JonBenet Ramsey murder suspect on his way to America

August 20, 2006

The man being held in Bangkok on suspicion of murdering six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey more than ten years ago has started his extradition flight to the US.

Forty-one year-old John Mark Karr, an American school teacher, is flying on Thai Airways Flight 748 from Bangkok to Los Angeles International Airport. According to Thai police, he is being accompanied by American security officials.

Lt Gen Suwat Thamrongsrisakul, from the Thai immigration police, said: "He is very calm, and not scared. He said was ready to go back home."

In a press conference on Wednesday, Karr confessed to killing the child beauty queen by accident. "I was with JonBenét when she died. I loved JonBenét. She died accidentally. I am so very sorry for what happened to JonBenét. It's very important for me that everyone knows that I love her very much, that her death was unintentional, that it was an accident."

Despite his confession, Karr's then ex-wife said that he was in Alabama with her when the murder occurred.

JonBenét was found beaten and strangled in her Colorado home on the day after Christmas in 1996.

Related