Det.: Ramsey Evidence 'Can't Be Ignored'

May 1, 2001 -- A detective once at the center of the JonBenét Ramsey slaying probe has revealed the 6-year-old beauty pageant winner had two sets of marks on her body suggesting she was subdued with a stun gun.

Lou Smit, a veteran homicide detective who was called out of retirement to work on the case, and then resigned in frustration after fellow investigators discounted his theory that the girl's parents were not involved, has gone public with photographs he says support his version.

Smit said evidence he found at the crime scene and autopsy photographs were discounted by other investigators who were interested in proving the girl's mother, Patsy Ramsey, killed her in a rage and then tried to cover up the crime by fabricating a story that there was an intruder.

In an interview on NBC's Today show, Smit said he believes JonBenét was killed by a pedophile who "took her to the deepest part of that basement and did very brutal things to her."

The photographs shown on the program include images of marks on the girl's body which Smit says were almost certainly made by a stun gun, and could only have been made while she was still alive.

"You can't throw a piece of evidence like that away," he said.

Law enforcement officials who have held onto the suspicion that JonBenét's parents killed her have pointed to the fact that there was no sign the girl struggled as she was brought from her bedroom to the basement of the house where she was killed.

Smit said the photographs provide evidence the girl could have been incapacitated before she was carried to the basement.

A Scuff Mark, a Suspicious Suitcase

Among the other photographs were pictures taken in the basement showing what could be a shoe scuff mark on a wall under a basement window, where an intruder could have entered.

There was also one showing a suitcase propped up under the window, which could have been used to make it easier for the intruder to leave and indications that cobwebs around the window had been swept away.

Smit, who was asked to come out of retirement to assist with the investigation but resigned after 18 months, maintained he was not working for JonBenét's parents, John and Patsy Ramsey. He said he has only continued to press the case because of his dedication to finding the killer.

"The detective stands in the shoes of the victim to protect their interests against everyone else in the world," he said.

Other Dissenters

Boulder County Sheriff's Detective Steve Ainsworth and former Boulder County prosecutor Trip DeMuth also appeared on the NBC program on Monday, supporting Smit's thesis.

"I have not seen any evidence that would be compelling to suggest that John and Patsy did kill their daughter at this point," Ainsworth said.

The Ramseys, who now live in Atlanta, have consistently denied any involvement in their daughter's death. They have written a book and have appeared on television programs to discuss aspects of it, including their theory that an intruder killed JonBenét.

Smit is not the only detective who worked on the case to resign over the way the investigation was carried out. Steve Thomas also quit the Boulder police force, arguing the case was not being pursued aggressively enough.

However, he does not share Smit's belief that an intruder carried out the crime. He wrote a book accusing the Ramseys of killing their daughter.

Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner did not return a call for a comment on the program, but last week said he would not discuss the case. Police and prosecutors still working on the 5-year-old case also declined to talk to the NBC program about Smit's claims.