Lou and JonBenét: A Legendary Lawman’s Quest To Solve A Child Beauty Queen’s Murder

John Wesley Anderson

May 2023 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Stephen Bowlby

About this audiobook

On Christmas Night 1996, six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was murdered in her family's home in Boulder, Colorado. A ransom note was found, but it was hours before her father, John, found her body in the basement. She had been strangled with a garrote and her skull was fractured. The media sensationalized the tragic death of the "child beauty queen" and public speculation and rumors ran rampant. What followed was one of the most notorious unsolved murder investigations in American history. Boulder police fixated on JonBenet's parents as suspects. Needing investigative help, the Boulder DA brought in legendary homicide detective Lou Smit. However, he was soon disenchanted with law enforcement's obsession with the Ramsey family as the primary suspects, excluding other possibilities. Smit resigned but continued to work on his own time, and at his own expense, determined to find justice for JonBenet. He determined the Ramsey family was not involved in her death but died in 2010 before he could identify the killer. Along with a handful of retired detectives, Smit's lifelong friend and colleague, John Anderson, and Smit's family continue to pursue justice based on his work. In Lou and JonBenet, Anderson tells the story of Smit's investigation and why the Smit family team now believes that the killer can be identified. Contains mature themes.

About the author

John Wesley Anderson is a published author, storyteller, and TEDx speaker. He enjoyed a thirty-year law enforcement career and was twice elected Sheriff for El Paso County, Colorado. Prior to serving as Sheriff, John was employed with the Colorado Springs Police Department and retired at the rank of sergeant.

Stephen Bowlby, a lifelong performer and filmmaker, loves bringing ideas to life in ways that entertain, inviting both action and reflection. With a career in writing, directing, and film editing, he infuses his narration with a strong sense of story.