Former Suspect in Etan Patz Case Dies, Lingering Questions Remain
NEW YORK (AP) – Jose Antonio Ramos, a convicted child molester and long-time person of interest in the 1979 disappearance of six-year-old Etan Patz, has died. Ramos passed away on March 7 at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, at the age of 82, according to a court filing related to the ongoing case against Pedro Hernandez.
Etan Patz’s disappearance became a defining moment in American history, galvanizing a national movement focused on child safety. The case, which continues to haunt New York City, saw the young boy vanish on May 25, 1979, while walking to his school bus stop in SoHo – a route he was taking alone for the first time. His body has never been found.
Ramos first came under suspicion in the early 1980s following allegations he attempted to lure other young boys. Investigators looked into reports that he had allegedly tried to entice children into a drain pipe in the Bronx. While he admitted to police he knew a woman who walked children home during a bus strike, and even claimed to be “90 percent sure” he briefly encountered Etan in Washington Square Park, authorities never amassed enough evidence to bring criminal charges.
Despite never being charged, Ramos was named in a civil suit brought by the Patz family in 2001. A court initially ruled in their favor in 2004, awarding a $2.7 million judgment, but that decision was overturned in 2016 by a judge who found insufficient evidence to hold Ramos responsible for Etan’s death.
In his later years, Ramos faced hardship and homelessness, living on the streets of New York City before being diagnosed with cancer. Rabbi Howard Cohen, a former prison chaplain, assisted Ramos in securing housing near Washington Square Park and served as his emergency contact. Cohen described Ramos’s situation as “bleak.”
The investigation into Etan Patz’s disappearance remains active. Pedro Hernandez, a bodega clerk, is currently facing a third trial for the boy’s murder. Hernandez initially confessed to the crime in 2012, following a tip to police, but his defense argues the confession was a product of his mental illness. Previous trials ended in a hung jury in 2015 and a conviction overturned on appeal in 2017.
The enduring mystery of Etan Patz continues to resonate decades later, serving as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of children and the lasting impact of unsolved crimes.