The tragic murder of JonBenet Ramsey, a case that has haunted America for nearly three decades, has resurfaced with new urgency following the release of a popular Netflix documentary.

Now, JonBenet’s father, John Ramsey, has revealed a chilling letter he received from a woman claiming her ex-husband was the killer. The letter, which Ramsey said he immediately acted upon, is the latest twist in a case that has been riddled with false leads, media frenzy, and years of frustration.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, John Ramsey shared his cautious approach to the tip. While he passed the letter to a private investigator, he hasn’t yet heard back from the mystery sender. “We reached out to her, but she didn’t answer the phone,” Ramsey said. The timing of the letter, just days before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet’s murder, coincides with renewed public interest spurred by Netflix’s Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey.

JonBenet, a six-year-old beauty queen, was found beaten and sexually assaulted in the basement of her family’s Boulder, Colorado, home on December 26, 1996. The discovery of a ransom note and the family’s immediate involvement in the case created a media storm that quickly turned suspicion toward the Ramseys. Although the Boulder District Attorney officially cleared John, his late wife Patsy, and their son Burke in 2008, public opinion has long cast a shadow over the family.

John Ramsey has spent decades advocating for answers, particularly pressing for the use of advanced DNA techniques that have solved other high-profile cold cases, like the Golden State Killer. Ramsey remains hopeful, though cautious, about new leads. “It’s not going to change my life at this point—I just turned 81—but it’ll change my children’s lives, my grandchildren’s lives,” he said.

This latest tip follows a long history of dashed hopes and false confessions. One particularly bizarre episode involved John Mark Karr, who was extradited from Thailand after confessing to the crime, only to have his story fall apart when his DNA failed to match evidence from the scene.

Another self-proclaimed killer, using the alias “David Cooper,” attempted to extort money from Ramsey under the guise of turning himself in. These incidents have only deepened the frustration surrounding the case.

Ramsey’s persistence has kept pressure on authorities, even as the Boulder Police Department has cycled through multiple leadership changes. Newly appointed Police Chief Steve Redfearn has promised to prioritize the case, stating, “The killing of JonBenet was an unspeakable crime… We are committed to following up on every lead.” The department has also refuted claims that viable evidence or DNA testing opportunities are being ignored.

The Netflix documentary has reignited public interest, and Ramsey hopes the attention will spur action. “Bureaucrats, politicians, are impacted by public pressure bigtime,” he noted, expressing cautious optimism that advancements in DNA technology and the renewed spotlight could finally bring justice.