Hacker infiltrates computer used in Ramsey case

                     June 13, 1997
                     Web posted at: 11:20 a.m. EDT (1120 GMT) 

                     BOULDER, Colorado (AP) -- A
                     computer hacker has infiltrated the
                     system set aside for authorities
                     investigating the slaying of JonBenet
                     Ramsey, the latest blow to a heavily
                     criticized inquiry. 

                     Boulder police spokeswoman Leslie
                     Aaholm said the computer was
                     "hacked" sometime early Saturday.
                     The incident was announced by police Thursday. 

                     "We don't believe anything has been lost, but we don't know what,
                     if anything, has been copied," said Detective John Eller, who is
                     leading the investigation into the slaying of the 6-year-old girl nearly
                     six months ago. 

                     The computer is in a room at the district attorney's office that
                     police share with the prosecutor's investigators. The room
                     apparently had not been broken into. Computer experts with the
                     Colorado Bureau of Investigations were examining equipment to
                     determine what had been done. 

                     Meanwhile, police were checking computerized reports against
                     printed copies to see if there had been any tampering. Eller said
                     security measures have been stepped up. 

                     The girl, a beauty pageant winner, was found strangled and beaten
                     in her family's basement December 26, eight hours after her mother
                     said she discovered a ransom note demanding $118,000. 

                     There have been no arrests and no suspects named. JonBenet's
                     parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, are part of the investigation, and
                     Patsy Ramsey has not been ruled out as the author of the note. 

                     Boulder authorities have been under fire for their handling of the
                     investigation ever since they allowed Ramsey to search the house
                     and find his daughter's body. Other criticisms ranged from giving
                     the Ramseys information before interviewing them to police
                     reluctance to share DNA test results with prosecutors. 

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