WASHINGTON, 18 August 2006 — Authorities arrested a former schoolteacher Wednesday in Thailand in the nearly decade-old killing of 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey, adding a sudden, shocking twist to the sensational case that had long cast suspicion on the girl’s parents.

John Mark Karr, 41, who once lived near the Ramsey’s suburban Atlanta, Georgia, home and who had briefly worked as a substitute teacher at elementary schools, was arrested in Bangkok.

US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Karr was being held on unrelated sex charges.

The suspect said he loved the 6-year-old beauty queen “very much” and is “very sorry for what happened.” In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Karr said that he contacted JonBenet’s mother, Patsy, before she died of cancer in June to express his remorse for the killing.

John and Patsy Ramsey, whom various theories tagged as possible culprits, were consulted during the course of the investigation, the district attorney said in a prepared statement. Patsy Ramsey died of ovarian cancer June 24 “I conveyed to her many things, among them that I am so very sorry for what happened to JonBenet,” Karr said it was his understanding that Patsy Ramsey read letters that he sent to her. He said JonBenet’s death was “an accident.” “It’s very important for me that everyone knows that I love her very much and that her death was unintentional,” said Karr, who AP said sweated and stuttered occasionally as he spoke in a quiet voice.

Karr was arrested halfway around the world from Boulder, Colo., where JonBenet’s body was found beaten and strangled in her parent’s basement on Dec. 26, 1996.

Earlier in the day, Karr spoke briefly to reporters after a news conference by American and Thai authorities.

“I was with JonBenet when she died,” he told reporters. Asked if he was innocent, he said: “No.” Karr will be taken within the week to Colorado, where he will face charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and child sexual assault, said Ann Hurst of the Department of Homeland Security, one of several officials who accompanied the suspect back to his hotel.

Officials in Bangkok said Karr has been in Thailand four times over the past two years. Thai authorities said they arrested Karr on Wednesday at his Bangkok apartment at the request of US authorities.

The head of Thailand’s immigration police, Lt. Gen. Suwat Tumrongsiskul, told the reporters that Karr admitted to the killing after he was arrested. Suwat also said Karr arrived in Bangkok on June 6 from Malaysia to look for a teaching job.

Michael Tracey, a journalism professor who did documentaries about JonBenet, was contacted by Karr and the two communicated over a two-year period, said University of Colorado spokesman Barrie Hartman.

Several weeks ago, the e-mails became so disturbing that Tracey went to the Boulder district attorney. Authorities then traced Karr to Thailand using his e-mail address, Hartman said. Tracey could not be reached for comment Wednesday.