The Ultimate Cop-Out

6 Updated: February 29, 2000


	Linda Arndt: The first BPD detective to arrive at the Ramsey house December 26, 1996, arriving about 8:00 am. Arndt, a sex crimes investigator, has been criticized for treating the Ramseys solely as victims, and not as possible suspects, thereby allowing the crime scene to become compromised. Among other things, she allegedly suggested John Ramsey and two family friends search the house, which resulted in John finding JonBenét's body in the basement room and carrying it upstairs. Arndt was removed from the case in May 1997. She has since filed a suit against then police chief Tom Koby for violating her First Amendment rights by not allowing her to defend her name against alleged false statements relating to her handling of the investigation. The civil case has been postponed until the Ramsey case grand jury completes its work. Arndt testified before the Ramsey grand jury September 24 and 29, 1998. Arndt resigned from the Boulder Police Department, effective April 1, 1999. Calling Arndt's departure "a personal decision she made," Chief Beckner would not divulge her reasons for leaving after 11 years on the force. Her attorney, Judith Biggs, would not comment on Arndt's plans for her future. During the week of September 13 - 17, 1999, Arndt appeared in a series of interviews she gave to Elizabeth Vargas of ABCNews on Good Morning America. On Friday, September 17, 1999 another slightly different version of the edited interviews was shown on 20/20.

	Richard Baer: One of three attorneys offering his time pro bono to the BPD to help prepare a case to present to the DA.

	Mark Beckner: Replaced Tom Koby as BPD Police Chief in June 1998, shortly after turning the Ramsey investigation over to the District Attorney and recommending that a grand jury be convened. Commander Beckner was appointed by Koby to take over the Ramsey case investigation from John Eller in October, 1997. Prior to that he had been commander in the department's patrol division. Beckner joined the department in June 1978. After three years as a Boulder police officer, Beckner worked in property crimes in the detective division from 1981 to 1983. From January 1987 to January 1989, Beckner managed the tactical patrol team, handling undercover investigations, bank robberies, criminal trespass cases, drug crimes and burglaries. He served as the department's internal affairs investigator from October 1991 to 1994 and began working as a commander in the department's patrol division in May 1994. From then until September 1997, Beckner also worked as the agency's SWAT commander.

	James Byfield: BPD officer who procured the search warrants for the Ramsey home. The first warrant, which was issued at 8:00 pm December 26, was served by Byfield 20 minutes after it was issued. Additional search warrants for the Ramsey Boulder home were issued December 27, 29, and January 30. Byfield was promoted to sergeant in late December, 1999, supervising patrol and traffic operations. Byfield had built a reputation as a tough DUI enforcement officer. His promotion takes effect January 10, 2000.

	John Eller: BPD lieutenant in charge of the Ramsey investigation until October 9, 1997, when Tom Koby replaced him with Mark Beckner. Commander Eller was accused by some of focusing exclusively on the Ramseys as suspects, and Koby described him as "intense". He removed Larry Mason from the case January 5, 1997, accusing him of leaking information to the media. Mason denied this charge, and an internal investigation cleared him. Later he and his wife sued Eller and the City of Boulder for the false allegations. A settlement for $10,000 was reached in Mason's favor. Eller resigned from the BPD in February 1998, after 18 years on the force. Eller moved back home to Florida and is currently living in the Miami area. He did not get the job he had applied for as police chief in Key West. After applying for several police chief jobs, Eller was hired in 1999 as an investigator with the Florida attorney general's office.

	Michael Everett: BPD detective who was called to the scene after JonBenét's body was found in the basement. He walked through the basement to see if anybody was hiding there. Detective Everett saw two white blankets in the "wine cellar" where the body had been found. Everett has served with BPD for 11 years. He began working in the detective bureau in 1993. He was transferred from the department's traffic division to help in the Ramsey case in October 1997. Everett testified before the Ramsey grand jury on three occasions: September 15 (1 hour), 16 (2 1/2 hours), and 22 (several hours); he may be recalled in the future. He has also been sworn in as an investigator for the grand jury.

	Richard French: The first BPD officer, along with Officer Karl Veitch, to respond to Patsy Ramsey's 911 call at 5:51 am December 26, 1996. They arrived at the home within minutes of the call. French searched the interior of the home, including the basement, for possible points of entry and egress. French testified before the Ramsey grand jury September 22, 1998.

	Ron Gosage: BPD Detective who had been a member of the core group of Ramsey case investigators from the beginning. Gosage had 11 years of law enforcement experience and had served with the BPD for 6 years at the time of the murder. Gosage was promoted from detective to sergeant November 15, 1999. He left the detective bureau in November 1999 and his postion on the Ramsey investigation team was not expected to be filled.

	Jane Harmer: BPD Detective who has been a member of the core group of Ramsey case investigators from the beginning. She has served the BPD for 12 years, working personal and property crimes before being assigned to this case. Detective Harmer procured the 1/5/97 and 3/6/97 search warrants for the Ramseys' Charlevoix, Michigan vacation home. She has been sworn in as an investigator for the Ramsey grand jury. In the Steven Miles / John Ramsey / National Enquirer libel suit, Harmer submitted an affidavit stating that Miles was a suspect in JonBenét's murder at the time the Enquirer story in question was published. According to Miles' attorney Lee Hill, she had previously told him that Miles was not a suspect at that time.

	Melissa Hickman: BPD Detective who was relieved from duty on the Ramsey case in May 1997 by Chief Koby at the same time Detective Arndt was taken off the case. She had been working on the case since the beginning.

	Daniel Hoffman: One of three attorneys offering his time pro bono to the BPD to help prepare a case to present to the DA. Hoffman has represented Lockheed-Martin, John Ramsey's former employer, and was represented by Ramsey attorney Lee Foreman in a malpractice action involving, ironically, conflict of interest.

	Bob Keatley: Legal advisor to the BPD.

	Tom Koby: Embattled BPD police chief who in November 1997 announced his intention to resign the following year. Chief Koby was replaced by Commander Mark Beckner in June 1998. Plagued by two votes of no-confidence by the police union, controversy over police handling of student riots at UC, and problems with the Ramsey investigation, Koby won no points with the media either after holding press conferences in which he refused to answer most questions and insulted the press. After maintaining a high profile the first few months into the Ramsey investigation, Koby tried to fade into the background. Koby joined the department in June 1991 and said earlier he would stay no more than eight years. He would have completed his eighth year in June 1999. According to acquaintances, Koby and his wife are financially secure, and taking a year off to travel and relax. His lone semi-public appearance since leaving the force came in late March 1999, when he was a participant in a panel at the University of Maryland on 'public policy and trust in the media'.

	Larry Mason: BPD Sergeant who worked the Ramsey investigation from the beginning until he was taken off the case by Commander John Eller for allegedly leaking information to the media. An internal police investigation later cleared Mason of these allegations. Mason sued Eller and the City of Boulder and a settlement for $10,000 was reached in his favor. He testified before the Ramsey grand jury September 24, 1998.

	Robert Miller: One of three attorneys offering his time pro bono to the BPD to help prepare a case to present to the DA. Miller worked with Ramsey attorney Hal Haddon in a case which garnered them $15 million in legal fees.

	Fred Patterson: BPD detective who was present in the Ramsey home the morning of December 26. He searched JonBenét's room that morning and sealed it off as a crime scene. Patterson interviewed Burke at some point that day. He testified before the grand jury September 24.

	Paul Reichenbach: BPD officer who searched the yard and exterior of the Ramsey house for signs of forced entry by an intruder the morning JonBenét was reported kidnapped. His grand jury testimony about "footprints in the snow" or their lack may be critical to the case.

	Kim Stewart: BPD detective who has worked on the Ramsey case since October 1997. Detective Stewart joined the department almost 9 years ago, and has been a detective for about 4 years She has a master's degree in criminal justice from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma.

	Steve Thomas: BPD detective who was a member of the core group of Ramsey case investigators from the beginning of the case until he took a leave of absence for health reasons in June 1998. On August 6, Detective Thomas officially resigned from the BPD, and released a letter to the media which attacked the District Attorney's handling of the investigation. He asked that an independent prosecutor be appointed by Governor Romer. In late September 1998 he gave an interview on ABC's 20/20. Thomas, who had 13 years of law enforcement experience and had served with the Boulder Police Department for 8 years, has since joined forces with another former detective, Todd Sears and they have started their own business, 'Live Oak Construction'. In addition, he is writing a book, a project he has undertaken with Boulder-area true-crime writer Don Davis, chronicling his experience with the Ramsey case. It is to be published by St. Martin's Press.

	Tom Trujillo: BPD detective who has been a member of the core group of Ramsey case investigators from the inception of the case. Trujillo is the lead investigator and has served with the department for 14 years. He has been sworn in as an investigator for the Ramsey grand jury. He testified before the grand jury October 15 and 29, 1998.

	Karl Veitch: One of the first officers to arrive at the Ramsey house the morning of the "kidnapping," along with Officer Richard French.

	Carey Weinheimer: BPD detective who has worked on the Ramsey case since October 1997. Detective Weinheimer has 12 years of law enforcement experience and has served with Boulder police for almost 9 years. He has worked in the detective bureau for 7 years, specializing in fraud and forgery cases.

	Barry Weiss: BPD officer who arrived at the Ramsey home prior to Detective Arndt the morning of December 26. He testified before the grand jury for about 1/2 hour September 24.

	Bob Whitson: BPD sergeant who joined officers at the scene about 9:30 am December 26. He discovered what was thought to be a pry mark on the rear exterior kitchen door, but it was later determined that an old lock had fallen off at one point and only resembled a pry mark, according to Fox News reporter Carol McKinley. He has testified before the grand jury.

	Tom Wickman: BPD detective sergeant who had been a member of the core group of Ramsey case investigators from the inception of the case. Wickman was the case supervisor. He joined the department in 1977. After leaving for two years in 1981, he rejoined the force in 1983 as a patrol officer. In 1994, he was elevated to sergeant the same day Beckner was promoted from sergeant to commander. He testified before the Ramsey grand jury on September 15 and 22. Wickman also served as an investigator for the grand jury. He, unlike the other three grand jury investigators, was present every day the grand jury had been in session. Wickman will leave the detective division January 10, 2000 to take a promotion as commander of traffic and community services. Police Chief Mark Beckner said Wickman will continue to work on the unsolved Ramsey case as necessary, from his new position.

	Kerry Yamaguchi: BPD officer who participated in the search. He noticed the computer equipment and Internet connection in the Ramsey home, inspiring the 12/29 search for possible child porn on the Ramseys' computers.

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