Karr Being Kept In L.A. Prison Cell Pending Extradition

John Mark Karr may have spent most of the past 24 hours sipping champagne aboard a luxurious business class flight, but at the end of his Thailand-U.S. journey he landed in a 6-by-9-foot jail cell.

The suspect in the death of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsay is currently being held at the high-security Twin Towers prison in Los Angeles – where he’ll remain pending an extradition hearing.

He’ll likely be transferred at some point to Boulder, Colorado where he could face charges in connection with the youngster’s 1996 murder. No date has been set for the extradition hearing – if Karr waives it he could be sent directly to Colorado.

The Ramsay case had gone cold when Karr suddenly emerged as a suspect last week. The 41-year-old teacher allegedly told reporters in Thailand that he was with the six-year-old when she died, but that her death was an accident.

JonBenet Ramsay was found slain in the basement of her family’s home on December 26, 1996.

Karr returned to the United States voluntarily and wasn’t handcuffed before or during the 15-hour flight. The lack of restraints came at the request of the airline. He flew business class, accompanied by several U.S. authorities, who watched his every move and even refused to let him close the door on the onboard lavatory.

On the trip he dined on pate, king prawns, and roast duck, among other things. At one point he ordered champagne, clinking his glass with that of seatmate Mark Spray, an investigator with the Boulder County district attorney’s office.

Spray was drinking orange juice.

Those who were onboard say they were ‘creeped out’ by his presence and his treatment.

“Inevitably it will be going through your mind that there is an accused murderer in the same cabin, just a few seats away from you, ” confirms Kabir Pokares.

Some are looking for reasons for his special flight arrangements. “The fact that he’s in business class was a little bit surprising,” surmises Dan Shiff. “But I’m assuming that the potential for better security is here in business class.”

The 41-year-old was once detained on charges of possessing child pornography, and had recently been travelling in Europe, Central America and Asia looking for teaching jobs.

Letters appear to reveal he was seeking a sex change operation in the country before the law moved in.

He taught in at least two schools in Thailand.

Karr will have quite a different experience in the Los Angeles jail, where he’ll be checked by guards every 15 minutes.

“He will be housed,” outlines Steve Whitmore of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Office. “He will be in a single cell in isolation, and whenever he moves, there will be deputies with him. He will be safe and secure.”