Karr classmate offers theory on ransom-note mystery

Rocky Mountain News ^ | August 19, 2006 | David Montero

[beaversmom]

HAMILTON, Ala. - Tara Estes was almost breathless with excitement because she thought one of the more mysterious elements of the JonBenet Ramsey ransom note finally had been revealed.

She climbed the steps to Jeff Brown's rickety porch, brushed aside an orange wasp and sat down on a dirty ice cooler.

"Shall be the conqueror," she said Friday afternoon to a couple of quizzical looks. "S.B.T.C."

Ah, yes. The ransom note that asked John Ramsey to turn over $118,000 for the safe return of 6-year-old JonBenet has been analyzed over and over for nearly a decade.

The long, rambling ransom note ends with the word, "Victory!" and then "S.B.T.C" below it.

But no one knows what the initials mean.

Estes had just gotten off the phone with a friend in South Carolina who was a classmate of John Mark Karr, the man who has said he killed JonBenet on Dec. 26, 1996.

The friend had her yearbook from the early 1980s, and in it Karr signed a lengthy missive filled with the usual teenage angst.

Teresa Alligood had been watching the arrest this week of Karr on television in South Carolina and decided to do a little Googling with her yearbook near the computer. She stumbled on the page Karr had signed and stared at the message.

Alligood then tracked down the ransom note on the Internet and saw "S.B.T.C" at the bottom. She looked back at the yearbook and saw one of the last parts Karr had written:

"Sometimes, so blurred by my own eyes, I've seen the best things come and go simultaneously; Though deep in the future, maybe I shall be the conquerer (sic) and live in multiple peace."

Alligood said she called her family immediately. She also called Fox News and the Boulder district attorney's office Wednesday to alert them. The next day, she talked at length with a Boulder investigator. He assured her they were taking it seriously. However, they hadn't requested her yearbook yet.

Boulder County officials could not be reached for comment Friday.

Estes said the revelation was enough to convince her that Karr did what he said he did. But sitting on Brown's porch, childhood friend Gary Spear had a tougher time reconciling that idea.

Spear, nicknamed "Wolfman," leaned back in his chair and said he couldn't imagine Karr doing anything like that. Back then, he said, Karr was interested in his music - even having a sound studio inside the home where he lived with his grandmother.

Spear said that Karr was smart, generous and easy to get along with - especially because he had the only red DeLorean sports car around. He painted it.

"Nobody had a DeLorean," he said. "But he said he was going to get one after seeing Back to the Future. And damn if he didn't."

Brown, also a high school friend, thought it was a stretch to think that Karr could have killed JonBenet. Brown said Karr was friendly, funny and had instant popularity when he got the sports car.

So neither seemed to be enthralled with the "S.B.T.C" explanation - although in deference to Estes, Brown appeared interested in the theory.

For almost 10 years, there have been theories on what those initials meant. Some said it was "Saved by the Cross," a reference to the Ramsey's Christian faith. Others have suggested it references the Subic Bay Training Center where Ramsey served at the U.S. Naval base in the Philippines.

But on the porch, on this hot, muggy Friday, Alligood's theory was new. Fresh. And after two days of speculation - something people here seemed weary of - it was something to talk about.

[txrangerette]

If Scott Peterson had not killed Lacy, but still had left for several hours on Christmas Eve, chances are real good that he would have said he was going fishing.

If she lived and was asked later, was Scott with you during Christmas she would say yes. Because Scott was known to go fishing a lot. Ten years later she might not remember the exact details of that Christmas...except of course her son would have been born and that would have marked it. Or he could have used golf as an excuse to see his girlfriend, and Lacy would still have assumed him "with them at Christmas", even if he was away for awhile, supposedly golfing.

So, you are correct that he could have lied to her by claiming to be doing something that she was used to, when in reality he was somewhere else doing something radically different.

[txrangerette]

What did Karr's mother die from? All I've seen is that she died when he was 12 and he had to live with his grandparents. Do you know?

[Searching4Justice]

<<In my experience as a bodyman/painter,I have found that painted DeLoreans are usually the result of an accident.Parts are hard to come by,and the price to pay for them is not chump change.A vin number check could tell a lot of the history of the car.

I bought a supposedly new RED Delorean off the showroom floor and I later found out the dealers owners son had put it in a ditch and as you have stated, you can't do bodywork on a stainless w/o painting it. The bs story the dealer told me was they has purchased a bunch of DeLoreans and once they had sold a few the local market was saturated so they painted the rest they had for sale. That freaks me out that GEEK had one too, I gave mine to my daughter for her 16th birthday. A regular pickup truck was faster as they only had a small Volvo motor.

[Conservative Texan Mom]

You know what is interesting. This guy specializes in reconstruction of Antique Victorian homes, which are generally large, and expensive to redo. They can be looked at as a symbol of status. He also teaches kids. Two things that would place him in the world that he fantasizes about, allowing him to indulge his obsession with wealthy people and children.

[stlnative]

The Ramsey home in Michigan is a Victorian - this is where they were headed I believe after Christmas. Search warrants on the smoking gun describes the home in Michigan.

[Conservative Texan Mom]

I don't know what she died from.

[stlnative]

Karr's father is 85, so he was about 44 years old when John Mark was born. The father would have been 56 when his wife died. So the mother would have probably been in her 50's also at the time of her death.

[Sacajaweau]

Most of us have a normal life. We have certain holidays off and we take vacations at certain times. We can keep track BECAUSE we are "creatures of habit."

But Karr IS NOT a creature of habit. Even though he was married, we don't know what his habits were. Was he working at the time? Did he go "out of town" looking for work? Did he take "temporary jobs" out of town. Did he go to libraries? Did he and his wife go out? Did they have friends over?

Where is he getting his MONEY?

I'm sure people have been coming out of the wood work and contacting the Boulder police. Be patient.

[geopyg]

Thanks for the clarification. I read it twice and STILL didn't see it! (I'm also terrible at Scrabble!)

[Doctor Stochastic]

Soprano
Bass
Tenor
Calto

[Sacajaweau]

I believe that's one of the first things she said: That he has been charged in the death of Jonbenet Ramsey.

[MizSterious]

That was my thought. BTW, your comment in #99 is definitely food for thought, and very possible.

[Boiler Plate]

I seem to recall that you could in fact buy them new painted, though it was still stainless underneath.

[Sacajaweau]

She did exactly what our DA usually does and I consider him the best: "We have someone" and he has been charged....but he never reveals or discusses any of the evidence.

It's important to get the face out there ASAP....before the public loses interest.

If they waited a week to get his face out there, it would be old news. People want "current" news...What happened yesterday??

Isn't/wasn't Walsh going to do another show on this case just before they picked Karr up?

[i_dont_chat]

I read that these items were put into little JonBonet's coffin, to be buried with her:

Scaft
Bear
Tiara
Cross

That's wierd.

[TXnMA]

He is not charged with any sex crimes in Thailand.

Is any behaviour considered a "sex crime" in Thailand?

[Conservative Texan Mom]

Walsh has talked about this case before. I don't know if it was scheduled to air again.

The part in the Ransom note referring to beheading strikes me as odd. This was ten years ago, terrorism wasn't the issue that it is now. Beheaded? It is interesting that John Walsh's son, another high profile child murder case, was beheaded. I wonder if the author of the note kept tabs on high profile cases?

I think you are right? They have to have more evidence than what we know. I can't imagine them arresting him without it. And, it would not be smart to tip their hand as to what they know. It would also be interesting to see what blanks get filled in now that this guy's picture is out. I'm still wondering about the DNA though.

[txrangerette]

Not formally arraigned on the charges. They had a warrant out for his arrest. I'm not a lawyer, but I believe there's a difference.

[apackof2]

Unfortutely he has been a teacher and a tutor AND a nanny for years over seas
It makes me ill to think of the trail of little victims he has probably left behind

[xarmydog]

Body work can be done on stainless steel.It is hard and an art unto itself.A proper repair is cost prohibitive,hence the paint jobs.I would guess that the dealer may have gotten a good deal,possibly buying a wrecked shipment or some other.Special preparations have to be made to stainless steel for paint products to have good adhesion.Just curious,does your paint job seem to be holding up?Also check and see if the shop that painted it placed the paint code somewhere on the auto just in case a future repair is necessary.When I change a color on an auto,I place all the pertinent info in the glove box,and also the owners manual if it has one.It should include paint type[lacquer,enamel,3 stage,etc.]year of paint selected,Ford,Chevy,etc.,and whatever info that can help a repair shop do as best they can.It is something I learned from old timers when I first started out.[Before uni-bodys]Many times,I find that shops do not do that.It makes a painters job very difficult.Go to a store that sells automotive paint and just ask to see the white colors alone.You will be amazed at how many color variations there are!Now days,there is a computer that scans a paint color,and will spit out a formula.The scanner looks something like a grocery store hand held gun type looking thing.It is not always accurate,but will bring a paint color within adjustable ranges.The machines are very expensive,and a lot of paint distributors don't have them.[15,000 and up].Don't mean to be long winded,but you will understand if you are in need of a repair.If you are located near a place that has a machine,usually one that has a high turnover rate,have them scan your auto for a code,providing you do not have one.Chances are good,you do not.NAPA,DUPONT,MARTIN SEYNOR,PPG,etc.Sorry for being long winded.