What Beauty Pageants Was JonBenet Ramsay In?

JonBenet Ramsey’s life lasted only six years, but the mystery surrounding her murder has spanned almost two decades. Ramsey was found dead in the basement of her Boulder, Colorado home in 1996, and it didn't take long for her murder to become international news. Despite the media attention, though, as well the fact that it's been decades, no one has been charged with Ramsey's murder. As a result, the case still draws the attention of the masses, many of whom are likely hoping that this young girl will finally receive justice soon. To this day, amongst all of the information about the case, descriptions of the crime never fail to ignore the fact that Ramsay was a beauty pageant queen at the time of her death. This is likely because it's a role she's most recognizable in: Many of the photos used to identify Ramsey in media reports and articles are ones depicting her with big, blonde curls, bright lipstick, a huge smile, and a tiara at a beauty pageant. Even the famous 1997 PEOPLE magazine cover about the case referred to Ramsay as a "pageant princess." The 6 year old was a frequent participant in these competitions, so it's worth wondering: what beauty pageants was Ramsey in?

It's unclear exactly how many pageants Ramsey participated in overall, but it is possible to figure out how many she won. According to CNN, the 6-year-old contestant took home first place for Little Miss Colorado, Little Miss Charlevoix, Colorado State All-Star Kids Cover Girl, America's Royale Miss, and National Tiny Miss Beauty. PEOPLE also reported in 1997 that Ramsey won the local Little Miss Christmas beauty pageant. For a 6 year old, that's an impressive list of wins.

Considering this, it's no wonder that Ramsey's often remembered as the 6-year old pageant queen — it was a huge part of her life. As 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of her tragic murder, four TV specials about Ramsay's murder will be airing in the coming months. Hopefully, some new light will be shed on the case after all this time.