Friday’s episode of ABC News’ “20/20” is exploring a 24-year-old question -- who killed JonBenét Ramsey?
The work of legendary and late detective Lou Smit who came out of retirement to investigate the murder of the child beauty queen is examined in the episode, which will feature the investigator's diaries as well, ABC reported.
“Initially hired by the prosecution, Smit quit the case when his investigation convinced him that an outside intruder was responsible," ABC said in a statement. "Smit then dedicated his life to proving the Ramsey family’s innocence. On his deathbed he requested his children and grandchildren keep his search for the killer alive. In Smit’s video diaries he reveals his theories about what happened the night JonBenét died and his belief that DNA will ultimately expose the killer."
The special also includes interviews with Smit's granddaughters, Lexi Marra and Jessa Van Der Woerd, who created the podcast, "The Victim's Shoes," as a way to continue their grandfather's investigation. "When he got sick with cancer … he knew that his time was limited and so, during that time, he just talked to others about not letting this case die,” Cindy Marra, Smit’s daughter, told 20/20. “It was really important to him.”
JonBenét was just 6 years old when she was found dead inside her parents' home in Boulder, Colorado on Christmas 1996. Her father found her body in the basement of the family home eight hours after she was reported missing. The child had suffered a blow to the head and had been strangled.
No one has ever been charged in her death.
“I think it's really important for people to understand that this case can be solved. There's a narrative out there that this is an unsolved homicide and that we just have to accept that as fact, and that is not the truth,” John Andrew Ramsey, JonBenét’s half-brother, told 20/20. “If we leverage the evidence [and] we follow the facts, we will find this killer.”
The special is hosted by Amy Robach.
“20/20” airs on Friday at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
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