Santa dead - Former CU professor Bill McReynolds dies of a heart attack

Discussion in 'Justice for JonBenet Discussion - Public Forum' started by Watching You, Sep 5, 2002.

  1. Watching You

    Watching You Superior Bee Admin

    http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/city_news/article/0,1713,BDC_2422_1378181,00.html

    Former CU professor Bill McReynolds died of a heart attack

    By Christine Reid, Camera Staff Writer
    September 5, 2002

    The Santa Claus figure in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case died over the weekend from a heart attack.

    Bill McReynolds was found dead in his Mashpee, Mass., home Monday by his wife, Janet, when she returned from a weekend trip. He was 72.

    McReynolds, a former University of Colorado journalism professor, portrayed Santa Claus at the Ramseys' home for the third consecutive year in 1996 — two nights before the 6-year-old was found slain.

    JonBenet's death, in some respects, paralleled the plot of a play
    McReynolds' wife had written before the killing.

    Authorities collected hair and handwriting samples from the couple in the first few months following the killing, but police sources said they did not consider the McReynolds serious suspects.

    The Ramseys, however, called McReynolds a suspect in their book "Death of Innocence: The Untold Story of JonBenet's Murder and How its Exploitation Compromised the Pursuit of Truth."

    Janet McReynolds said Wednesday that her husband's involvement in the infamous case was "the greatest trial of his life."

    "He was scarred. He was just so devastated by the mere idea anyone would suspect him of a crime," she said.

    McReynolds' death was sudden, his wife said, although he had undergone a bypass operation and replacement of aorta valve in 1996.

    He was born in Donna, Texas, in 1930, and received his degree in
    journalism from the University of Texas. After a stint in the Army, McReynolds returned to his alma mater and taught for five years before moving to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota. He earned his doctorate in American Studies and was hired by CU's journalism department in 1968.

    The couple spent the next 30 years in Boulder, raising three children.

    After his retirement from CU in 1992, the couple moved to Rollinsville. That is when McReynolds' fascination with Santa Claus began, said his wife.

    "He really took the role as his life goal," Janet McReynolds said. "He loved being Santa, he loved little children, and then the Ramsey case destroyed that career and just devastated him. He loved that little girl. It was a very sad thing in his life because he genuinely loved children, and it was the happiest part of his life."

    McReynolds' big heart made him a popular instructor, said Doug Cosper, who taught with him at CU.

    "Some of his students kept relationships with him their entire lives," Cosper said.

    "When the Ramsey story happened, he was hurt very badly, and that's why they had to leave Colorado," he said. "They felt they couldn't live here anymore."

    When the couple moved to the small town on Cape Cod in 1998,
    McReynolds left his role of Santa Claus, his wife said. Instead, the
    grandfather of six filled his time helping the elderly at the local senior center.

    "He made a new start. He was beloved by many people here," said Janet McReynolds. "Of course, he would never get over what happened to him. He would never fully recover from that kind of suspicion."

    A memorial service is scheduled for Friday in Massachusetts. A service in Boulder will take place later this month, and his ashes will be scattered in one of his favorite Colorado mountain getaways, his wife said.

    The couple's 40th wedding anniversary was Sunday.
     
  2. Watching You

    Watching You Superior Bee Admin

    I'll bet JonBenet

    was there to meet Bill McReynolds with genuine golden angel dust. It's sad this man was forced to live his last years heartbroken by the slanderous accusations that came from the RST against him.

    RIP, Santa.
     
  3. Kelly

    Kelly Member

    Hope the RST isn't busy making a case against him now. Nothing is below them, nothing at all.
     
  4. imon128

    imon128 Banned

    Very sad

    How sad his last years on earth had to be spent like they were, due to the RST. Patsy was ever so happy to have Santa around when she thought TV cameras were coming.

    Wonder if the R's will go to his funeral.

    Poor Mrs. Santa, too. I bet they never dreamed their golden years would turn to tin by JB's death.

    So long, Santa.
     
  5. Tricia

    Tricia Administrator Staff Member

    Santa Bill

    There is a new article this week in the Globe about the death of Santa Bill. (September 24th 2002)

    I would recommend everyone pick up a copy.

    What you will find is a man who loved little children destroyed by the Ramsey's and their henchcreeps.

    It is heartbreaking. A couple of snippets:
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    "Now, his wife Janet says he was emotionally and physically shattered by the Ramseys' attempt to finger him as the "intruder" they claim beat, strangled and molested the kiddie beauty queen in 1996.

    "He never got over the pain of being targeted as the suspect by the Ramseys'" says Janet. "First, there was the shock of learning the little girl he loved so much died in such a horrendous way. Then, he found her parents, John and Patsy, were targeting him to the police. An later, Ramsey supporters spread malicious lies over the INTERNET (caps mine)

    *snip

    McReynolds also cooperated fully with lawmen, providing witness statements, giving them blood, hair and writing samples. But JonBenet's parents and their supporters continued to hound the retired professor, who had become close to the precious blond child after playing Santa in the Ramseys' $1.3 million home for three years in a row.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Me talking now.....
    Will there be no end to the pain and sorrow caused by the Ramsey's and their groupie Skanks on the internet?


    I would suggest that FFJ send a letter of condolence and support to Janet McReynolds. I don't have her address but I do have the name of the funeral home. I am sure the funeral home can get our letter to Mrs. McReynolds. Perhaps we can include a small donation in Santa Bill's name to the Cooke family. I know Santa Bill would be the type of man to help the Cooke family in their search for their daughter Rachel.

    Patsy Ramsey is an evil, dark soul. A hollow creature. No heart. Just a heartbeat.

    However now Santa Bill knows who killed JBR. Patsy knows Santa knows . As does Patsy's mother and others who have died.

    If the Globe article is correct then this will bring Patsy a little closer to the edge. Dear God I hope so. Let's let Santa Bill's passing be the last person that dies with a heavy heart and a ruined life because of the Ramsey's and their lies.

    Tricia
     
  6. Tez

    Tez Member

    Tricia...

    I agree with you 100%. The Ramsey's will stop at nothing to save their sorry butts. They make me so angry. Patsy has no soul and neither does Fat Cat. Personally, I hope there is a special place in hell reserved for them, and their "unofficial spokesperson."

    Tell me where to send a donation, I will gladly contribute. It may not be much, but at least I know it is going to a good cause. I also know there is supposed to be a memorial service for Santa Bill in Boulder sometime. I will keep following the Boulder Daily Camera and see if I can find out when. My heart goes out to Mrs. Santa. She lost her life partner and has every right to be angry at the Ramsey's. I think that she should write a book about the struggles they faced because of them. I am sure Woody will threaten to sue her if she does, but she should do it anyway. The falsely claimed Santa Bill killed their daughter. Now, I suppose since he is dead, they will continue to malign his memory. They just make me sick!
     
  7. Nandee

    Nandee FFJ Senior Member

    What do ya think??

    Will John and Pats show up for the service in Boulder??
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2002
  8. Kelly

    Kelly Member

    Patsy in her beekeepers outfit at Santa Bill's memorial. John, looking around with those shifty eyes and licking his lizard lips.
     
  9. Mandarin

    Mandarin Member

    Santa???

    I miss him, strangely almost as much as I miss Jonbenet. He was so much a part of her 'little girl' world.

    I'm really sad that he had to be so maligned with a child that he cherished so much and given the fact that both Bill (Santa) and Patsy were Journalism majors makes the whole thing even sadder.

    I'm confident that Patsy knows, quite certainly, that Santa had nothing to do with her daughter's death, but I'm equally chagrined that she allowed the whole media circus to implicate an innocent bystander to take the brunt of her familial homicide.

    Shame! Shame! Shame! I'll give John Ramsey a pass here, but Patsy knows FOR SURE, that Santa had nothing to do with it and yet, she sits somewhere in Georgia, comforting herself with the knowledge that she alone knows what happened that fateful night. You & I will never be able to exonerate Santa, but Patsy could defintely do so ..... SHE NEVER WILL!!!

    And that is sad, very, very sad! Strangely, I feel sorry for John, because, if my memory serves me correctly, he tried to implicate Santa, didn't he??? Guess John was only trying to protect the family name & finances ... can't blame him for that.

    Oh well, Santa (Bill) ... enjoy your freedom from this earth and Ramsey persocution - what goes around, comes around and one day the Rams will definitely get what is coming to them, especially for the harm they did to every one who loved them and was close to them. As we all know, they threw them all under the bus!!!


    Regards,
    Mandarin
     
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