On the evening of Christmas Day 1996 six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey was found dead in the basement of the family’s home in Boulder, Colorado.
The true crime story captivated the world and now Netflix has revealed the first look at its limited series, The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey.
Told from multiple angles, the drama will star Oscar nominees Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen as JonBenét’s parents, Patsy and John Ramsey.
What is The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey about?
Netflic announced that the JonBenet series focuses on not only the unsolved murder case, but also “the devastating personal and public reckoning that followed JonBenét Ramsey’s death on Christmas night in 1996”.
On the previous day, JonBenét and the rest of the family – John, Patsy, and their son Burke, then nine – had gone for dinner at a friend’s home.
When the Ramseys returned home that evening, John carried a sleeping JonBenét up to her room, and Patsy helped put her to bed. But that was the last time they saw their daughter alive. The next morning, JonBenét was reported missing.
Eight hours later, her body was discovered in the basement. She had been murdered.
A jury voted in 1999 to charge John and Patsy with child abuse resulting in the death of their daughter, but the charges were never pursued. In 2008, the district attorney issued an apology to John and Patsy, saying they were exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing in relation to the death of JonBenét.
Patsy died of ovarian cancer in 2006 at the age of 49. John has since remarried and lives in the western United States.
First look
Netflix shared its first look into the limited series with a still of Melissa and Clive recreating one of the case’s most iconic photo.
In May 1997, the parents of JonBenét met with a small group of selected Colorado media after four months of silence. Patsy holds up a reward sign for information leading to the arrest of their daughter’s murderer.
Who stars in The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey?
Whilst we’ve had the first look at Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen as Patsy and John Ramsey, respectively, the cast also has some noticeable names.
Child star Emily Mitchell will play the title character and shared her delight when her casting news became public in 2024.
“It’s such a privilege to be trusted with such an incredible role, and I want to honour JonBenét’s memory in the most respectful way possible. Her story has impacted so many, and I’m truly humbled to be a part of this,” she wrote on social media.
Other cast members include Garrett Hedlund as Detective Steve Thomas, Alison Pill as Detective Linda Arndt and Angus Caldwell as JonBenét’s brother Burke Ramsey.
When does The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey air?
The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey wrapped filming in early 2025 and will premiere globally on 10th December 2026 on Netflix to mark 30 years since her death.
It was originally scheduled to appear on Paramount+ under the title Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey, but after Skydance took over Paramount, the series was quietly shelved.
The JonBenét series then came to Netflix during the US summer.
