Bizarre Account Of How The Colorado D.A. Came To Arrest And Then Release John Mark Karr For JonBenet’s Murder

But according to the District Attorney in Boulder, Colorado, the investigation into who killed little JonBenet Ramsey “is not closed”. Mary Lacy insists her people will continue despite the loss of Karr as the main suspect.

Colorado officials were forced to quash the arrest warrants against the 41-year-old schoolteacher Monday, after DNA tests showed his pronouncements about being involved in the infamous murder were false.

The six-year-old was found in the basement of her parent’s home on Boxing Day 1996. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled, and a ransom note demanding $118,000 was found at the scene. But despite a long chain of suspects, no one has ever been formally charged with committing the crime. 

The court papers filed explaining the D.A.’s decision read like a bizarre detective novel turned upside. They quote letters to a state professor from a man named “Daxis”, who turned out to be Karr, and detail his bizarre fantasies about the young child.

Many who heard Karr’s strange confession when he was arrested in Thailand wondered if he was telling the truth. And while officials admit they had the same doubts, they believed bringing him back from Bangkok was the only sure move.

In the court filing dropping the arrest, the state explained why it decided to move in on Karr when it did.

“The authorities were able to trace the calls and to locate him in Thailand,” it reads. “They were then able to identify him…and ultimately to confirm that he was about to begin to teach young children in the new school…

“They were also able to confirm that he was having personal involvement with at least one young girl he had previously identified as the target of his personal and sexual interest.”

Several of Karr’s emails seem to prove that point.

In a letter dated July 19th, he recalls being excited in the presence of two 5-year-old girls “flashing their hot little bellybuttons at me”. A later missive adds a “naked little foot felt so sexy in my hand.”

Prosecutors were hoping the DNA swabs taken from Karr when he returned to the U.S. would match those found at the crime scene. When they didn’t, they had no choice but to let him go.

“This information is critical because … if Mr. Karr’s accounts of his sexual involvement with the victim were accurate, it would have been highly likely that his saliva would have been mixed with the blood in the underwear,” Lacy revealed in court papers.

The entire affair has been a huge embarrassment to the state, but officials defend their decision, noting it was the only way to be sure. And now they are.

Karr remains in a Colorado jail cell, being held for extradition back to California to face the child porn charges he fled in 2001.

But the Boulder D.A. may not be finished with him just yet. He could still be prosecuted there for lying about his role in the case.

“Seems to me there should be some criminal consequences,” muses Denver attorney Scott Robinson. “He has cost the taxpayers an enormous amount of money.”

Not to mention worldwide public humilitation.

To read the bizarre court filing quashing the arrests, click here (.pdf file)

Reactions to the decisions not to charge Karr in the slaying.

“Unfortunately, the hysterics surrounding John Mark Karr served only to distract Boulder officials from doing their job, which should be solving the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. I find it incredible that Boulder authorities wasted thousands of taxpayer dollars to bring Karr to Colorado given such a lack of evidence. (District Attorney) Mary Lacy should be held accountable for the most extravagant and expensive DNA test in Colorado history.”

Gov. Bill Owens.

“I don’t know how you would collect a court-usable sample in a foreign country and not have some question about transportation and contamination. She took a chance with collecting a good sample here. I give her the benefit of the doubt.”

Bob Grant, a former Adams County DA who advised prosecutors in the case.

Lacy “is being castigated right now for the quick arrest. She didn’t know the name of this guy much before the general public did. She had a real belief he was a danger to public safety in Thailand and that he was a real danger of flight. Mary Lacy was doing what a good prosecutor ought to do: When she feels she doesn’t have sufficient evidence to go forward, she drops charges.”

Bill Wise, former deputy district attorney in Boulder who worked on the investigation before retiring.

“From day one, John Ramsey publicly stated that he did not want the public or the media to jump to judgment. He did not want the public or the media to engage in speculation, that he wanted the justice system to take its course. …

“It is important for the public to understand, contrary to published statements by uninformed individuals, that the DNA evidence in this case is strong and to be reminded that while we are now told it is not the DNA of Mr. Karr, it has been for years known to the investigators that it is not the DNA of any member of the Ramsey family.”

Ramsey family attorney Lin Wood.

“Obviously, we had concerns about just releasing him to the hounds (gesturing to the media). We had concerns about releasing him to the community.”

Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, telling reporters that Karr’s release from jail was held up at the last minute when Sonoma County, Calif., authorities asked for his extradition to face child pornography possession charges.

“We’re very, very happy. We’re just going to be celebrating with family.”

Nate Karr, John Karr’s brother.

Excerpt from Karr’s emails

The following details John Mark Karr’s e-mails and phone calls to Colorado professor Michael Tracey, which led to his arrest this month in the 1996 slaying of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey. At some points, Karr uses an alias of Daxis:

“They need to know that she had a lover named Daxis, that a dashing prince was with her when she died; that she was not viciously murdered; that I cared for her and tried to revive her when I though she was dead. I loved her so much and I am so sorry that she died in my arms. But it is important that they know WHO she was with and how she died. For instance, she did not suffer.”
May 9, 2006, e-mail, from Daxis, referring to JonBenet’s parents.

“I did not mention that the process of the placing pressure on her neck is repeated once she regained consciousness again. Timing is critical. This was when the tragedy began. Seconds easily turned into minutes in the heat of passion.

“The deliverer, deriving unreal pleasure both emotionally and sexually, can lose track of that critical time especially with a little girl who is small and more fragile, it is easier to lose her.

“JonBenet was lost, or so it was believed … But the trauma to her head haunts me – so horrible. An act committed to assure that she would not be alone, dying a slow death.”
Karr in April 19, 2006, e-mail in which he claims he accidentally strangled JonBenet during sex and then hit her on the head with a flashlight in case she was still suffering.

“Daxis advised Michael Tracey that he removed the “knickers” (underwear) from JonBenet and took the item with him after he left the Ramsey residence by way of the same point that he entered into the home.

Daxis added he placed underwear or “knickers” onto JonBenet that he brought with him.

“The underwear brought by Daxis was several sizes too large for JonBenet. Daxis mentioned that the oversized underwear also bore the day of “Wednesday.” It should be noted that at the time of discovery JonBenet Ramsey at the lower level of her residence, she was in fact attired in light colored pajamas and oversized underwear designed for a twelve to fourteen year old female. The underwear bore the day name of “Wednesday”.
July 4, 2006, telephone call from Karr to Tracey, summarized by DA’s chief investigator Thomas Bennett. During the call, Karr claimed he entered the Ramsey house on the night of December 25, 1996, by removing the grate from a lower-level window and he removed a sleeping JonBenet from her bed.

“The end of nine years old is usually the stopping point for me due to the physical height and development of the child. In some parts of the world however I have been highly attracted to girls who were 12 though they were the size of the girls who were eight in the U.S. I cannot say I was actually attracted to the 12-year-olds but it was a little more tempting. I am attracted to dolls. When they get past the doll stage I am no longer physically attracted.”
April 2, 2006, e-mail from Karr on his fascination with young girls.

During a phone call Tracey placed to Karr on July 29, 2006, Daxis said he imagined a movie being made based on his story with Johnny Depp playing him. He said the movie would make a billion dollars. Karr claimed to be talking from his Jaguar in the driveway of the Ramsey home in Atlanta.