I really dont have a 'theory' since anytime I try to form one I realize it has contradictory evidence or loose ends.
I used to think it was Patsy, then an intruder, then thought about John or Burke, Gary Oliva, etc. I seem to have more questions than answers. The only thing I am positive of is that this person wasnt a random intruder. Money was never the issue, and IMO was never really planned on being collected. The money in the RN is incredibly interesting to me. No way is it a coincidence of Johns Christmas Bonus. If the murder would have happened some time during July and asked for the same amount of the Xmas bonus Id be a little more willing to accept it as coincidence, but christmas night, asking for a christmas bonus ransom? Not a chance. Im still in the processing of eliminating all the impossible until I figure out my theory.

What Im not 100% sure of..is what happened at the Ramsey house on 12/25/96? Did they have kids over? Friends of JB and Burke? Thanks.

Some children did spend time inside the house during the course of the day. From the Ramsey book DEATH OF INNOCENCE, page 5:

Once breakfast was over, the day unfolded with the usual chaos of the neighborhood children coming and going, reporting on the loot that had been left for them. The boys from across the alley drifted in with their remote-control toys, and they all went outside to race their cars up and down the street in front of our house.

I'm in the process of reading most of the same books you mentioned. I just read in Perfect Town that the bonus was deposited into their account via automatic deposit. This really limits the number of people that would have had this information.

I always wondered if the killer saw a check stub or some kind of payment reciept for the bonus in the house. Even though that seems unlikely.

Why 'unlikely'?

IF the intruder saw the whole family troupe out to the Whites and knew he would have several hours to 'kill time' why not go rummaging about and see if he could find something interesting. There is not much question that a variety of personal papers where in the house in both the den area and the basement area.

If he had time to sit down and write this humongous ransom note he sure had time to wander about and pry into papers.

I don't think he would have considered 'snooping' to be unacceptable behavior if he considered strangling a six year old girl to be acceptable behavior.

Well that's kind of what I was thinking, but then I had to wonder, why would the BONUS be of such interest? If he snooped through a lot of stuff, then why would that particular piece interest him so much? Why not calculate Johns yearly salary? or pick some other deposit to focus on?

Also, since police didn't find anything with that amount on it, it seems that there were no paper records in their house of the bonus and where it came from. The only place it would have been was on their bank statement and that would not have shown what it was for.

No one ever mentioned that it looked like personal papers had been rifled through or moved around. I think that would have been important. (unless it's something that has never been leaked to the public)

and hence, it just seems unlikely

You might learn a lot going through that pile - - and if you disturbed it.... I wouldn't notice.

But how would a random intruder know they were going to the Whites' for several hours? Are you implying maybe they were followed all the way there?

Whether you think the Ramsey's are guilty or innocent - one of the few things both sides agree on is that the killer seemed to have alot of time.

Thats always seemed weird to me, how would a random intruder know they were going to be out for awhile? Or that they were even coming back at all? What if they were leaving to get on a plane that night?

If you support the intruder theory - you assume that a person knew the Ramseys were going to leave that night, knew theyd be back but not until several hours later, and coincidentally guessed Johns bonus. Its possible they found that info on some documents in the house, but ive heard of no evidence which says that info was readily available. That makes me think its almost impossible to be someone not familiar with them and the house.

Another thing I noticed is that the Ransom Note completely points to John as being the enemy. What makes it so interesting is that the practice note had included 'Mr. and Mrs. R', addressing both of them. In the final Ransom note it only has to do with John. Its my opinion thats why the practice note was abandoned. For whatever reason, the writer didnt want to bring Patsys name into it.

Nothing indicates SickPuppy knew where the Ramseys were. He just knew they weren't home - - easy to tell as the house had LOTS of windows - - lots.

> What if they were leaving to get on a plane that night?

SickPuppy would have left the house without murdering anyone. Maybe the Ramseys would never know he had been there - - or maybe he would have stolen something - - who knows. In Charlevoix, an intruder used the Ramsey house as a hotel - - no one knows who did that, but the maids saw his stuff in the house and thought it had to be someone the Ramseys invited to use the house. Strange.

> For whatever reason, the writer didnt want to bring Patsys name into it. (the ransom note)

I think the killer wanted to be "macho" instead of being a coward who would take a defenseless child, his fantasy while he wrote the note was to have power over a man.

How did he know that he would have ample time to write a 3 page note and supposedly walk around and familiarize himself with the house?Possibly even going through paperwork? The Ramseys got home around 9:30pm. Assuming the murderer spent a minimum of 2 hours in the house, that means he entered some time between when the Ramseys left at 5:00pm and 7:30pm. That seems to me like a strange time to break into a house if you werent sure the people were gone. Also theres no way it was completely dark outside at those times. Are you assuming the intruder would have looked in the windows to realize they werent home? Doesnt that seem risky to do, especially in the daytime? Also, do you think he checked the house and realized nobody was home, then went and got his 'tools' or were they already on his person?

>
>> What if they were leaving to get on a plane that night?
>
>SickPuppy would have left the house without murdering
>anyone. Maybe the Ramseys would never know he had been there
>- - or maybe he would have stolen something - - who knows.
>In Charlevoix, an intruder used the Ramsey house as a hotel
>- - no one knows who did that, but the maids saw his stuff
>in the house and thought it had to be someone the Ramseys
>invited to use the house. Strange.

Where did you hear this? Id be interested in details.

>> For whatever reason, the writer didnt want to bring Patsys name into it. (the ransom note)
>
>I think the killer wanted to be "macho" instead of being
>a coward who would take a defenseless child, his fantasy
>while he wrote the note was to have power over a man.

Possible. But my question to you is - what do you make of the $118,000 ransom? Do you think they already knew it was Johns' bonus? A reference to Psalm 118? One million pesos? A complete coincidence?

Occurring on Christmas when families are normally happy, could be the perp's message that this was his/her present to John Ramsey.

The vendetta scenario would show a long simmering vendetta--and a more calcating perp.

On the other hand, someone that was into the extortion movies, would have already formulated thoughts in his head---he/she may have been looking for the perfect victim---and the plan hatched after the Access artcle was published....and the perp may have known of JR in some way. He could have been stalking the house for a few day, looking for opportunity.

The intruder may well have been planning the crime for a long time, could have been watching the house for some time, days, weeks. Plenty of cover in the back and on the sides of the house.

The "tools" could have fit in a backpack or car trunk.

On the Charlevoix intruder, check the archives - there are threads on that one - - cowboy boots seen in the bedroom by the maids - - they thought it was a guest but later found out no one had been invited to use the house. Remains a mystery. Look for posts by "B".

>what do you make of
>the $118,000 ransom? Do you think they already knew it was
>Johns' bonus? A reference to Psalm 118? One million pesos? A
>complete coincidence?

Personally, I think the killer likely saw a pay stub, saw the BONUS amount - - and was jealous or whatever - - I mean, most of us don't make that in a year and it was his BONUS! But I don't know that the amount is related to the bonus at all. I wouldn't be surprised if the killer is caught and we find out he lived at house #118 something street, or did 118 days in jail, or owed the Electric company $118.00.

I mean, we are talking about a sadistic pedophile capable of murder - - I don't pretend to understand that train of thought at all.

The second consideration is that the Police are looking for post Christmas burglars with vehicles. No vehicle?

The third consideration is IF the female child vagina penetration was an act to misdirect the investigation as to perp identity. To chase the #1 hated demon of the sadistic peodophile. Perp's control.

Christmas night was the perfect night and a professionally trained decision IMO as would be the vagina deception. Either way, the vagina penetration and murder is not lessoned in any measure as too, the perp's sadistic peodophile--murderous--nature.

Why Christmas night of all nights? Fatique of all!

The--ransom note--was the unprofessional declaration of information, identifier and so evidence. Why so important to perp?