WEDNESDAY 9-15-99 ARNDT GMA TRANSCRIPT

Gibson: This morning one of the more controversial chapters of the JonBenét Ramsey murder

investigation - the autopsy. Former Boulder Colorado detective Linda Arndt was there for the

autopsy. And today, in the third part of our exclusive interview with Elizabeth Vargus, she

describes what she saw in her career as a detective. She said she worked a number of cases

which included sitting in on autopsies. But, she said, nothing prepared her for this one.

Arndt: I hadn't seen savagery done to a child, or even an adult, until, uh, the doctor peeled back

her scalp and, uh, saw that horrific, uh, fracture to her head. It was the length of her head.

(Voice Over) It was 8 ½ inches long.

Arndt: The doctor hadn't seen an injury like that. The doctor couldn't believe what was done to

her body. Her, her head, uh, the depth of that ligature around her neck. It was so deep that twice

that cord had been wrapped around her neck, and uh, and it looked like it was only one loose

time around. And, um, she had trauma to her vagina, vagina.

Vargus: What kind of trauma?

Arndt: It would be trauma that would be consistent with injuries seen in sexual assault cases.

Vargus: Recently?

Arndt: What was seen was not a first-time injury.

Vargus: And it wasn't just something that happened the night of the murder?

Arndt: I don't want to speak for the corornor, but not all of her injuries appeared to be recent.

(VO) The coronor, infact, said the evidence was inconclusive. But ABC news has confirmed that

three medical experts who consulted for the BPD reported injuries consistent with prior sexual

abuse.

Vargus: After the autopsy was completed, this was the day after, the 27th, did you go back to

talk with the Ramseys that day?

Arndt: At about 9:30 at night we were told that they were unavailable due to (long pause) ...one

person had been drinking and the other person had been medicated.

(VO) Which brings us to a criticism that Linda Arndt did not take the Ramsey's into the police

station as soon as JonBenét's body was found.

Vargus: It was clear it was a homicide. And you and everybody else on the scene at least

suspected that there might be involvement by the parents. At that point, why weren't the

Ramsey's separated and taken in for questioning at the police station?

Arndt: That's a good question. That wasn't my decision to make. I was relieved of my

responsibilities when the supervisor showed on scene.

Vargus: Some people might be listening to you and think, 'that's classic, sort of pass the buck. I

wasn't in charge, it wasn't my responsibility therefore, it wasn't my fault'

Arndt: It's not passing the buck. I was responsible for the things I was assigned to do. But how

is it that things that were not my decision, not my choice, um, I didn't have the authority to do; I

got blamed for?

Vargus: Wouldn't it have been standard procedure to take them down to the police station to

question them?

Arndt: Uh, I would say that's usually done.

Vargus: Why wasn't it done in this case?

Arndt: I don't know why a lot of things weren't done in this case.

(VO) Arndt also explains that because she carried JonBenét's body, her clothing became

evidence. She was ordered to go home and change. And she is quick to point out that an FBI

agent, her supervisor, and ten other officers remained. And they did not force the Ramseys to

go to the police station, either. In fact, it was not until much later that day that the Ramseys

would be asked for a formal interview.

Vargus: Were you at all surprised that they wouldn't speak to you?

Arndt: It was curious, it was confusing.

Vargus: At that point, were John and Patsy Ramsey suspects?

Arndt: Of course they were suspects.

Gibson: The Ramseys have, of course, denied any involvement in the crime and

have also denied there was evidence of past sexual abuse of JonBenét. For it's

part, the Boulder Police Department had no comment on Linda Arndt's

statements because she's filed a law suit against them.