Perfect Murder, Perfect Town - Lawrence Schiller [81]
Elbot wanted Burke back in class, but he certainly didn’t want the school turned upside down. He pointed out that Burke’s classroom was self-contained and there were no doors opening to the streets. Elbot knew Burke would be safe, but he also knew he had to create an environment where Patsy would feel that Burke was safe.
By the end of the meeting, they had agreed that an electronic alarm system would be installed at the school. Parents who regularly volunteered their time to the school would each carry a small transmitter that could signal both the police and the school office. Burke’s teacher only had to push a button in her classroom and someone would be there.
A volunteer parent would stand guard outside Burke’s classroom door. At recess and lunch, when he was outdoors, another volunteer would be within a few feet of him at all times. These precautions would continue until the last day of school.
After Burke was interviewed on January 8, the police wondered if he had held back any information about JonBenét’s death. Burke’s return to school sent a strong message to the police and the FBI. They were certain that parents who knew their child had relevant but concealed information would not allow him to get involved in a situation where he could talk freely to others. If he had secrets, Burke could easily share them with classmates he trusted. Burke’s return to school seemed to close the door on the possibility that he knew something he hadn’t told investigators.
BEAUTY QUEEN’S NANNY TELLS ALL
SHOCKING SECRETS BEHIND THE DOOR OF MILLIONAIRE’S HOUSE OF HORROR
“My hand trembled and my blood ran cold as I wrote out the word ‘BEHEAD’ in a felt-tipped pen while the police hovered over me. I knew then that JonBenét’s killer had threatened to cut off the head of the beautiful child in his chilling ransom note.”
In a wide-ranging exclusive ENQUIRER interview, Linda [Hoffmann-Pugh] unveiled intimate details of life in the Ramsey house—and new disclosures about the investigation into the murder that’s sickened America.
National Enquirer, January 28, 1997
On January 28, Jacqueline Dilson, who worked at the Dakota Ranch, a small New Age retreat and conference center near Lyons, Colorado, sat in the office of her attorney, Larry Mertes. She was telling Detectives Wickman, Gosage, and Thomas and Pete Hofstrom that her boyfriend, Chris Wolf, might be involved in the death of JonBenét. Her description of Wolf’s behavior seemed to fit the profile of someone who had recently committed a crime.
Wolf had moved in with Dilson in her trailer in July 1995. He had a master’s degree in journalism and worked as a reporter for the Colorado Daily and Boulder County Business Reports. He’d once interviewed Cheryl McGraw, an administrative assistant at Access Graphics, for a business travel story. In December 1995, Dilson said, Wolf had moved out of the trailer, but they continued to see each other. On Christmas Day 1996, Wolf was back living with Dilson. They went to a party together, Dilson said, but later Wolf refused to have dinner with her and her family. At about 10:00 P.M., Dilson said, she went to bed alone. She woke the next morning, about 5:30 A.M., just as Wolf was getting out of the shower. She noticed that his jeans and sweater, which were lying on the floor, were very dirty.
That evening, December 26, Dilson and Wolf were watching the late news. When JonBenét’s death was reported, Wolf said he hoped “the fucker dies. He was sexually abusing her.” Dilson said he was referring to the girl’s father. The next day, Dilson said, Wolf was extremely agitated. He paced