Character Bio: Patsy Ramsey (Perfect Murder, Perfect Town)
Mini Bio
Patsy Ramsey was the mother of JonBenét Ramsey, the child beauty queen who was murdered in 1996. Pasty, although maintaining her innocence since the death of her daughter, was the main suspect in what became a bungled police, DA office and media circus. A grand jury decided not to press charges and John and Patsy still maintain that an intruder entered their house and murdered their daughter.
Vital Stats
- Name: Patsy (Patricia Ann) Ramsey (Nedra Paugh)
- Age/Born: December 29, 1956
- Marital Status: Married to John Ramsey (November 5, 1980). She is his second wife.
- Family: Two children — Burke Hamilton (born January 27, 1987) and JonBenét (born August 6, 1990; died December 26, 1996).
John also has three children from his first marriage — Elizabeth “Beth” Ramsey (born July 15, 1969, died January 8, 1992); Melinda Ramsey (born 1972) and John Andrew Ramsey (born 1976).
Patsy’s family also includes her parents: Donald and Nedra Paugh and her sister, Pamela Paugh.
John’s family also includes his parents: James “Jay” Ramsey (died April 1992) and Mary Jane Ramsey (died March 1978). Also his brother Jeff and John’s first wife Lucinda “Cindy” Lou Pasch (married July 1966 and divorced 1978). - Employment: Mother
- Love Interest: John Ramsey (husband)
Function of Role
Marg’s role in this movie was to take on the challenging task of becoming Patsy Ramsey, the mother of murdered beauty queen, JonBenét, who grieves for her daughter while becoming the main suspect in the case.
Misc
Perfect Murder, Perfect Town is based on the book written by Lawrence Schiller and it takes viewers through the JonBenét Ramsey case.
Marg on Her Character
- PLAYBOY: You played Patsy Ramsey, and now you’re a crime scene investigator. Do you think JonBenét’s case will ever be solved?
HELGENBERGER: I watched a lot of Patsy Ramsey’s press conferences. In one she talked to CNN shortly after the murder, when she was completely stoned on Valium-she’s hardly coherent. And there was the press conference she and her husband held for journalists a few months after the murder. In that one they were very together and had their answers down. But they have stuck with their story the entire time.
- Ladies Journal: Speaking of well-known cases, you played Patsy Ramsey in the TV mini-series Perfect Murder, Perfect Town. How taxing was that?
Marg: That was an exceptionally hard one to handle. I was antisocial during that project. I took up knitting again. I’d sit in my trailer between scenes, because I knew I had to do a full day of weeping in that role. I was just glad to have my life back after it was over. It can get very intense, but luckily, I have my family.
- “She was very controversial and at that time didn’t have the public sympathy at all,” says the actress. “She was infamous and most people thought she was guilty. I think the public might be softening a bit. I still don’t know what to believe or think. Going in, I was convinced of her guilt then I started thinking it could’ve been an intruder.”
— Orange Coast interview
