The JonBenet Case

By Richard Woodbury/Denver

When a county grand jury in Boulder, Colo., finally gets around to looking at the JONBENET RAMSEY murder, high on its list of witnesses is likely to be FLEET WHITE JR., a wealthy oilman, and his wife PRISCILLA. The Whites, former neighbors and close friends of JOHN and PATSY RAMSEY, were the hosts at a Christmas dinner for the family the night JonBenet was killed and were among the last to see the six-year-old alive. The next day, White was among the first people summoned when Patsy discovered her daughter was missing, and he was close by John in the basement a few hours later when the body was found. But in the days following the murder, there was a bitter falling-out between the two men, with sharp words exchanged at the time of JonBenet's funeral. White was reportedly enraged that the Ramseys didn't seem to be fully cooperating with police. For his part, Ramsey has reportedly viewed White with some suspicion. Boulder cops ruled him out as a suspect early, but district attorney ALEX HUNTER was not so quick to completely clear him, and relations further soured when White wrote Governor ROY ROMER, urging him to replace Hunter with a special prosecutor. "Fleet is anxious to testify and tell his story," says an acquaintance. "He's just been waiting for the right legal venue." The grand jury may call him as early as next month.

--By Richard Woodbury/Denver