happened? What did he already know that led to his conclusion of what had happened? If he didn't know something, why not rush upstairs immediately with the body, thinking an intruder did it?

Heyya dogperson

Within JK's premiss,
Was JR was initially unaware of their collusion,
was he aware of previous improper sexual contact?

He knew PR's behaviours well, he must have sensed something?
She must have been exhausted and looked it. She was a bad actress.

When he sees the rn and recognizes the hand writing.
He's watching something unfold. PR's called 911 and there's no going back?

 

[DeeDee249]

IIRC, he said he was checking the mail. I'm trying to find where it was I read that though

JR never said he was checking the mail. It was detective Linda Arndt, who saw JR looking through the mail and ASSUMED he had gone to get the mail. Unfortunately, this was something she realized she shouldn't have said, and later admitted she didn't actually KNOW for a fact that he'd "gone to get the mail". If she had been familiar with the house, she'd also have known that JR NEVER had to go "get the mail" because the house had a mail slot right in the front door. He didn't have to even leave the house to get the mail. He just had to go to the foyer.
I am not sure Arndt told JR and FW to keep out of the basement at the time she suggested they "have another look around". She DID tell FW after the body was found and brought up to stand by the door to the basement and not to let anyone go down there. Unfortunately, FW ignored her and went straight to the basement, where he further contaminated the crime scene by handling the tape that had been on JB's mouth. I do recall Arndt saying that she was surprised when JR and FW headed to the basement, as she expected they'd start with JB's room. She had asked him to see if anything important was missing from her room, as this was still considered to be a kidnapping and she had no clue the child was still in the house.

 

[Tawny]

Thanks for clearing that up DeeDee!

 

[UKGuy]

I've been reading the transcript of the AMA. Kolar says, "I believe John found JBRs body around 11am, when Det. Arndt lost track of his whereabouts for around an hour." This is after the police arrived but before JR and FW go downstairs together and find her. So if Kolar believes BR is the perpetrator, does he not believe JR knew until 11am? If so, that means BR and PR were in on this alone: BR who did the crime and PR who wrote the letter. Was JR getting himself together during that hour, planning how to handle the discovery? And why, if he did not know until 11am, does he automatically realize what must have happened? What did he already know that led to his conclusion of what had happened? If he didn't know something, why not rush upstairs immediately with the body, thinking an intruder did it?

dogperson,
You must be skeptical regarding Kolar's beliefs since their status is no more or less relevant than our own beliefs. Why would JR need to find JonBenet's body if he was already a participant in the staging, if he was not involved then, as you suggest, why does he not do what he does later that day and tell everyone he has found JonBenet?

The answer must surely be he never found JonBenet, more likely he was cleaning up other unattended areas of forensic evidence?

Also if JR intends to find JonBenet post 11:00 AM, then why does he need to move her any closer to the door, he can just open the door, switch on the light and shout I found her. Remember JR is not aware that FW had already looked into the wine-cellar, so has no motive to move JonBenet to just behind the door.

Another factor to consider is the extent to which JR validates the R's version of events, he does not need to corroborate Patsy's version of events, but he does. One area where the version of events does not coincide is the size-12's, during her interview Patsy was patently unaware that JonBenet was wearing size-12's, so she invents a story to cover for them, something you do not do if you know there are no size-12's in JonBenet's underwear drawer!

I reckon the case is BDI, with Patsy assisting in staging after the fact, later on JR recognizes the weakness in PR's staging, so mandating a staged kidnapping, whilst JR cleans up and stages the basement?

Kolar might construct a consistent theory from the public evidence, whilst injecting his beliefs, so to bolster his theory and point away from any questions he cannot answer since they carry the risk of litigation?

.

 

[questfortrue]

I've been reading the transcript of the AMA. Kolar says, "I believe John found JBRs body around 11am, when Det. Arndt lost track of his whereabouts for around an hour." This is after the police arrived but before JR and FW go downstairs together and find her. So if Kolar believes BR is the perpetrator, does he not believe JR knew until 11am? If so, that means BR and PR were in on this alone: BR who did the crime and PR who wrote the letter. Was JR getting himself together during that hour, planning how to handle the discovery? And why, if he did not know until 11am, does he automatically realize what must have happened? What did he already know that led to his conclusion of what had happened? If he didn't know something, why not rush upstairs immediately with the body, thinking an intruder did it?

So glad you brought this question up. I hope my response isn't too convoluted, but I couldn't figure out any other way to describe this confusing issue of the 11:00 discovery statement by JR.

For RDIs when JR’s participation in the cover-up/and or the crime itself began is a question which has been asked for a long time. Kolar in his AMA interview says that because JR’s comment to SL, MR’s fiancé, was a spontaneous utterance he believed that the information of an 11:00 am discovery to be true. Kolar’s and ST’s contention would be that his statement to the kids is a clear indicator of obstruction of justice, i.e., if it is true, that he only found her at 11:00 that morning.

But one needs to also look at JR’s actions and statements in the context of the entire morning.

JR did not want the pilot to pick up his two other children, as he tells the pilot in an early morning phone call before 7:00 am. (Kolar has opined that JR may have wanted his plane to be available “for some reason.” Kolar is a clear master of the subtle hint.) JR also speaks to MR/JAR sometime before they are readying to fly to Michigan and conveys the situation. The two oldest kids manage to alter their flight and arrive in Boulder that morning. So imagine that JR knows he will need to provide some kind of explanation to the kids, and he’s been thinking about what he will say. Also envision that JAR and MR are going to be bursting with questions.

Clearly the basement has a number of rooms, but it is not the catacombs of Paris here. A thorough search by either parent would have turned up her body. The explanation given by JR on LKL is that they thought this was a kidnapping because of the RN. And JR further explains that the note plus her death meant that it was a kidnapping gone awry. (FWIW, Patsy says something very different. She says the RN was a ruse to throw off the police. IOW, the perpetrator came in not with the intent to kidnap, but with the intent to kill.)

So the truth of this 11:00 discovery statement depends on the following: JR knows nothing about a scream, he knows nothing about his Israeli shirt fibers in the crotch of JB’s Bloomies (as per the interviewing attorney), he has no ulterior motive for keeping the plane and pilot handy, knows nothing about BR being awake and asking questions during the 911 phone call. He does know about the broken window, because he leads FW to it. However, he doesn’t share that information with the police. (Was he hoping FW would deduce that the window was an entry point and give that information to the police?)

The question for me is if this 11:00 discovery statement to the kids is false, why did he make it? Why not stick with the story that he found her about 1:00? Is it possible that he misspoke? Or did he provide that information (inside information only to the family) for a purpose? Would he want the kids to deduce, on their own, that the crime was perpetrated by the third member of the household? Maybe, since JAR is quick to tell the police that the perpetrator should be forgiven.

JR also has said to the interviewer Brian Cabell in his very early CNN appearance, pertaining to a reason for coming onto national TV: “But the other, the other reason is that for our grief to resolve itself we now have to find out why this happened.” Not who did it.

My root question is why is JR leaving all these hints in order for folks, including family, to make a deduction. Why not just tell the police that the kids got into a fight? One possibility is that PR will not stand for that. Another possibility is that somehow all of them are involved in the crime, but if people are led to deduce on their own that it was only the underage male and he’s being a protective father, well then JR’s image does not suffer . . . much.

 

[otg]

(sbm)

Kolar is a clear master of the subtle hint.

Kolar is no more a "master of the subtle hint" than you are of making the convoluted understandable. This 11:00 discovery of the body has never made sense to me. I think it's obvious that John was aware of everything that had happened, and therefore he couldn't possibly have been unaware of JonBenet's death until he just happens to have sneaked down to the basement and run across her body in the WC. So why this story about finding her body at 11:00 (not to authorities mind you -- but to family as you point out)?

Your account, qft, makes perfect sense and answers this question for me.

 

[otg]

(sbm)Kolar is no more a "master of the subtle hint" than you are of making the convoluted understandable.

I'm not sure if my wording in this sentence made clear what I was hoping to convey. I meant to say that while Kolar can make a subtle hint at something, questfortrue is a master at decoding what is implied (no matter how convoluted the subject) and explaining it in a way simple enough for even a dimwit like me to understand.

 

[icedtea4me]

(sbm)Kolar is no more a "master of the subtle hint" than you are of making the convoluted understandable. This 11:00 discovery of the body has never made sense to me. I think it's obvious that John was aware of everything that had happened, and therefore he couldn't possibly have been unaware of JonBenet's death until he just happens to have sneaked down to the basement and run across her body in the WC. So why this story about finding her body at 11:00 (not to authorities mind you -- but to family as you point out)?

Your account, qft, makes perfect sense and answers this question for me.

John Ramsey: The American public has been led to believe that we went to bed that night on Christmas, brutally beat JonBenet, sexually molested her, strangled her, woke up the next morning, wrote a three-page ransom note,called the police [5:52 a.m.], sat around the house for four hours then I went down and discovered her body [9:52 a.m.] - Then was able to act distraught.

http://thewebsafe.tripod.com/09281998aedocumentary.htm

This may seem odd but, I think John used the 11 a.m. time to put it in the CT zone where Stewart, Melinda, and John Andrew were. For me, it makes sense that John would go down to the basement just after the 10 a.m. MT deadline for the phone call passed.

 

[andreww]

IIRC, he said he was checking the mail. I'm trying to find where it was I read that though

For an hour? A lot of mail I guess.

 

[BOESP]

<snipped for brevity> .... I think John used the 11 a.m. time to put it in the CT zone where Stewart, Melinda, and John Andrew were. For me, it makes sense that John would go down to the basement just after the 10 a.m. MT deadline for the phone call passed.

FWIW, weren't Stewart, Melinda and John Andrew residents of Atlanta or near there? If so, Atlanta is in the Eastern Time Zone thus two hours ahead of time in Boulder.